The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel set on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens, in Attica, Greece. It is also known as the Athenian Acropolis. Climbing up to it gives a visitor a view over the modern city below, and the site itself holds the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historic significance.
What you will see
The most famous building on the hill is the Parthenon, which stands at the centre of the site and draws most visitors. The Acropolis also contains other ancient structures, so a visit is more than a single monument. Walking the paths across the rock lets you take in the buildings from different angles and see how they sit on the uneven ground.
Planning your visit
- Address: Dionysiou Areopagitou, Athina 105 58, Greece
- Phone: +30 21 0321 4172
- Setting: an open archaeological site on a hill, so expect walking and climbing
Because the site is on high, rocky ground above the city, comfortable footwear is a sensible choice. The surrounding streets of central Athens, with their cafés and other historic sites nearby, make it easy to combine a visit to the citadel with time spent in the city below.
For a visitor deciding whether to go, the Acropolis offers a direct encounter with ancient Athens: a hilltop citadel, its remaining buildings, and the wide view that the rock has always commanded over the city.