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Day Two: Agora, Hephaistion, Monastiraki, Temple of the Olympian Zeus, Syntagma Square, and Piraeus

Home » Greece » Athens: Vacations--A One to Three Day Itinerary » Day Two: Agora, Hephaistion, Monastiraki, Temple of the Olympian Zeus, Syntagma Square, and Piraeus

Spend your second day visiting the Agora, the cradle of democracy and the marketplace of ancient Athens. The Agora was the hub of the city from the 6th century B.C. Here you will find Greece’s most well preserved Doric temple, the Hephaistion. If you have time, join a local archaeologist on a guided tour of the Agora. Stroll through the Roman Agora, with its Tower of Winds, a graceful water clock dating back to the 1st century BC. Visit the Little Mitropolis church on the outskirts of the quarter. Travel through the Monastiraki area where you can eat the city’s best souvlaki for a late morning snack. Visit the small Byzantine chapel of Kapnikarea, which stands in the center of the street.

Spend your afternoon, strolling through Hadrian’s Arch and the Temple of the Olympian Zeus, Athens’s most significant Roman monuments. Rest in Syntagma Square (Constitution Square) to watch the changing of the Evzone guards in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The area is beautiful, especially with the parliament building as its focal point. Over the years most of the major events in Greek history have transpired at this Square, and the country’s parliament was established here in 1843. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is found in front of the parliament and is guarded twenty-four hours a day. Trees line every side of the center of the square, and it is ornamented with a fountain and statues of King Otto.

In the evening travel to Piraeus by metro to explore its neighborhoods and dine on fresh fish in Mikrolimano Harbor.

Next Page: Day Three: National Archaeological Museum, National Gardens of Athens, and the Odeon of Herod Atticus

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