Things to do on New Year's Day in Athens, Greece?

Things to do on New Year’s Day in Athens, Greece?

Author: Janice Vazquez | Posted Date: December 17, 2023

The Parthenon sits on top of the mountain and surrounded by buildings in Athens, Greece — *View from Lycabettus Hill*

January 1st, celebrated worldwide as New Year’s Day, is a public holiday in Athens, a day when the city takes a peaceful pause. As a result, most of the main attractions, including museums and retail shops, are typically closed. However, this doesn’t mean you’ll be short of activities to enjoy! To ensure you have a fulfilling and enjoyable experience, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of things to do in Athens on this holiday. This list includes everything from scenic walks in lesser-known neighborhoods to tranquil spots for those seeking a quiet day amidst the city’s natural beauty. To make your browsing easier, feel free to use the table of contents to quickly navigate to the sections that pique interest the most.

Table of Contents:

Lycabettus Hill
National Garden
Christmas Factory
Exarcheia Neighborhood
MoMix Bar

Things to do on New Year’s Day in Athens

1. Visit the Lycabettus Hill

white buildings and green trees with an array of mountains in Athens, Greece — View from Lycabettus Hill

Lycabettus Hill is the highest point in central Athens, Greece. It stands 277m (909 ft) above sea level and offers wonderful views of the Greek capital and its coastline. Atop Lycabettus Hill, you can indulge in a dining experience at the restaurant, savoring food and drinks with a panoramic backdrop. To reach the Lycabettus Hill viewpoint, there are two main access routes:

Stairs on both the right and left side with a railing track in the middle - the funicular train in Athens, Greece — Interior of Funicular Train

Funicular Train (cable car):
- Admission: 6 euros one way or 10 euros round trip
- Opening Hours: 9 AM – 3 AM
- Time Needed: 3 minute ride up
- Location: https://goo.gl/maps/Lw3EvXJzxXKRPqXh6

A stone trail that has trees on the sides descends from Lycabettus Hill in Athens, Greece — Trail down from Lycabettus Hill

Walk down the trail
- Admission: Free
- Opening Hours: 24/7
- Time Needed: 15 minute walk
- Location: https://goo.gl/maps/F52QjJATBkYqKpTM9

When is the best time to go to Lycabettus Hill?

I recommend doing this activity early in the morning to beat the crows or at night to catch the sunset view.

2. Explore the National Garden

Three rows of red roses with grass in between and people walking around the garden — *National Garden*

The National Garden is a historic park that boasts a diverse collection of trees from various parts of the world, along with duck ponds, a children’s playground, an orange orchard, and a zoo. This verdant oasis is open to the public daily from sunrise until sunset. Access to the garden is possible through several entrances, but the primary one is located on Leoforos Amalias, a street named in honor of the Queen who originally envisioned this park. The park also features numerous benches, perfect for sitting in the shade and engaging in some people-watching.

Visit:

Admission: Free
Opening Hours: 6 AM – 7 PM
Time Needed: 1 hour
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/ZBHpQL3aKiqzbKM16

When is the best time to go to The National Garden?

I recommend a daytime stroll in the National Garden to fully appreciate the beautifully cultivated flowers, towering trees, and an array of animals.

3. Visit Christmas Factory

An arch sign on Christmas Factory and more arch with globe lights in the background — *Christmas Factory*

The Christmas Factory is a Christmas theme park for family. Kids can meet Santa, explore the sweet and toy factory, and kids can ride the Ferris Wheel and Carousel rides. You can pay for tickets at the door or online; and most rides will cost extra. We did not go in, but we saw it from the outside and the Christmas lights looked pretty.

Visit:

Admission: 7 euros for adults, 5 euros for kids.
Opening Hours: 10 AM – 10 PM
Time Needed: 2 hours
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/ZBHpQL3aKiqzbKM16

4. Walk around Exarcheia Neighborhood

A portrait of a man in a jersey, a man in a blue jacket, and a lady who clapsed her hands in a parking lot — *Graffiti Portraits*

A drawing of a chubby dog wearing a blue sweater — *Graffiti Dog*

Exarcheia is known as the “Anarchic” Neighborhood. It’s not for everyone, but it has its charm. If you like looking at street art, then you’ll enjoy this neighborhood. Street art can be seen in various places including: parking lots, storefronts, apartment buildings, doors, stairways, and pillars. Most of the images are politically motivated and deliver strong messages of poverty, immigration and ethics. Overall, we felt safe walking around the area and enjoyed the scenery.

Visit:

Opening Hours: 24/7
Admission: Free
Time Needed: 1 hours
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/rEUZCX7aPugJ7WJ2A

When is the best time to go to Exarcheia Neighborhood?

I recommend walking around Exarcheia Neighborhood during the day because its easier to view the street art.

5. Dine at MoMix Bar

Thin lights spread across the ceiling in a bar with a sign in the back that says MoMix. Below the lights are a fulll bar and white counter top — *MoMix Bar Atmosphere*

MoMix Bar is a molecular mixology bar that makes innovative cocktails like alcoholic spheres, dry ice cocktails, tubes, and flambé creme cocktails. If you are a fan of molecular gastronomy techniques, then this is the place for you. They have an eclectic assortment of cocktails to choose from and they use several techniques such as reverse spherification, dehydration, and emulsification. Every bubble, test tube and cocktail we ordered blew our minds away. My personal favorite was the Saganaki in a pan. The server came out with a frying pan and poured the orange liqueur on top of the pudding and then torched it with fire! It was a wonderful presentation and a tasty cocktail.