Athens is a city full of history, so it is no surprise that there are plenty of impressive photo spots to find in Athens. If you love photo spots with classic architecture and landmarks, then Athens will not disappoint!
PS: Are you planning a romantic getaway to Athens with your loved one? Check out these unforgettable things to do in Athens, especially for couples.
Map of photo spots in Athens
In this post, I am sharing my favourite photo spots in Athens. I also pinned my favourite photo spots on a map, so you’ll be able to find these photo spots easily. Save my map and pins for future reference:
List of my favourite Athens photo spots:
Acropolis and Parthenon
Obviously the most famous photo spot in Athens is the Acropolis – and in particular the Parthenon – so you do not want to skip this photo spot.
Because it is so famous, it gets really crowded at the Acropolis, so it’s best to visit at opening time. There are two entrances to the Acropolis, but the main entrance is a much shorter walk to the Parthenon. So if you’re visiting early you’ll reach the Parthenon quicker if you just take the main entrance.
Also, I highly recommend to buy tickets in advance, so you can skip the line at the ticket office and be the first to reach the Parthenon:
We took pictures of every angle with the Acropolis, and this is by far my favourite angle:
These pictures are taken from behind the Parthenon (if you enter from the main entrance), where there is a bunch of rocks that are more elevated than the pavement around the Parthenon. Because of this elevation, depending on the angle, the people in the background on the pavement can either be completely hidden or will appear so small in your picture that they don’t really disturb.ย ย
I also love it when the Parthenon takes over the whole background of the picture, which is achieved by putting your tripod at a low height, tilting the camera backwards and upwards, and by zooming in. I explain this technique in more detail in my bookย Travel Photography for Couples.ย Just look at what a difference the angle and zoom of a picture can make:
This might come as a surprise, but the Parthenon is not the only photo spot on the Acropolis. I also loved taking pictures with the Erechteion. You’ll definitely need a wide-angle lens for this one though:
When leaving the Acropolis, you’ll find yourself in a park from where you can take awesome photos with the Acropolis in the background. We couldn’t help but to play around with the Portrait setting on our phone to take some dramatic pictures. Just look at the difference between “normal mode” and “portrait mode”:
And if you can’t get enough of the Acropolis, why not book a hotel room with Acropolis views?
Prison of Socrates
Not too far from the Acropolis you’ll find a place called “The Prison of Socrates”. Although not everyone agrees that Socrates was actually imprisoned here, it definitely makes a unique photo spot in Athens:
I mean, how cool is it that someone actually wrote “Free Socrates” on the bench?!
Ancient Agora of Athens
The Ancient Agora of Athens is a must visit! At first I wasn’t sure if it would be worth the entrance fee, but we found so many cute photo spots at the Ancient Agora of Athens.ย
Also, if you buy a combination ticket for the Ancient Agora of Athens and the Acropolis, you will be cheaper off and skip the lines at both sites:
My three favourite photo spots at the Ancient Agora of Athens are:
- Temple of Hephaestus
- Socrates and Confucius statue
- Church of the Holy Apostles
Temple of Hephaestus
One of the first photo spots we discovered at the Ancient Agora of Athens was theย Temple of Hephaestus, which is located on a hill. We took pictures from below the hill with the temple in the background, and from the top of the hill right in front of the temple:
Socrates and Confucius: An Encounter
Another photo spot at the Ancient Agora of Athens is theย Statues of Socrates and Confucius, which was sculpted by a Chinese artist. I wasn’t expecting to see a statue of an encounter between Socrates and Confucius, but it sure makes for an impressive photo spot:
Church of the Holy Apostles
Last but not least, we took some amazing pictures with theย Church of the Holy Apostles and nearbyย viewpoint with the Temple of Hephaestus in the background:
Travel Photography for Couples
Learn more about taking your own travel pictures as a couple in my book:
As a travel couple, do you ever wish to travel back to a place, just to take better pictures together? I sure know I do! Thatโs why in this book, I am sharing everything we wish we knew about taking pictures together when we first started travelling as a couple. Read more…
Anafiotika
Once you’ve visited the Acropolis, it’s a great idea to discover the nearby neighbourhood of Anafiotika in the Plaka district. Anafiotika is full of cute and colourful streets with the Acropolis in the background:
Also, if you take the walking route from Anafiotika to the Acropolis, you will come across this amazing viewpoint of the Lycabettus Hill. This walking route is a bit of a detour, so I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re in a rush to be the first visitor of the day at the Acropolis. But if you have some extra time, this walking route is definitely a must for good photo spots in Athens:
Monastiraki
Monastiraki is one of the main shopping areas in Athens, so you’ll definitely want to take your pictures here early in the morning – before the shops open. There is also a flea market in Monastiraki on Sundays from 10am – 10pm, so it’s probably better to avoid Sundays as well if you come to Monastiraki to take pictures.
These pictures were taken on a Tuesday morning at 9:50 am, in front of theย Tzistarakis Mosque:ย
Can you spot the Acropolis in the background? It’s easier to see in the left picture, which was taken with “normal mode”. The right picture is taken with “portrait mode”, which blurs the background and creates a bit of a dramatic effect. You’ll see the Acropolis between the mosque and the metro station sign.
If you happen to be at Monastiraki at night, I highly recommend to have a drink at one of the rooftop bars. They all have amazing views of the Acropolis, which is lit up at night.
National Garden
If you need a break from the city, but want to keep taking cute photos, then the National Garden is the place to be!
When entering the National Garden at the main entrance at Vasilissis Amalias Avenue (near Syntagma Square), you’ll enter a path surrounded by palm trees. My favourite photo spot at the National Garden is the Pergola Rosa Banksiae:
The National Garden was a lot bigger than I was expecting, and you can easily walk around for hours. If you’re short on time, make sure to check the maps in the park.
Academy of Athens
The Academy of Athens is related to the oldest academy in the world, which was founded by Plato in 387BC. The building in its current form was designed in 1859 and completed in 1885, even though the Academy of Athens was’t established until 1926. The architecture of the Academy of Athens is just as impressive as its history:
We took pictures walking up the stairs, which has two pillars next to it with statues of Plato and Socrates sitting. We also took pictures after climbing the stairs in front of the Academy of Athens, with Athena and Apollo on the pillars.
National Library of Greece
The National Library of Greece is the biggest library in Greece, and it houses thousands of books in all languages. The outside of the library is inspired by the Temple of Hephaestus (which is another photo spot on my list). The two staircases with the plants and statue in the middle look really impressive as well:
St George Church
St George church with its blue domes made me forget that I was in mainland Greece, and took me right back to the island of Santorini.
St George Church is located on top of Lycabettus Hill, so it is quite a steep walk to get there. We climbed Lycabettus Hill to watch the sunset over Athens, and by the time we reached St George Church it was already getting dark very quickly. I’m sure it looks even more impressive at daylight.
Panagia Kapnikarea Church
We stumbled upon the Panagia Kapnikarea Church when we were just walking through the city centre of Athens, and couldn’t resist to take pictures with it:
These pictures were taken at sunrise so it was still a bit dark, but we had the place to ourselves. I imagine this place gets busy during the day.
Hadrian's Arch
It might not be the prettiest arch, but what makes Hadrian’s Arch a good photo spot is that you can see the Acropolis through the opening of the arch:
I highly recommend to use your wide angle lens, so you can get close to the arch and still be able to get the full arch in your picture.