Athens is known for its ancient history, lively culture, and breathtaking views. In this travel guide, we’ll show you the best viewpoints in Athens including some of the best sunset spots around the city. From the highest mountain in Athens to views from ancient ruins on a hilltop, we have created the top ten best views in Athens.
The capital of Greece is an incredible place to visit with some of the most beautiful monuments in the world. It’s often overlooked by visitors heading to the islands and we highly recommend spending more than one day here!
We’ve created a full 3 day Athens travel itinerary if you’d like to explore more of the city.
Within this guide, we’ve included the best viewpoints in Athens with impressive panoramic views of the city, sunset locations and the best places to view the Acropolis in Athens.
Most of these locations are easy to get to as Athens is quite a small city, however, we’ve included a few that public transport or other transportation may be better.
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Top 10 Viewpoints in Athens & Places to See Sunset
Here’s our wonderful list of the best views in Athens, including the best places to see sunset in Athens!
the viewpoints offer stunning views of the city, the surrounding mountains, and the Aegean Sea.
1. Lycabettus Hill
One of our favourite viewpoints in Athens is the incredible Lycabettus Hill!
Lycabettus Hill is the highest point in Athens and has some of the most amazing views of the Acropolis with scenic views of the city. It’s easy to spot from most locations around Athens as it’s quite a large hill!
Even though it looks big, it only takes 20 minutes to reach the top from the base of the mountain and there’s also a cafe at the top and along the way. However, there is an incline from the city centre to the start of the trail.
We visited this spot in the afternoon, but it’s actually one of the best places to see the sunset in Athens due to the height of the mountain. It’s even a great spot for sunrise as Lycabettus Hill offers 360 views!
2. Views from the Anafiotika Neighbourhood
This viewpoint in Athens isn’t well known, but the views are incredible!
Anafiotika is one of the most picturesque neighbourhoods in Athens, right next to the popular Acropolis. The neighbourhood is designed to look like villages in the Greek Islands with narrow alleys and white houses. It’s honestly a must-visit in Athens!
Due to being near the base of the Acropolis, it offers beautiful views of the city for free! When you arrive in Anafiotika make your way up the stairs until you reach the top and there’s a small viewing platform.
It’s really easy to get there on foot and a car can’t go into this neighbourhood. It’s the perfect neighbourhood to visit before or after your trip to the ancient ruins.
3. Philopappos Hill
Philopappou is a small neighbourhood in Athens home to a large green park with some walking trails. This park is named Philopappos Hill and it’s the best viewpoint in Athens to see the Acropolis.
There are many different ways to enter the park, but the best way to find the Acropolis viewpoints is to head to the Philopappos Monument and look for gaps in the trees to see the Acropolis.
There’s one spot with benches and a platform (as you can see, we took some photos)! This viewpoint is usually quieter than Lycabettus Hill, so there’s a really chill atmosphere.
Philopappos Hill is the perfect viewpoint in Athens to visit at any time of day including the night! The Acropolis lights up which feels magical! It’s also another great place to see the sunset in Athens!
Visiting more of Europe? Check out our Europe travel tips to explore on a budget!
4. Strefi Hill
One of the less popular viewpoints in Athens is Strefi Hill which is close to Lycabettus hill in the Exarchia neighbourhood. It takes less than 10 minutes to get to the top for more great views of Athens!
It’s another one of the best places to see the Acropolis, like most hills in the city. The trails in the park are lovely and not too steep considering the tall height of the hill.
We recommend visiting Strefi hill in the daytime and you can visit the Archaeological Museum at the same time.
Check out our 3 Day Athens Itinerary: The Best Things To Do (2024)!
5. Areopagus Hill
Another beautiful location to see the best views in Athens is from Areopagus Hill right next to the main entrance of the Acropolis.
Areopagus Hill is one of the easiest viewpoints in Athens to get to and is easily paired up with a visit to the Acropolis in the daytime. Look out for the stairs leading up to a large rock!
There is a small path on the rock, however, some areas can be quite dangerous if you’re not well-balanced. Be careful in the dark!
If you do visit at sunset, you’ll see the Acropolis painted in a golden glow along with the rest of the city.
