I wish I remembered more details of my first visit in January 2000. But it was a time before I had a good camera, let alone a good digital camera, so I was limited by the number of rolls of 35mm film I had for the whole 10 day trip and Athens was the final stop.
Check the difference between a scan of a pic from 2000 and one I took with my Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra phone. Shockingly different.
The Details:
Height: 150m/490ft (You can walk up the stone path or bike up the road.)
Area: 150m x 350m/ 492ft x 1148ft
Inhabited since 4000 BCE
Major Temples built 500-400 BCE
Entrance Fee: 20€
Summer Hours: 0800-2000
Winter hours: ~0830-1530
I do remember, or think I remember, (but it could be the Mandela effect), that street signs used to only be in Greek and I could sorta fumble my way thru from college friends in fraternities and learning Russian. Now if you speak/read English most signs and menus are in Greek and English. If not, Google Maps will route you to the Acropolis no problem.
If you stay anywhere in Plaka (the central tourist part of Athens) you won’t need Google Maps. The Acropolis is the major sight on the skyline from all vantage points.
TIP: Try for a hotel with a view of the Acropolis, like the Acropolis View Hotel. And either one night or early one morning get some dark sky photos (see headline photo above).
I bought an AthensPass online before my trip and it included “Skip the Line” access to the Acropolis from my phone and an audioguide. A word of caution, you need to schedule your visit online in advance and you MUST be present at the time of your visit, or wait in line and buy a new ticket.
TIP: If you are in Athens for more than 2 days, check the weather and plan your Acropolis visit for the best weather. And take photos in every light.
For me that meant visiting on the day I arrived, after overnight flights. There was some strategery necessary to ensure I could get thru Customs, Baggage Claim, transit to the hotel and make my visit time.
Turns out I need not have worried. Customs was quick at 6am. Baggage claim wasn’t bad, and I opted for a taxi versus multiple trains and a 500m walk with luggage. Bonus when I arrived at my hotel I could check in right away.
At least 50% of the time I can check in right away, even if I arrive hours before the official check in time. If not, I simply ask the hotel to hold my luggage while I explore.
I wandered a bit and saw Socrates Prison and the hill across from the Acropolis.
Then headed up the mountain to make my noon visit. There is a small kiosk/canteen with food and drinks across from the ticket office and I grabbed a cider and crisps in lieu of breakfast while I waited.
I opted to skip the audioguide that came with the AthensPass and relied on the signs and descriptions in English.
Even in the off-season, February there is a significant number of visitors to the Acropolis.
TIP: Early morning visits have fewer tourists.
The Parthenon is still impressive. No, you can’t go inside. Yes, some restorations have been made.
The controversy:
The Parthenon was originally decorated with 92 metopes (rectangular frieze sculptures). Between 1801-1812, British agents of the Earl of Elgin removed about half of the metopes. Possibly with permission of the Ottoman Empire which ruled Athens at the time. The metopes were installed at the British Museum in London in 1816.
In 1983, the Greek government formally requested the return of the sculptures. The British government has repeatedly denied the request for a variety of reasons, including that they are safer in Great Britain and Greece doesn’t have a suitable location to display them.
in 2009, the Acropolis Museum (optional extra for the AthenPass) opened at the base of the mountain, with a top floor of a full size replica for the metopes to be displayed as they were originally installed on the Parthenon. The only difference from the Parthenon is the reduced height of the columns.
4 sculptures have been repatriated, 3 from the Vatican and 1 from Sicily and in 2021 UNSECO formally called for the return of the sculptures from Great Britain.
TIP: When you go, plan for 30-60 minutes to fully explore the summit and another 30 if you wish to visit the ruins on the South Face. If you are pressed for time, stick to the summit.
The Belvedere (view point) can provide a good view of the east face of the Parthenon and a good view of the city but can be packed with tourists trying to get a selfie.
The Korai Porch/Terrace or Court of the Caryatids (Maidens) at the Erechtheion is a great example of replacing sculptures with replicas, (The originals are in the Acropolis Museum.) A conscious decision was made to not replace the statues with new replicas, but with copies of the existing damage.
If you can’t make it to Athens, you could visit the Parthenon in Nashville, TN to see a full scale replica built in 1897. But try to make it to the OG.
