The Acropolis is the most fascinating historical site in Athens and the most famous landmark in Greece. As well as being a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, it is also a finalist in the New 7 Wonders of the World list. Built in the 5th century on top of a rocky hill in the middle of Athens, this is a must
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The Acropolis of Athens. pic.twitter.com/tGAX0KXsPi
— Ioannis Tz (@tzoumio) May 1, 2019
1. Plan Your Tickets
The best value for money is the combined ticket. With this ticket you get entrance into 7 of the best historical attractions in Athens for €30, and cheaper for a concession or offseason. Read all about this ticket here.
Alternatively, you can purchase a single attraction ticket, which makes the Acropolis price €20. You will need to line up for this at the Acropolis ticketing booth when you get there, and the line can be quite long. This is another good reason to purchase the combined ticket because you can purchase your ticket at a less popular site.
Skip the Line Tickets
Another popular option for visiting the Acropolis is to purchase a guided tour with skip the line tickets. This means you can purchase your tickets well ahead, and you don’t have to line up at all. Now that’s cool.
2. Visit the Acropolis Museum
Ok, so we never did this, mainly because we ran out of time. Everybody else recommends you visit the Acropolis Museum first so you fully appreciate the history of the Acropolis and discover the important Acropolis s facts. It’s probably best to do this on a separate day to your Acropolis visit if you have time because both of these stunning attractions deserve several hours of your time.
I believe in the Trip Advisor People Awards. They are voted by travellers just like you and me. And in 2019 they voted the Acropolis Museum as the 6th Best Museum on the planet. Impressive, right?
The museum price is quite cheap at €5, and it is not included in your Acropolis ticket. There’s a great cafe here with stunning views of the Acropolis. But then again, virtually all around this large hill has stunning views of the Acropolis!
3. Read a Book First
Instead of going to the museum we decided to purchase a book on Ancient Athens history. This told us everything we wanted to know about the Acropolis, as well as many other parts of Athens and Greece. It’s such a fascinating read when you are sitting amongst it all.
I guess if you really wanted to save some money you could discover the history on Wikipedia or some other site. Here you will learn that the Acropolis is an ancient Citadel, and contains the ruins of some important buildings like the Parthenon.
Alternatively, you can simply check out a good YouTube history lesson on the Acropolis. Here’s an awesome video to get you going:
4. Take a Detour Up To Areopagus Hill
I found this to be one of the most fascinating parts of our visit to the Acropolis. Areopagus Hill (2) is located just near the main Acropolis entrance (1), so it’s convenient to visit.
Areopagus Hill has some amazing history. You can climb up onto this rock and stand where the Apostle Paul stood 2,000 years ago. Only instead of listening to St.Paul preach, you will be more likely to be posting selfies with the incredible backdrop of Athens. Here are just a few of the things this rock is famous for.
- The rock is really called Areopagus but was formerly known as Mars Hill after the ancient God of War.
- It used to host the Greek Senate prior to 600 BC.
- In ancient times the rock functioned as a court for convicting criminals and was the site for many famous trials.
- The Apostle Paul delivered a famous speech here in the 1st century AD and is said to have taught the throngs of people here the new religion of Christianity.
5. Bring Your Own Water
You can buy bottled water near the Acropolis entrance at some small refreshment shops. But it is very expensive. It makes much more sense to bring your own. Note that you cannot purchase water up on top of the Acropolis hill, only down at the base.
Make sure you bring a large water bottle, it can get very hot up there. And you may spend longer than you thought up at the top when you reali
6. Go Nice And Early
The early bird catches the worm at the Acropolis. That is to say, the early birds avoid the long crowd at the ticketing line, and they avoid the heat of the day. Just make sure you stick with the Acropolis hours, which is 8
It is also a good idea for photographers to get up early. There are always hordes of people visiting the Acropolis, being the most visited attraction in town. So if you want any chance of getting that prized photo without people in it, going early is your best option.
