What to do in Athens in December? Our top 10

Are you coming to Athens in December and looking for ideas of things to do and see? If you’d like to get straight into the festive spirit, we recommend our article Christmas and New Year celebrations in December and January in Athens. We also give you the program in Greek of festivities organized by the city of Athens, starting with the lighting of the Christmas tree in Syntagma Square at the end of November. So, to know what to do if you’re in Athens at the end of the year, here are our top 10 ideas to enjoy Athens in December in a different way.

1- Visiting archaeological sites out of season

Visiting Athens in December is generally pleasant, as it’s much less crowded than in summer, allowing you to enjoy the archaeological sites to the full. Without suffering from the heat (which is appreciable, as the Acropolis hill is a furnace on some summer days). And it’s often the case that temperatures are still relatively mild in Athens in December, and some days are very sunny.

What’s more, in winter, archaeological site prices are reduced. A ticket to the Acropolis costs just €10 in winter, compared with €20 in summer.

One caveat: check opening hours, as museums and archaeological sites are closed on December 25 and 26 and January 1.

A word of advice? Visit Athens with the Athens tourist buses ( red, blue or yellow)! These convenient, multi-stop buses criss-cross the city and its various points of interest: Syntagma, the Acropolis, the Temple of Zeus, the Marble Stadium, the Archaeological Museum, Monastiraki… Some even take you as far as Piraeus and the Athenian Riviera. What’s more, you’ll be given a short explanation of each stop thanks to an audioguide in French.

2- Athens in December: admire the illuminated city

In December, the days are short and night falls relatively early (around 5pm). But don’t let that put you off. If it’s nighttime, it’s the perfect time to take a tour of Athens and admire the illuminated city. After all, you haven’t really seen Athens until you’ve visited it at night. The monuments are completely transformed. They are magnificently illuminated, creating a festive, romantic and mysterious atmosphere. And then there are the Christmas lights. It’s magical!

So you can visit Athens by night on foot (the city is very safe). The marble stadium and Parthenon are beautifully lit.

Another option (our favorite): as the best-lit monuments are scattered all over the city, the best way to see them all is to take a Segway tour by night. It’s fun, and it lets you discover all the most spectacular monuments by night. Informations and reservation.

3- Taste Greek Christmas specialities

December brings all kinds of delicious end-of-year treats: melomakarona, kourabiedes, amygdalota, dipes, islis and more. You’ll find them in every bakery in Athens. Try them, you’ll love them. These little cakes also make an ideal gift to take home.

And if you want to learn more about Greek culinary traditions, take a food tour:

• With local agency Alternative Athens which offers a gastronomic walk that we tried out and really liked (small group – €65/adult).
• or this Athens Street Food Tasting Tour in English that we didn’t try but it has excellent reviews on Get Your Guide.

4- Enjoy a foretaste of Christmas at the Niarchos Foundation

The Stavros Niarchos Center goes into holiday mode

Located in the seaside district of Kallithea, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) is transformed into a festive setting every December. The fir trees in the Agora are decorated and the plane trees along the canal are illuminated. This year, the Christmas festivities open on Sunday December 1, 2024 at 7pm with VOX Acapella Group, a Greek pop group that uses the voice as a musical instrument, followed by the soul-funk tunes of Sofia Strati. Then, throughout the festive season, superb light installations light up every evening at 5pm, an ice rink and even a 360° pop-up bar, an ephemeral bar offering a panoramic view of the SNFCC. The Stavros Niarchos Cultural Center welcomes visitors for the festive season from Sunday December 1, 2024 to Tuesday January 7, 2025.

What events are planned for 2024 at Stavros Niarchos?

In addition, the SNFCC, known for its free program for all, also organizes a series of Christmas-themed events for all ages: skating rink and illuminations, but also shows, concerts, workshops for children and adults…

• Like the figure skating shows presented by Greek athletes (EOXA) from 13/12/2024 to 03/01/2025.
• On Monday December 16, 2024 at 8pm, the international symphonic orchestra and choir of El Sistema Greece will present Once Upon a December, a concert featuring popular songs from musicals, hit films and international works.
• The National Symphony Orchestra also offers a Christmas concert on Monday December 23 at 7:30pm.
• From December 14 to 26, 2024, make way for the Under Pressure Music Sessions, a series of concerts at the Dome where music and light interact.
• Saturday December 21, 2024 at 10pm, put on your headphones and come dance at the Dome to the silent disco party mixed live by 2 DJs.
• And for the first time this year, stock up on handmade gifts at the Christmas Makers’ Market. It runs from December 21, 2024 to January 7, 2025 in the Mediterranean Garden.
• Not forgetting, of course, the New Year’s Eve party on December 31st and the First run 2025 (3kms)!

