Athens is a city steeped in ancient history and boasts a contagious energy, amazing food and iconic sights – a perfect mix for any photographer! From its breathtaking ancient ruins to its thriving street scene Athens is full of incredible photo locations just waiting to be captured. We’ve put together this list of the best photo locations in Athens: it’s our guide on where to take the best pictures of Athens.
Best Photo Locations in Athens
We’ve been to Athens a number of times and had a lot of fun exploring the city and all of the amazing photography locations dotted around the city. We’re included a map of all the best photo locations in Athens at the end of the post with detailed locations of all the spots.
1 | Mount Lycabettus
Mount Lycabettus was one of our favourite photo location in Athens and the best place for views across the city. It is a limestone hill that rises above Athens and provides uninterrupted views across the city including the Acropolis and most of the major sites. It’s the highest point in the city and you can walk to the top of the hill, however, we recommend getting the funicular to the top and walking down to save some energy! The sunset is incredible from the viewpoint at the top of Mount Lycabettus.
When to visit: late afternoon/sunset
Best Photo Locations Athens tip: Make sure to grab a drink in the restaurant at the top before you leave – the views are incredible.
2 | The Acropolis
It’s one of the world’s greatest treasures and the Acropolis is an Athens iconic. The city sits under the watchful eye of the Parthenon, the ancient temple, the Erechtion, has beautiful stonework and the stunning theatre, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, are all photo worthy.
When to visit: Athens is very busy during peak season with the Acropolis being the city’s most visited site. To avoid really long queues and the midday sun try and aim to visit the Acropolis early in the morning.
Best Photo Locations Athens tip: the Acropolis is likely to be covered in scaffaolding so be ready to try out some unique angles to try and capture it!
3 | Street art in Exarcheia
Originally known as the home for Greek anarchists, the super chill district of Exarcheia is full of street art. The streets of this now residential area are jammed packed with local eateries, relaxed coffee shops and incredible street art. You’ll have take time to explore the streets as the murals are dotted throughout the area so the only way to find the interesting pieces is to walk the streets!
When to go: Early morning
Best Photo Locations Athens Tip: When you’re finished taking in the views at Mount Lycabettus you can easily walk down the hill to Exarcheia to explore the streetart.
4 | A For Athens Rooftop
There are many places which offer a good view of the Acropolis but for the best head to the rooftop bar of the A For Athens hotel. The view is extra special after dark when the Acropolis is lit up with Monastiraki Square in the foreground. Grab a seat overlooking the square, enjoy a delicious hot chocolate and photograph one of the best views in Athens.
When to visit: The rooftop is open all day, however, for the best views go here after dark and grab a seat overlooking Monastiraki Square.
5 | The Plaka
The winding streets of the Plaka which surround the base of the Acropolis is a haven for street photography. The oldest part of the city, the Plaka is the heart of Athens. Our best advice is just to get lost in the colourful maze of streets, grab a coffee at one of the relaxed restaurants which dot the area and continue to wander.
When to visit: Early morning or early evening is best for exploring the Plaka – when it’s not too busy with tourists!
Getting around Athens
Athens is huge and sprawling city and the sights are spread out across its neighbourhoods. To get around we used a combination of the city metro and the Athens hop-on hop-off bus tour which is a great way to get between the sights and see the city as you go. If you’re feeling brave check out this tour of Athens by scooter, we did one in Budapest and it was incredible!
6 | Syntagma Square
The central square of Athens, Syntagma (or Constitution) Square is the most important square in the city, if not the country and is a hub of social, commercial and political life.
When to visit: Changing of the guard takes place on Sundays at 11 am so this is a great time to capture some interesting shots.
7 | Hadrian’s Arch
Hadrian’s Arch is named after the Roman emperor Hadrian who had a great admiration for the city of Athens. The beautiful marble arch of Hadrian is located close to another unmissable Athens site, the Temple of Zeus.
Hadrian’s Arch is located at the entrance to another unmissable Athens site, the Temple of Olympian Zeus. The Roman emperor Hadrian dedicated the Temple to Zeus, the king of the Gods. It’s amazing that 15 of the 16 original columns are still surviving after 2,000 years.
When to visit: go at sunset and combine with a visit to the Temple of Zeus.
