It used to be that travelers considered Athens—one of the world’s oldest cities—just a jumping-off spot for the Greek islands. Maybe you squeezed in a quick tour of the Acropolis, but then you caught that flight or ferry heading to Santorini or Mykonos. Now, thanks to growing culture, design, and food scenes, people are finally staying a bit longer and appreciating more of what this historic world capital has to offer.

Athens is home to thousands of years of history and countless ancient monuments that still define its skyline—with modern Athens buzzing right alongside it all. Whenever I visit, I feel the pull of both the old and the new: I can’t get enough of places like the Acropolis, but I also want to spend hours wandering through the action-packed streets, checking out all the cafes and shops.

The perfect itinerary for this sprawling, chaotic metropolis. We’ve alternated visits to ancient landmarks with stops in cool neighborhoods where you can slow down and sip the ouzo. All along the way, we’ve included highly rated picks from the Tripadvisor community to make sure that your trip is as iconic as Athens itself.