Springtime in Athens is glorious. But don’t just take our word for it. If you’re planning a trip to Athens in March, April or May, here are some of the fantastic things you can see and do.
Many consider spring to be the best time of year to visit Athens. From early March, poppies and daisies bloom all around our neighbourhoods and ancient monuments (a signal that the jasmine and bougainvillea flowers won’t be far behind). The warm, sunny weather is perfect for sightseeing. There are fewer crowds to share those world-famous attractions with, and you’ll have the beautiful, blue-sky beaches of the Athens Riviera mostly to yourself. In March and April, you can experience the spirited celebrations of carnival and Greek Easter; while in May, the city’s festival season ignites with a bang. Here are some other excellent reasons to hit Athens in springtime.
Great things to do in Athens in March
Celebrate Greek Independence Day on March 25 by indulging in a traditional dish: delicious bakaliaro-skordalia (battered salt cod with garlic sauce). Devour it while you enjoy the spectacle of marching bands and flag-waving crowds around Syntagma Square.
Take the kids to Flisvos Marina in Paleo Faliro. This glitzy marina is lined with waterfront cafes, restaurants, and play parks galore to explore and is a magnet for local families, especially on weekends.
Join the lovers, toddlers, and strollers on Dionysiou Areopagitou. Connecting the Temple of Olympian Zeus with the Acropolis, it’s the most beautiful, historic, and Insta-tastic pedestrian avenue in Athens.
Acquire a taste for local delicacies such as Greek yoghurt, loukoumades, and mastiha on one of the many dynamic culinary tours Athens now offers.
Rent a bike or join a bicycle tour and glide past scenic and historic sights. There are few more exhilarating ways to soak up the soul of Athens.
Join the locals by:
Flying a kite and having a meat-free picnic on Clean Monday, a fun tradition to mark the start of Lent. (Clean Monday mostly falls in March, but is sometimes in late February.)
What weather to expect?
16° / 8° C
Great things to do in Athens in April
Settle in for a long lunch by the sea at pretty Mikrolimano harbour in Piraeus. You’re spoiled for choice for superb seafood restaurants in this bustling port city.
Clock the city’s ancient monuments and must-see sights for free on International Day for Monuments and Sites (18 April).
Pack a picnic and head outdoors to admire Athens in full bloom. Three popular green spaces are the Tatoi Estate, the 10,000-acre summer palace of the former Greek royal family; pine-shaded Philopappou Hill, opposite the Acropolis; and the Great Lawn of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre.
Go vintage shopping around Monastiraki flea market, Athinas Street, and Psirri. From antiques to designer threads, Athens has great pickings for bargain hunters.
Sample Easter brioche and buttery biscuits from one of Athens traditional family-run bakeries (you’ll find them everywhere).
Join the locals by:
Lighting a candle in a historic Athenian church during Greek Easter week, the most important celebration of the year all over Greece.
What weather to expect?
20° / 11°C
Great things to do in Athens in May
Take a hike! The mountains and hills around Athens are covered in wild chamomile, poppies and daisies in May. On Mount Hymettus, you’ll also find a chapel in a cave and a glorious Byzantine monastery.
Usher in the open-air cinema season at a movie screening under the stars. It’s a quintessentially Athenian way to spend warm summer nights. (Outdoor cinemas generally open in May, depending on the weather).
Drive down the Athens Riviera coastline to the mighty Temple of Poseidon at Sounion. You’ll get there in under an hour (before the summer crowds hit the seaside highway).
Stop and smell the roses in the green northern suburb of Kifisia. From early to mid-May, the Kifissia flower show takes place in the park opposite the train station.
Join the locals by:
Making wreaths out of wildflowers to hang on your door for Protomayia (May Day). It’s how Greeks celebrate the return of spring.
What weather to expect?
25° / 16° C
