Athens, Greece — Attractions
Acropolis
Those arriving in Athens for the first time generally head immediately for the Acropolis. There are very few visitors who are not already familiar with the image of this distinctive citadel of ancient Athens, perched on its steep flat-topped rock above the sprawling city. It is the spot where Athens, and classical Greek civilization, began, and the site of a collection of beautiful temples, most dedicated to the goddess of wisdom, Athena. The ruins that remain visible today date from the 4th century BC, most of them erected by Pericles after the Persians destroyed many of the original Acropolis buildings. Visitors toil up the slopes past the souvenir stands and enter the site through the monumental entranceway, the Propylaia, which in ancient times contained an art gallery. To the right of the entrance is the tiny temple of Athena Nike, reconstructed and restored. The Parthenon, the greatest surviving monument of Doric architecture, is the biggest drawcard on the Acropolis, built of Pentelic marble quarried from the distant mountains, which form the backdrop to the magnificent view of Athens from the Acropolis. Alongside the Parthenon is another temple, the Erechtheion, which bears holes on its northern porch where Poseidon's trident struck it during his contest with Athena to have the city named after him. There is a museum on the Acropolis where some of the carving and friezes recovered from the temples are on show, although many of the archaeological finds from the Acropolis are now housed in the British Museum in London.
- Region/City Name
- Athens
- Address
- Dionysiou Areopagitou Street
- Phone Number
- (01) 923 8175
- Hours
- Daily 8.30am to 8pm (April to October); 8.30am to 3pm (November to March)
- Admission
- EUR12 for adults, under 19s free.
Ancient Agora
Clustered below the Acropolis (enter from Odos Adrianou, east of Monastiraki Square) is the remains of the Agora, ancient Athens' commercial and civic center, where once walked and talked the great philosophers Socrates and Plato. In fact the disgraced and despairing Socrates committed suicide in a prison in the southwest corner of the Agora, by drinking poison. The area is littered with the ruins of numerous ancient buildings, including the Dionysos Theater (the world's oldest theater where great plays by Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides were first performed). One building that has been restored is the 200 BC Stoa of Attalos (a stoa is a long, low roofed promenade which served as a combination law court, municipal office and shopping arcade in classical Greece). The reconstructed building now has a museum on its ground floor containing artifacts covering 5,000 years of Athenian history.
- Region/City Name
- Athens
- Phone Number
- (01) 321 0185
- Hours
- Daily 8am to 7pm in summer, 8:30am-6pm in winter
- Admission
- EUR4 for adults), under 19s free. Free with a valid Acropolis ticket.
National Archaeological Museum
This is the largest and most popular of Athens' many museums, and is usually very crowded. Its vast collection includes treasures unearthed from Mycenae by Heinrich Schliemann; a staggering array of sculpture including the earliest known Greek figurines dating from around 2,000 BC; frescoes from the volcanic island of Santorini; and so much more that it is recommended visitors make several visits to absorb it all.
- Region/City Name
- Athens
- Address
- Patission 44 Street
- Phone Number
- (01) 821 7724
- Email Address
- eam@culture.gr
- Hours
- Monday 1pm to 7.30pm; Tuesday to Friday 8am to 7.30pm; weekends and public holidays 8.30am to 3pm
- Admission
- EUR7 (adults); EUR3 (concessions). From November to March, Sundays are free
Piraeus
Although not really attractive to tourists, the confusing, bustling port of Athens is the departure point for hundreds of island ferries and cruise ships, so most tourists pass through it while visiting Greece. Piraeus has been Athens' port since ancient times. It actually consists of three harbors, with most of the tourist boats using the Zea Limani section. There are several fish restaurants in the harbor precincts, and a sprawling street market. Visitors with time on their hands while waiting for ferries can also explore the Maritime Museum at Akti Themistokleous, alongside the pier used by the island hydrofoils, which features models of ancient and modern ships.
- Region/City Name
- Athens
- Hours
- The museum opens Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 2pm
Plaka
The old town section of Athens below the Acropolis has become the gathering place for travelers and tourists, particularly in the warm Athens evenings. Strolling the narrow streets of the Plaka flanked by ancient monuments, Byzantine churches and mosques, stately mansions, and inviting tavernas with vine-covered courtyards, makes a pleasant diversion.
