Stand on Dionysiou Areopagitou Street at the moment the light goes gold and the Acropolis rock turns the colour of honey above the rooftops. Below it, the lanes of Plaka and Anafiotika wind between Neoclassical houses and small Orthodox churches, and somewhere a grill is already smoking. Athens rewards the traveller who walks slowly and looks past the concrete.
The city suits anyone willing to climb a hill before breakfast and spend the afternoon in a museum, and it works equally well for a short stopover or a longer stay. This guide covers the sites at the foot of the Acropolis and the ancient monuments nearby, with the practical details you need to plan a day around them.
Top things to do in Athens
1. Acropolis of Athens
The ancient fortified town of Athens, dating to the Late Bronze Age, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its Classical buildings include the Parthenon, the Erectheion and the Temple of Athena Nike, and the rock dominates the Athenian sky from almost everywhere in the centre. The full ticket is €30, reduced €15, and summer hours run 08:00-20:00, with winter closing tracking sunset down to 17:00 in December. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing.
Since 1 April 2024 timed-entry tickets are mandatory, so buy online in advance from the official HHTicket website rather than queueing at the on-site offices, which may have no same-day slots in peak season. Staff will not let you into the ticket-scanning line until less than 15 minutes before your scheduled entry time. Much of the site is under renovation, so expect scaffolding and cranes alongside the ruins.
2. Parthenon
The massive temple built in the 5th century BC in thanksgiving for the Greek victory over the Persian invaders. It later served as a Christian church and then an Ottoman mosque, and was mostly intact until 1687, when a Venetian bomb struck the munitions stored inside. Large-scale restoration has been under way since 1975.
You will find the construction office along the south side of the temple, and some views are marred by modern equipment. Read the free leaflet published by the Archaeological Resources Fund, which includes a ground plan and information on the monuments, before you start climbing.
3. Acropolis Museum
On Dionysiou Areopagitou at number 15, by Acropolis metro station, this museum holds the classical sculptures excavated from each stage of pre-Roman Athens, with the top floor giving an excellent view of the Acropolis itself. It requires a separate timed-entry ticket from the Acropolis, €20 with a reduced €10 rate, and buying online in advance from the official website is strongly recommended.
Allow at least an hour, or two if you love classical art. Exhibits have detailed descriptions and there is a free app-based audioguide. Archaeologists uncovered Roman ruins on the site before construction, and the museum was elevated above them; after your visit, take the path to the left of the main entrance plaza and use your museum ticket to enter those ruins.
4. Propylaea
The monumental gate at the western end of the Acropolis, with Doric columns of Pentelic marble. In a prominent position on a steep bastion to the right of the entrance stands the Temple of Athena Nike.
This is the entrance most visitors use, reached from the Akropoli metro stop by walking west along Dionysiou Areopagitou Street and taking the first right on to Theorias. From Plaka you can walk south up steep Mnisikleous Street as far as it goes and turn right on Theorias.
5. Erectheion
An elegant temple primarily dedicated to the goddess Athena. The uneven ground led to a complex plan, with an east-facing entrance lined with six Ionic columns, and unusually two porches: one borne by Ionic columns, the other supported by huge female caryatids.
It sits among the dramatic ruins atop the Acropolis, so fold it into the same visit as the Parthenon and the Propylaea rather than treating it as a separate trip. Give yourself at least two hours on the rock if you have a passion for history or scenic photography.
6. Theatre of Dionysus
Classical Athens' main theatre and the first theatre ever built, where many of the great Greek plays were performed for the first time. Aristophanes' The Clouds, which mocked Socrates, was first performed here.
It lies at the foot of the Acropolis near the south entrance, and admission is included with the Acropolis ticket. If you want to avoid the main crush at the west gate, the south entrance is the practical alternative.
7. Odeon of Herodes Atticus
A theatre built in 161 CE that is still used for concerts and plays. Its stone backdrop survives to a remarkable height of three stories because it was incorporated into a later fortification on the site.
