Greece

Cost of living

What a month costs

Cheaper than most of Western Europe, though central rents keep climbing.

The scores

How it rates for a moving family

See and do

Top 10 in Athens

1. Acropolis and ParthenonThe marble citadel crowning the city, and still the reason most people come.
2. Acropolis MuseumA glass-floored modern museum showing off the finds with the rock in full view.
3. Ancient Agora and Temple of HephaestusThe old civic heart of Athens with the best-preserved Greek temple standing.
4. National Archaeological MuseumOne of the great museums of the world, packed with gold masks and bronzes.
5. Panathenaic StadiumThe all-marble stadium that hosted the first modern Olympics in 1896.
6. Temple of Olympian ZeusA field of giant columns from what was once the largest temple in Greece.
7. Mount LycabettusThe city's highest hill, reached by funicular, with a sweeping rooftop view.
8. PlakaThe oldest neighborhood, a maze of neoclassical lanes below the Acropolis.
9. Monastiraki flea marketA buzzing tangle of antique stalls, street food and Sunday bargains.
10. Syntagma Square and the Changing of the GuardWatch the kilted Evzones march in front of the Parliament on the hour.

Where to go

Weekend escapes

1. Cape SounionSunset at the cliffside Temple of Poseidon, an easy drive down the Athenian Riviera.
2. NafplioElegant seaside town in the Peloponnese with a fortress and Venetian old streets.
3. HydraCar-free island of stone mansions and donkeys, about a ninety-minute ferry away.
4. DelphiThe ancient oracle set on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, a couple of hours north.
5. MeteoraByzantine monasteries perched atop towering rock pillars, a dramatic longer getaway.

Coffee

Best cafes

1. Da CapoThe self-service Kolonaki institution where Athenians linger over frappe for hours.
2. Little KookA wildly over-the-top themed cafe in Psiri that changes its fantasy decor by season.
3. Taf CoffeeA serious specialty roaster that helped put Athenian coffee on the map.
4. KlepsydraA quiet corner cafe tucked into the old streets under the Acropolis.
5. MokkaAn old-school Psiri roaster grinding beans since the 1940s.

Restaurants

Where to eat

1. SpondiTwo Michelin stars in Pangrati and one of the city's longest-running fine tables.
2. Varoulko SeasideLefteris Lazarou's Michelin-starred seafood down on the Piraeus waterfront.
3. Ta Karamanlidika tou FaniA beloved deli-taverna serving Anatolian cured meats and warm meze.
4. DiportoA cult basement taverna near the Central Market with no sign and no menu.
5. StrofiClassic Greek cooking with a rooftop that frames the floodlit Acropolis.
6. OineasA lively modern taverna in Psiri known for hearty plates and big salads.
7. GB Roof GardenRefined dining atop the Hotel Grande Bretagne with a postcard Acropolis view.

Morning

Best breakfast

1. Nice N EasyOrganic all-day brunch in Kolonaki with generous eggs and pancakes.
2. Mama RouxA hearty downtown favorite that draws crowds for weekend brunch.
3. The UnderdogSpecialty coffee and creative brunch plates in the shadow of Thissio.
4. YiasemiA cozy cafe on the marble steps of Plaka, perfect for a slow morning.
5. MelinaA Plaka cafe filled with tributes to actress Melina Mercouri and gentle nostalgia.
6. ZonarsA grand 1930s cafe-patisserie in the center for coffee and pastries.
7. Kimolia Art CafeA charming little Plaka spot where you can scribble on the chalkboard tables.
8. AristonA century-old pie shop off Syntagma with flaky bougatsa and cheese pies to go.
9. KrinosA historic Aiolou Street shop frying golden loukoumades since 1923.