Athens flights and travel guide

Acropolis

This historic site marks the birth of the city of Athens and classic Greek civilization. The iconic ruins loom over Athens from the top of a steep, flat-topped rock, an integral part of Athens’ skyline. The temples were originally constructed in the 4th century BC, dedicated to the Athena, the goddess of wisdom. Enter the site through the Propylaia, once an ancient art gallery, and notice the tiny restored and reconstructed temple of Athena Nike to your right. The site’s crown jewel is the Parthenon, a marble monument considered the world’s best surviving example of Doric architecture. The Erechtheion, a temple right next door to the Parthenon, has holes on its northern side, where it is thought that Poseidon’s trident struck it during the contest for the city’s naming rights. And if the site’s historic and architectural value aren’t enough, a museum on the Acropolis showcases some of the carvings and friezes recovered from the temples. Many of the Acropolis’ finds remain on display in London’s British Museum, a point of conflict between the two countries.

Telephone: (01) 321 0219

Opening time: Daily, from June 15 to Oct. 31 open 8am – 7:30pm, from November to May open 8:30am – 3pm.

Admission: Adults – €7, Children under age 18 are free, €3 for non-EU students, free Sundays from November to March.