10 Best Things to Do for Couples in Athens

The Plaka district is a quaint, Old World-style village in the shadow of the iconic Acropolis and is Athens's oldest historic quarter with tons of shopping and dining. At one point a nightlife hub of the city, it has transitioned into a commercial quarter where you'll find jewelry shops, gift shops, souvenir stores and plenty of small boutiques selling unique arts, crafts and clothing. At the many quaint cafes and elegant yet casual restaurants, you'll enjoy fine food in lavish surroundings without breaking the bank.

This is a spot to get lost in the ambience while you shop for hidden treasures and enjoy a glass of local wine. It's only 6 minutes south of the city centre.

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center is an outdoor park that offers lots of cultural events, festivals and fun from open-air movies to free live music and beyond. The park covers 21 hectares of land, so you can take a quiet walk together to escape the hustle and bustle. Events change regularly, and you never know when you'll be able to catch an evening movie in the park or a free concert from an up-and-coming local act or even a big-name musical superstar.

This site offers events all year long, so even if you're here outside of the high season, there's a good chance that something's going on. It's about 10 minutes east of the city centre.

Athens beaches are world-class, and many are easily accessible from the city centre, offering Blue Flag status for their cleanliness, crystal-clear deep-blue waters and powder-soft sand. Bathing in Greece is almost a national pastime, with many of the beaches offering amenities like changing rooms, sunbeds, toilets and other convenient features. Most beaches are free to enter, with things like beach chairs and umbrellas available to rent for a nominal fee.

You can also visit beach club complexes that are a bit more exclusive but include features like bars and restaurants, organized activities and a true party vibe. These complexes and clubs may carry a fee, but they offer an upscale experience.

The National Garden of Athens offers a peaceful, relaxed setting for a romantic walk for 2 through 15 hectares of oasis in the heart of the city centre. Here you can explore more than 7,000 trees, 40,000 bushes and shrubs, and over 5,000 varieties of plants and flowers. You can walk through groves of Washingtonia palm trees, Chinese Trees of Heaven and eucalyptus trees all in one place.

You'll enjoy labyrinthine paths and avenues that take you past scenic ponds and lakes, and can even visit a small zoo or head to the botanical museum. When you're done with your walk or you just need a break, grab a light meal and coffee at the onsite cafe.

A spa for couples allows the 2 of you to feel like royalty as you get pampered together with everything from massages to thalassotherapy and hot tubs. There's a wide range of 4- and 5-star hotels with their own spas, and several independent spas can be found throughout the city and surrounding regions. You'll enjoy holistic body treatments, Asian relaxation techniques, open-air pampering in the shadow of ancient temples and a fine escape from the hustle and bustle of your life.

Some of the best spas around include the Apivita Beehive Spa, Hammam Baths, Sofitel Athens Airport Spa and Ts Beauty Spa.

Flisvos Marina offers 3,800 square meters of space to explore along the iconic Athens Riviera with shopping, dining, cafes and exciting activities on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. You'll find just about every kind of dining experience you could want here, from classic Greek fast food like gyros and souvlaki to pizza to go and even elegant sit-down, white-tablecloth restaurants. You'll enjoy tons of gift, souvenir, boutique, and arts and crafts shops to find that perfect keepsake.

After dinner, you can explore the many bars and nightclubs here to grab a drink and dance the night away. On a budget? The scenic promenade costs nothing and offers gorgeous views. It's only 15 minutes south of the city centre.

Filopappou Hill, also spelt Philopappos Hill, is a famed, iconic viewpoint where you can bring a picnic basket and blanket and capture stunning sunset photos overlooking the city. This is also an ancient historic site whose importance goes back to pre-Roman days, but what draws most people are the brilliant orange, red, yellow and purple colors that wash across the sky and over the Athenian cityscape as the sun dips below the horizon.

To truly catch the best views, be sure to stay until the sun is completely gone. When the sky goes dark, the city is magically illuminated by lights, and it's a wondrous sight to behold. It's a few minutes south of the city centre.

Athens rooftop bars are an outstanding place to have an exciting time and experience the city's vibrant nightlife with stunning views of the city all around you. At these spots, you can find almost every kind of vibe from casual to luxurious. If you're looking for a nightclub with outstanding DJs spinning dance hits of the '80s or EDM tracks of today, you'll find spots to dance till dawn. If you're looking for a quiet, elegant cocktail lounge with a refined vibe, these can be easily found as well.

Just about every rooftop bar in Athens offers a captivating view of the cityscape, and many offer fantastic views of the ancient monuments high on the surrounding hills.

The Monastiraki Flea Market is a huge space covering several city blocks and offering unique and interesting local shops and vendors, with bonus improvised stalls popping up on Sundays. Here you can find everything from old 1st-edition collectable books to vintage vinyl records, collectable stamps and coins, postcards, movie and pop culture memorabilia, vintage clothing, home decor, housewares, antiques, bric-a-brac and all manner of hidden treasures. Haggling is expected and part of the game here, so put on your best bargaining hat.

You never know what kind of treasures, souvenirs and keepsakes you'll find here. The Monastiraki Flea Market covers the area from Monastiraki Square to the end of Ermou Street in the heart of the city centre.

The Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion is an important archeological site and an iconic viewpoint filled with natural beauty and astonishing Aegean views. The temple, dedicated to the ancient god of the sea, sits at the precipice of a towering hill on the south coast of Attica, with a smaller temple dedicated to Athena, the goddess of wisdom, about halfway up. Also on this site is a theater dating to the 6th century BCE. The whole area is renowned for its amazing sunsets.

Getting here requires driving about an hour south of the city. You can book a guided tour to learn all about the site, or just head here on your own.