10 Things To Do In Athens On A Rainy Day

Take advantage of a rainy day and explore the city’s museums; grab an umbrella and take a stroll through the National Gardens, wander the streets of the city, and enjoy a coffee at one of the MANY cafes!

Near the Acropolis

1. Visit the Acropolis Museum, plant yourself on the second level in the café to enjoy a budget friendly lunch and the views.

2. From the Acropolis Museum you are just round the corner from the Atelier Spyros Vassiliou Museum. Vassiliou was one of the most acclaimed artists in Greece, and you may just recognize some of the work on display. To learn more visit: http://www.spyrosvassiliou.org/

3. Also near the Acropolis is the Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry Museum. This private collection is housed in a beautiful building at Karyatidon and Kallisperi Streets, just off the esplanade of Dionysiou Areopagitou St. on the south side of the Acropolis, below the Theatre of Dionysos. The glitter of all those jewels will certainly bring the sunshine inside! To learn more visit: http://www.lalaounis-jewelrymuseum.gr/en/

Near Syntagma Square

4. Another trio of activities includes a walk, with an umbrella, through the National Gardens. It’s peaceful, especially so in the rainy, when there’s few people out, the gardens hold many secret areas where you can escape the rain. There is a cafe at one end, but continue out of the gardens to the Zappeio, where you may wander inside the magnificent Zappeion Hall and admire the architecture inside.

5. Be an Athenian at the Aegli Cafe. Grab a seat on the covered veranda, order a coffee or light lunch and settle in for awhile, reading, people watching and enjoying the car free quietness of the gardens.

6. From the Zappeion gardens cross over Amalias to visit the Jewish Museum of Athens. This museum is an amazing collection of Judaica from all over Greece. The museum also does a fine job of telling the story of the history of the Jews of Greece, which dates back more than 23 centuries in Greece! To learn more visit: http://www.jewishmuseum.gr/en/index.html

7. Continue on to the Frissiras Museum, a private collection of European artists, housed in a most beautiful building at the corner of Monis Asteriou and Kydathineon. To learn more visit: http://www.frissirasmuseum.com/english/index.aspx

Around Thissio

8. Start your walk down to the cafes on Heraklidon street. Here you’ll find lovely old Neo-Classical buildings, renovated, cozy and friendly. Take a seat on the covered roof of Cafe Chocolat and contemplate the Parthenon from this prized Athenian vantage point.

9. The Herakleidon Museum, the Escher exhibits. This small private collection is an experience in visual arts. To learn more visit: http://herakleidon-art.gr/index.cfm?get=home

10. Continue walking down Herakleidon away from the historical center and you’ll find the Melina Mercouri Cultural Center. Located at Iraklidon 66a, Athens, 11851, the center is home to two permanent exhibitions, A Journey Through Athens, on the first floor, where one can view 19th-century Athens and elements of the 20th century via reproductions of buildings, houses, stores and people. The center is open Tues–Sat 9–1 and 5–9, Sun 9–1.

The second exhibition is the Haridimos Shadow Puppet Museum – Theatre which hosts a vast collection of items that belonged to the Haridimos family, renowned shadow puppet masters. Over 1,000 exhibits are on display including figures made with leather, cardboard, gelatine and sets drawn on fabric, cloth-bound manuscripts, folk art paintings and photographs dating from the early 20th century until today. Performances are staged for schools free of charge, while puppet figure-making lessons are held for children and adults on a weekly basis, however if you are lucky enough to find Sotiris Haridimos on site when you arrive, you could be treated to your own private shadow puppet show!

Provided by and originally posted on: True-Athens.com