Acropolis of Athens

The Acropolis of Athens is the rock-top citadel above the Greek capital and the country's most visited archaeological site. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it rises about 150 metres above the city, and its monuments, built largely in the fifth century BC under Pericles, are visible from much of Athens. The hilltop is entered from the western side, where visitors climb the ancient processional route to the monumental gateway of the Propylaea. Beside the Propylaea sits the small Temple of Athena Nike, perched on a bastion. Beyond it the Parthenon dominates the plateau: a Doric temple of Athena with its colonnade still largely standing, although the interior has been under restoration for decades, so scaffolding and cranes are a regular part of the view. Across from it stands the Erechtheion, recognised by the Caryatids, the six sculpted female figures that support its southern porch. The figures on site are copies; the originals are displayed in the Acropolis Museum at the foot of the hill. Walking the plateau takes most visitors between one and a half and three hours, depending on how long they linger at the edges. The marble underfoot is polished and slippery, especially after rain, and there is almost no shade, so summer visits are best timed for the opening hour or the last hour before closing. The southern and eastern edges give wide views over the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Lycabettus Hill, and the Saronic Gulf, while the western terrace near the Propylaea is a favoured spot for photographs of the Parthenon with the city below. Crowds peak between roughly 10 AM and 2 PM, when tour groups from cruise ships and coaches arrive together. The queue at the main gate can be long in high season, so many visitors buy tickets online in advance. A combined ticket valid for several days covers other archaeological sites in Athens, including the Ancient Agora, and it is worth considering for anyone planning to visit more than one. Opening hours change with the season and some holidays, and the Ministry of Culture publishes the current schedule. The slopes below the rock also hold the Theatre of Dionysus and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, which are visible from the path and form part of the same archaeological landscape in Athens, Greece. Visitors who first spend time in the Acropolis Museum often find the ancient sculptures easier to place once they are standing among the monuments themselves.