Athens, Greece has more to offer than the epic ruins of the Acropolis (which we toured in this video here). Athens is a vibrant urban city with great food, nightlife, views, delicious restaurants and, of course, CATS! The video above and the article below detail how to get to the highest point in the city fondly known as Mount Lycabettus, or Lycabettus Hill, and what vegan foods you must try while you're in town.
Lycabettus Hill
Put on your arch support shoes because this is a hike! There is a cable car at the bottom of the hill BUT there is about a 15 minute walk up steep stairs to get to that cable car! This stairway begins at the intersection of Ploutarchou and Spefsippou street (see map below). Even though it's tedious, it's a beautiful walk with luscious greenery, flowers and even bars and eateries along the way.
Map to stairway walk up hill
Finally, when you reach the BOTTOM of this hill you will see a cable car to get to the top. You can also continue walking to the top, but we were all set with the walk up to the bottom (haha). The Lycabettus cable car is 10 Euros per person roundtrip.
Upon reaching the top you will be amazed at the stunning views! Lycabettus Hill is 277 meters or 908 feet above sea level, making it the highest point in central Athens. You can see the whole city from the top! The Parthenon will stand out in the skyline as well as other iconic sites of Athens. In fact in Athens buildings are not allowed to surpass 12 floors so as not to block the view toward the Parthenon!
There is also a little gift shop and a great big Greek flag at the top as well which is great for fabulous photo ops. If you are afraid of heights then I might not recommend going here since it's very crowded and packed with just a little railing protecting you from the edge. But despite the crowds, it's really amazing to witness and take in the glory of Athens city from this viewpoint. Check out this list of what to bring for this excursion so you are prepared to take in the sites!
Athens Restaurants with Vegan Options
There are MANY fully vegan restaurants in Athens! Here's a list of those on HappyCow. There is also a fun vegan cooking class where you can learn to make Greek delicacies in a vegan way. Below are eateries with options that everyone will enjoy! Great for eating with families where everyone has a different diet.
Moma Urban Eatery and Bar
This is a classy restaurant near the famous Acropolis. We went here after our long Acropolis tour day and we were so happy that it was close and had a couple vegan choices for us. The ambiance here is great and the vegan food is pretty good too.
Veganaki
The cutest cafe with all vegan AND all gluten free options! Outdoor and indoor seating, and friendly staff! They also serve kombucha and alcohol. Such a cute spot to meet up with friends and fellow travelers!
Mama Tierra
This is an all vegan eatery (with limited seating) that has great delicious vegan street food! There are two locations in Athens. They serve vegan moussaka, vegan soutzoukakia, traditional Indian dishes, fresh salad bowls and much more. We got bao buns and falafel wraps and we were in heaven! This would be another spot we would frequent if we were locals!
Bread Factory
This chain has more than seven different locations in Athens! It's a "grab and go" shop where you can snag a sandwich, a pastry, an ice cream, salads and more! The location we went to had a nice little outdoor area where you can enjoy your treats. This is a great spot for anyone, vegan and non-vegan, to visit on their Athens trip because you can buy a very well priced meal here. I was impressed with how clearly labeled their vegan foods were and the vast array of options they had for vegans. We got as many things as we felt we could chow-down, as well as items to store in our hotel room for later. Everything we got was soooo good! If this place was near us I swear we would probably be there everyday since it's as convenient as a 7-Eleven but with restaurant and cafe quality items!
CATS
So you're a cat lover? Then you MUST go to Athens. Adorable strays roam free all over the city. We made friends with many felines! We even found a commune where at least 20 cats were living in an abandoned construction site. We peeked over a ledge and were surprised when so many little eyes popped up to check us out. We called this place Cat-cropolis as it was the home of many furry friends. If you are in Athens, here is the address where we found this site if you'd like to peak over the ledge as well!
Cat-cropolis Address: Noti Mpotsari 4, Athina 117 41, Greece
Cat-Cropolis
Overall Athens is a city not just to stop at for a day layover on your way to a Greek island. It's an area you should explore fully when you arrive. Check out my other Greek blog articles and videos plus subscribe to my YouTube channel for more Grecian adventures coming soon.
