Athens Agora
The Athens Agora or ancient market is a must-see site and one of the best things to do in Athens with its restored arcade building, the Stoa, and its museum.
After the Acropolis and National Archaeological Museum, the market place of ancient Athens is another of the best things to do in Athens. It features some good remains and a fine, small museum.
Athens Agora
Imagine the Agora filled with stalls and shops, its streets and squares packed with buyers and sellers. It helps to buy a plan or to consult one of the information boards dotted around the site. The area was first used as a market place in about the 6th century BC. Before that it was a cemetery.
The site was at the heart of Athenian life for centuries, along with the Acropolis, which rises behind it. In fact, a good overview of the Agora can be had from the Acropolis, or from the neighbouring Areopagos.
At ground level the foundations of many buildings are still evident, with signs in English for some of them. Two buildings dominate opposite ends of the site. One is the Temple of Hephaistos, and the other the Stoa Atallou (Stoa of Attalos), which contains the Agora's excellent little museum.
Athens Agora: The Stoa of Attalos
The Stoa is a two-storey arcade, first built in the 2nd century BC. It has been immaculately restored by the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, giving us a rare opportunity to see what Greek buildings of the period actually looked like when they were in use.
Athens Agora Museum
Inside, the museum is full of quirky finds that bring old Athens to life: a child's commode, a fragment of a library rule-book, a clever machine used for the selection of officials. Between the museum and the Acropolis is another restored building, the Church of the Holy Apostles.
Our Pick of the Athens Guides
Some other Athens pages
Athens Car Rental
Athens car rental options include almost all of the major international car hire firms such as Avis, Budget, Hertz, and Europcar.
Athens to Santorini
There are lots of flights from Athens to Santorini as well as a ferry service from Piraeus, with flights to Santorini leaving from Athens International Airport.
Where to Eat in Athens and Piraeus
If you're wondering where to eat in Athens and Piraeus we have a few suggestions including some favorites around the Acropolis, Omonia Square, and Syntagma.
Athens Culinary Tours
Athens culinary tours are among the food walking tours offered by an unusual company, Culinary Backstreets.
A History of Athens
A History of Athens from the first people to live on the Acropolis through the Golden Age of Pericles and Alexander the Great to the military junta.
A Walk around Kolonáki
This walk around the Kolonaki neighbourhood of Athens starts and ends in Syntagma Square and takes you to several museums, Kolonaki Square and Mount Lykabettos.
Athens Byzantine and Christian Museum
The Athens Byzantine and Christian Museum is housed in a beautiful villa with an underground wing and lovely gardens too.
Monastiraki Flea Market
Greece Travel Secrets visits the Monastiraki Flea Market, followed by Sunday lunch at Sigalas on Monastiraki Square
Syntagma Square
Syntagma Square or Constitution Square is the main square in Athens and has a metro station, the Greek Parliament building, hotels, cafes, and a post office.
Athens’Benaki Museum
Athens' Benaki Museum is one of the city’s top museums with an outstanding collection, especially of Greek and Egyptian artefacts, in a beautiful mansion.
The Pnyx
The Pnyx hill near the Acropolis is one of Athens' true hidden gems, a place to wander freely away from the crowds and discover ancient places and mysteries.
Athens Walking Tours and Other Experiences
Athens walking tours and other experiences like cookery lessons, ceramics workshops, dining with a family, and street art are available from Alternative Athens
National Archaeological Museum
The National Archaeological Museum is one of the best things to see in Athens, and the best museum in the world for seeing Greece's archaeological treasures.
Best Cocktail Bars in Athens
Two of the best cocktail bars in Athens, MoMix Kerameikos and The Clumsies, are making creative cocktails using that most Greek of Greek spirits, Metaxa.
Athens Airport Car Rental
Athens Airport car rentals include Alamo/National Car Rental, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt, all with offices at the airport.
The Best Things to Do in Athens
The best things to do in Athens, Greece, include top archaeological sites like the Acropolis and must-see attractions such as the National Archaeological Museum
Changing of the Guard in Athens
The Changing of the Guard in Athens takes place outside the Parliament building at the top of Syntagma Square and is a must-see for visitors.
