How to visit the Acropolis of Athens and see the Parthenon: schedule, prices

La Acropolis of Athens is undoubtedly one of the great monuments that we all want to be able to visit sometime in our lives.

Declared Heritage awarded by the Unesco, climb this rocky promontory that concentrates large temples of the Antiquityand Parthenon, becomes the main objective of a trip to the greek capital.

It has been many many years since I had the opportunity to climb the Acropolis during one of my first trips through Europe, so many that I barely remembered it.

Now I have had the opportunity to revisit it during the first stage of a cruise on the Adriatic recently made.

Precisely, from my point of view, the main attraction of this vacation cruise is that during a week you can visit several of the top destinations in Europeas Athens, Dubrovnik y Venice.

Guided tour of Athens and the Acropolis

In your trip to Athens, if you prefer, just like we did, you can sign up for a guided tour in Spanish which in five hours will allow you to discover the main corners of the Greek capital, including the Acropolis.

This visit begins with a panoramic tour of the main corners and monuments of the city, such as the Syntagma Square, National Garden, Hadrian's Arch, St. Paul's Church,  Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, or the Cathedral Catholic.

You will also have time to stop to see the Panatinaikos Stadium and Temple of Zeus.

Then you will have the most outstanding visit, climb the Acropolis where you can see its famous temples, such as Parthenon and Erection.

Finally, with the company of the guide you will visit the Acropolis museum, the most important in Athens.

Now, if you prefer to visit on your own, we are going to tell you what the experience is like. climb the Acropolis and visit its famous temples, such as the Parthenon.

How to go up to visit the Acropolis in Athens

As you can imagine, climb the Acropolis hill, which rises 156 meters above sea level, is the great tourist attraction for the Athens city tour.

We did it in the summer, specifically, at the end of July, and we were very afraid about two aspects of the visit; on the one hand, there were too many tourists, and on the other, it was too hot.

The truth is that, yes, there were many tourists, something that is quite common at these times, when at certain times long lines form at the ticket offices.

But I will tell you that, luckily, the grounds of the Acropolis It is so large that there was no accumulation of visitors anywhere.

And as for the heat, it was quite hot, but the gentle breeze that blew at the top of the hill made for a pleasant visit.

Curiosities history of the Acropolis of Athens

With the configuration of temples that we can see now, the Acropolis of Athens It was built in the middle of the 5th century BC on the remains of an older acropolis for the Mycenaean civilization.

The Acropolis It is the place where the temples dedicated to the gods of Greek civilization are concentrated, being the Parthenon and Erection the main ones of said temples.

During the different civilizations that passed through the following centuries Athens, Acropolis It was always the religious center of the city.

In this way, for example, the Parthenon It housed a Byzantine church, and later, with the arrival of the Ottomans, a mosque.

It was in the 17th century when, during the siege of the city of Athens for the Venetians, The Acropolis It suffered severe bombings that caused serious damage.

Specifically, in 1687 it was when the Parthenon It lost its roof since, in addition to housing the aforementioned Ottoman mosque, it was a military barracks where there was a powder magazine.

What to see when visiting the Acropolis in Athens

For visit the Acropolis, after entering through the entrance to the archaeological site, from a viewpoint you will be able to see the remains of the Herodes Amicus Theater Built by the Romans in the 2nd century.

You will also be before the propylaea, which is what the entrance building to the Acropolis, which facing west, is configured with several rows of columns and different floor levels.

After crossing between the columns you will see the large esplanade of the Acropolis where there are two temples that take center stage.

Parthenon at Acropolis of Athens

At the bottom right you have the Parthenon, huge doric style temple, which was built on the foundations of a previous temple.

With two main facades of eight large columns, the entrance facing east, on the side facades there are paths rows of 17 columns.

Don't be surprised to see that a good part of the temple is covered by tarps due to the renovations that have been carried out continuously for many years.

As a curiosity, I will tell you that the marbles that were used to build the temple were brought from a mountain located about 17 kilometers away from its location on the hill.

For their part, the columns are structured in several separate sections that are joined by a central iron.

Of course, in the Parthenon You will barely be able to see any of the mythological figures that covered the facades, which are preserved in the british museum london and in the new building of the aforementioned Acropolis museum in Athens.

Temple Erection on Acropolis of Athens

The other great temple that you will see is the Erection, famous for its tribune with the figures of six caryatids, which you find at the bottom on the left as you enter the Acropolis.

El Erection It began to be built in the year 421 BC, and is configured in two parts, with a sanctuary dedicated to Atenea with Ionic columns, and another area with two chapels.

But it's the Tribune of the Caryatids the architectural and artistic element with which you will be captivated.

Of course, I tell you that the six figures that you can see are copies, since five of the originals are found in the aforementioned Acropolis museum, and the sixth in the British museum.

Visit schedules Acropolis of Athens

The Acropolis visiting hours They are every day of the week, from 8 in the morning to 8 in the afternoon, with last access half an hour before closing.

Please note that if the temperature reaches 39 degrees in summer, the monument is closed to public access between 13 and 17 p.m.

Acropolis of Athens ticket prices

The ticket prices to visit the Acropolis If purchases at the box office are 20 euros for the general purchase, and 10 euros for the reduced price, from which seniors +65 belonging to countries of the European Union and university students.

Now, if you want to ensure the access to the Acropolis without waiting in lines, you have the option of buy tickets in advance with a small surcharge.

Before entering the Acropolis site, you must exchange your digital ticket for printed tickets at a nearby office.

How to visit the Acropolis in Athens for free

You can visit the Acropolis of Athens for free for different celebrations, specifically, on March 6, April 18, May 18, the last weekend of September, October 28, and every first Sunday of the month from November 1 to March 31 .

More photos of the Acropolis in Athens

Here you have more photos of the Acropolis of Athens, with its main temples.