Athens

Greece

"Ancient Marble Above a Modern Mediterranean Capital"

Athens is where ancient Greece and a busy modern capital share the same hills. The Acropolis and its museum anchor any visit, but the reward is wandering Plaka and Anafiotika, then eating late in Psyri or along the pedestrian streets of Monastiraki. A morning at the Ancient Agora or the Temple of Olympian Zeus pairs well with a sunset drink and a view back toward the Parthenon. Many travelers use the city as a launch point for a ferry or short flight to the islands.

Acropolis & Parthenon, Acropolis Museum, Plaka, Ancient Agora, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Panathenaic Stadium, Cape Sounion

April–June & September–October

Book timed Acropolis tickets online; the climb is uphill and exposed, so go early and carry water

Excellent cruise gateway at Piraeus. Easy add-on to a Greek island ferry or a one-day Cape Sounion trip.