Athens sightseeing and museums

Athens sightseeing and museums

Athens is one of the main gates of tourism in Greece, thousands of visitors will stay a couple of days in Athens Greece before their trip to the Greek islands or the Greek mainland and Athens has many places of great historic value to visit especially the Acropolis and its environs.

Usually visitors to Athens arrive at Athens airport and then begin their visit by taking the bus to Syntagma Square or Monastiraki. Syntagma Square can be the start of our tour around the centre of Athens.

Directly opposite the square is the building of the Greek Parliament at Amalias Avenue and next to it is the National Gardens. I am sure you will want to visit the Acropolis and this is easily reached from Amalias Avenue.

Thus, facing the Parliament building turn right and follow Amalias Avenue, on your left you will see the National Gardens and then, the Zappeion Exhibition Hall and The Temple of Olympian Zeus. A few metres further you will pass the Hadrian Arch.

A few metres down from this turn right at Dionysiou Areopagitou Street. This is one of the best pedestrianised streets of Athens. Following this road you should be able to see ahead of you, on your right, the Rock of Acropolis and the Ancient Theatre of Dionyssus.

A little further along is the theatre of Herodes Atticus and the entrance for the Acropolis starts from the road a few meters further on the right. Follow this road up hill to the top and soon you will have reached the Acropolis Propylea. From this lofty position you can experience a wide and panoramic view of Athens. Looking south east you can see the Mount of Penteli and Hymettus and to the south west you can see the south coast of the Athens Riviera. Looking westward is the Philopapou Hill and, far in the distance, is the Saronic Gulf and the Port of Piraeus. Looking north and northwestwards, starting from Areios Pagos you can locate Thission, the Athens Observatory, Monastiraki and, in the distance the northern-northwest suburbs of Athens are the slopes of Mount Aegaleo and Parnitha.

If after your tour of the Acropolis you want to visit the famous area of Plaka and the flea market of Monastiraki, follow the circular Theorias Street and descend the steps that make up Dioskouron Street. On your left you will see the Hephaestus Temple and the Stoa of Attalus. At the end of the steps, on your right is the Roman Agora.

From here turn left and take the first street on the right and you will have arrived at the heart of Monastiraki. You can take a break here for refreshment at the cafes of Adrianou Street before continuing your journey into the flea market at Pandrosou Street.

Alternatively, if you feel that you have walked enough for now, you can return to Syntagma Square by following the streets of Ermou or Metropoleos northwards.

If you want to visit Omonia Square from Monastiraki just follow Athinas Street until the end. It is only about a 10 minute walk passing alongside the public fish and meat markets of Athens as well as the Athens City Hall.

However, there are not many great things to say about Omonia Square other than it is here that you can find cheaper accommodation and it still central enough to reach all the famous sites easily by foot.

A tour of Plaka can start, again, from Syntagma Square. Follow the Filelinon Street and turn right at the pedestrianised Kydathineon Street. At the Square of Filomousos Etairias is the centre of Plaka with many restaurants, cafes and shops. Whilst there it is worth taking a tour of the small winding roads of Anafiotika. You will feel that suddenly you have left Athens and you have landed on a Cycladic Island. The reason for this different kind of architecture is that when the first king of Greece after the Greek revolution of independence, Otto of Bavaria ,build his palace (today the Greek Parliament building) many builders came from the small island of Anafi. They settled under the east slopes of the Acropolis and build there own houses there. This place today is called Anafiotika.

 List of museum in Athens

National Archaeological Museum The National Archaeological Museum ranks among the top ten museums in the world. Its impressive collection is housed in a beautiful neoclassic building near the juncture of Alexandras Avenue on Patission Avenue. There is a gift shop, and a cafe in the sculpture garden. Children under 6 and EU students get in free. Hours: Tue-Fri: 8am-7pm Mon:12:30pm-7pm Sat, Sun & Holidays:8:30am-3pm

Benaki Museum After at least 5 years of rennovations it is finally open again dealing with the ancient stuff and going up through the various periods of Greek history.The Benaki has opened two more branches in the area around Psiri on Agios Asamaton Street and on Pireaos Street. Agia Sofias and Kouvari. Open Mon, Weds, Fr, Sat: 9 to 5 Thurs and Sun they close early.Tuesday it is closed. Tel 367-1000

