Athens: What to do in 48 hours

This is the Keytours guide on Athens: what to do in 18 hours. A visit to Greece is not complete without spending a weekend at least, or 48 hours in Athens. The capital city is so enchanting, captivating visitors with its ancient charm, but also with the more contemporary experiences it can offer.
Athens is not often a singular destination; that is, a destination that people will visit for the entire duration of their stay. Usually, Athens is the first port of call for visitors whose final destinations are the islands, especially during the summer. However, Athens has so much to offer on its own, that a weekday or weekend Athens break can prove absolutely enjoyable. After all, Athens is a year round destination, due to its mild Mediterranean climate. The wonderful weather makes it possible to enjoy strolls outdoors even during the winter, so here are some ideas about what to do when you have at 48 hours to spend in Athens.

Discover the ancient sites:
Modern Athens is a city built upon the foundations of civilisation, dating back nearly 3500 years ago, and perhaps even longer, before going on historical record. Ancient Greece had Athens at its crux, being its most vibrant social, economic and political hub of activity. The heritage of that age is still very much apparent today with the most prominent of all remnants being the impressive Acropolis around which the entire city revolves. At its foot is the most iconic ancient theatre that is still in use after all these centuries, the Herodion Atticus, while across it the newly developed Acropolis museum houses a massive amount of artefacts that have finally been compiled in a place that can fully showcase their salience. Another impressive temple lies on Athens’ outskirts in Sounion, whose mythology is exceptionally poignant. Depending on how many hours you want to spend, browse through our comprehensive and diverse Athens day tours, and find the one that is exactly suited to your preferences. One that spans the most essential items on your Athenian itinerary is the 10 hour One Day Athens tour including lunch that will take you to all the top attractions, and back to base before dinnertime.

Explore the modern side of Athens:
One of the things that makes Athens so unique, is the contrast between the ancient and modern heritage. On the one hand you have century-old temples and on the other, there are vivid and interesting murals of street art. There are almost everywhere around the centre, transforming livid walls into modern artistic masterpieces that reveal the more contemporary side of Athenian life. Take a 3 hour Athens street art tour with a true street artist as your guide, and get to discover the urban culture of Athens as you stroll around the most hip part of town. Athens by night tour has a whole different atmosphere to it, as you get to see all the landmarks illuminated and with the mesmerising glow of the moonlight. Furthermore, you will get to experience a genuine Greek evening with a lovely meal under the Acropolis as well as some Greek entertainment, all in 3,5 hours.And since Greece is also famous for its cuisine, gourmands especially should not miss out on the secrets of Greek cooking. Taking the 3 hour Athens cooking lesson & dinner food tour ensures getting the most out the food science and tradition behind the dish, while you get to visit the best local tavernas, learn a few Greek cooking tricks and indulge in a delectable dinner at the end of it.