Tourist Attractions in Athens

The most interesting and beautiful tourist sites in Athens

Photos, reviews, descriptions, and links to maps

About Athens

The history of Athens is the history of Western civilisation, its origins and its very essence. Everything was invented here: democracy, theatre, the foundations of law, philosophy and oratory. The city has been standing on the fertile land of Attica for 9 thousand years, and no cataclysms and wars have been able to shake its foundations.

In the ancient heart of Athens, the sacral Acropolis, there are still pagan temples dedicated to the mighty Zeus, the wise Athena and the mighty Hephaestus. The stone stages of ancient theatres still remember the first tragedies of Euripides. The marble steps of the Panathinaikos stadium are still ready to welcome agile athletes.

Top-30 Tourist Attractions in Athens

Acropolis of Athens

 4.8/5

118520 reviews

The Acropolis is the heart of Athens, the ancient city where the civilisation that gave rise to the modern Western world began thousands of years ago. The architectural ensemble of the Acropolis includes buildings from the pre-Hellenistic, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman periods of Athens’ history. Of greatest interest are the partially preserved walls and columns of ancient temples and theatres. The complex of the Athenian Acropolis is one of the most valuable objects of the cultural heritage of humanity.

Open time

Monday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Saturday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sunday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Parthenon

 4.8/5

70938 reviews

A Greek temple dedicated to Athena, the patron goddess of the city. The majestic structure was built in the 5th century BC during the highest prosperity of the city of Athens under the ruler Pericles. The names of the architects of the temple have survived to our days. It is believed that the masters Callikrates and Iktinus worked on the construction, and the great Phidias worked on the sculptural design. The interior of the Parthenon was opulent and pompous, while the facade was painted in different colours.

Open time

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

Temple of Hephaestus

 4.8/5

7260 reviews

A temple from the 5th century BC, belonging to the Classical era of Greek history. It was erected by the will of the Athenian ruler Pericles, an outstanding general and talented politician. The roof of the building is reinforced on slender rows of marble Doric columns, the friezes are made in compliance with the canons of the Ionic style. Interestingly, from the 7th century A.D. until the beginning of the 19th century, the temple of Hephaestus housed the Orthodox Church of St George.

Open time

Monday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Erechtheion

 4.8/5

1737 reviews

According to ancient legend, the Erechtheion was built on the site of the dispute between Athena and Poseidon, during which the gods did not share power over Attica. The temple was erected in the late 5th century BC in the Ionic style, the name of the architect being lost in the thick of the centuries. The portico of the Caryatids, which was added to the temple later, is well preserved. It is a row of female sculptures-columns supporting the roof. The authorship is attributed to the sculptor Callimachus (according to another version – Alkamenos).

Open time

Odeon of Herodes Atticus

 4.9/5

14661 reviews

A stone theatre located on the southern slopes of the Acropolis. The Odeon was built in the middle of the 2nd century B.C. It was used for theatre and musical performances. The Odeon is perfectly preserved and, moreover, it is still in use today. After reconstruction in the middle of the 20th century, the stage began to host the annual Athens Festival. Since then, it has hosted the best voices of the world stage.

Open time

Temple of Olympian Zeus

 4.5/5

25469 reviews

The grandiose construction of the temple began in the 6th century BC under the tyrant Pisistratus, but after his overthrow the building stood unfinished for another six centuries. The work was completed under the Roman Emperor Hadrian. In the III century A.D. during the sacking of Athens the temple was seriously damaged, and in the V century it was closed by order of Theodosius II. The final destruction of the temple of Zeus Olympian occurred with the decline of the Byzantine Empire. The remains of the building were discovered during excavations of the XIX century.

Open time

Horologion of Andronikos Cyrrhestes

 4.7/5

1168 reviews

An octagonal building made of Pentelikon marble, located on the territory of the Roman agora. According to one version, it is believed that the tower was erected in the 1st century BC by the astronomer Andronicus of Cyrrhus. In height the construction reaches 12 metres, in width – about 8 metres. In ancient times a weather vane was installed on the top, which indicated where the wind was blowing. The walls of the tower are decorated with images of eight Greek deities responsible for the direction of the wind.

Open time

Monday: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Saturday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Theatre of Dionysus

 4.7/5

5435 reviews

The theatre is located in the south-eastern part of the Acropolis, it was built in the 5th century BC and is the oldest theatre in Athens. Works by Euripides, Aristophanes, Sophocles and Aeschylus were staged on the stage. In the 1st century BC under Emperor Nero, the theatre was extensively reconstructed. The stage fell into disrepair by the 4th century AD and was gradually abandoned. Nowadays, a large-scale restoration project of the theatre is underway.

