A magnificent city with the illustrious history that stretches more than 3,000 years, Athens is a world-famed symbol of ancient Western Civilization. The capital of Greece, the city is dominated by 5th-century BC landmarks, including the acclaimed Acropolis, a hilltop citadel topped with ancient buildings such as the colonnaded Parthenon temple. It's one of the world's most breathtaking ancient ruins and the Acropolis Museum located here preserves sculptures, vases, jewelry and more archaeological items from Ancient Greece. Athens in the modern day, is more than a relic of its glorious past and has become more bustling with home to most important tourist attractions.
Schedule your sightseeing with Fareferry’s list of top tourist attraction in Athens:
Globetrotters who've been to Acropolis exclaim it's an awe-inspiring sight. We believe there are only few sights in the world that compare to Athens's Acropolis, a reminder of the glory of ancient Athens. Acropolis, with its Parthenon temple was the center of the ancient city and functioned as a citadel in its protected hilltop location. The Parthenon is the largest temple of the classical antiquity period dating from 447 BC to 338 BC and visitors in the frieze on the eastern side can gaze at reliefs depicting the birth of goddess Athena. Ensure to check out the famous feature of the Erechtheion complex, the Porch of the Caryatids, with six statues of maidens in place of Doric columns. If visiting during the summer season, it's best to visit the Acropolis and Parthenon temple in the morning.
Known to be the greatest antiquities museums in the world, National Archaeological Museum is the largest archaeological museum in Greece. Tourers to this museum, are dazed to be in the impressive Neoclassical building with 8,000 square meters of exhibition space. The five permanent collections contain more than 11,000 exhibits, tendering a comprehensive overview of Greek civilization from prehistory through the classical period to late antiquity. The Prehistoric Collection, the Sculpture Collection, the Vase and Decorative Objects Collection, the Stathatos Collection, and the Metallurgy Collection leave an everlasting collection in the minds of travelers.
Flanked by the northern slopes of the Acropolis and Ermoú Street, the scenic Pláka neighborhood is a famed tourist hot spot. The charming village ambience, narrow pedestrian streets, and the cheerful little squares of Plaka quarter are the main attractions of this historic area. The pastel-painted houses, restaurants, and shops on the Plaka quarter are overflowing tourists and locals every day. Pay visit to the historic churches located in the peaceful corners and strolling down with your loved one in this picturesque setting is the perfect thing to do.
The marketplace and center of everyday life in ancient Athens, Agora has the most impressive views of the city. Visitors enter the Agora marketplace from the north gate off Adrianoú Street (near the Church of Saint Philip). Renowned for being the place of administration and commerce as well as the meeting place of the Agora tou Dimou, a civic decision-making group. Also important site is the awe-inspiring Temple of Hephaistos, where visitors can reach it on a pleasant walk along the footpath that leads up the Agora Hill (Kolonos Agoraios).
Neighboring the Ancient Agora is the site of the Roman Agora, as it may all seem like one site but these buildings were constructed later. The construction eventually moved on to the site of the iconic Agora. One of the distinct sites in Agora is the Tower of the Winds. Named after Emperor Hadrian, just located on the edge of Roman Agora is the ancient Hadrian's Library. Nowadays you can see only one wall of Hadrian's Library and ruins of the Roman Agora from the street.
Situated in the Kolonáki quarter, the Museum of Cycladic Art was founded in 1986 by the Nicholas and Dolly Goulandris Foundation. The owner Nikolas P. Goulandris own collection forms the core of the museum's exhibits. Elegantly placed in a sleek modern building with a facade of marble and glass, the museum's permanent collection comprises of more than 3,000 objects. The collection includes ancient Greek art, ancient art of the Cyclades, and Cypriot art dating from the fourth century BC to the sixth century AD.
Dedicated to Zeus, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, dates to the sixth century BC but was not completed until the second century AD by the Emperor Hadrian. It was the largest temple in ancient Greece and in front stands Hadrian's Arch at the end of Dionysiou Areopagitou. One can easily imagine the grand impression this temple made in its complete form and almost hundred enormous marble columns once supported the grandiose sanctuary. The gigantic structure of the temple was an apt shrine to Zeus, the ancient Greeks' most all-powerful God, known as the King of Gods.
This engrossing museum imparts fascinating insights into the Byzantine period of Greek history. Enclosed in a 19th-century palace formerly built for the Duchesse de Plaisance, the wife of Charles-François Lebrun of France, the museum exhibits a treasured collection of Byzantine art. The Byzantine Empire was the heritage of the eastern half of the Roman Empire after it fell. During Byzantine time, religious art was highly valued and artists created masterpieces of detailed, glittering mosaics and gilded icons. The museum has more than 25,000 artifacts on display and it's a treasury of religious artifacts from the Byzantine period as well as pieces from the early Christian, medieval, and post-Byzantine eras.
Visitors looking for things to do at night in Athens can head over to the Mnisikleous Street stairs and eateries line up on the set of stairs on the top end of Mnisikleous Street, drawing huge crowds in the evenings. The atmosphere is casual and relaxed with almost all restaurants providing good quality of food. The people having food anytime of the day share intimate and friendly experiences.
If you feel the vacation to Athens is an overdose on history, a visit to the National Museum of Contemporary Art will certainly change the outlook. The museum is a known cultural epicenter of Athens and showcases the latest temporary exhibits in art innovation. It houses nearly 1300 pieces of paintings and photography and created by nearly 78 different artists.
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