Acropolis of Athens

Tickets and tours: all the options

Entry is by timed ticket, sold online and at the gates, with a fixed hourly slot; numbers per hour are limited, so the cooler early and late slots sell out first in summer. The ticket covers the summit and the north and south slopes, including the Theatre of Dionysus. The old combined ticket for the Ancient Agora, Hadrian's Library, the Kerameikos and other Athens sites has been withdrawn, so each now needs its own ticket. The Acropolis Museum below the hill is separate. There are free days on a few national dates and on the first and third Sundays from November to March.

On GetYourGuide the commonest products are guided walks of about two hours in small groups, often meeting at the metro station before the first slot of the day or in the late afternoon; some add the Acropolis Museum or the Ancient Agora. There are private guides, family tours, smartphone audio tours, city tours by bus or e-scooter that only view the hill, and combined days with Cape Sounion. Check whether the entry ticket is included, since guided prices often exclude it.

For a first visit, a small-group guided tour at opening is the sensible choice: a guide explains the temples while you avoid the worst of the heat and the crowds.

A short history

The hill was a Mycenaean citadel in the Bronze Age and later the main sanctuary of Athena. The Persians destroyed its temples in 480 BC, and from 447 BC Pericles directed the rebuilding that produced the Parthenon, the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike and the Erechtheion. The Parthenon later served as a church and then a mosque; in 1687 a Venetian shell ignited Ottoman gunpowder stored inside and blew out its centre. Between 1801 and 1812 agents of Lord Elgin removed much of its sculpture to London. Restoration began in the 19th century and a long programme has continued since 1975. UNESCO listed the Acropolis in 1987.

Getting there

The Acropolis rises in the centre of Athens, close to the Plaka. Metro line 2 to Akropoli station brings you to Dionysiou Areopagitou, the pedestrian street round the south of the hill; from there it is a 5-minute walk to the south-east gate or about 10 minutes uphill to the main west entrance. Monastiraki and Thiseio stations on line 1 are about 15 minutes' walk from the west gate. From Athens airport, metro line 3 reaches Syntagma in about 40 minutes, where you change to line 2; the X95 bus also runs to Syntagma. Taxis can drop you on Dionysiou Areopagitou. There is no parking near the hill.

Rules and what to bring

Do not touch the marble or take stones, and keep to the paths and roped areas. Drones are banned, large bags must be left at the cloakroom, and food is not allowed on the summit. Wear shoes with good grip: the marble steps and rock are polished smooth and slippery. Carry water, a hat and sun cream, as there is no shade. Toilets and drinking fountains are near the entrances, but the nearest cafes are outside the site.

When to go

The busiest slots run from about 9 am to 1 pm, when cruise passengers and coach groups arrive. The first slot at 8 am is the best for cooler air and softer light, and the last two hours before closing are calmer still in summer, with golden light on the Parthenon. Use the south-east gate, which usually has shorter queues.

April, May, late September and October are the most comfortable months. In July and August temperatures often pass 35 degrees and the site can close for safety in the middle of the day during heatwaves, so book the earliest slot. Winter is quieter, with clear days between rain, and the first and third Sundays from November to March are free and busy. Strong wind can close the summit briefly. Allow up to two and a half hours including the slopes.