7. Include in a Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus Tour
Athens has several different hop-on-hop-off bus tours. These are the tourist buses which allow you to get off at any of the major tourist attractions. And all of these include the Acropolis as a bus stop. This way you don’t even have to know how to get to Acropolis, the bus will just drop you at the main Acropolis entrance.
Our preferred bus was the City Sightseeing Bus, the original commentated hop-on-hop-off bus route of Athens. This bus stops at Monastiraki Square, just outside our awesome hotel A for Athens.
8. Eat First, Bring Snacks
Once you have walked
There are no food shops up on top of the hill, so you are best to make sure you fill up before you walk up to Acropolis. There are heaps of food shops at the base of Acropolis, so don’t worry about not being able to find something.
9. Bring Sun Protection
In case you didn’t know, Greece is a very hot and sunny place in the summer. And there is not hotter and sunnier place than the Acropolis, perched high up on a rocky hill. There are no trees at the top and very little in the way of shade. You are going to get sunburnt unless you take appropriate precautions.
Make sure you at least bring a hat, preferably a wide
10. Wear Solid Shoes
Wearing flip flops to the Acropolis would be a big mistake. Sitting atop a large rocky outcrop, you will find yourself scrambling across uneven rocky ground, not really suitable for flip flops. You need solid footwear so you don’t slip on the rocks. And your footwear should have a
The walk to the top involves some long winding paths and many stairs. Make sure your shoes are comfortable. A pair of stilettos would be a poor choice for the hike to the top.
11. Bus Up, Walk Back Down
Actually, if you are feeling fit, it’s a good idea to walk up to the Acropolis. It’s only about a 15-minute walk from central locations such as Monastiraki to the entrance to the Acropolis. It’s all uphill, reasonably strenuous and very scenic. Well worth the effort.
For those who have limited energy or time, it’s a good idea to catch a bus to the base of the Acropolis. But you don’t want to miss this amazingly scenic walk down to the surrounding Athens neighbourhoods. This is one of the most unforgettable strolls on the planet, and such a shame to miss it. And it’s easy because the entire walk is downhill.
The #Propylaea, the main entrance to the #Acropolishttps://t.co/PWyZvrnJMc#Greece_Athens #Athens #Greece pic.twitter.com/sxbuoYu8Ay
— Greece Athens (@Greece_Athens) September 7, 2018
12. Grab Lunch on the Walk Down
If you take our advice and walk down to surrounding Athens, you will walk along delightful streets lined with authentic Greek restaurants and cafes. Some of these will even have some live traditional music playing. These make for a great place to compliment your Acropolis experience, and to grab an authentic Greek meal.
13. Know Which Days the Acropolis is Closed
The Acropolis is open most days of the year but is closed on a handful of days. Make sure you don’t plan to visit one of these days. If visiting around any of these main holiday periods you should get an update from an official Acropolis website.
- 25 and 26 December
- 1 January
- 25 March
- 1 May
- Easter Sunday
14. Free Entry Days
How would you like to save yourself €20 entrance fee to the Acropolis? This is entirely possible on any of the free entry days. Once again it pays to check on an official website like this Ministry of Culture and Sports website. Here are the days where you don’t have to pay entrance fees.
- The first Sunday of every month from 1st November 1st to 31st March
- 6 March (in memory of Melina Mercouri)
- 18 April (International Monuments Day)
- 18 May (International Museums Day)
- Last weekend in September (European Heritage Days)
- 28 October
15. Know the Free Entry Conditions
There are many other ways you can get free entrance when visiting the Acropolis. The government website publishes 17 different ways to gain free entry and 3 ways to gain reduced entry. Some of the free entry conditions might surprise you; just make sure you bring relevant documentation.
Here are a few conditions which qualify for free entry, and check the Government Website for full conditions:
- Unemployed
- Journalists
- Persons with disabilities
- Archaeological Site members
- Single-parent families
- University students
- Tourist Guides
- Young people under 18 years of age
16. Know The Acropolis Hours
The Acropolis is open to visitors from 8 am to 8 pm. However, the last admission is at 7:30 pm.
