If you're sailing from Piraeus, let me give you one piece of advice before you even think about boarding your cruise: don't arrive the night before. Give yourself at least 48 hours in Athens, because this is a city that deserves far more than a rushed overnight stay before setting sail.

Like a lot of people, I'd always thought of Athens as somewhere you passed through on the way to the Greek Islands. You'd see the Acropolis, have a nice meal, then head to the ship. I couldn't have been more wrong.

After spending a few days there before my cruise, I came away wondering why Athens isn't talked about as one of Europe's great food cities. Mention a foodie break and people immediately suggest Paris, Barcelona, Rome or Copenhagen. Even Oslo has built a reputation for itself. Athens, meanwhile, barely gets a look-in, and I can't quite understand why.

Perhaps it's because so many visitors only see it as the gateway to the islands, spending one night in the city before heading to Piraeus. Personally, I think that does Athens a huge disservice.

The food isn't showy. There are no gimmicks and very little that seems designed purely for Instagram. That's part of what makes it so good. It's about excellent ingredients, cooked properly and served with pride. Fresh seafood, wonderful cheeses, tomatoes that taste as tomatoes should, olive oil you'll find yourself mopping up with bread, and dishes intended to be lingered over rather than hurried through.

Sometimes simple food really is the best.

Gyros or souvlaki?

By the end of my trip, I still couldn't decide.

A proper gyros is a thing of beauty. Soft, warm pitta wrapped around well-seasoned meat, then stuffed with chips, tomato, onion and a generous spoonful of tzatziki. It's messy, satisfying and, in my opinion, one of the world's great street foods.

Then there's souvlaki, where a few pieces of meat cooked over a grill prove once again that Greek food doesn't need much fuss to be exceptional.

You'll find both all over Athens, and I'd happily spend another few days trying to decide which deserves the crown. I suspect I'd leave no closer to an answer, but considerably fuller.

Coffee and breakfast in Athens

One thing you'll notice almost immediately is that Athenians take coffee seriously. Every neighbourhood seems to have another café with tables spilling onto the pavement, where locals sit for hours over a traditional Greek coffee or a freddo espresso without appearing to be in any particular hurry.

My advice is to join them.

Order a coffee, find a table outside and watch the city go by. It quickly becomes clear that this isn't simply a caffeine stop. It's part of the rhythm of everyday life in Athens, and one of the easiest ways to experience the city properly.

While you're there, try a bougatsa. I soon discovered that these custard-filled filo pastries are dangerously good and, judging by the number disappearing at breakfast, I was hardly alone.

For something savoury, pick up a freshly baked spanakopita, packed with spinach and feta. It's an ideal snack while wandering through Plaka or Monastiraki.

You'll also see kiosks selling koulouri, the sesame-coated bread rings locals grab on the go. Buy one while it's still warm and you'll quickly understand why they've remained an Athenian favourite for generations.

The dishes worth flying back for

I don't say this lightly, but I'd happily get on a plane for a really good saganaki.

Yes, it's fried cheese, but that description doesn't quite do it justice. Crisp on the outside, gloriously soft in the middle and finished with a generous squeeze of lemon, it's one of my favourite things to eat anywhere. Once you've tried a good one, you'll start wondering why every restaurant at home hasn't quietly added it to the menu.

Another surprise came at Thes Creative Cuisine, where I tried the feta doughnuts. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but they turned out to be one of the standout dishes of the trip. They were inventive without being fussy, full of flavour and exactly the sort of thing you find yourself talking about long after you've come home.

Athens is also packed with traditional tavernas serving classics such as moussaka, slow-cooked stifado and grilled fish landed fresh from the Mediterranean. Some recipes don't need updating, deconstructing or serving beneath a cloud of smoke.

Another dish I'd order again in a heartbeat is feta wrapped in crisp filo pastry, drizzled with warm honey and scattered with toasted sesame seeds. It's not the healthiest thing on the menu, but that feels beside the point.

And once you've gone that far, you may as well finish with baklava. You're on holiday.

Athens after dark

As good as the food is, Athens offers far more than what's on the plate.

As evening arrives, the city lifts. Streets fill, tavernas grow louder, families and friends gather around tables, and conversations spill out onto the pavements. There's an energy to it that's difficult not to fall for.

Before heading back to your hotel, do one more thing. Find a rooftop bar, order a cocktail and look up.

Seeing the Acropolis lit against the night sky, standing above the city as it has for centuries, is one of those moments that stays with you long after the suitcase has been unpacked.

I arrived in Athens expecting little more than a stopover before my cruise. Instead, I left wishing I'd booked another couple of days.

So, if you're sailing from Piraeus, don't rush straight to the ship. Spend some time exploring the city, eat considerably more than you intended, settle the gyros versus souvlaki debate for yourself, and see why Athens deserves a place alongside Europe's great foodie capitals.

Your cruise may be the reason you booked the trip, but don't be surprised if Athens becomes one of your favourite parts of it.