1-day walking tour in Athens

Acropolis

• Theorias
• Dionissiou Areopagitou. Ticket booth, small post office, and snack bar are located slightly below the Acropolis entrance
• tel:+30 210 321 0219
• Visit website
• Athens, 105 58

Quite possibly the most famous symbol of Athens, if not all of Greece, the Acropolis crowns the city and provides a romantic focal point amidst the modern-day noise and mess. The word "Acropolis" comes from "Acro" meaning "High" and "polis" meaning city.

History

The Acropolis as we know it was masterminded by Pericles in the fifth century BC after the original Acropolis was burned to the ground by the Persian army. The sacred rock was dedicated to the goddess Athena since Neolithic times, but was also used as a gathering place during times of danger due to its strategic positioning. The rebuilt grouping of temples, framed by the Propylaea, or gateway, was intended to be a testament to human achievement and unique in the world in their beauty. They include the demure Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheum or Erechtheion, hallmarked by the Porch of Caryatids (maidens) and the queen of them all, the Parthenon. The Parthenon and the Propylaea were completed first, in under ten years. The temple of Athena Nike and the Erechtheum were built after the death of Pericles.

In the centuries that followed, the sacred rock was used as a church, a fortress, a mosque, an arsenal, and pillaged frequently by invaders and travelers taking advantage of the instability of the Ottoman-occupied city throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. The most famous of these looters was the English Lord Elgin whose grand booty is the source of a modern day controversy between the British Museum and the Greek State, who have been asking for their treasures back for the last thirty years. The New Acropolis Museum, located across from the entrance to the Dionysos Theatre, was partly created to provide a home for the artifacts. There is still no official word of their being returned to Greece.

Visiting the Sacred Rock of the Acropolis

It is one of the most memorable things you can do while in Athens, and you're sure to note the absence of ropes or glass, bringing you up close and personal with one of the greatest works of art in the Western hemisphere. Get inspired by the great humans that walked there before, the history that happened after, the mystical rumors of being aligned with the stars, or simply the breathtaking view of the city. It's a place that touches the heart of Athens and the Athenians. All of the site is encircled by a cobblestone pedestrian path, the streets of Dionysou Areopagitou and Apostolou Pavlou. Areopagitou street runs along the South slope and is where both entrances to the sites are located, the first just on the Theatre of Dionysos, the site of the festival dedicated to the god of wine, ecstasy and theater. The second is further up past the Roman-era Odeon of Herod Atticus, where the Athens Festival takes place every summer. Go up the steps or the ramp (a bit further) and you'll find the main gates.

All of these sites can be accessed with the €12 admission of the Acropolis, as well as the Temple of Zeus, Keramikos Cemetery, Roman Agora and Ancient Agora.

What's Around the Acropolis

Facing the Acropolis are Pnyx, Areopagos and Philopappou hills which offer commanding views over the city. Areopagos Hill is the site of a famous sermon from St. Paul to the Athenians. Opposite the Acropolis is the unique Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry museum. Plaka, the oldest neighborhood of Athens, sprawls out at the base of the Acropolis rock. Delve in to explore its quaint streets and shops or spend an hour walking through the Ancient Agora.

Necessary Information for Visiting the Acropolis:

Admission
€12 except for minors. Teenagers under 19 should carry an ID to prove their age.
Seniors are not offered a discounted rate unless members of the EU.
Journalists and Government officials are granted free admission.

Days the site is free of admission

All Sundays between November 1st and March 31st. After that, the first Sunday of every month except July, August and September (peak season.)
All Greek national holidays ~ all religious holidays of the Greek Orthodox Church including Easter Monday and Tuesday as well as the Monday after Pentecost.
March 6 ~ Melina Mercouri Day
April 18 ~ International Monuments Day
May 18 ~ International Monuments Day
June 5 ~ International Environment Day
September 27 ~ International Tourism Day
The last weekend of September ~ European Heritage Days

And most spectacular is the annual late-night opening for the full moon of August, an event that is usually accompanied with live music and theatrical events.

Hours
Winter (November 1 - March 31) 8:30am - 3:30 pm
Summer (April 1- October 31) 8am - 7:30pm except Mondays 11am - 7:30pm

Amenities

Both upper and lower entrances offer water fountains and toilets before entering the site. There are no opportunities once on the site. A small snack bar is just outside the upper entrance, though the prices are high and the quality poor. If you can, wait to refresh yourself with things found in the adjacent neighborhood of Thission or along Makriyannis, the road connected to Areopagitou.

A lift entrance is offered to those in a wheelchair. Ask the official at the upper entrance for assistance.