- Region/City Name
- Athens
Kolonaki/Lykavittos Hill
This hill juts a steep 984 feet (300m) right up from the center of the city, and is a great vantage point from which to take in the scope of Athens. The St. George chapel and Lykavittos Theater perch atop this hill, which can be reached by car, cable car or a healthy hike! The cable car departs every 30 minutes, from the corners of Aristippou and Ploutarchou Streets in Kolonaki.
- Region/City Name
- Athens
- Hours
- The funicular runs Friday to Wednesday 8.45am to midnight, and Thursday 10.30am to midnight
Syntagma Square
The square that forms the heart of modern Athens is home to the Parliament Building, built in 1840 as a royal palace. Tourists flock to photograph the unusually clad guards at the palace; the skirted and pom-pommed guard is changed ceremonially every hour. The square is a central point of access to all the major attractions of Athens, particularly 'museum mile' along Vassilissis Sophias Avenue, which runs from Syntagma Square. Here most of Athens' museums are clustered, including the Benaki Museum, Museum of Cycladic Art and the Byzantine Museum.
- Region/City Name
- Athens
Cape Sounion
Cape Sounion, about 43 miles (69km) east of Athens, is a popular seaside resort used by locals and visitors alike. On the cliffs above the town is the 5th-century BC Temple of Poseidon, where, according to legend, King Aegeus waited for his son, Theseus, to return from Crete after slaying the Minotaur. Sounion is easily accessible by bus from the city.
- Region/City Name
- Athens
Monastery of Daphni
This great Byzantine architectural masterpiece dates from the 4th century AD, and is situated about five and a half miles (9km) west of Athens on the road to Corinth. The church is built on a site where shrines have existed since ancient times, often destroyed by invaders and earthquakes. During the Crusades Cistercian monks turned Daphni into a Catholic monastery, but today it has been reclaimed by the Greek Orthodox Church and its beautiful mosaic work depicting Biblical scenes has been restored. A wine festival is held at Daphni each year in August/September.
- Region/City Name
- Athens
- Address
- Athinon Avenue, Daphni
- Hours
- Daily 8am to 2.30pm
- Admission
- EUR3. From November to March, Sundays is free
Marathon
About 26 miles (42km) northeast of Athens, between the villages of Nea Makri and Marathona, is the site of the great battle between the small force of Athenians and the mighty Persian army in 490 BC. On the plain of Marathon today the burial mound of the 192 Athenians who fell in the fight can be seen, along with a small museum displaying archaeological relics from the battlefield. The battle is famed not only for the Athenian victory against huge odds, but also for the fleetness of the Athenian runner, Pheidippides, who was dispatched to Athens with news of the victory and fell dead from exhaustion after delivering the message to the city; thus the name 'Marathon' was given to long-distance running races. The Marathon race in the 2004 Olympics started here, and followed the same route as that run by Pheidippedes in the legend, ending at the Panathinaikon Stadium in Athens, which was built for the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.
- Region/City Name
- Athens
- Address
- 114 Plataion Street
- Transport
- The site is on the National highway towards Thessaloniki and can be reached by regular buses from Athens
Delphi
In ancient times pilgrims came from all over the Greek world to seek advice from the god Apollo, via his oracle at the scenically beautifully situated site on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, known as Delphi. Today tourists flock constantly in the wake of the pilgrims of old up the Sacred Way to marvel at the remains of the marble Sanctuary of Apollo, the Castalian Spring and the Sanctuary of Athena. There is an excellent museum, too, at the site, which is northwest of Athens in the prefecture of Fokida.
- Region/City Name
- Athens
- Phone Number
- (226) 508 2346
- Hours
- Daily 7.30am to 7pm
- Admission
- EUR6 (concessions EUR3)
Saronic Islands
The Saronic group of islands are all within an hour or two of Piraeus by boat, making them ideal destinations for day trips from the city for those who want to experience a taste of Greek island life. Alternatively, use the islands as tranquil bases on which to stay while commuting to Athens to see the sights. Aegina is the closest island, sporting a sandy beach called Agia Marina, and a quaint fishing village called Perdika. Hydra has no sandy beaches, but the town is picturesque and offers good seafood restaurants. Poros can be reached from Piraeus in little more than an hour and sports beautiful forests that descend to the beach. It offers water sports opportunities and a lively café scene, as well as being a ferry hub offering connections to all the popular Aegean islands. Spetsi has an attractive old harbor and one of the oldest wooden boat-building yards in Greece. It is also renowned for its beaches and pine forests.
