7 Archaeological Sites & Museums in Athens That You Can’t Leave Greece Without Seeing
Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world, and is sometimes referred to as the cradle of Western civilization. The arts and philosophy thrived here, it is steeped in culture and ancient history, and its landscape is dominated by the stunning Acropolis. Like most things in Greece, there is a tale behind how the city got its name and the myth goes something like this: the city was prosperous and beautiful, but did not have a patron god that it paid tribute to. Athena, goddess of wisdom, and Poseidon, god of the sea, both contended for the title by offering a gift to the citizens; Athena gifted an olive tree and Poseidon offered a salt water spring. The citizens chose to accept the olive tree and so the city was named after Athena.
We knew that a trip to Greece wouldn’t be complete without exploring the city of Athens, so it was our first stop in Greece before heading onward to Olympia, Meteora and Delphi (a road trip itinerary is in the works – stay tuned!). Because of my obsession with Greek mythology, I had always dreamed of standing in front of the Parthenon, wandering through the National Archaeology Museum and admiring the Olympieio. During our short 48 hours in Athens, I went HAM reciting Greek mythology tidbits to my extremely patient boyfriend who had to listen to me ramble on and on about the 12 labors of Herakles, Aphrodite’s saucy affair with Ares behind Hephaestus’ back, crazy Dionysus-worshipping maenads and other tantalizing tales. I don’t regret it for a minute!
If you get a chance to spend a few days in Athens, make it happen!
The best time to visit
The best time to visit is in late spring or autumn when the crowds are less hectic. The crowds are at its worst during July and August – however, we were there in mid-July and while it was sweltering hot, it was still manageable (although it did feel like the entire population of Europe was at the Acropolis with us).
Getting to Athens and getting around
Most airlines fly into Athens International Airport, and from the airport you have a multitude of ways to get into the city. You can take the metro, buses or a taxi, but make sure you do a quick check to see if there are any metro strikes during your trip. We took the X95 express bus from the arrivals level to Syntagma Square and the journey took about an hour. These buses get packed during the peak season so make sure you position yourself in front of one of the doors – don’t expect orderly queues! We actually opted to wait for the next bus so that we could get seats.
Once you are in the city, it is easy to get around on foot or by metro/bus. If you plan to take public transportation you can look into getting a 3 day pass (which includes your fare to/from the airport) or 5 day pass (which does not include airport transportation). More information on transportation here.
Interested in day trip destinations from Athens? Check out Meteora or Delphi!
Must-see sights in Athens
An “Acropolis” is a sanctuary or complex built high up on a mountain or hill, and the Acropolis of Athens is undoubtedly the most famous one of them all. When you visit the Acropolis, you actually get to see half a dozen or so sites within the complex: the Propylaea (the entrance to the site), the Theatre of Dionysos, the Odeion of Herodes Atticus, the Erechtheion, the Temple of Athena Nike and of course, the Parthenon.
The iconic Parthenon is dedicated to the city’s patron goddess, Athena, and has survived fires, an explosion, earthquakes and lootings – it was still undergoing decades-long restoration when we were there last summer. Did you know that over the centuries the Parthenon has been a temple, a Christian church and an Islamic mosque?
Essential information
- The Acropolis can be reached from Monastiraki Square. Follow the footpath to the left of the train station, past Hadrian’s Library and head up the stairs. You will reach the main ticket booth in about 5 minutes’ time.
- Purchase a special ticket (€30 for adults, €15 for children) that will grant you access to multiple sites including a few of the ones I have listed below. You’ll get more bang for your buck as 1) the special ticket is valid for 5 days, and 2) the cheaper ticket will only grant you access to the Acropolis and its slopes. If the queue is unbearable, you can purchase the unified ticket at one of the other sites. The special ticket will get you into these sites: Acropolis of Athens, Ancient Agora, Archaeological Museum of Kerameikos, Archaeological Site of Lykeion, Hadrian’s Library, Kerameikos, Museum of the Ancient Agora, north/south slopes of the Acropolis, Olympieio (Temple of Zeus) and the Roman Agora.
- Give yourself a minimum of 2-3 hours to wander around the entire Acropolis complex.
- The Acropolis is open from 8 am to 5 pm (last admission at 4:30 pm), closed certain days of the year.
Photography tip: Head to the Areopagus Rock on the way up to the Acropolis site for amazing views across the city!
2. Acropolis Museum
The Acropolis Museum houses more than 4,000 finds from the archaeological excavation such as pediments, statues, votives as well as objects that Athenians used in everyday life. The ultra-minimalistic architecture of the museum creates a bright and airy exhibition space spread over a few different levels, and there is also a spacious cafe if you need a cup of joe and rest your feet. It is about 300 meters away from the Acropolis and even has in-house archaeologists scattered around the museum for you to ask questions about the exhibits.
