Athens

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The Parthenon was built in the fifth century BCE and dedicated to the goddess Athena, Athens, Greece

The Acropolis Museum stands at the foot of the Acropolis and displays finds from the hill, Athens, Greece

The Temple of Hephaestus overlooks the Ancient Agora and is among the best-preserved Greek temples, Athens, Greece

The Tower of the Winds in the Roman Agora is an ancient octagonal clock tower, Athens, Greece

About Athens

Athens, Greece's capital, is among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe and is regarded as a birthplace of democracy and Western philosophy. Ancient monuments rise above a dense modern city that sprawls across the Attica basin toward the sea, and the Acropolis is visible from many streets and rooftops.

The Acropolis, with the Parthenon, the Erechtheion and the Temple of Athena Nike, is the essential visit, best done early to avoid heat and crowds. The Acropolis Museum below holds sculptures from the site in bright galleries with views of the hill. Nearby, the rocky Areopagus and the pine-covered Filopappou Hill offer free views of the monuments. The Ancient Agora, the city's former civic center, contains the well-preserved Temple of Hephaestus, while the Roman Agora and Hadrian's Library lie close by. Below the Acropolis, Plaka's lanes lead to Anafiotika, a tiny village-like enclave of whitewashed houses. Monastiraki and Psyrri are lively with shops, bars and restaurants. Farther east, the Temple of Olympian Zeus stands near Hadrian's Arch, and the marble Panathenaic Stadium hosted the first modern Olympics in 1896. Syntagma Square, facing parliament, borders the shady National Garden.

Athens suits history lovers and food enthusiasts, and it is the main jumping-off point for island ferries. Cape Sounion and Delphi are popular day trips. Summer is very hot, making spring and fall the best seasons.

Best seasonApril to June and September to October bring warm weather without the intense summer heat.

Ideal stayThree days covers the main ancient sites and neighborhoods, with extra time for Delphi or Sounion.

ArrivingAthens International Airport connects to the center by metro and suburban rail; ferries leave from Piraeus.

WiserMap travel guideAthens Greece Acropolis Plaka and Cape Sounion SunsetsSee the best of Athens, from the Acropolis and its museum to the Ancient Agora, Plaka, Lycabettus Hill and Cape Sounion, with food, stays and timing tips.Read the guide

12 Best Things to Do in Athens

Ancient Sites 4

Acropolis of Athens

Crowning a limestone outcrop above the city, the Acropolis holds the masterpieces of fifth-century BC Athens, built under Pericles...

The Ancient Agora

Below the north slope of the Acropolis lies the Ancient Agora, the marketplace and civic heart of classical Athens where Socrates...

The Roman Agora and Hadrian's Library

Two compact Roman-era sites sit side by side near Monastiraki. The Roman Agora, a courtyard market paid for by Julius Caesar and A...

Temple of Olympian Zeus and Hadrian's Arch

The Olympieion was the largest temple in ancient Greece, begun under the Peisistratid tyrants in the sixth century BC and finished...

Museums 2

The Acropolis Museum

Opened in 2009 at the foot of the hill, the Acropolis Museum by architect Bernard Tschumi was built to display everything found on...

The National Archaeological Museum

Greece's largest archaeological collection fills a neoclassical building on Patission Street and spans prehistory to late antiquit...

Landmarks 2

The Panathenaic Stadium

Built entirely of white Pentelic marble, the Panathenaic Stadium is the only stadium in the world made fully of marble. It stands...

Syntagma Square and the National Garden

Syntagma, or Constitution Square, is the political center of modern Athens, facing the Hellenic Parliament in the former royal pal...

Neighborhoods 2

Plaka and Anafiotika

Plaka is the oldest continuously inhabited quarter of Athens, a maze of pedestrian lanes on the north and east slopes of the Acrop...

Monastiraki and Psyrri

Monastiraki Square, named after a small monastery church still standing in its center, is where the old bazaar of Athens begins. I...

Viewpoints 2

Areopagus and Filopappou Hill

Two free viewpoints face the Acropolis from the west. The Areopagus is a bare marble outcrop just below the Propylaia where the an...

Lycabettus Hill

At 277 meters, Lycabettus is the highest point in central Athens, a steep limestone hill rising out of the upscale Kolonaki distri...

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