Where to stay in Athens
- Pallas Athena Grecotel: We stayed in a suite at the quirky Pallas Athena Grecotel Boutique Hotel. which is a 10minute walk from Monastiraki and incorporates local street art into the room design – check prices here
- A for Athens: If you like to be right in the heart of the action check out A for Athens is perfectly located on Monastiraki square and the beautiful panoramic rooftop deck for breakfast and evening drinks make this one of our favourite hotels in Athens – check prices here
- Plaka Hotel: The Plaka Hotel is a real hidden gem in Athens. This comfy hotel is located just off Monastiraki square and is a perfect base from which to explore Athens. Make sure to checkout the amazing views of the Acropolis from the rooftop bar – check prices here
8 | Temple of Olympian Zeus
The Temple of Olympian Zeus is one of the best places in Athens for watching the sunset. The temple is relatively quiet in the evenings and there is a beautiful view of the setting against the backdrop of the Acropolis on the hill in the background.
When to visit: The site is beautiful at any time but for the best photo conditions head to the temple for sunset.
Athens best photo locations tip: There’s a small entrance fee of €2 which is really worth it for one of the best sunset views the city has to offer.
9 | Panathenaic Stadium
The site of the ancient Olympic games, the Panathenaic stadium is the only stadium in the world made entirely of marble. The bright white marble of this huge stadium is truly stunning. Make sure to walk to the end of the stadium and climb to the top of the steps for a fantastic view back across the stadium and the Athens skyline.
When to go:late afternoon/evening
10 | Monastiraki Square
One of the main shopping districts and main hubs of Athens, Monastiraki Square is a great location for street photography and capturing the essence of Athens. Strolling through the flea market is great for some unique photos and also has some beautiful sites such as Hadrian’s Library and the Ancient Agora
When to go: late morning or early evening when the Square is most alive with people
11 | Central Agora Market
We love photographing food markets and the Central Agora is a great option in Athens. The market is located around 10 minutes walk from the Plaka and is open Monday through Saturday from around 8am to 8pm. The market has great opportunities for photography and the selection of meat, fish and produces on display is one of the best we’ve seen in Europe.
When to visit: Try to visit during the morning when the market is full of locals and is really alive
Best Photo Locations Athens tip: Central Agora is an authentic working market so be respectful and try not to get in the way of the vendors and their customers.
12 | Temple Of Poseidon at Sounion
While technically not in Athens city, we highly recommend making the trip to the Temple of Poseidon at Sonion. The restored acropolis at the Temple of Poseidon is one of the most beautiful places we visited in all of Greece. Located around an hour’s drive south of Athens, the trip to the Temple of Poseidon is definitely worth it and is easily accessible from Athens via a rental car or half day trip from the city. We rented a car in Greece for our roadtrip and our time in Athens and it was well worth it for the flexibility and options to explore the country.
When to visit: Try to visit the Temple of Poseidon for sunset, when the golden Greek sunset illuminates the white marble columns of the Acropolis.
Best Photo Locations Athens tip: we used our rental car to get to the Temple of Poseidon as we were in Athens during our Greek road trip. There are also bus and boat trips from the city to the Temple of Poseidon.
13 | Byzantine Churches
The dozen Byzantine Churches of Athens were built in the 11th and 12th century and some house remarkable frescos. The churches are in various states of disrepair and photography beautifully with the contrast of old and new city. The recently restored UNESCO listed Daphne Monastery is also worth the trip across town to the outskirts of the city.
Map of Athens Photo Locations
Click here for a link to the map of all locations
For more Greece photography inspiration:
- the best photo locations in Meteora
- a round up of the best photo spots in Santorini
- our Peloponesse road trip itinerary
Thank you so much for the wonderful tips. We are visiting this beautiful place in April via Norwegian Cruise Line. I can’t wait. There is so much to see in such a short time. I have heard that some taxis also serve as guided tour guides. Do you recommend this? Are there any reputable taxi companies that offer this service that you know off?
Hi Lydia
We mostly walked and did the hop-on/hop-off tour bus on our first trip. We drove around Greece so had a car for some of the sights on the outskirts of the city so I don’t have any experience of using taxis for the tours.
Have a great trip
Elaine