- Region/City Name
- Athens
Benaki Museum
Established in 1930, the museum houses prehistoric to modern Greek art and artifacts, occasionally hosting exhibitions, and restoration and conservation workshops. The collection features Paleolithic and Neolithic relics, and covers the late Roman Empire as it merged into the Byzantine Empire.
- Region/City Name
- Athens
- Address
- 1 Koumbari Street & Vas. Sofias Avenue
- Phone Number
- 210 367 1000
- Website
- www.benaki.gr
- Hours
- 9am until midnight Thursday; 9am to 3pm Sundays; 9am to 5pm Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday
- Admission
- EUR6. Concessions available. Free on Thursdays.
Koutouki Cave
Located 4km outside the town of Peania, and a scenic hour's ride from Athens, this cavern lies under the eastern slope of Mount Ymittos. A guided tour of the cave starts every 30 minutes.
- Region/City Name
- Athens
- Hours
- Open between 9am and 4.30pm daily
- Admission
- EUR2
Attica Zoological Gardens
The wonderful Attica Zoo is a must for children of all ages. Featuring over 2000 birds of 30 different species, as well as other exotic animals such as lynx, white lions, black panthers, snow leopards and jaguars, this zoo is the only one of its kind in Greece. It also features a reptile house and a children's farm as well as other walk-through enclosures, including a 'monkey's jungle'.
- Region/City Name
- Athens
- Address
- Gallous Street, Spata
- Phone Number
- (210) 663 4724
- Email Address
- zoo@atticapark.gr
- Website
- www.atticapark.com
- Hours
- Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 6.30pm
- Admission
- EUR14 (adults); EUR10 (children) Children under 3 are free. Concessions available.
National Gardens
Picnicking with the children at the National Gardens on a Saturday has become a common pastime for local Athenian families and is a great way to spend a sunny summers day when the days are long. The Gardens feature a small zoo, duck ponds, resident cats, a Botanical Museum a playground and lots of wide-open space for children to play in. For children who love books, the gardens are also home to a Children's Library.
- Region/City Name
- Athens
- Address
- Amalius Avenue
- Hours
- Gardens open daily. Children's Library open Tuesday to Saturday from 8:30am to 3pm. Closed in August
Goulandris Museum of Natural History
Children love nothing more than exploring museums with fossils, dinosaur skeletons and animal models, and for this reason, a trip to the Goulandris Museum of Natural History is a must for all families traveling to Athens.
- Region/City Name
- Athens
- Address
- Levidou Street 13
- Phone Number
- (210) 801 5870
- Email Address
- info@gnhm.gr
- Website
- www.gnhm.gr
- Hours
- Open Monday to Saturday from 9am 2.30pm. Sundays from 10am to 2.30pm. Closed public holidays
- Admission
- EUR5 (adults) EUR3 (children). Concessions available
Allou Fun Park
One of Athens' most popular theme parks, Allou Fun Park offer children the opportunity to ride some seriously exciting rides, such as the Big Apple and Crazy Mouse. The views over the city of Athens form the to of the panoramic ferris wheel are also great for kiss of all ages. Children under 10 years of age will do better to go to the next-door section of the park called 'Kidom'.
- Region/City Name
- Athens
- Address
- Agios Ioannis Rentis
- Phone Number
- (210) 425 6999
- Website
- www.alloufunpark.gr
- Hours
- Open Monday to Friday from 5pm-1am; Saturday and Sunday from 10am-2am
Hellenic Children's Museum
The Hellenic Children's Museum is a non-profit educational and cultural organization established in Athens in 1987 aims to encourage children to explore, learn, discover and question all around them.
- Region/City Name
- Athens
- Address
- 4 Kidathineon
- Phone Number
- (210) 331 29956
- Email Address
- info@hcm.gr
- Website
- www.hcm.gr
- Hours
- Open Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 2pm. Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 3pm. Closed on Mondays
- Admission
- Free
