Acropolis
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The Athenian Acropolis is the hill looking over the city of Athens and is home to some of the city’s most important archaeological sites. From the Parthenon, a temple to Athena which has become a symbol of Greece, to the Erechtheion and the Temple of Athena Nike, and with an incredible view of the city below, there’s lots to see at the Acropolis! The site can get busy so book a skip-the-line ticket to save time.
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Tickets
Book your advance tickets to the Acropolis in Athens!
Acropolis Ticket: Pickup Point 450m from South Entrance
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Guided Tours
Learn even more about the ruins of the Acropolis when you take a tour with an expert guide.Acropolis: Guided Walking Tour with Entrance Ticket
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Athens, Acropolis & Museum Tour without Tickets
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Acropolis & Museum: Private Guided Tour without Tickets
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Athens, Acropolis and Acropolis Museum Including Entry Fees
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More Tickets & Tours
Browse even more products which include a trip to the Athenian Acropolis.Athens: Highlights and Acropolis Guided Tour without Tickets
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Athens Acropolis 2-Hour Segway Tour
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Athens: Acropolis and Acropolis Museum Guided Tour
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Acropolis and Acropolis Museum Tour with Entry Tickets
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5 Tips for Visiting the Acropolis
Athenian Acropolis | Photo: Arian Zwegers CC-BY 2.0
1
Wear sturdy shoes, as you’ll have to climb a hill and the site has uneven paths throughout. The marble paths can also be slippery in the rain so take care if you get caught in a downpour!
Athenian Acropolis | Photo: Nelo Hotsuma CC-BY 2.0
2
Make sure that you dress for the weather, as the hilltop is exposed to the elements! There’s very little shade, so bring sunglasses, sunscreen, and bottled water in summer, or escape to the Acropolis Museum (requires a separate ticket) for air conditioning and the chance to see some of the original sculptures.
3
Don’t climb on or touch the buildings! The security guards are extremely vigilant and will intervene if they think you might break any of the site’s rules for visitors.
4
Arrive early, especially in summer. The Acropolis is the most popular site in Athens and gets very busy throughout the day, plus you’ll miss the worst of the heat in July and August.
5
There’s limited signage at the site, so don’t expect a huge amount of context for what you’re seeing. It can be helpful to bring a guide book or to do some research before your visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s so special about the Acropolis?
The Acropolis is the site of the most important religious buildings from Classical Athens, including the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, and the temple of Athena Nike. These temples were built in the 5th Century B.C., also known as the Golden Age of Athens, and symbolized Athens’ power over the Delian league of city-states - it was also largely paid for by money which came from the Delian league. The previous buildings on the Acropolis had been destroyed by a fire when the Persians sacked Athens in 480 B.C., and the move to rebuild even bigger and better temples than those destroyed was a form of propaganda, sending a message to the rest of the ancient world. The buildings survived the centuries mostly intact and became a symbol of not just Athens, but all of Greece.
Which buildings will I see when I visit the Acropolis?
The main attraction for most people is definitely the Parthenon, which on the surface looks like the ultimate classical temple, but has a couple of architectural quirks. It was dedicated to Athena Parthenos, the patron goddess of the city of Athens, but in later years it became a church (dedicated to Saint Sophia) and then a mosque. It was badly damaged during a siege in 1687 before many of the sculptural decorations were taken by Lord Elgin to the British Museum in the 19th Century. It’s the most recognizable building at the site, but there’s more! You’ll also see the unusual structure of the Erechtheion, which has three distinct areas dedicated to three different gods - Athena Polias, Poseidon-Erectheus, and Hephaestus. The temple was the home of the city’s most important religious relics: marks of Poseidon’s trident, the saltwater well which he created by striking the rock, and the olive tree which Athena conjured when the two gods were competing to decide who would be the city’s patron. The Erechtheion has a portico to the north, and the south porch is held up by caryatids - giant sculptures of women. There are two other major structures, the Temple of Athena Nike (the first Ionic temple on the Acropolis - most of the other buildings are Doric), which celebrated military victories, and the Propylaia, which is the monumental gateway to the site.
Can you go inside the buildings?
The buildings of the Acropolis can only be viewed from the outside so that visitors don’t damage the stone through wear. Several of the temples are also undergoing construction work almost constantly, with scaffolding holding the structure up, so it wouldn’t be safe for visitors to enter. There’s still plenty to see on the outside, plus you get a wonderful view over Athens from the top of the hill.
Is everything on the Acropolis original or has it been restored?
Not all of the buildings on the Acropolis are completely original. The Greek government and the EU have been funding restoration work at the site for several years, with the goal of restoring the temples to their former glory. This involves finding all the usable material at the site, discovering where it belongs, and filling in the missing areas with newly carved marble pieces. You’ll be able to see the places in the Parthenon, for example, where unweathered new marble sits next to the original material. Due to the splitting of the marble decoration from the Acropolis between the British Museum in London and the Acropolis Museum in Athens, and in order to protect any delicate carving, there’s very little original sculpture left in place on the buildings. In order to see the elaborate sculptures of the caryatids from the Erechtheion, some figures from the pediments, and some of the pieces of frieze, you should combine your trip to the Acropolis with a tour of the Acropolis Museum, which is a short walk away. The current stage of reconstruction is planned to end in 2020.
How long will it take to explore the site?
A quick visit to the Acropolis, without a guide, can be completed in about an hour. If you’re a history or architecture buff then you’ll probably want to linger a little longer, but you’ll still probably finish your visit within 2 hours - most guided tours also take between 1 and 2 hours. If you’re planning to combine your visit with a trip to the Acropolis Museum (which is highly recommended, since you’ll get to see the original sculptures up close) then you should plan to spend an entire morning or afternoon between the two sites, possibly longer.
General Information
Opening Hours:
In the summer, the Acropolis Museum is open from 8 am until 4 pm on Mondays, from 8 am to 10 pm on Fridays, and from 8 am to 8 pm on all other days. In winter, the museum is open from 9 am to 5 pm from Monday to Thursday, from 9 am to 10 pm on Fridays, and from 9 am to 8 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
Address:
Acropolis Hill
10555 Athens
Tickets:
During summer, tickets for the Acropolis Museum cost €10 for adults and €5 for children, students, and visitors over the age of 65. During winter, tickets cost €5 for adults and €3 for reduced entry tickets. EU citizens aged 18 and under, or children under the age of 5 from non-EU countries, can enter free of charge.
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