Open time

Keramikos

 0/5

An ancient city cemetery where the most honourable members of Athens were buried until the 4th century. It has been used as a necropolis since the Bronze Age. Famous military leaders, statesmen and philosophers, including Pericles, Clisphenes, Solon, Chrysippus and Zeno, are buried here. The cemetery contains many tombstones from the Ancient period, tomb columns and sculptures.

Stoa of Attalos

 4.7/5

2144 reviews

A covered two-storey colonnade built in the 2nd century BC. The structure was commissioned by the Pergamon king Atallus, who as a young man was trained in Athens (it was a common practice at that time for young descendants of Mediterranean royal families). In Antiquity, the Stand served as a place for citizens to walk. From here one could observe the square and streets of Athens, as well as various festive processions.

Open time

Monday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium, Panathinaikos A.C.

 4.5/5

5123 reviews

An ancient stadium made entirely of Pentelikon marble. It was the site of the Panathenaic Games, a great sporting and religious festival, where athletes performed, festive processions took place and ritual sacrifices were made. The Panathinaikos Stadium hosted the revived Olympic Games at the end of the 19th century.

Open time

Acropolis Museum

 4.7/5

61100 reviews

The modern museum building was created in 2009 by a joint project of Greek and Swiss specialists. The collection consists of artefacts from different periods of Athens’ history. The collection was mainly enriched by archaeological excavations on the Acropolis. The new Acropolis Museum is the successor to the old collection of antiquities, which had existed since the mid-19th century.

Open time

Monday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sunday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Benaki Museum

 4.7/5

5631 reviews

A private collection that was founded in 1930 by A. Benakis on the grounds of his family mansion. The owner collected the collection for 35 years and handed it over to the state. Antonis himself was the head of the museum until his death. The exposition consists of works of Greek art. There are ceramics, textiles, prints, sculptures, jewellery and church utensils. There are also several paintings by El Greco in the museum.

Open time

Monday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 11:30 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

National Archaeological Museum

 4.6/5

27536 reviews

The museum is the most extensive collection of ancient Greek artefacts in the world. The archaeological collection was founded in the early 19th century, and a separate neoclassical building was erected in 1889. The museum exposition is divided into several collections, which include collections of prehistory, Cycladic art, Mycenaean art, Egyptian art and many others.

Open time

Monday: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Tuesday: 1:00 – 8:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Thursday: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Friday: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Saturday: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Sunday: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM

Museum of Cycladic Art

 4.7/5

3524 reviews

The exhibition was founded in 1986 on the basis of the private collection of the influential Greek Goulandris family. Before the collection was handed over to the state, it had been to many world exhibitions. The museum building was designed by V. Ioannis. The collection is divided into three parts: Bronze Age, Ancient Greek Art, and Ancient Cypriot Art. It should be noted that the museum has the most complete collection of artefacts of Cypriot culture.

Open time

Monday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Byzantine and Christian Museum

 4.6/5

4024 reviews

The museum has a collection of Byzantine and post-Byzantine art spanning a time period of 15 centuries. There is an impressive collection of valuable icons. The museum was opened in 1914 and in 1930 it moved to the former villa of the Duchess of Piacenza. In addition to icons, the museum holds statues, church vestments, ceramics, engravings, manuscripts, mosaics, crockery and much more.

Open time

Monday: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Thursday: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Friday: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Saturday: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Sunday: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM

Museum Ship Averof

 4.8/5

2619 reviews

A museum ship moored permanently in the harbour of Palio Faliro. The ship was built in the early 20th century in Livorno for the needs of the Italian army, but due to economic difficulties it was sold to Greece. The cruiser took part in the First Balkan War, during the First and Second World Wars it was captured first by the French and then by the British. In the 50s the ship was put into reserve. In 1984 it was decided to turn the ship into a museum.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Academy of Athens

 4.8/5

627 reviews

The Academy of Sciences is the main public research institution of Greece. The main building housing it was designed by F. von Hansen and built in 1887. The building is a masterpiece of neoclassical architectural style. In front of the façade are sculptures of the thinkers Plato and Socrates, as well as statues of the ancient Greek gods Athena and Apollo.

Open time

Syntagma Square

 0/5

The square is located in the modern centre of Athens. It became important in the 19th century, becoming the centre of the city’s commercial life. The square is home to the mid-19th century Royal Palace, designed by F. von Gertner. It is now the seat of the Greek Parliament. Syntagma Square is constantly becoming the epicentre of social unrest. Protests, strikes and other mass acts of disobedience often take place here.

Guard of Honour at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

A guard of honour is on duty at the walls of the Royal Palace in Syntagma Square. This is a rather unusual and even amusing spectacle, unlike similar ceremonies in other countries. It is all about the unusual uniform of Greek soldiers, which consists of tunics, skirts, white tights and slippers with “pompoms”, as well as in the non-standard marching during the changing of the guard. This spectacle always attracts a large number of tourists.