5 out of 6 of the original Caryatids are located in this museum – the ones at the Erechtheion are copies! The 6th Caryatid is in the British Museum – there is an old legend that says that the 5 Caryatids can be heard wailing for their lost sister at night.
Essential information:
- Entrance to the museum is not covered by your unified Acropolis ticket. You will need to buy a separate ticket for €5.
- Give yourself at least an hour or two at this museum.
- The museum’s opening hours vary depending on the day of the week as well as season. It tends to open at 8/9 am and close early on Mondays (4/5 pm).
3. Hadrian’s Arch / Hadrian’s Gate
This roadside structure was dedicated Roman Emperor Hadrian and was once thought to mark the divide between the old and new parts of the city. Because it is not behind a walled complex, there is no admission fee to see Hadrian’s Arch. Plus, it is on the way to the next complex!
4. Temple of Olympian Zeus
This picture perfect temple is also known as the Olympieio – it is dedicated to the ruler of the Olympian gods (and notorious philanderer), Zeus. It was once one of the most majestic temples in Greece but was destroyed over the years: today, it only has about one fifth of the number of columns it had during its heyday. The best part about this site is that unlike the Acropolis, it is not crawling with people! It is relatively easy to get a shot of the temple (with the Acropolis in the background) without a single person in the picture!
Essential information:
- Entrance to the museum is covered by your unified Acropolis ticket.
- The temple is open from 8 am to 6:30 pm, give yourself 30 minutes or so to soak up the magnificence of the Temple.
5. Ancient Agora (not the same as the Roman Agora)
The Ancient Agora was the commercial, political and religious centre of ancient Athens. The citizens of Athens would gather here and discuss politics, make and hear announcements, buy and sell goods, and just chill in general. The site is mostly rubble now (with the exception of the Temple of Hephaestus), but still worth a visit.
Essential information:
- Entrance to the museum is covered by your unified Acropolis ticket.
- The entrance to the Ancient Agora is a 5 minute walk away from Monastiraki Square, just follow the path to the right of the train station for a few hundred meters .
- The temple is open from 8/8:30 am to approximately 7 pm in the summer and much earlier in the winter.
6. Temple of Hephaestus
You know that guy Aphrodite cheated on? Yeah that was Hephaestus, the god of blacksmiths, fire, metallurgy and volcanoes (among others). It is said that he helped forge Zeus’ thunderbolt, armor for Achilles and even Pandora herself. The Temple of Hephaestus is preserved extremely well and is located on a small hill at the Ancient Agora (which means entrance is covered by the unified Acropolis ticket). Like the Temple of Zeus, you don’t have to fight your way through crowds of people to get a good look at this stunning structure.
Hell hath no fury like a scorned god – when Hephaestus found out that Aphrodite was cheating on him with Ares, the god of war, he built an unbreakable net and used it to catch them in the act mid-tryst. Hephaestus then invited the other gods to laugh at the naked goddess and god, both trapped under his net of shame!
7. National Archaeology Museum
The National Archaeology Museum is the largest museum in Greece and considered one of the best in the world, so please I beg of you, don’t miss this museum. It’s an easy 20-30 minute walk away from Plaka/Monastiraki Square and is home to more than 11,000 exhibits. The permanent exhibits are divided up into a few different categories including Egyptian antiquities, sculptures, metalwork: my favorite was this statue of Zeus hurling his thunderbolt (but I’m absolutely livid that these people are in the shot!)
Essential information:
- Entrance to the museum is not covered by your unified Acropolis ticket. The ticket is €7 and reduced during the winter months.
- Hours vary across different days of the week and seasons, so check this website for more information.
Where to stay and eat in Athens
A for Athens Hotel + Bar: Look no further than centrally-located A for Athens if you want to make the most of your trip. The room was enormous for European standards and bright & airy, the staff are incredibly helpful and did I mention that this was the view from our room? Yes – that’s an unobstructed view of the Acropolis! A for Athens was the perfect base for us to explore all the historic and archaeological sites in the city, I just wish we could have stayed longer. Click here to book your stay at A for Athens Hotel!
This website isn’t called Yoga, Wine & Travel for nothing – A for Athens is also home to one of the best rooftop bars in the city! Their menu is chock full of unique cocktails and is the perfect view point to stare in awe at the sunset and changing colours.
Enastron: If you want authentic Greek fare, head to Enastron. The hotel recommended this restaurant to us, and we ended up having 3 meals there. It is a 5 minute walk away from A for Athens and the food is incredible – try their delicious homemade sausage!
Miso Pithari Monastiraki: This little hole-in-the-wall serves mouthwatering gyros just around the corner from A for Athens – head here for a cheap, cheerful and quick meal!
360: Athens has tons of amazing rooftop bars and restaurants, and this has to be one of the best in the city. Also in Plaka/Monastiraki Square, 360 is the place to go if you want to treat yourself to something special while you’re in Athens. Like the rooftop bar at A for Athens, 360 also offers a view of the Acropolis from their massive open-air terrace. The food is outstanding and it’s the perfect way to spend your last night in the city. The restaurant is extremely popular, so make sure you book your table online ahead of time.
Have you been to Athens yet? Am I missing anything from this list? Tell me all about it in the comments section!
Planning a trip to Greece? Check out my other destination guides!
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You weren’t joking, you really are the ultimate aficionado of Ancient Greece. For me it would take some supreme patience and dedication to visit ALL of these sites, but I’m sure for you you couldn’t get enough. I never knew the Acropolis had so many different functions depending on who was in control of the area at the time!
Haha thanks Dave! I was GUNG HO on this trip because I was so determined to see everything!
I love the detail in this post and the way you include everything from snapshots of the ancient myths to contemporary food and hotel recommendations! I’ve done a lot of island hopping in Greece but need to put Athens on my bucket list.
Ooh which islands were your favorite? I’d love to explore more of the Cyclades next time!
I love Athens. I’ve been in 2012 and I’m considering a trip back. My fav site was the Greek Agora. I haven’t manage to see Kerameikos on my previous visit so that may be reason enough to go back 🙂
It’s such an incredible city Cris! I hope my travels bring me back one day 🙂
I’ve been to all theses places and agree they are all amazing. The views from A for Athens are probably the best in town !
I totally agree Sandy! It has a front-on view instead of side on – staring at the Acropolis while eating breakfast is amazing!
Greece is such a beautiful country and one of the cities I want to visit the most are Athens and Santorini! Thank you for sharing this post ☺️
Make sure you check out Delphi, Olympia and Meteora as well!
Greece is one of my favorite places. I love that you are so into the history and mythology! I would have loved to listen to you ramble about it. Love the story of Athena and Poseidon fighting over the city. Such a great informative post!
Thanks so much for checking this out, Cher! I am so fascinated with all the myths, the stories are incredible!
That is a monumental mass of antiquity. I heard a suggestion recently that you should visit the museums first at these sites to give you better context for the archaeological site. What do you think?
To be honest I think either order would be fine! The museums are amazing but they don’t always go into tons of detail about the history unless you hire the audio guide.
Wow. I´m taking my hat off, you really visited everything in detail! I love these Greece guides, I must drag a friend to Greece one day because my husband certainly wouldn´t goto all the sites with me! 🙂
Please please please go one day Karin! Would your husband be interested in the Greek islands?
I was living in Athens few years ago… I really enjoyed this unique mixture of ancient and modern city 🙂
I’m so jealous! I’d love to live there for a few months – did you get a chance to head out to the Greek islands as well?
Who doesn’t get geekily excited about Greek mythology?! That’s a great piece Flo and so much information! Heading to Athens later in the year so will definitely be using this.
You’re going to have a blast, Julianna! Make sure you check out A for Athens, even if you’re not staying there 🙂
I definitely need to go to at Athens! The temples are so huge !!
Yup – really magnificent!
This is probably my favorite guide that you’ve posted about Greece! I’ve always read so many different books, textbooks, and stories about Athens and to see your photos and read about what to do there really made me have some deep wanderlust! Your guides are always so great! Definitely saving these to use when I make it to Greece! (:
Thank you so much Cassandra! I’m having such a blast putting these together and reliving my trip!
Your photos are beautiful!
Thanks for all these tips, I will definitely be putting them to good use!
Thanks so much for checking this out Brooklyn!
Thanks for sharing which tickets cover specific sites. I also enjoyed the stories of the Greek Gods and Goddesses within your post. It really gives it a sense of meaning and understanding when you know those myths.
I was sooooo confused when I was trying to figure it out before the trip, so hopefully these tips help a fellow traveler out!
Thanks so much for this post. I am kind of a history nerd so seeing all these photos made me so happy. And since I have nwver visited Greece, I am gonna save this post for when I finally get there. And I hate crowds so hopefully I can get there in either spring or autumn.
The crowds were bad, but it could have been much worse! The summer heat was what really got me. Hope you make it to Greece soon, Kelly!
Athens is one of the reasons I’m dying to visit Greece and the archaeological sites are a big reason why I want to! One of my favorite ways to spend a day is exploring ancient sites so I’d love to visit most of these places.
You’re going to love this place, Sky!
I would really like to visit Acropolis in person – the view of the city from atop the hill is stunning! And thanks for including photography tips so I know where the secret spot is!
There are so many great photo opps in Athens, Cat – you’ll love it!
Wow Flo, you really covered everything on this trip, down to the last arch site and last museum. The only thing we know about Athens is the McDonalds in the airport lol. Very cool that a Parthenon has been a temple, a Christian church AND an Islamic mosque. I wonder how that worked and how it was perceived…
Haha it’s such a versatile building! You’ll have to explore the city one day Ivy!
You were so lucky to catch these places almost empty! Even the Acropolis seems empty compared to when I was there… It was even hard to walk, never mind photograph! hehehe! This is an awesome guide!
Thanks so much for checking this out, Renata! I had braced myself for TONS more people but it really wasn’t too bad!
I love this post! These are exactly why I have been wanting to go to Greece for forever!!
Make sure you check out the other Greece posts – Delphi, Meteora and Olympia are so amazing!
Lovely post. I’ve been to some of theses places and I fully agree they are just amazing. I also love the detailed information on this post and the way you include everything from snapshots of the ancient myths to contemporary food ☺
Thank you for taking the time to read this! I really enjoyed putting the guide together and reliving some of the memories!
I absolutely LOVE Greece but although I’ve been there twice before, I haven’t seen Athens yet! I really want to go at some point, though, so thanks for all the recommendations! The Acropolis will definitely be the first thing on my list, it’s just beautiful. And that view! <3
These ancient sites will just take your breath away, Vicky! Hope you make it there soon!
This is such a great post I have enjoyed rading it! So elaborate. I have been to Athens but these photos made feel like I want to be there again right now!
Thanks so much for checking this out, Marija! I really wish we had a few more days in Athens – such an amazing city!
Athens… obviously really a very interesting mix of ancient greek culture and modern.
I havent been to Athens yet, but it reminds me a lot to Rome, eben though it is way older…
A for Athens with its roofto bar sounds really great, I will remember this, once I visit this impressive city.
It’s a fantastic city, Hendrik! I only wish we had a little more time there 🙂
I absolutely love the Greek islands but have never been to mainland Greece, the Acropolis is something I’ve always wanted to see, and great tip for the time of year. The hotel looks to be in a great spot for exploring too, great guide!
Which Greek island was your favorite? We made it to Santorini but would love to explore more of the Cyclades next time!
Such a great and detailed post. You really have put together the perfect “must see” list for Athens. I want to go immediately.
Thanks so much for checking this out, Reebex!
I would love to visit Athens and see all these amazing sights and sites!! I would want to see all of them so this is a fantastic guide for when i do get the chance to go!
I hope you make it to Athens soon, Tracy!
I love destinations where you feel like wandering around an open air museum. When is the best momet to visit (weather and people wise)?
I would say spring or autumn! Summer is the busiest season 🙂
I absolutely love Greece and Athens is such an amazing place. Full of historical facts and figures, I think you have done a great job here by compiling this kind of a list. This article is very helpful 🙂
Thanks so much for checking this out, Madhurima!
Ooh great guide! I loved Greek myths when I was little (still do!) so I’d totally visit all of these places! Pinning for when I drag my husband to Athens – you’ve given some really helpful information on tickets and where to stay. I’ll also be telling the husband all the stories ha!
I hope you successfully drag your husband to Greece, Emily! It’s an amazing country, I bet he’ll thank you for it later 😉
Such a detailed guide! I think I might’ve mentioned before how I love visiting museums to learn about the ancient world… I love how you managed to get as little tourists as possible in your photos (especially at Acropolis!). I usually don’t buy special tickets because I don’t know what my plans are (worried it’ll go to waste). But it definitely looks like the entrance fees add up. Great that you included which sites are and aren’t included in the pass so I can make a more educated decision.
Great post! I’ve never been to Athens but I’d love to! Also the streets look gorgeous and leafy! Magical!
Great post! I’ve visited all those places and love it. Athens is really a special place, absolutely loaded with history. Pinned it for future reference (guess I’m planning to come back!)
This post is perfect for me as I’m visiting Athens this fall and only knew about Acropolis. On the way up I’ll definitely stop at the Areopagus Rock for a panoramic of the city and I hope I get great weather like you did. The Temple of Olympian Zeus is picture perfect and you captured it from the perfect angle! The Temple of Hephaestus looks perfect for photography too and I recognize all the Greek names you mentioned in the story too. I will check out the A for Athens hotel and bar too, it sounds perfect.
What a freaking dream Greece is for the history & archeology lovers! Your pictures are beautiful (as always) and it’s making me so excited to go this year! Thanks for joining #FlyAwayFriday, hope to see you again this week! xo
Athens is on my bucket list, for sure! I love ruins and have always wanted to see the Acropolis. Love all the tips you’ve included in your post!
Hi! There are super tips from my visit to Greece, thanks for sharing!