🏛️ Athens: top 10 must-see attractions

We all remember our acquaintance with Athens from history books. The pictures in the book were full of ancient temples with majestic columns, gods who appeared on the hill, an ancient theater with performances. This is the case when the city is a whole storehouse of historical monuments with incredible energy.   

Acropolis

Of course, any tourist begins his acquaintance with Athens with the most important attraction – the Acropolis Hill. This is undoubtedly the most iconic place not only in the capital, but in all of Greece. It was here that events from books about Greek myths took place: the birth of ancient cultures, the appearance of the Olympian gods. What incredible energy this place has can only be felt by visiting it. This is a real open-air museum, which rises 156 meters above the entire city.

Parthenon

In the Acropolis, the first thing to visit is the symbol of the museum – the Parthenon. This is the calling card of the city, which was built in 447-438 BC. e. in honor of the patroness of the city – the goddess Athena.

There is an interesting legend about her birth. The goddess's father, Zeus, got rid of his daughter even before her appearance: he swallowed the pregnant mother whole. He did this because of a prediction according to which a boy would be born after the girl, who would overthrow Zeus from the throne. 

Thus, he decided to get rid of his future rival. But disappearing forever was not Athena’s plan. After some time, Zeus began to suffer from an unbearable headache. Unable to bear it any longer, he ordered Hephaestus to hit him on the head with an ax. As a result of the cut head, Athena appeared in the garb of a warrior, with a helmet on her head and a spear in her hands. 

The goddess of wisdom descended from the heights of Olympus to people, taught them various crafts, gave them knowledge in other aspects, and was the patroness of peaceful struggle in state affairs. For such a goddess it was necessary to build a temple the likes of which the world had never seen before. This is how the Parthenon appeared. 

Propylaea

Following the Parthenon, it is necessary to pay attention to the main entrance to the Acropolis – the Propylaea. The style of this building is somewhat similar to the Parthenon. At one time, the Ottomans placed ammunition here, which subsequently led to an explosion and destruction of the structure. Now the Propylaea can be seen after partial reconstruction. 

Temple of Athena Nike

The Temple of Athena Nike is the smallest building on the Acropolis. The temple was built in honor of the Goddess of Victory; there was previously a statue of Nike herself inside, but, alas, it has not survived to this day. The building is visible from anywhere in the city center, and the evening illumination gives it a special charm. This definitely deserves your attention.

Erechtheion Temple

The last temple built on the Acropolis is the Erechtheion. It was dedicated to Athena, Poseidon and the mythical king Erechtheus. The building was erected on an uneven surface, so it turned out to be quite asymmetrical. The most recognizable part of the temple is the portico of the Caryatids, which is held up by statues of girls on baskets. Currently, here we can see copies of ancient statues, the originals are in the Acropolis Museum and one of them is in the British Museum. 

Important: in order to get to the Acropolis, you need to climb the mountain. During the Greek summer and sultry heat, this is not so easy to do. Take care of comfortable clothes and shoes. 

Tourists should be especially careful in this part of the city, as thefts are common. Don't leave things unattended. 

On the way to the Acropolis you will certainly see the market. It is better to buy souvenirs there, as they will be much cheaper than near the attraction itself.

Theater of Dionysus 

Not far from the Acropolis is one of the most significant theaters. It was here that the world saw the tragedies of Sophocles and Aeschylus, the comedies of Aristophanes and Menander. This is the oldest theater in the world, where playwrights competed in the open air for the title of being the best.

Acropolis Museum

The museum is located 300 meters from the Acropolis itself. It will be hard to miss thanks to its interesting choice of architectural style. The building seems to float above all the ancient exhibits that are inside. By the way, there are more than 14 thousand of them. 

The modern museum, built in 2009, next to the ancient Acropolis Museum looks very interesting. The walls and ceiling are made of durable glass, so every visitor has a view of the excavations. One of the most interesting exhibitions is the Parthenon Hall. Not only copies, but also originals of sculptures are presented here. 

On the third level of the museum there is an observation deck with a magnificent view of the Parthenon. It is definitely worth visiting here in the evening, when the temple lights turn on. It is very convenient that there is a restaurant on the top floor where you can enjoy Greek coffee with such mesmerizing views.

Some tourists advise to immediately visit the Acropolis Museum, and then go to conquer the hill itself. This will help you better understand Greek history before visiting the main attraction of the country.

Athens Agora

It’s definitely worth checking out the third most important place in the city. If, while near the Acropolis, you turn northwest, you will certainly come out to the city market square. Once upon a time life was truly in full swing here. The Agora was the very heart of the city, because it was here that sports competitions were held, theatrical performances were held, trade and shopping took place. Unfortunately, much was destroyed. But the temple of Hephaestus, the ruins of the colonnade that belonged to Attalus, and the foundations of ancient buildings are very well preserved. 

Temple of Hephaestus

In the north-west of the Agora is the beautifully preserved Temple of Hephaestus. It is even often compared to the Parthenon, since they are made in the same style and are very similar. The Temple of Hephaestus even managed to serve as an Orthodox church with the arrival of Christianity in Greece. It was then recognized as a national monument. 

Museum of the Athens Agora

The museum awaits its visitors in the open corridor of Attalus. Here you can see exhibits in chronological order, starting from the very beginning of Athens, and up to the 19th century. This place should definitely be included in your travel list in Athens.

Areopagus Hill 

Not far from the Agora there is an amazing place – the Areopagus Hill. It is interesting not so much in appearance as in the number of events that took place here in ancient times. It was in this place that Ares, the god of war, was tried. 

By the way, there are suggestions that the name of the hill was given in honor of him. And the trial of the god of war may have been the world's first in a criminal case. Then there was a trial of Orestes, a character from ancient Greek mythology. But according to some sources, Socrates was also tried on the same hill for his bold statements.

Temple of Olympian Zeus or Olympion

This temple cannot be missed, because it is included in the list of the seven wonders of the world. Now only 15 columns have survived, but from their size you can guess how incredible and large-scale this building was. The temple was widely revered by all who accepted Zeus as the supreme god.

Syntagma Square 

Now the heart of the city is the central square. Here is the Parliament building, which was previously a royal palace. It is on this square that various rallies and demonstrations take place, and on Christmas Eve there is a festive fair. 

You should definitely catch the changing of the guard. This is a very memorable sight, and it is so because of the uniform of the soldiers. Skirts, tights with pom-poms on them, and funny shoes are sure to surprise.

Panathinaikos Stadium

All sports fans will be interested in the Panathinaikos Stadium. The Olympic Games were held here for the first time in 1896. And in ancient times, the Panathenaic Games were held here – the largest religious and political festivals held in honor of the patroness of the city, the goddess Athena.

For the most beautiful views of the city, head to Mount Lykabettos, and for the atmosphere of the Greek capital, to the Plaka and Monastiraki areas. 

Traveling to Athens is a case where you need to allocate as many days as possible. After all, there is no other city with such a huge number of ancient buildings.