Archaeological
sites and Museums in Athens.
Full
day Athens tour includes:The Acropolis,
The National Archaeological Museum, The Tower of Winds, The
Old palace, The Greek and Roman Agora, The Tomb of The Unknown
Soldier in front of the Parliament and the Changing of The guards,
The Temple of Zeus, The Olympic stadium (the original stadium
built in the 1863 for the first modern Olympic games in 1896),
The Hill of Lycabetous, and finally The Plaka where you will
spend time for shopping and have lunch in a nice restaurant.
On the Acropolis you will see the Masterpiece which
was build ''during the golden age of Pericles'' The Parhenon,
Propylea, The Temple of Athena Nike, Erechthion and the Cariatides.
The
Parthenon: A magnificent peripteral Doric temple, the masterpiece
of Ictinus and Phidias was dedicated to Athena, the city’s divine
patroness. The propylaea, work of Mnesicles, formed the stately
entrance to the sacred rocks. The small, lonic temple of Athena
Nike [VICTORY] south of the propylaea was assigned to Callicrates
while the Erechtheum with the graceful porch of the caryatids
is attributed to Mnesicles.
The
Ancient Agora: Was the civic, religious and commercial center
of the Athenian life set with appropriate buildings. Among these
was the stoa of Attalus erected by Attalus II, king of Pergamum
[159-138 B.C]. Now, since its restoration, is used as a Museum
housing interesting finds, especially from the excavations in
the area of the Museum housing interesting finds, especially
from the excavation in the area of the Agora.
The
Temple of the Olympian Zeus: [also at the junction of Vassilissis
Olgas and A malias Avenues]. It is the largest ancient temple
in Greece in the Corinthian order.
The
Kalimarmaro: Which is the original stadium built in the
1800s for the first modern Olympic games in 1896.
The
tomb of the Unknown Soldier: A monument over which a guard
of honor keeps vigil. The 11 a.m. changing of guard on Sundays
in a picturesque small ceremony.
The
Greek House of Parliaments: This is a neoclassical building
overlooking the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Formerly used as
the residential palace of Greece’s first king, Otto [1832-1862],
it houses since 1933 the Greek Parliament. Adjoining the building
is the National Garden stretching as far as the Zappeion exhibition
and Congress Hall, which stands in its own park.
The
Lycabettus Hill: Clad in pinewoods and crowned by the picturesque
white chapel of st. George the hill provides a fine panoramic
view over the entire city. There is a restaurant and pastryshop
on the top. Access is by funicular or footpath
Syntagma
Square: Below the tomb of the Unknown Soldier stretches
the most central square in Athens lined by a large number of
pastryshops, which are usually filled with a lively crowd of
Athenians and foreigners.
The
Plaka: It’s the oldest and most picturesque quarter in Athens
spreading around the Acropolis. Single storey houses set next
to elegant mansions flank winding, narrow alleys. There are
also several small taverns and nightclubs as well as shops selling
popular arts and crafts. Combined, they make Plaka one of the
most attractive corners of Athens.
Monastiraki:
This is in reality an extension of Plaka. It is the part of
the city with the greatest number of antique dealers and gift
shops of every kind.
Breakdown of Tour Time: [Full Day Athens Tour]
From and to the port (1h),
The Acropolis (about 1h30m),
The National Archaeological Museum (about 1h30m),
The Tower of Winds and The Greek and Roman Agora (about 1h30m),
The Old palace, The Tomb of The Unknown Soldier in front of the Parliament and the Changing of The Guards,
The Temple of Zeus, and The Olympic stadium (1h),
The Hill of Lycabetous (45m),
Plaka and lunch (2h)
Breakdown
of Tour Time: [Full Day Athens and Cape Sounion Tour]
From
and to the port (1h), The Acropolis (about 1h30m), The Old palace,
The Tomb of The Unknown Soldier in front of the Parliament and
the Changing of The Guards, The Temple of Zeus, and The Olympic
stadium (1h), Cape Sounion and lunch (5h)
Cape Sounion is 68 km away from AThens [=1h30m drive each way]
Breakdown
of Tour Time:[Half Day Athens Tour]
From and to the port (1h), The Acropolis (about 1h30m). The
Plaka (about 1h30m) The Old palace, The Tomb of The Unknown
Soldier in front of the Parliament and the Changing of The Guards,
The Temple of Zeus, and The Olympic stadium (1h).
MUSEUMS OF ATHENS
National Archaeological Museum
The National Archaeological Museum is the largest museum in
Greece and one of the world's great museums. Although its original
purpose was to secure all the finds from the nineteenth century
excavations in and around Athens, it gradually became the central
National Archaeological Museum and was enriched with finds from
all over Greece. Its abundant collections, with more than 20,000
exhibits, provide a panorama of Greek civilization from the
beginnings of Prehistory to Late Antiquity.
The
museum is housed in an imposing neoclassical building of the
end of the nineteenth century, which was designed by L. Lange
and remodelled by Ernst Ziller. The vast exhibition space -
numerous galleries on each floor accounting for a total of 8,000
square metres - house five large permanent collections: The
Prehistoric Collection, which includes works of the great civilizations
that developped in the Aegean from the sixth millennium BC to
1050 BC (Neolithic, Cycladic, Mycenaean), and finds from the
prehistoric settlement at Thera. The Sculptures Collection,
which shows the development of ancient Greek sculpture from
the seventh to the fifth centuries BC with unique masterpieces.
