Which one to choose in Athens
Two ancient sites in Athens. Acropolis of Athens has 114 tickets and tours to book; Hadrian’s Library has 1 ticket or tour to book. The table and the two notes below put them side by side; the full pages have what to see, the ticket and the timing for each.
Athens, Greece
The Acropolis of Athens is the limestone hill above the city crowned by the Parthenon, the marble temple of Athena built between 447 and 432 BC. The Propylaea gateway, the small Temple of Athena Nike and the Erechtheion with its porch of maidens share the summit, while theatres and sanctuaries line the slopes below.
Athens, Greece
Hadrian's Library is the great colonnaded building the emperor Hadrian gave Athens in AD 132, on the north side of the Acropolis beside Monastiraki Square. Behind a facade of tall marble columns lay a courtyard with a long pool and halls where papyrus rolls were kept. Later the site held three churches in turn, whose remains are also on view.
| Acropolis of Athens | Hadrian’s Library | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Ancient City | Ancient Monument |
| Civilisation | Greek | Roman |
| Founded | 450 BC | AD 132 |
| Area | 3 ha | — |
| Visitors | 4.6 million a year (2024) | — |
| Entry | EUR 30; under-18s and EU citizens under 25 free | A few euros; under-18s and EU under-25s free |
| Hours | 8 am to 8 pm Apr–Aug, closing earlier in steps to 6 pm by late Oct; 8 am to 5 pm Nov–Mar | About 8 am to 8 pm in summer, to around 3 or 5 pm in winter; check current hours |
| Time needed | 1.5 to 2.5 hours | 45 minutes to an hour |
| Booking | Timed tickets with hourly slots; book online days ahead in season | Pay at the gate or online; no timed slot needed |
| UNESCO | yes | — |
| Tickets and tours on GetYourGuide | 114 | 1 |