10 Things to Do in Athens in January

The best things to see and do in Athens are those that have to do with the cultural identity of this beautiful place and not so much with the tourist and commercial approach that is usually handled in many establishments and attractions.

To help you know the best of this metropolis with more than 3 thousand years old I have prepared an itinerary that will keep you busy throughout your visit and also leave you wanting to come back for more the next opportunity you have at your fingertips.

Protohronia is the continuation of the feast of St. Basil, the Santa Claus of Greek culture belonging to the Greek Orthodox Church. The tradition is that the first person who enters the house of another breaks a pomegranate or fruit on the door of the one who is inviting them in and, the more seeds they manage to get scattered the more luck is being granted to that family that invites them.

So, if you are in town for the first day of January and someone invites you to spend the day at their house, you can participate in this tradition called Protohronia. But if you don't have that possibility, you can follow the Greek tradition by having a traditional bougatsa for breakfast, prepared with semolina, custard and a cheese or, better yet, by hiring a gastronomic tour of Athens. The perfect plan for food lovers!

The vasilopita is a cake, or rather a cake, which is shared among the whole family or all the guests to participate in a fun traditional game. It is like the roscón de reyes, because inside the cake a coin or some similar decorative piece is included and whoever serves it on their plate wins the luck for the beginning of the year.

It can be something very fun to assimilate into the culture of the place you are visiting and to learn new traditions. Also, if you wish, you can buy one for the first of January and one for the 6th. This way you can try both versions of the recipe, the one that is a bread and the one that is a sweeter and fluffier cake.

Most bakeries in the city will be selling these vasilopitas, but it is also very likely that they will be offered at your hotel breakfast if you ask for them in advance.

This tradition is celebrated all over Greece and if you are traveling to Athens for January 6 you can't miss it. It consists of the commemoration of the baptism of Christ in the waters of the Jordan River and therefore all participants head to the nearest coasts to let themselves be carried away with this rite of the Greek Orthodox Church.

From Athens you can go to the port of Piraeus or to Kallithea and Moschato, where people congregate to wait for a priest from the nearest church to release a white dove and throw a cross into the water with the intention of blessing the waters and all swimmers who jump into it.

Another option is to book a boat trip to Agistri, Aegina and Moni from Athens and enjoy the festivities that take place when the ceremony is over.

For many Athenian foodies, Bairaktarys restaurant in the Monastiraki neighborhood is a must-visit if you are looking for one of the best Gyros in town: the Greek version of kebab or shawarma.

Visiting this restaurant during January is an excellent idea for the simple fact that you will have a better chance of getting a table without the need to spend hours waiting for the amount of tourists who want to try what is supposedly the best Gyro in all of Athens.

Also, its location very favorable, as it is right on a corner of Monasteraki Square, one of the most beautiful squares in the city, and very close to Hadrian's Library and the Agora of Athens, which allows you to include other activities such as taking your food down in a fun way by hiring a bike tour of Athens by bike and touring this beautiful area of the city on two wheels.

You can also try the savory pies at Ariston Bakery

Ariston Bakery is another one of the most iconic places when it comes to Greek food that has earned an established place in the Athens street food scene. It is located on Voullis Street in the Syntagma neighborhood, a couple of meters from Syntagma Square.

If you visit it you have to try the savory pies, as specifically the feta cheese and spinach pies have an undisputed place among the best dishes that can be found in the traditional eateries among the streets of its capital.

Ermou Street is a narrow thoroughfare that runs through the central section of Athens from Syntagma Square to the archaeological site of the potters of Ancient Athens. In the pedestrian parts of this street and specifically in the one closest to Syntagma Square there are all kinds of stores. Which can offer you a fun shopping session.

January is a very good time to visit it, since you could take advantage of the discounts that are usually made with the change of season in most of the internationally renowned clothing brands.

In addition, its mile-long stretch runs through very interesting sections of the Monastiraki, Psyri and Thiseo neighborhoods, which you can comfortably walk through and shelter from the cold by booking a seat on the Athens sightseeing bus.

Thiseio is one of the many neighborhoods surrounding the hill on which the Acropolis of Athens is located and other important places such as the Ancient Agora, which you will also pass through if you book your place on the tourist bus of Athens.

