Are you thinking of traveling to Greece? That’s amazing! I’m first generation Greek American, have been to Greece over 20 times, and even got married there! I am thrilled to share my top 50 things to do in Greece with you. Pin or bookmark this blog post, and get inspired!Â
Things to do in Greece: Athens
We LOVE the city of Athens, and we know you will, too. It is a highly underrated aspect of the Greek travel experience. Give yourself a couple days if possible to soak in this amazing city. Check out our Ultimate 3-Day Athens Itinerary after this!
- View an ancient temple up close – Whether it’s the Parthenon, one of the many temples in the Ancient Agora, or the Temple of Poseidon in Sounio, make sure to check out at least one!
- Go dancing at a beach club
- Visit a museum – large or small, there are museums all over Athens that are well worth your time and will enrich your experience.
- Watch a play or concert in an ancient outdoor theater. Most famously, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens itself.
- Shop for evil eye jewelry and souvenirs in Plaka or Monasteraki
- Eat a homemade meal with locals. We did this the last time we were in Greece and can personally recommend this dinner with Giannis & Konstantinos experience very highly!
- Explore the Acropolis of Athens – an absolute MUST, especially if it’s your first trip to Athens
- Watch the sunset over Athens from Lycabettus hill – unparalleled views of the city at sunset can be seen from this vantage point.
- Take a day trip from Athens to Meteora – these monasteries built on cliffs using ancient technology are a marvel! Book with Get Your Guide.
- Watch a Greek sporting event – soccer games and basketball games are particularly exciting
- Run through the Panatheneic Olympic Stadium – get a workout in the home of the modern Olympics!
Things to do in Greece: Greek Islands
- Swim in the Mediterranean sea – this may seem obvious, but don’t leave Greece without at least one soak in the Mediterranean Sea.
- Sunbathe on a rocky beach – loose your fear of the rocks. Buy a bamboo mat to go under your towel, come prepared with water shoes, and have some fun!!
- Take a picture of a stray cat … I mean, it’s touristy but a crowd pleaser! These cats are so calm and accustomed to humans.
- Try to Greek Dance – Greeks are famously kind and hospitable, so don’t be embarrassed to jump in. Have fun, try your best to follow along, and leave with a more rich understanding of Greek culture!
- Take a boat tour – Greece’s identity as a nation is closely tied to the sea, and it’s also best appreciated from the sea at times. Here is the exact boat tour we took the last time we were in Milos, Greece, and we can’t recommend it highly enough!
- Transfer between islands by ferry. I recommend using FerryScanner to get the best routes and service.
- Respectfully tour a Greek Orthodox church or monastery – make sure to bring a shawl to cover your shoulders for women, and wear something the hangs below the knees for modesty.
- Attend a local festival or glendi – Particularly if you’ll be in the Greek islands during summer, some of the smaller villages may be celebrating their feast days. These festivals are usually enormous fun, with music and dancing until the wee hours of the morning. They are hard to find, you will need to ask locals once you arrive.
- Outdoor movie theater – The Greek island are so hot in the summer, so make sure to rest up during the day and go back out at night. One fun activity to check out would be an outdoor cinema. They often show English-language movies with Greek subtitles.
- Take an afternoon nap – Escape the insane heat with a nap from 3-5. This is very common in many areas of Greece, especially the islands!
- Go on a kayaking tour – Another way to explore Greece from the ocean, but this is more interactive, more of a workout, and in some ways even more unique than a boat tour!
Food & Drink You Must Try in Greece
- Eat fresh fish in a traditional taverna
- Have ouzo with mezes in a traditional Ouzerie
- Get traditional Greek coffee and play tavli (backgammon) at an authentic kafenio
- Buy ice cream from a kiosk (periptero)
- Buy sweet treats from a traditional Greek bakery (zacharoplastio). I especially recommend trying Bugatsa, galaktoburiko, and lukumades.
- Eat fresh spanakopita
- Drink frappe, or fredo cappuccino, on the beach – These are the classic Greek summer beverages!
- Try the 3 classic Greek beers: Alpha, Mythos, Mamos – Tell us in the comments which you prefer!
- Eat lamb! The Greeks do it best
- Try a fresh Greek salad – horiatiki. Famous all over the world for good reason! Heads up, they’re different in Greece, there’s no lettuce or salad mix involved.
- Try house wine at a Greek restaurant. The house wine is usually delicious and cheap.
- Have traditional Greek Tzaziki. Eat it with your French Fries – trust me!
- Eat fresh olives – seriously, even if you don’t usually like them, olives are just … BETTER … in Greece
- Try freshly-caught octopus
- Pick wild oregano and cook with it
- Order a gyro or souvlaki to go
- Eat and buy local honey
- Eat stuffed grape leaves, aka dolmades. A Greek classic!
Cultural Activities to Do in Greece
- Shop at a local farmers market
- Watch sunset on a beach
- Watch sunrise from a beach
- Have a conversation with a local
- Spend a day at a beach only accessible by water – boat, kayak, or water taxi. Beaches like this are way less crowded
- Read something by a Greek philosopher, poet, playwright. Or, to make it easier and lighter for traveling, listen to them on Audible.
- Explore a Greek mountain town … beaches get all the glory, but the mountain towns of Greece are often charming and welcoming.
- Listen to live, traditional Greek music
- Learn some Greek phrases
- Stay in a traditional home or cave
- Hike in the mountains in Northern Greece – Mount Olympus is particularly epic
We hope you’ve enjoyed this post all about the top 50 unmissable things to do in Greece!
Next, check out our Ultimate Athens 3 Day Itinerary!