Artistic Athens
This extract of Artistic Athens in the Lonely Planet book Culture Trails takes visitors on a journey through the artistic side of Athens..
Ten Best Museums in Athens
Greece Travel Secrets lists the ten best museums in Athens, with the top two being the National Archaeological Museum and the Acropolis Museum.
Ten Fun Things to Do in Athens
Ten Fun Things to Do in Athens include eating in the Central Market, watching the sun set over the Acropolis and seeing one of the world's oldest theatres.
Best Time to Visit Athens
Greece Travel Secrets picks the best time to visit Athens with a month-by-month account of the weather, hotel prices and any special events that are happening.
Best Views in Athens
The best views in Athens include views from the Acropolis and of the Acropolis from the top of some of the city’s several hills and from hotels and restaurants.
Piraeus
Piraeus is the port of Athens from where many ferries to the Greek islands depart, and it also has an Archaeological Museum and the Hellenic Maritime Museum.
Easter in Athens
Easter in Athens is, like everywhere in Greece, the biggest religious celebration of the year and this page tells you what to expect over the Easter weekend.
My Athens: a Portrait by Travel Writer Mike Gerrard
In My Athens on Greece Travel Secrets travel writer Mike Gerrard describes what he loves about Athens including the Acropolis and eating!
Latest Posts
-
Adverse Weather in Greece: Heavy Rain, Snowfall, and Winds Cause Disruptions
Greece continued to face severe weather conditions on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, as heavy rainfall, storms, and snowfall affected many areas. The Hellenic National Meteorological Service (EMY) reporte… -
Patras – Pyrgos Motorway in Western Peloponnese to Open by December 2025
The 75-kilometer-long Patras–Pyrgos Motorway in the western Peloponnese is expected to be completed and open to traffic by December 2025, significantly upgrading the region’s road transport system and… -
Tap2Ride: Athens Public Transport Rolls Out Digital Ticketing System
Athens public transport is ushering in a new digital era this week with the introduction of its innovative “tap2ride” ticketing system. -
The Greek Holiday Calendar 2025
Will there be a holiday or national celebration taking place during your trip to Greece? Find out here. -
Thessaloniki Metro: Station-by-Station Through History and Modernity
Now that Thessaloniki has, at last, a subway system, we propose a unique history tour that follows the route of that new metro line. -
10 Authentic Souvlaki Shops in Piraeus
Souvlaki originated in Piraeus and its heart continues to beat there even today. But which are the authentic souvlaki shops waiting to be discovered? -
Magic in the Mist: 48 Hours in Florina
Misty landscapes, snow-covered slopes, art, traditional cafés, and mouthwatering food beckon us to explore this charming border town. -
How Wine Bars Are Redefining Nightlife in Athens
Wine bars are now a cornerstone of Athenian nightlife, as an international trend goes local with a modern aesthetic and a distinctly Greek personality. -
10 Historic Tavernas in Athens and Piraeus
These places win us over with their authenticity, unpretentious atmosphere, and dishes that, though simple, are crafted with precision and care. -
Next Stop: Ancient Thessaloniki
The “open museums” unveiled by the operation of the metro – Guided tours begin in January.
Why not sign up for our Greece Travel Secrets newsletter? Each week you'll get emailed our regular Greece Travel Secrets Magazine for news, information, and inspiration for planning your travels in Greece.
As a welcome gift you'll also get a free e-book, Heaven on Earth. This contains 19 of Mike's favourite stories that he's written about travelling in Greece for newspapers and magazines over the years.
You'll find it over at Substack. Check out one of the Archive issues to find the Subscribe button.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases, but at no cost to you.
BUY A JOURNAL TO RECORD YOUR OWN GREECE TRAVEL SECRETS!
LEARN A LITTLE GREEK BEFORE YOU GO!
FOLLOW OUR GREECE VIDEOS
ON YOUTUBE
No words or images to be used without prior permission.
We do not sell personal information: see our Privacy Policy.
California Consumer Privacy Act - CCPA: Sale Of Personal Information
Greece Travel Secrets does not sell any information it gathers for any reason. It has not collected or sold any personal information in the last twelve months or ever in the past.
This website was built using Site Build It!