Words of Caution and Greek Reality

Please use caution while on the site, which is entirely out of marble that can be incredibly slippery! Those with limited mobility might have trouble, though it's certainly possible to see everything if you take your time and move carefully.

Be on guard for pickpockets. Keep phones, wallets, and money in places that are difficult for the nimblest of hands if not completely under your clothes.

There might be a number of vendors of cheap novelty gifts and/or umbrellas, fans, bottles of water. These are mostly illegal immigrants who are routinely chased off by the police. As of now there is no law penalizing those who patronize them but it has been discussed.

The Scaffolding

Try not to be too disappointed when you get to the Acropolis and find most of the temples surrounded by scaffolding. They are part of a restoration and conservation effort that will keep the site strong for generations to come. The Parthenon was temporarily scaffold-free in the summer of 2010, but since November is being worked on again for an indefinite period of time.

The Strikes

Greece is a country known for expressing itself and being politically active. Should you arrive and there is a strike that has closed the entrance of the Acropolis, there is little that can be done. Go to  nearby Areopagos Hill and the area of Philapappou Hill for outstanding views of the Rock and history that's equal in importance. Neither are manned by ministry officials and therefore always open, and always free.

The Dogs

Those sun-loving mongrels you'll see lounging around the entrance, while stray, are typically friendly and laid back. Still, use caution when approaching one and don't reach toward it unless it's approached you first with a wagging tail. Under no circumstances should you inspect one that's sleeping. It isn't dead no matter how much it looks the contrary. We promise.

read more about Acropolis

Dionysos Theatre

• Mitsaion 25
• tel:+30 210 322 4625
• Visit website
• Athens, 105 58

Odeon of Herod Atticus

• Dionysiou Areopagitou Street
• Acropolis
• tel:+30 210 323 2771 / +30 210 322 1459
• Visit website
• Athens, 105 58

Ancient Agora

• Adrianou Street
• Thissio
• tel:+30 210 321 0185
• Visit website
• Athens, 105 55

Step in to what was once the 'agora" or marketplace of ancient Athens. This wasn't only a commercial center, but also where important political, religious and administrative transactions took place side by side. The Stoa of Attalos, an impressive two-story building built from Pentelic marble and limestone was donated by Attalos II, King of Pergamon in the 2nd century BC. Of note are the Doric and Ionic colonnades. The building was reconstructed in the mid 1950s and now displays objects unearthed during excavations. The archeological finds are housed within the Museum of the Ancient Agora. Just south of the Stoa of Attalos is the 11th century church of Agii Apostoli or the Holy Apostles, a beautiful example of Byzantine architecture. The exquisitely preserved 5th century BC Temple of Hephaistos, also know as Thission will definitely catch you eye. Continue to the Roman Agora and Tower of the Winds. The Keramikos Cemetery is a 7 minute walk south of the Ancient Agora along pedestrianized Ermou street in the direction of Gazi. Either the Monastiraki or Thissio metro stops bring you closest to the Ancient Agora's entrance. read more about Ancient Agora

Roman Agora

• Pelopida & Eolou Streets
• tel:+30 210 331 0392 (Tourist Info)
• Visit website
• Athens, 10555

The Roman Agora was built as an extension to the Ancient Agora in the 1st century BC. This marketplace contained a courtyard, shops, storerooms and stoas. Not to be missed is the Tower of the Winds, an octagonal marble tower which served as a water clock, compass, sundial, weather vane and water clock. On each of its eight sides is a depiction of a directional wind. There is also a relatively intact 15th century mosque north of the agora along with the Gate of Athena Archegetis. Visit the museum of Greek Popular Musical Instruments (URL) literally down the street. Walk back towards Monastiraki metro station and view Hadrian's Library. Closest metro: Monastiraki. For a flavor of Greek island architecture, walk up to Anafiotika. read more about Roman Agora

Tower of the Winds

• Pelopida & Eolou Streets (east of the ancient agora)
• Plaka
• tel:+30 210 324 5220
• Visit website
• Athens, 105 55

Kouti

• 23 Adrianou Street
• Monastiraki
• tel:30 210 321 3229
• Athens, 10555

Tou Xynou

• 4 Angelou Geronda Street
• tel:30 210 322 1065
• Athens, 10557

Tou Psara

• 16 Erecthios and Erotokritou Streets
• And 12 Erotokritou. The Plaka
• tel:30 210 321 8733
• Visit website
• Athens

Greek Dances Theatre "Dora Stratou "

• 8 Scholiou Street
• tel:30 210 324 4395 / 30 210 324 6188
• Visit website
• Athens, 10558