Kapnikarea

 0/5

One of the oldest Orthodox churches in Athens. The temple was built on the ruins of a pagan sanctuary dedicated to a female deity. The first Christian churches began to appear in the city at the dawn of the Byzantine era, when the city was in decline and the new faith almost completely replaced the pagan cults. The Church of Panagia Kapnikarea is built in a typical Byzantine manner, characterised by round domed towers.

Holy Monastery of Daphni

 4.7/5

933 reviews

The abode is located 11 kilometres from Athens near the Daphne Grove. It was founded in the VI century on the site of the destroyed temple of Apollo and over time became one of the most revered shrines in Greece. The original appearance of the monastery has not survived, up to our days has survived the construction of the XI century – the heyday of the Byzantine Empire. In the XIII century Catholic monks settled in the monastery for a while, but in 1458 the whole complex of buildings was returned to the Orthodox Church.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Thursday: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Friday: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Saturday: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Sunday: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM

Lycabettus Hill

 4.7/5

20319 reviews

A hill in the north-eastern part of Athens, which is the highest point in the city. It offers a panoramic view of the Acropolis and the port of Piraeus. The hill has two peaks, on one of them stands a church, on the other a modern theatre with an open stage. There are three ways to get to the top: take the pedestrian path, take the funicular railway or drive up.

Open time

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

Areopagus

 4.8/5

371 reviews

A hill on which the highest court of Athens, the Areopagus, met in ancient times. The name apparently derives from the name of Ares, the god of war. Up to the V century BC the Areopagus fulfilled the functions of the city council of elders, but since 462 BC this body was deprived of political functions and was empowered to rule civil and criminal court. The Apostle Paul also preached on the hill.

Hill Athens Rooftop Restaurant

 4.2/5

834 reviews

A city hill with a monument on top, erected in honour of Gaius Julius Philopappos, a Roman who helped Athens with money on several occasions. Since the 2nd century the place is better known under the name Philopappos Hill, earlier it was named in honour of the ancient Greek philosopher, poet and musician Mousaios (meaning “muses”). On the slopes of the hill there is a natural park without infrastructure.

Open time

Monday: 9:00 AM – 1:00 AM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 1:00 AM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 1:00 AM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 1:00 AM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 1:00 AM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 1:00 AM
Sunday: 9:00 AM – 1:00 AM

Plaka

 0/5

An old neighbourhood of Athens, built mostly with 18th century houses. Almost all the buildings stand on ancient foundations. On the territory of Plaka is the oldest street of the city, which has retained its direction from the time of Ancient Greece. A large number of former residential buildings have been converted into museums, souvenir shops and cafes, as the inhabitants moved out of Plaka en masse in the 19th century.

Monastiraki

 0/5

The city market, located in the neighbourhood of the same name, is one of the most popular shopping areas in Athens. Monastiraki is categorised as a flea market. Many unwanted items, homemade shoes, antique items, coins, furniture and other collectible antiquities are sold here. At the market you can see a unique exposition of Greek life of the past centuries.

Anafiotika Cafe - Restaurant

 4.3/5

2375 reviews

A unique neighbourhood in the ancient district of Plaka, which is adjacent to the Acropolis. The winding and slightly crooked streets of Anafiotika are lined with typical Mediterranean houses of white colour. The neighbourhood was formed as a result of the relocation of builders from the island of Anafi to Athens. They came to the capital at the summons of King Otto of Greece to build a palace on his special order.

Open time

Monday: 8:00 AM – 2:00 AM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 2:00 AM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 2:00 AM
Thursday: 8:00 AM – 2:00 AM
Friday: 8:00 AM – 2:00 AM
Saturday: 8:00 AM – 2:00 AM
Sunday: 8:00 AM – 2:00 AM

Athens National Garden

 4.5/5

35175 reviews

A 16 hectare park located in the heart of Athens. It is home to five hundred species of different plants. Every third tree is over 100 years old. Within the National Garden there are ancient Greek ruins – the remains of walls, columns and fragments of mosaics. The garden was created in the XIX century by the will of Queen Amalia. At first it was used to grow fruit and vegetables for the royal kitchen. Now the former vegetable garden has been transformed into a green oasis in the middle of the stone city.

Open time

Monday: 6:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Tuesday: 6:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Wednesday: 6:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Thursday: 6:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Friday: 6:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Saturday: 6:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sunday: 6:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Flisvos Marina

 4.6/5

24570 reviews

A modern marina with a capacity of 200 vessels at a time. The marina’s seafront has created an excellent infrastructure for tourists: luxury boutiques, restaurants and a picturesque promenade. At the berths you can admire luxury yachts under the flags of different countries, as well as if you want to take a refreshing boat trip along the coast.

Open time

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours