Athens
Athens in the rain
Rain falls on 11 to 14 days a month from December to March, usually in showers, and the marble on the Acropolis and the hills becomes slippery. A wet day suits the Acropolis Museum, the National Archaeological Museum and the covered Central Market, which is closed on Sundays. If a shower is short, shelter in a museum and go back to the rock afterwards.
- Stops under a roof: 3
Data checked on October 5, 2026
A rainy day, stop by stop
A day built only from stops that are under a roof, in an order that keeps the walks short.
Day 1
Acropolis and Makrygianni · Plaka and Monastiraki
3 stops · 6 h 45 of visits · 39 min on foot
Open this day's route in Google Maps-
9:30 am12:00 pm
Acropolis Museum
The museum at the foot of the rock holds the finds from the Acropolis, with the Parthenon sculptures on the top floor. Glass floors let you look down onto an excavated neighbourhood under the building.
Go on a Friday evening. The museum stays open until 22:00 and the tour groups have left.
You can buy at the desk or online, and the museum warns of waits at busy times. Book online if you plan to arrive at midday in high season. Reduced and free tickets are issued only at the desk with the right documents.
From 1 April to 31 October it opens Monday 09:00 to 17:00, Tuesday to Thursday and the weekend 09:00 to 20:00, and Friday 09:00 to 22:00. From 1 November Monday to Thursday close at 17:00. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. Closed on 1 January, Easter Sunday, 1 May, 25 December and 26 December. Entry is free on 6 March, 25 March, 18 May and 28 October.
Source: Acropolis Museum, checked October 5, 2026
- 22 min walk
-
12:22 pm1:37 pm
Central Market
The main covered food market of Athens, with a fish hall, a meat hall and spice and cheese shops on the streets around. It is closed on Sundays.
Go before 10:00 on a weekday. The meat hall is intense, but the fish hall and the spice shops on Evripidou Street are worth the walk.
The official Athens guide gives 08:00 to 18:00 and closed on Sundays. Stalls keep their own times, so go in the morning for the full choice.
Source: This is Athens, the official Athens guide, checked October 5, 2026
- 17 min walk
- Lunch break
-
2:54 pm5:54 pm
National Archaeological Museum
The largest archaeological museum in Greece and one of the main museums in the world for ancient Greek art. The collections run from prehistory to late antiquity.
Arrive at 13:00 on a Tuesday or just after opening on other days, and pick three or four galleries instead of walking all of them.
These are the hours from 4 May to 15 November 2026: Wednesday to Monday 08:00 to 20:00, and Tuesday 13:00 to 20:00. Last admission is 19:30. Other periods of the year have their own hours.
Source: National Archaeological Museum, checked October 5, 2026
- Running late? Drop Central Market first. Nothing is booked there.
Every stop under a roof
-
Acropolis Museum
The museum at the foot of the rock holds the finds from the Acropolis, with the Parthenon sculptures on the top floor. Glass floors let you look down onto an excavated neighbourhood under the building.
Source: Acropolis Museum, checked October 5, 2026
-
National Archaeological Museum
The largest archaeological museum in Greece and one of the main museums in the world for ancient Greek art. The collections run from prehistory to late antiquity.
Source: National Archaeological Museum, checked October 5, 2026
-
Central Market
The main covered food market of Athens, with a fish hall, a meat hall and spice and cheese shops on the streets around. It is closed on Sundays.
Source: This is Athens, the official Athens guide, checked October 5, 2026
Rainy days by month
Climate averages: Hellenic National Meteorological Service (Elliniko station, 1955 to 2010 normals).