Like the Theatre of Dionysus, it is among the historic sites at the foot of the Acropolis included with the admission ticket, so see it on the same outing. Check what is playing during your stay if you would like to attend a performance rather than only look at the facade.
8. Pnyx
Roughly 500 m west of the Acropolis, this rocky hill overlooking the city became the meeting place of the ekklesia, Athens' early democratic assembly, around 507 BCE. It witnessed addresses by Pericles, Aristides and Alcibiades during the Golden Age, and was redesigned several times before the assembly moved to the Theatre of Dionysos.
Entry is free, which makes it an easy addition to a day already built around the Acropolis. Come for the view over the rock and the city rather than for standing ruins.
9. Ancient Agora
The site of the ancient city centre, a green space with a beautiful view of the Acropolis, built as a multipurpose area. It is accessible only from the western entrance at Plateia Jacqueline de Romilly, because the historic Panathenaic Way is undergoing a major construction project that blocks the main north entrance until 2026.
Hours are 08:30-15:30 Tuesday to Sunday and 10:00-15:30 on Monday, so plan it as a morning or early afternoon stop. Check the entrance situation before you set out, since the closure affects how you approach the site.
10. The lanes of Anafiotika, Plaka, Monastiraki and Thissio
The areas at the foot of the Acropolis are home to many Neoclassical buildings, trendy and traditional cafes and shops, narrow winding streets and incredible views of the Acropolis. This is where the city stops looking like rows of concrete and starts rewarding a wander.
Little Greek Orthodox churches are tucked in among the buildings, often in unexpected places, usually decorated with icons and brass fixtures inside. Dress appropriately if you go in, with no short sleeves or bare legs as a mark of respect.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start early at the Acropolis of Athens with a pre-booked timed-entry ticket, entering through the Propylaea and taking in the Parthenon and the Erectheion while the rock is still cool. On your way up or down, look at the Theatre of Dionysus and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, which are included with your ticket.
Afternoon: Walk down to the Acropolis Museum on Dionysiou Areopagitou and use your separate timed-entry ticket, then take the path to the left of the main entrance plaza to see the Roman ruins below the building. Afterwards, wander the lanes of Anafiotika, Plaka, Monastiraki and Thissio for cafes, shops and views back up at the rock.
Evening: Climb the free, short path to Pnyx for the view over the Acropolis as the light fades, then return to the Plaka and Thissio lanes for dinner. If you have energy left and it is a Tuesday to Sunday, the Ancient Agora keeps limited hours, so it is better saved for a morning on another day.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to book Acropolis tickets in advance?
Yes. Since 1 April 2024 timed-entry tickets are mandatory, and buying online in advance from the official HHTicket website is strongly recommended. On-site offices can sell timed-entry tickets, but you will stand in a long line, and in peak season there may be no same-day slots left.
Is the Acropolis Museum included in the Acropolis ticket?
No. The museum sits outside the Acropolis security perimeter and requires its own timed-entry ticket, bought separately and in advance from the official website. If you want to see both on the same day, estimate your time for each: most people need at least an hour for the Acropolis and at least an hour for the museum.
What is the best way to avoid the heat at the Acropolis?
On a sunny summer day, you may prefer to be inside the air-conditioned museum rather than atop the shadeless Acropolis during the peak heat. Note that summer hours are 08:00-20:00, and in winter closing time tracks sunset, down to 17:00 in December, with last entry 30 minutes before closing.
Can I enter the Ancient Agora from the north?
No. The historic Panathenaic Way is undergoing a major construction project that blocks the main north entrance until 2026, so the site is accessible only from the western entrance at Plateia Jacqueline de Romilly. Hours are 08:30-15:30 Tuesday to Sunday and 10:00-15:30 on Monday.
Pick your dates, book your timed-entry tickets from the official sites, and let the rest of Athens unfold on foot.