6. Mount Parnitha
Even though it’s not in Athens, we’ve added Mount Parnitha to our viewpoints list as it’s worth a drive if you love the mountains! Mount Parnitha is a paradise for hikers and offers some amazing views close to Athens.
It’s the highest mountain in the region and is only a 1-hour drive away. We recommend the Bafi Refuge (via Chouni) trail which takes just under 5 hours to reach the top. It’s quite a moderate to difficult hike but there are plenty in the area to choose from!
If you fancy staying the night, there’s accommodation at the top so you can maximise your time in nature! There are also deer that live here!
7. The Acropolis
A visit to Athens wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the famous Acropolis and it’s also a great opportunity to see the best views in Athens with ancient ruins scattered around the old city.
- Purchase your Acropolis skip-the-line tickets in advance here!
- Acropolis and Museum Entry Tickets with Audio Guide
The Acropolis is hard to miss from any of the other viewpoints in Athens as it sits on top of one of the city hills. It’s quite a steep walk to get to the top of the Acropolis, but it’s totally worth it to see the impressive Parthenon.
One of our favourite things to see from the Acropolis was the beautiful temple in Ancient Agora! There are also lovely views of the surrounding mountains and residential areas in Athens.
8. Monastiraki Square
Before visiting Athens we had no idea so many restaurants offer rooftop views in Athens and Monastiraki Square is full of them!
Monastiraki Square is in the heart of Athens and is hard to miss on a trip to Athens. There’s many cafes, restaurants and shops in the area including the Monastiraki Flea Market.
Here’s a few recommendations for rooftop restaurants in Athens:
- MS Roof Garden – serving cocktails and dinner with views of the Acropolis!
- Anglais Athens – beautiful chic restaurants with views of Athens!
- City ZEN (All Day Bar Restaurant) – Mediterranean cuisine with amazing views!
Honestly, there are so many, so it’s worth walking around and seeing if you like the look of any! Also, Monastiraki Square isn’t the only area in Athens that has viewpoints from restaurants or cafes!
9. Mount Hymettus
As Athens is surrounded by three mountain ranges (Hymettus, Parnitha and Penteli) there are a lot of beautiful viewpoints to find close to the city centre.
Mount Hymettus is just to the east of Athens with incredible views! There are multiple hikes within the park or you can drive to the top to see the best views in Athens. There are trails for all levels, so it’s a great way to get out into nature!
A great starting point is the Kaisariani Fire Look Out and we recommend visiting the Sacred Monastery of Kaisariani on your climb to Mount Hymettus.
10. Athens Riviera
Our last viewpoint in Athens is actually at ground level but still an amazing place to see the sunset in Athens.
The Athens Riviera is a beautiful stretch of coastline south of the city centre filled with beaches, lakes and incredible sunsets. These beaches have amazing views in Athens of the Aegean Sea!
We recommend Kalamaki Beach for a quick beach visit from Athens and you can use the metro, buses and trams to get there. There’s a tram that runs along most of the Athens Riveria but it doesn’t go down to the southern tip.
Kape Beach is a hidden gem in Athens the views of the beach from the cliffs is enough to make it on our viewpoints in Athens list!
Most popular viewpoint in Athens
The most visited viewpoint in Athens is Lycabettus Hill with many people walking to the top at all times of day, especially at sunset. As it’s one of the highest in the city, it does have some of the best views in Athens to see the whole area.
If you’re after a lesser-known viewpoint in Athens, Strefi Hill is pretty quiet all year round and has good views of the Acropolis and Lycabettus Hill!
Are the viewpoints in Athens free?
Yes! Almost all of these views in Athens are free apart from the Acropolis which requires a ticket to enter. However, there are multiple areas near the Acropolis offering similar views!
If you’re on a budget and looking for free viewpoints in Athens, choose almost any of these options from our viewpoints in Athens list! They all have beautiful views of the city and its surroundings!
Athens restaurants with a view
There are many beautiful restaurants in Athens with a view and we sadly didn’t visit any of them. Here are some we’ve seen recommended around Athens:
- The Zillers Roof Garden
- City ZEN (All Day Bar Restaurant)
- MS Roof Garden
- Hytra Restaurant & Bar
- Anglais Athens
A lot of these restaurants are quite fancy, but have a great menu! We recommend just walking around the centre of Athens and choosing the one that you like most. We loved the vegan scene in Athens, we even added it to our list of vegan-friendly cities in Europe.