It is characterized for being one of the most peculiar areas of the city and for having a cultural identity that is closely associated with the history of Ancient Athens. Its streets are full of cafes with a neoclassical aesthetic and therefore it is excellent that you visit some during the month of January for different reasons.

The first has to do with a matter of comfort, as these closed and air-conditioned environments offer you a safe escape from the cold of January during this month that is characterized as the coldest of the year. The second reason is for logistical reasons, as it is a midway point between the neighborhoods of Karameikos, Gazi and the rest of the city center.

The Acropolis is a plan that can not miss on your visit to Athens no matter what time of year you are traveling to the Greek capital. It is the most important attraction of the city and in this kind of architectural complex with more than 2500 years old there are several temples of worship that have remained standing until today.

January is the best time of the year to visit it for different reasons:

• The winter cold is more comfortable than the strong Athenian summer sun to tour this monument, which is completely uncovered.

• In January most of the tourists who came for the Christmas vacations have left and there is also a significantly lower number of visitors than in the spring and summer months.

Taking a guided tour of the Acropolis of Athens is the best way to visit it and get to know it if you do not want to miss any historical detail of one of the most important constructions in the history of mankind, although you can also buy your tickets for the Acropolis of Athens and visit it on your own.

The Panathinaiko Stadium is the center where the first Olympic Games of the modern age were held and curiously is built from the remains of the stadium where these sports competitions were held in Ancient Greece.

It is located at the southern end of the National Garden of Athens, across the Via Ardittou and right next to the neighborhood of Pangrati. Which stands out for its gastronomic offer and also for being another area close to the First Cemetery of Athens.

Visiting this point of the city is a recommended activity during the month of January, even more so if it snows and you have the opportunity to enjoy this beautiful scenery. The lack of tourists is another very compelling reason to go if you are looking for quick and entertaining plans in this part of the city during January.

Most of the pottery workshops of Ancient Athens were located in the neighborhood of Kerameikos. At the same time this space became a necropolis that today functions as a museum dedicated to the pottery of Ancient Greece and the way of life of the people who dedicated themselves to this artistic field.

Visiting this place during the month of January is much more favorable than the rest of the year because of the weather conditions that will allow you to enjoy the tour without sweating under the scorching Athenian sun and also because of the lack of tourists that will be in the place.

In addition, its proximity to the neighborhood of Gazi makes it a good idea to go for a drink in this community that revolves around the nightlife and the most modern and conceptual art scene of Athens.

The Kolonaki neighborhood is one of the most exclusive in all of Athens and its streets are lined with Greek and international designer stores along with all kinds of art galleries, cafes and trendy restaurants among the Athenian society.

I advise you to visit it during your stay in Athens in the month of January since it is an excellent opportunity to see how the city lives beyond the typical tourist areas. Also for the fact that touring and consuming in the area would be much cheaper at this time of the year than in the summer.

Keep in mind that going to some of the bars in the area are a good idea if you are looking for things to do in Athens at night that will allow you to experience the city as an authentic Greek citizen living in the most populated capital of Eastern Europe.

January is a significantly cold month when compared to the weather that defines Greece during the rest of the year. During this month you can expect maximum temperatures reaching 15 degrees Celsius, but there can also be dips down to 5 degrees Celsius and even degrees below zero precipitating the arrival of some short morning snowfalls.

In January you will not encounter as many tourists as in the Christmas season and there are definitely not as many visitors as in August or July, the most important months of the summer season for Athenian tourism. This is favorable for you to tour the city on your own terms, calmly and without having to elbow your way to buy something or access somewhere.

January is a cheaper month than summer and you can save up to 50% of what you would spend by visiting Athens at the height of the summer season. This is especially true when it comes to accommodation, dining out and access to tourist attractions.

Bring warm clothes that also allow you to walk comfortably. The city is configured to be walked from end to end by its visitors. Wear shoes that are appropriate for these tours and do not forget to bring sunscreen. Remember that winter does not mean that the sun disappears and the solar incidence in Athens is significantly higher than in other European capitals such as Paris or Stockholm.