Museums & Dining Experience
Athens museums nourish both the mind and the body — in the most unexpected, delightful ways.
Athens invites you to experience culture not only through its exhibits — but also through its cuisine. In these unique museum spaces, art and gastronomy come together in harmony. Enjoy world-class collections by day, and by the time you step into the leafy courtyard, the sunlit rooftop, or the glass-walled restaurant, you’re already immersed in another layer of inspiration.
Whether you’re sipping coffee under a Cycladic sculpture, tasting seasonal Greek dishes in a neoclassical garden, or dining with a view of the Acropolis, one thing is certain: in Athens, art is not just something you see — it’s something you live.
Acropolis Museum (Makrygianni)
Few places in the world offer this kind of setting: floor-to-ceiling glass walls, Parthenon views so close you can almost reach out and touch them, and a menu that celebrates the depth of Greek culinary tradition.
After your walk through antiquity — marble karyatids, sculpted friezes, and stories etched in stone — ascend to the second-floor restaurant. From morning Greek breakfasts with handmade marmalades, warm pies and fresh yogurt, to midday mezze (dolmadakia, taramosalata, grilled sardines) and refined seafood dishes, every meal is served with a view to remember.
On Friday and Saturday nights, the space transforms into one of the city’s most romantic dinner spots, glowing under the sacred rock of the Acropolis, with a special late-night menu based on regional Greek ingredients and a well-curated wine list.
Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation (Pagrati)
In the heart of vibrant Pagrati, a lush courtyard offers a cool, serene escape from the city’s buzz. After exploring masterpieces by Bacon, Claudel, Degas, Cheilas, Psychopaidis and others across the museum’s elegant neoclassical floors, you’ll naturally find your way to its hidden garden.
There, the B&E Goulandris Café-Restaurant offers carefully prepared coffee, refined refreshments and a curated wine list. The desserts are fresh and memorable — the tarts melt in your mouth, the handmade pies feel like home.
Don’t miss the zucchini blossoms with goat cheese, traditional vine leaves from Kassos, and the chicken with Santorini tomato paste and Metsovone cheese.
And for those seeking something lighter: the Holy Llama vegan options — like the rich chocolate cookies — are a highlight in their own right.
Museum of Cycladic Art (Kolonaki)
A sunlit garden terrace brings the breeze of the Aegean to central Athens. After exploring 5,000-year-old Cycladic figurines, vases, and tools, step into a serene café oasis — shaded by the impressive sculptural canopy of artist Stelios Kois and framed by lush Mediterranean greenery.
The menu is a tasteful ode to the Greek islands: Santorini fava, fresh fish with wild greens, froutalia omelet with Limnos cheese, Naxos graviera on sourdough, pasta with Aegean cheeses, or a soothing fish soup.
It’s a perfect blend of ancient heritage and contemporary Cycladic calm — right in the heart of the city.