Browse our Vegan in Athens Guide: Best Vegan Restaurants!
Where to stay in Athens
The best area to stay in Athens is in the city centre, near Monastiraki. The city is very walkable and most of the ancient sites and viewpoints are close to the city centre. Here are a few accommodations we recommend:
Best Hotels and Hostels in Athens
- Athens Hawks Hostel $ – A great hostel in Athens to meet other travellers! Hawks also offers another great viewpoint in Athens with its rooftop views! – Find on Hostelworld here!
- Niki Athens Hotel $$-$$$ – A lovely well-decorated hotel in the centre of Athens that offers breakfast with the stay. – Find on Booking.com here!
- The Monumental House $ – We stayed here for 3 nights in Athens and loved it! It felt very homely and cosy. There’s a shared kitchen and the friendliest cats! Find on Booking.com here!
Best things to do in Athens
Athens is the perfect city to spend a weekend or more! We’ve written a full 3 day itinerary with the best things to do in Athens including how to visit some of these beautiful viewpoints!
If you want to book some activities for your Athens trip, here’s a few we recommend:
- Here’s an Acropolis and 6 Archaeological Sites Combo Ticket here (it’s a better deal in the Summer months)
- If you just want Acropolis tickets, then we recommend these Skip-the-line Acropolis tickets!
- Visit the Temple of Poseidon & Cape Sounion on the Athenian Riveria for impressive Athens viewpoints!
- Athens: Delphi Guided Day Trip with Pickup & Optional Lunch – Explore unique ancient ruins in Greece with a day trip to Delphi!
- Discover the islands of Hydra, Poros, and Aegina on a day cruise – Find out more here!
Check out our 3 Day Athens Itinerary: The Best Things To Do for an in-depth guide!
Best time to visit Athens
The best time to visit Athens is in the Spring and Fall (March, April & May) or (September, October & November). These spring months offer lovely weather for Greece without worrying about the heat or cold!
When we visited in March it was 20°C on some days and the ancient ruins weren’t too busy. Plus the tickets are half-price!
July and August are the most popular times to visit as it’s the school holidays and the weather is very hot! If you do visit in the summer, make sure you book your accommodation in advance and bring a sun hat!
How to get around Athens
The best way to get around Athens is by foot or public transport. We walked almost everywhere apart from a trip to the Athenian Riveria by metro and tram.
- Metro / Trams / Buses – €1.20 for a single or €4 for a day ticket
- Walking – The easiest way to explore the city centre!
- Taxi – If you need a faster alternative, taxis are around Athens.
Travel Essentials for Athens
Here are a few items we bring on all of our trips, including to Athens!
- Stainless Steel Water Bottle – Tap water in Athens is drinkable, bring a reusable bottle!
- Worldwide Travel Adaptor – The ultimate travel plug to bring around the world.
- Amazon Basics Packing Cubes – Pack your bags using packing cubes!
- Anker Power Bank – An easy on-the-go portable charger.
- Rain Mac in a Bag – A light raincoat! We also use a backpack cover!
- Joby GorillaPod 3K Pro Kit – A small tripod that fits in our day bag. You can use a Joby GorillaPod with a Sony A6400. There’s also a Joby Phone Tripod.
Travel Insurance – SafetyWing Nomad Insurance
Don’t forget to book your travel Insurance for Athens, Greece! SafetyWing is a flexible monthly-rolling travel insurance helping many travellers around the world – Find out more here!
Looking for more travel inspiration? Check out our Greece Travel Guides!
- 3 Day Athens Itinerary: The Best Things To Do
- Vegan in Athens Guide: Best Vegan Restaurants
- Ultimate 1 Week Romania Itinerary: 2024 (Using Public Transport)
- 2 Day Plovdiv Itinerary: Best Things To Do in Plovdiv
- 2 Day Sofia Itinerary: Best Things To Do
- Or browse more of Europe for more inspiration!
That’s the end of our Top 10 Best Viewpoints in Athens: Places to See Sunset! Explore the best viewpoints in Athens and if you need any more help planning – send us a message on Instagram (@thesunrisedreamers) or leave a comment below!
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