Monuments
The establishment of Athens as a city dates back to mythological times. Despite the length of the city’s history, it is still evident throughout Athens in the form of many Ancient, Roman, Byzantine and Modern monuments. Today’s capital is a result of integration of ancient and medieval history into the contemporary era. Ancient Athens monuments can be found all around the city center, side by side with contemporary construction such as buildings, roads and train stations.
In the lower level of Monastiraki metro station, the visitor comes face to face with a part of the ancient city. Many Byzantine Athens monuments such as churches still operate as religious venues. Monuments such as the Roman Agora and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus host cultural events. All you have to do is just take a walk in the city and you will find innumerable monuments on your way.
Tickets
There is a special ticket package at the price of €12 (€6 Reduced) with which you can visit almost all archaeological sites within the Athens City Center, namely:
- The Acropolis of Athens
- The Ancient Agora
- Kerameikos
- The North slope of Acropolis
- Olympeion
- The Roman Agora and
- The South Slope of Acropolis
You can get this special ticket package on the entrance of each of the above mentioned archaeological sites.
Free admission days
- 6 March (in memory of Melina Mercouri)
- 5 June (International Environment Day)
- 18 April (International Monuments Day)
- 18 May (International Museums Day)
- The last weekend of September annually (European Heritage Days)
- Sundays in the period between 1 November and 31 March
- National Holidays
- The first Sunday of every month, except for July, August and September (when the first Sunday is a public holiday, then the second is the free admission day)
Museums
Museums operating in Athens can be divided in two categories. On the one hand, there are the important institutions hosting world treasures from antiquity and the Byzantine era. These include the Acropolis Museum, the National Archaeological Museum, the Museum of Cycladic Art, the Benaki Museum and the Byzantine Museum. Next to them, there are a number of state thematic museums.
Galleries
The visual arts enjoy a big share in the Athenian cultural and everyday life. Next to big institutions such as the National Gallery and the Benaki Museum, a big number of small private galleries are spread within the city centre and the surrounding areas, hosting the works of contemporary visual and media artists. In recent years a number of bar galleries have sprung up.
