There are so many archaeological sites in Athens that you could easily spend weeks trying to see them all. But for those on a shorter holiday, you need to select the best of Athens sites to see in a short space of time. Here’s our advice on how to visit the 7 best Athens historical sites.
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Combined Ticket for the 7 Best Athens Historical Sites
The best thing you can do in Athens is to purchase the combined ticket to see the top 7 attractions. This ticket will take you straight to all the best places to visit in Athens. On our visit in 2018 peak season, the ticket cost 30 Euros and is valid for 5 days. However, from 1st November to 31st March the price is reduced to 15 Euros.
Not only does this ticket save you a substantial amount on individual entry fees, but it is also a good incentive to get around and see all 7 archaeological sites. They are all amazing and well worth a visit.
The below are included in your entrance ticket:
- Acropolis and its Slopes (skip the line ticket)
- Ancient Agora (Ancient Athens gathering place)
- Roman Agora
- Hadrian’s Library
- Olympieion (Temple of Zeus)
- Kerameikos (Potters Quarter)
- Lykeion (Aristotle School of Philosophy)
Check out this Athens attractions map to show you each of these historic sites, plus one bonus site.
1. Acropolis and its Slopes
You can’t visit central Athens without “not seeing” the ancient Acropolis. This is the most prominent of all Athens ruins. It is perched right up on top of a hill, such that you can see the Acropolis from all over central Athens. But you really need to take the walk to the top to appreciate it properly. Good thing that Acropolis Athens tickets are included in your combined ticket.
The Acropolis is a World Heritage Site and was even a finalist for the New 7 Wonders of the World listings. This site is world famous and worthy of any bucket list. It is the one site that should not be missed when in Athens.
You should definitely walk up to the top of Acropolis if you are physically able. Be warned, it is quite strenuous and requires lots of stairs. But the views at the top are spectacular. And you will be treated to many amazing historic sites along the way.
Here are just a few of the sites you will see.
- At the centre of the Acropolis is the Parthenon, the large rectangular ruin built way back in 447 BC.
- The Old Temple of Athena, built in around 525 BC, sits next to the Parthenon.
- Areopagus Hill, where St.Paul the apostle stood to teach the new religion of Christianity in the 1st century. You can actually stand where St.Paul stood and taught.
- Odeon of Herodes Atticus is an amphitheatre built in 161 AD on the slopes of the Acropolis.
- Spectacular 360-degree views over Athens and surrounding coastline.
Tip: If you have time then visit the Acropolis Museum before visiting the actual Acropolis. You will know and appreciate all that you see. This museum won the #6 place for 2018 Trip Advisors peoples choice Top 25 Museums in the World. Allow at least a half-day for this.
2. Ancient Agora
This is the second-best site to see after the Acropolis. It is an expansive collection of ancient Athens ruins on the northwest slope of the Acropolis. You could easily spend half a day wandering through this amazing site, so give yourself plenty of time.
The word Agora roughly translates as a
The most intact and interesting attraction here is the Temple of Hephaisteion. Built-in 449 BC, this is one of the biggest of all ancient Athens monuments which can be seen from all over the central city area.
As you leave Ancient Agora you will be met with a vast area of cafes and restaurants. On a nice summer day, you can catch some authentic Greek food and music in one of the prettiest locations I’ve seen.
3. Roman Agora
To the North of Acropolis is the Roman Agora. This is a much smaller site compared to Ancient Agora. It is conveniently located only about 2-3 minutes walk from Monastiraki Square and Station in downtown Athens.
You only need an hour to see this small site. Not a lot of the buildings are still intact, mostly ruined with fragments remaining. There is however one fully intact structure which you cannot miss, the Tower of the Winds.
The Tower of the Winds was built around 50 BC and is a 12m tall octagonal clock tower built out of marble. They say it’s the worlds first meteorological station. Visitors are able to go inside this tower and fully appreciate the ancient history of Athens.
4. Hadrian’s Library
This site is a stone’s throw from the Roman Agora, and right on the edge of Monastiraki square. Once again the site is relatively small and can be seen in an hour.
The library itself was built in AD 132 by the Roman Emperor Hadrian. Surrounding the library are 3 churches, built in the 5th, 7th, and 12th centuries AD.
5. Olympeion
We found this to be one of the more picturesque sites. Also called the Temple of Olympian Zeus, this is the place to go for some spectacular photos. The massive temple is in the centre of Athens and was dedicated to the king of all Gods, Zeus.
The temple itself is 44m wide and 110m long and is surrounded by a series of giant columns. The building was completed in the 2nd century AD, over 600 years after the massive project began! 21 of the original 104 columns are still standing.
6. Kerameikos
This is a rambling collection of historical ruins and cemeteries. The area was known as the Potters Quarter of ancient Athens (the name is similar to the word Ceramic). Here you will find many great examples of ancient life in the city. You need about 2 hours to see this site.
Of particular interest to me was the Road to Plato’s Academy. This ancient road is 1600 meters long and runs through the Kerameikos site. It is lined with the tombs of prominent people from ancient Athens. It is a very moving experience to stand on a site of such historical significance.
7. Lykeion
This site is famous for the Aristotle School of Philosophy. This was founded by Aristotle himself in 335 BC. There is also a temple dedicated to Zeus the wolf-god.
The site is a little out of the way, and a little far to walk from the other sites. We chose to catch the Athens Sightseeing bus there (hop-on-hop-off bus). There’s a bus stop nearby.
The site itself is probably the least interesting of the other 6 sites and should only take an hour or so to see. Nevertheless, it is still one of the most important of all Athens historical sites.
While you are in the area there are quite a few interesting museums within walking distance. These are relatively cheap to enter and well worth a look. Be sure to check these out. I also recommend a great little restaurant/cafe behind the Christian Museum.
- Athens War Museum
- Byzantine and Christian Museum
- National History Museum
Bonus Attraction: Panathenaic Stadium
I wanted to include this amazing stadium because it is such a cool place to visit, especially for kids. I think it’s one of the best of Athens attractions, unfortunately, it’s not included in the 7-sites combined ticket.
Don’t worry, the entrance fee is only about 5 euros. And it’s easily accessible with a hop-on-hop-off bus stop at the front.
Panathenaic Stadium is the only white marble stadium in the world. In fact, it’s the only stadium in the world built entirely of marble. It was built around 330 BC and is one of the main historic attractions in Athens. It is also where the first modern Olympic Games were held.
You can also hire an audio commentary device and take a guided tour around the entire stadium. It will take about an hour, and is an engaging and fascinating experience. Near the end of the tour, you are walked through an ancient tunnel to an underground museum.
A popular activity is to have a running race on an actual Olympic track, then stand on the podium for an amazing photo. This is an excellent way to conclude your tour of the best Athens Historical Sites.
Where to Buy Tickets
Each of these 7 historic attractions has a ticketing booth at the front entrance, where you can pay 30 euros for the 7 attraction combined ticket. This is the easiest way to purchase tickets. It’s quick and it’s easy.
How to Get There
Most of the attractions are reachable by the Athens Metro, the local train system. The below map shows where the Metro stations are in relation to the Athens historic sites.
5 of the 7 attractions are a short walk from Monastiraki Station, which is located in the Monastiraki square. This is the best place to start.
To reach historic attraction #7 you have several options:
- Long Walk
- Uber
- Combination of train and walk
- Bus
So Much to See in Athens
Athens is such a surprising city with so much to see. As you move between the top 7 Athens ruins you will notice countless other historical sites you would love to see, if you had the time. There is just so much to see in Athens.
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