The full program is available online on the SNFCC website.

To get to the SNFCC: free shuttle bus available from Syntagma Square (in front of the Public store) or from the Syggrou-fix metro station. Info here.

5- Attend a show in Athens

There are plenty of shows in Athens in December. The cultural offering at this time of year is indeed rich. Athens’ concert hall, the Megaron Mousikis, hosts opera and ballet performances. These include The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, The Snow Queen, the screening of the film Polar Express in cine-concert mode with the Athens State Orchestra, and the end-of-year Opera Gala dedicated to Giacomo Puccini. There are also shows for children, including the Karagiozis shadow show, Karagiozis’s Christmas in Egypt. Further information on the Megaron The Athens Concert Hall website.

You’ll also find a great program at the Christmas Theater, including Pinocchio’s Magical Christmas and the Hogwarts Magic Symphony…

At Tae Kwon Doe in Faliro, don’t miss the Aladdin on Ice show, a great family show.

As well as other performances at the Stavros Niarchos National Opera, such as Don Quixote and La Bohème, and Isadora Duck on the Alternative stage…

Or events at the Pallas Theatre, the Greek National Theatre, Onassis Stegi…

6- Go ice-skating

In winter, ephemeral ice rinks open in Athens for the festive season. We’re often asked the question: Where can I go ice-skating in Athens? So here are a few places where you can do your best piqué jumps!

• The outdoor skating rink at the Stavros Niarchos Canal (SNFCC): From December 1, 2024 to January 7, 2025, free of charge but prior registration is required for peak periods. For children aged 5 and over.
• The ice rink at the Christmas factory, the Christmas theme park at Technopolis in Gazi: From November 23, 2024 to January 6, 2025. Admission ticket for the amusement park.
• The Ice Arena rink at the Village Shopping & More center in Renti: From November 17, 2024 to February 2025.
• The Ice Arena rink at the Escape Center in Ilion: From November 16, 2024 to the end of January 2025. Unlimited for €15.
• There’s also a permanent indoor skating rink with a café (it closes in summer): Ice’n’Skate. Located to the west of Athens, in Egaleo, it’s easily accessible by metro line 3 (Eleonas stop).

7- Stock up on Greek gifts

While you’re in Athens in December, take advantage of the extended opening hours for your Christmas shopping. Many stores are open on the Sundays in December before Christmas. You will also find some fine Greek crafts at the Meet Market Christmas market.

8- Have a drink in a bar that changes

December in Athens is a truly festive time. So make the most of it and let yourself be carried away by the general good mood.

A taste of the cocktail at Noël, to get you in the mood

Located in the center of Athens, Noël is a trendy bar-restaurant open from morning to night. Christmas atmosphere guaranteed with its original, rococo decor and festive lights. The ideal place to soak up the Christmas atmosphere ahead of time.

A glass of champagne in a grand Athenian hotel

Many of the capital’s hotels and restaurants are offering Christmas packages. Here is a selection of Booking hotels for the festive season.

9- Enjoy free entertainment and shows in Athens

In Athens in December, the municipality organizes numerous events all over the city, a lot of them are free of charge and open to all. Christmas markets, street concerts, theater, children’s workshops, readings, carols, lantern throwing, New Year’s Eve… A festive, good-natured atmosphere guaranteed. We suggest you make the most of it. Full program for the 2024 festive season in Athens, Greece (in Greek).

10- Immerse yourself in the magic of Christmas

You can also experience the magic of Christmas with your children at the Christmas Factory in Gazi. A space full of colors and lights, games and entertainment.

Or Little Kook in the Psyri district, a place well known to Athenians. This café is renowned for its enchanting decorations, which change with the seasons, and its XXL cakes. A little too much and bordering on kitsch… but the concept is very popular and successful. Kids love it and get a real kick out of it. So, if you want a 100% Christmas atmosphere and super-instagrammable photos, this is the place to be.

*****

So there you have it, plenty of ideas if you’re in Athens in December. And if you’re visiting during the festive season, you’ll find plenty more articles in our Christmas dossier.

Good plan End of year offer: Booking offers many accommodations at -15% minimum! Click on the link and the discount will be applied directly!

Laure M.