If you’re interested in catching the sunset from the Acropolis, you should check out the sunset hours in advance to see if they fit the Acropolis hours. Note that daylight savings start around the end of March, with sunset moving from 6:45 pm to 7:45 pm.
Daylight savings is in place until late October. During Summer months you won’t be able to fit the sunset into the Acropolis opening times.
17. Train Access
If you’re wondering how to get to Acropolis, look no further than the Metro trains. Here are your best options for catching the Metro Train to the Acropolis. Each of these will involve a walk of up to 15 minutes.
- Take a train to Metro Station “ACROPOLIS”, then via Dionysiou Areopagitou Street.
- Metro Station “ACROPOLIS” then through the archaeological site of South Slope, Dionysiou Areopagitou & Thrasyllou Street.
- Metro Station “MONASTIRAKI”, then through the archaeological site of Ancient Agora or Plaka district.
18. Visit a Roof Top Bar at Sunset
You could try to be on the Acropolis Hill for sunset, depending on the season. Another great option for watching the sunset is at a rooftop bar. We highly recommend the A for Athens restaurant and cocktail bar, with uninterrupted views of the Acropolis.
There is no better way to finish your Acropolis visit than unwinding with some cool refreshments and a nice meal, whilst you watch the Acropolis light show turn on at sunset.
Tip: Book your table ahead, this is mandatory at the best rooftop restaurants and bars.
19. Souvenir Shopping at Monastiraki Square
Like any major tourist attraction, you will find that you pay premium prices close to the attraction. But if you leave your souvenir shopping until you get to Monastiraki Square you can definitely find a bargain.
As well as housing a flea market all around Monastiraki Square, there is a line of great souvenir shops going up the hill behind Monastiraki Metro Station. These are all very competitive and are all okay with bargaining. And the range is phenomenal.
20. Bring a Zoom Lens
It’s hard to imagine the stunning views from the Acropolis until you arrive. You get views of the city, all the major historical sites, surrounding hills and coastline. And you get all the ancient archaeological sites which make up the Acropolis. Basically, this is a photographers dream.
We suggest you come prepared when visiting the Acropolis by bringing your best photography equipment. A DSLR camera equipped with a zoom lens is perhaps your best option if you have one. You will definitely want some zoom capabilities. Oh, and bring a light tripod if you have one. A GorillaPod would be perfect.
21. Don’t Overdo It
The Acropolis is the most popular attraction in Athens and with good reason. This is a stunning tourist attraction, one of the finest on the planet. You do not want to rush this.
When you visit the Acropolis Athens, it deserves to be the highlight of your day. Don’t try to fit too many other things into your day, or you will regret not allowing enough time for the Acropolis. We suggest spending an entire day focusing on the Acropolis.
22. Suggested Itinerary for Acropolis
Here’s a suggested itinerary for visiting the Acropolis in Athens.
- Take a leisurely 20-minute stroll up to the base of the Acropolis from a surrounding neighbourhood.
- Be sure to walk up to the top of nearby Areopagus Hill. Allow an hour to admire the stunning views.
- Take your time walking up to the top of Acropolis. There is so much to see along the way and many stunning viewpoints.
- Allow 2-3 hours at the top. There are so many different viewing platforms. You are now in Instagram heaven.
- After you leave, take a leisurely stroll back towards Monastiraki Square. Stop at a cafe along the way and soak up some traditional Greek music and food.
- Do a spot of souvenir shopping near Monastiraki Square. You will find loads of authentic Acropolis souvenirs here.
- Have dinner at a rooftop restaurant overlooking Monastiraki Square and the Acropolis, catching the sunset. Be sure to book ahead, this is mandatory for a quality rooftop restaurant. We recommend the stunning A for Athens restaurant and cocktail bars for your million dollar views.
The Most Visited Attraction in Athens
There is little doubt that this is the best attraction in Athens. In 2017 it was reported that 1,593,362 people visited the Acropolis. That’s about 5,000 per day on average. So you do need to carefully plan your visit to get it right. It will leave lasting memories, being one of the most extraordinary places you have ever visited. The Acropolis is likely to stay with you in your heart forever.
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