Cupid's Guide To Athens: Romantic Things To Do In This Greek City

1. Eat at Matsuhisa Athens and catch the setting rays

There are probably few spots in Athens that provide as beautiful a view of the sunset as the rooftop of Matsuhisa Athens. Matsuhisa serves Japanese food, primarily sushi. Enjoy the romantic, rooftop atmosphere and the stellar selection of cocktails. This is your Japanese stop on your gastronomic map, and it happens to provide an unparalleled, romantic view of the Saronic Gulf. It is a bit pricey, but the location is unbeatable.

Matsuhisa Athens

Address: Apollonos 40, Vouliagmeni 166 71

Website: Matsuhisa Athens

2. Admire the beautiful Greek flora at the National Garden of Athens

Take your significant other to the National Garden of Athens and enjoy strolling hand in hand under the palm trees and beautiful tunnels of overflowing vegetation. This large park, 38 acres (15.4 hectares), is directly behind the Greek Parliament building, and houses not just native Greek and exotic plants, but also a botanical museum, a small cafe, archaeological remains and a children’s library. Open from sunrise to sunset, if you are going in the summer, I recommend the cool morning or evening.

National Garden of Athens

Address: Amalias 1, Αμαλίας 1, Athina 105 57, Greece

Website: National Garden of Athens

3. An evening stroll through the Acropolis

A peculiar thing happens to the pale, ancient stones of the Acropolis as the sun descends from the sky - they turn gold. And then when the sun is gone, beautiful lights illuminate the Acropolis, for a few hours. These ruins, which stood proud and elegant in the time of Cesar and Pericles, reclaim their breathtaking beauty, every evening. To walk, hand-in-hand with your significant other during this time, is a romantic joy that few couples ever get to enjoy. So if you want to give your significant other a special treat, or make a certain proposal, you know the best time and place, in perhaps all of Athens.

Acropolis

Address: Athens 105 58, Greece

Website: Acropolis

4. Have an amorous dinner overlooking the Mediterranean Sea at Ithaki

If you are willing to take a little bit of a ride from downtown Athens and spend a pretty penny for a lovely evening, then Ithaka is the restaurant for you. Ithaka offers Mediterranean cuisine, sushi, and other seafood and a drop-dead gorgeous view. Imagine sitting at the table pictured above with your loved one. Heck, you may even be seated at the same table as one of the restaurant’s famous patrons - Bill Clinton, Sean Connery, Julio Iglesias, or Leonardo Di Caprio.

Ithaki

Address: Apollonos 28, Vouliagmeni 166 71

Website: Ithaki

5. Take your significant other for a drink at the rooftop bar Bios

Bios is the kind of establishment where they hang up black and white photos. Not because the photos are old, but because they like the black and white aesthetic. Bios is also the kind of establishment where they don’t just serve alcohol but explore urban culture. It is a place for the hip and artsy. A place for you to rub shoulders and down beers with the trendy, counter-cultural side of a foreign culture. And Bios happens to have a mind-blowing view of the Mediterranean Sea. If you think your significant other would dig this type of place, then Bios will be their mecca.

Bios

Address: Pireos 84, Athina 104 35, Greece

Website: Bios

6. Visit the temple of the God of the sea, Poseidon

I have to disclose some bias here: as a kid I loved Poseidon, and as a full grown adult, I still do. Regardless, this temple is a top romantic, evening destination, in the Athens area. To get to it, you have to drive 70 km or 43 miles, south of Athens. I know it’s far, but it’s much less crowded than other Athens attractions since not many are willing to take the trip. The temple sits on the end of a rocky outcrop, jutting far into the sea. Standing in it, you are surrounded by the ocean on three sides. Add the setting sun and it’s magical. A pretty apt place for the Temple of Poseidon.

Temple of Poseidon

Address: Athinon-Souniou Road | Cape Sounio, Sounio 195 00, Greece

Website: Temple of Poseidon

7. Snag some ice cream, and popcorn at the Thision Open Air Cinema and enjoy a movie

The Thison Cinema is an elegant open-air theater, in the heart of Athens. It stands guard in a long tradition of open-air ‘Cinema Paradiso’ and provides viewing for all, regardless of socioeconomic class. Perhaps you think night-time viewing of an old classic at the Thision Cinema would be romantic, but you want to drink the night away, as well. You can do both at Thision. They serve alcohol, food, popcorn and ice cream. Perhaps the most wonderful aspect of the Thision Cinema experience, is the golden-lit Acropolis in the evening background.

Thision Open Air Cinema

Address: Apostolou Pavlou 7, Athina 118 51, Greece

Website: Thision Open Air Cinema

Oh, the romance of Athens

Don’t let anyone ever tell you that Athens is not a romantic city- they don’t know diddly squat! Now you know just a few romantic chords that you can pluck, in Athens, that will sweep your loved one off their feet.