Athens itinerary — 2 days

A verdant 38-acre public haven in the heart of Athens, commissioned in 1838 by Queen Amalia directly behind the royal palace (now the Greek Parliament). Shaded walkways sheltered by towering Washingtonia palms and eucalyptus offer respite from summer heat, leading to duck and turtle ponds, Corinthian marble ruins, fragments of ancient Roman mosaic pavements, and a quiet botanical pavilion.

The only stadium in the world constructed entirely from white Pentelic marble. Originally built in the 4th century BC for the Panathenaic Games, it was meticulously restored to host the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. Visitors can run around the historic horseshoe track, sit on the sun-warmed marble tiers, and pass through the vaulted athletes' tunnel to view an exhibition of historic Olympic torches.

The crown of the Athenian Acropolis and the pinnacle of classical Greek architecture, built between 447 and 432 BC by Ictinus and Callicrates under the sculptor Phidias. Dedicated to Athena Parthenos, the Pentelic marble temple incorporates subtle optical refinements, from swelling column entasis to upward curved stylobates. From the sacred rock, panoramas stretch across Athens to the Saronic Gulf and the Aegean Sea.

The ancient rocky citadel rising above Athens represents the high point of Classical Greek architecture from the 5th century BC. Commissioned by Pericles, it preserves the Parthenon, the Erechtheion with its famed Porch of the Caryatids, the temple of Athena Nike, and the Propylaea gateway, with sweeping vistas stretching toward the Saronic Gulf.

The political, commercial, and philosophical heart of ancient classical Athens, spread beneath the north-western slopes of the Acropolis. Here Socrates debated and democratic assemblies gathered. The site is anchored by the remarkably well-preserved 5th-century BC Temple of Hephaestus, standing virtually intact, and the reconstructed two-storey Stoa of Attalos housing the Museum of the Ancient Agora.

The Temple of Hephaestus, perched on the Agoraios Kolonos hill above the Ancient Agora, is the best-preserved classical temple in Greece. Built of Pentelic marble in the 5th century BC, it retains virtually all of its original Doric peristyle colonnade, pediments, and roof structure. Dedicated to Hephaestus, god of metalworking, and Athena Ergane, the sanctuary features finely carved friezes depicting the heroic exploits of Heracles and Theseus.

An extraordinary fairy-tale themed dessert wonderland in Athens' trendy Psirri quarter that transforms an entire pedestrian alleyway into a vibrant fantasy world. Famous for completely overhauling its elaborate street decorations for seasons like Halloween, Christmas, and Alice in Wonderland, the cafe features costumed staff and multi-story decor. Visitors come for towering slices of specialty cakes, crepes, and themed drinks.

The largest and most important archaeological museum in Greece, housing the world's finest collection of Greek antiquities. Located in a grand 19th-century neoclassical building in Athens, its galleries span from prehistoric to Roman times. Star treasures include the Mycenaean gold 'Mask of Agamemnon', the bronze Artemision bronze god, the ingenious ancient Antikythera Mechanism, and vivid Minoan-era frescoes from Santorini.