Goulandris Museum of Cycladic and Ancient Greek Art This Outstanding collection of ancient Cycladic art is excellently curated. Open daily except Sundays and Tuesdays from 10am to 4pm. 4 Neofytou Douka St, Koloniki ,Tel 722-8321 or 722-8323

Kerameikos Museum The ancient cemetery of Athens at the bottom of Ermou past the Monastiraki flea market has a nice little museum full of pottery and tombstones. 148 Ermou 346-3552, Tues-Sun:8:30 to 3, Closed Monday

Museum of Greek Folk Art Embroideries, wood carvings, jewelery, and other traditional folk art. The museums not-to-be-missed collection of ceramics is housed in a beautifully renovated former mosque at 1 Areos Street on Monastiriki Square. Open daily except Mondays from 10am to 2pm. 17 Kydatheneon St Plaka, Tel 323-1577

Jewish Museum Art and artifacts from Jewish communities through the ages, as well as documentation of the Holocaust amkes this museum a cultural treasure. 39 Nikis street at Kydatheneon in the Plaka, Tel 323-1577 Opening hours: Daily 9.00-2.30, except Saturdays and Sundays 10.00-2.00

National Gallery The permanent collection of modern Greek painters and international contempory artists includes large-scale sculptures. 50 vas Konstandinou street (opposite the Hilton), Tel 723-5937 Open daily from 9am to 3pm. Open Sunday from 10am to 2pm. Closed Tuesday

National Historical Museum This museum is perfect for those interested in the Greek War of Independence and it's artifacts. 13 Stadiou street (in the old Parliament Building), Tel 323-7617 Open daily from 9am to 1:30pm. Closed Mondays. Free on Sunday.

Museum of Popular Musical Instruments You can wander around listening to different instruments and styles of music through headphones at each exhibit. 1-2 Diogenes St Plaka ,Tel 325-0198 Open daily from 10am to 2pm. Wednesday from 12 to 6pm.

Byzantine Museum A divine collection of Byzantine Icons, Mosaics, Sculptures, Bibles, Garments and more. 22 Vasilissis Sofias Ave, Tel 721-1027 Open Tuesdays to Sunday 8:30am to 3pm.

War Museum War implements from ancient times to this century including armor, swords, torpedos, and fighter planes. Photographs of various Greek campaigns and battles. 2 Rizari Street and Vass. Sofias Avenue (next to the Byzantine Museum), Tel 729-0543 |Open Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 2pm. Sunday from 9:30am to 2pm. Closed Mondays. Admission free.

Theatrical Museum Greek theatre History. Photographs, programs, masks, costumes, posters etc. 50 Acadamias st, Tel 362-9430 Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 2:30pm. Closed Saturday and Sunday. Admission free.

Greek Historical Costume Museum The Museum of History of the Greek Costume houses over 25,000 items, featuring displays of Greek regional costumes, ornaments, copies of Minoan, Classical and Byzantine costumes, as well as china dolls dressed in Greek costume. 362-9513 7 Dimokritou st, Kolonaki, Mon, Weds, Fri:10-1 Thurs: 5:30-8:30, Entrance Free

Frissiras Museum of Contemporary Greek and European Painting The Frissiras Museum of Contemporary Greek and European Painting is the only museum of its kind in Greece. It houses a private collection of contemporary paintings and drawings as well as temporary exhibitions of Greek and European artists, in two fully renovated neoclassical buildings of the 19th century. 3 & 7, Monis Asteriou str. (at the junction of Monis Asteriou and Kidathinaion str), 10558 Plaka, tel. no. (00301)3234678, 3316027 Wednesday-Friday 11.00-19.00, Saturday-Sunday 10.00-15.00 The Museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays

Atelier Spyros Vassiliou The Atelier recomposes the artistic progression of one of the most acclaimed, reputed and prolific exponents of contemporary Greek art by displaying a large number of his works in a wonderful setting just across from the Herodus Atticus Odeon, under the Acropolis . 5a Webster St. Acropolis, Athens 1174 Metro Stop: Acropolis Open Monday to Friday 10am-8pmand Saturday & Sunday 1 0 am-3pm Admission €4 / €2, Tel: (+30) 210-923-1502