One day in Athens can be filled with interesting experiences combining culture, shopping and good food. If you are staying in a hotel in the centre, start your tour from Syntagma square or reach the center by cab.
Numismatic Museum
First stop at the Numismatic Museum on Panepistimou streeet, where you can admire the impressive collection, which includes more than 500.000 coins, medals, seals and semiprecious stones dating back to the ancient world.
Benaki Museum
From there it is just a short walk up Vasilissis Sofias Avenue to the Benaki Museum right opposite the National Park, where you can see the prehistoric, ancient Greek and Roman Art, historic heirlooms, Coptic, Chinese and pre-columbian art. Just two streets further up you reach the Museum of Cycladic Art, on Neofytou Douka 4, dedicated to the ancient cultures of the Aegean and Cyprus with Cycladic Art as the focus. Now you are in the district of Kolonaki and probably feel like a break for coffee.
National Park
Just across the avenue is the National Park, with a cool, relaxing atmosphere and a quiet cafe under a wisteria pergola. You might be in time for the famous change of the guard at the Presidential Mansion.
Alouf cafe
If you prefer something more cosmopolitan, Alouf cafe is perfect for coffee or a light lunch and if you feel like a good pizza Malconis is at a short distance.
Feel like something really lively? Choose one of the many cafes on Milioni street. For elegance nothing beats the upscale Vivliothiki right on Kolonaki square or Kolonaki Tops, favorite local celebrity meeting places. Best budget choice is Everest on Tsakalof street, with hearty sandwiches at very good prices. Feel like something sweet? choose between Cake on Irodotou street with authentic New York cheesecake and Philippes Cupcakes on Kapsali street for cupcakes with a twist.
Shopping in this area offers a wide choice: art shopping in the museum shops, or Skoufa and Tsakalof streets for designer clothes, shoes and bags with many famous international brands. Natura Baby on Irodotou street is a boutique only for babies and young children with French fashion and selected natural cosmetics and soaps for luxurious gifts. Right opposite Stelios Parliaros Sweet Alchemy makes some of the best gourmet chocolates in town.
Turning left on Patriarchou Ioakim you might feel like browsing books in Libro bookshop and walking on you will reach Kanari street which leads down to Akadimias. If you need any cosmetics you can pop into Beauty Shop.
Just after Solonos street, on you left, you will see Carpo, a shop which sells exclusively chocolates, roasted nuts and dried fruit, definitely worth a visit. Once you are on Akadimias street you are very close to Syntagma square where you started off and can continue back to your hotel after having enjoyed your city tour.
