The Parthenon
Humanity's most balanced building — Pericles' deathless marble.
A.Savin — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Giles Laurent — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Holger Uwe Schmitt — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Holger Uwe Schmitt — CC BY-SA 4.0
The Acropolis is Western civilisation's literal cornerstone: the sacred rock crowned by Pericles' golden century (5th BC) with its deathless temples — the Parthenon, Athena's marble house and humanity's most perfectly balanced building; the Erechtheion with its porch of Caryatid maidens shouldering the roof through the ages; winged Nike's temple on the edge; and the solemn Propylaia gate as entrance to it all. The climb passes two theatres: the Roman Odeon of Herodes Atticus (summer concerts beneath the lit Parthenon are a lifetime experience) and the Theatre of Dionysus, tragedy's cradle where Aeschylus and Sophocles first staged — both on the south-slope ticket. Golden rules: book your slot online without fail (timed entry is now mandatory), and go very early or near closing to escape shadeless sun and midday queues — and the marble is polished by millions: grippy shoes, never smooth sandals.
Humanity's most balanced building — Pericles' deathless marble.
The Erechtheion's roof-bearers — originals in the museum below.
Summer concerts beneath the floodlit Parthenon.
Tragedy's cradle — Sophocles' first stage.
Acropolis, 10558 Athens
The Beulé GateA fortified gate at the western entrance to the Acropolis, which you pass throug2 minutes walk4.7
AnafiotikaA complete Greek island village hidden beneath the Acropolis rock, two minutes f3 minutes walk
The Areopagus RockThe Areopagus is a bare rock beneath the Acropolis gate that carried the heavies3 minutes walk4.7
The Roman Agora & Tower of the WindsThe Roman Agora is the market the Caesars built Athens: Socrates' agora grown ol3 minutes walk4.6
The Ilias Lalaounis Jewellery MuseumA jewellery museum on the southern slope of the Acropolis devoted to the work of3 minutes walk4.6Two hours for rock and theatres — and summer dictates its edges: the 8am slot (arrive 7:30) or five in the afternoon. Midday is an open marble furnace: water and hat obligatory, and heels or smooth sandals skate on stone two millennia of feet have polished.
The modern school: museum first, to climb understanding what you see (all the originals are below) — or rock early against the heat, then the air-conditioned museum at noon. Either way they are one visit in one day, five minutes' walk apart.