The Vase and Minor Objects Collection, which contains representative
works of ancient Greek pottery from the eleventh century BC
to the Roman period and includes the Stathatos Collection, a
corpus of minor objects of all periods. The Metallurgy Collection,
with many fundamental statues, figurines and minor objects.
And, finally, the only Egyptian and Near Eastern Antiquities
Collection in Greece, with works dating from the pre-dynastic
period (5000 BC) to the Roman conquest.
The
museum possesses a rich photographic archive and a library with
many rare publications, the latter of which is constantly enriched
to meet the needs of the research staff. There are also modern
conservation laboratories for metal, pottery, stone and organic
materials, a cast workshop, a photographic laboratory and a
chemistry laboratory. The museum has temporary exhibition spaces,
a lecture hall for archaeological lectures and one of the largest
shops of the Archaeological Receipts Fund.
The
National Archaeological Museum welcomes thousands of visitors
each year. Besides displaying its own treasures, it organizes
temporary exhibitions and lends artefacts to exhibitions both
in Greece and abroad. It also functions as a research center
for scientists and scholars from around the world and participates
in special educational and other programs. An important feature
is the availability of guided visits for people with hearing
impediments. The Museum functions as a Special Regional Service
of the Ministry of Culture and its five permanent collections
are administered autonomously.
Hours:
Tue-Fri: 8am-7pm Mon:12:30pm-7pm Sat, Sun & Holidays:8:30am-3pm
(there is an internet cafe right next door)
The Benaki Museum
Starting at the bottom floor and going up through the various
periods of Greek history, my favorite part is the third floor
and the heroes of the Greek Revolution. Just walk up Vass Sophias
from Syntagma with the National Gardens on your right. Then
you reach the end of the Gardens look to your left and that
is it. The Benaki has opened two more branches in the area around
Psiri on Agios Asamaton Street and on Piraeus Street.
Hours:
The Benaki Museum
Agia Sofias and Kouvari.
Tel 367-1000
Open Mon, Weds, Fr, Sat: 9 to 5
Thurs and Sun they close early.
Tuesday it is closed.
The Goulandris Museum of Cycladic and Ancient Greek
Art
This
Outstanding collection of ancient Cycladic art is excellently
curated.
Hours:
Open
daily except Sundays and Tuesdays from 10am to 4pm. Neofytou
Douka St 4 Koloniki.
Kerameikos Museum
Hours: Tues-Sun: 8:30 to 3 Closed Monday The ancient cemetery
of Athens at the bottom of Ermou past the Monastiraki flea market
has a nice little museum. Lots of pottery and tombstones.
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.
Kydatheneon St 17 Plaka. Tel. 210-323-1577
Jewish Museum
Before the Nazi occupation and the decimation of Greece's Jewish
population, many of Greece's Jewish communities traced their
roots back to the Spanish Inquisition and before to Classical
Greece. Art and artifacts from Jewish communities through the
ages, as well as documentation of the Holocaust amkes this museum
a cultural treasure. This museum was the creation of Nikos Stavrolakis.
Opening hours: Daily 9.00-2.30, except Saturdays and Sundays
10.00-2.00
Nikis street 39 in the Plaka. Tel. 210-323-1577
National
Gallery
The permanent collection of modern Greek painters and international
contempory artists includes large-scale sculptures. Open daily
from 9am to 3pm. Open Sunday from 10am to 2pm. Closed Tuesday.
V as
Konstandinou street 50 (opposite the Hilton). Tel. 210-723-5937
National Historical Museum
This museum is perfect for those interested in the Greek War
of Independence and it's artifacts. Open daily from 9am to 1:30pm.
Closed Mondays. Free on Sunday.
Stadiou street 13 (in the old Parliament Building). Tel. 210-323-7617
Museum of Popular Musical Instruments
You can wander around listening to different instruments and
styles of music through headphones at each exhibit.Open daily
from 10am to 2pm. Wednesday from 12 to 6pm. Closed on Mondays.
Admission Free. 1-2
Diogenes St Plaka. Tel. 210-325-0198
Byzantine Museum
The Museum of Byzantine Culture, one of the most modern museums
in Greece, offers an overall impression of Byzantine civilization
through a number of original displays and multi-faceted activities.
The museum's purpose is to assemble, safeguard, study and promote
art and artefacts of the Early Christian, Byzantine, Medieval
and Post-byzantine periods. The artefacts in the museum's collection
come from Macedonia, in particular from Thessaloniki, the most
important centre in the European part of the Byzantine Empire
after Constantinople.
Open
Tuesdays to Sunday 8:30am to 3pm.
Vasilissis Sofias Ave 22 Tel 210-721-1027
War
Museum
War implements from ancient times to this century including
armor, swords, torpedos, and fighter planes. Photographs of
various Greek campaigns and battles. Open Tuesday to Saturday
from 9am to 2pm. Sunday from 9:30am to 2pm. Closed Mondays.
Admission free.
Rizari Street 2 and Vass. Sofias Avenue (next to the Byzantine
Museum. Tel. 210-729-0543
Theatrical Museum
Greek theatre History. Photographs, programs, masks, costumes,
posters etc. Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 2:30pm. Closed
Saturday and Sunday. Admission free.
Acadamias st 14. Tel. 210-362-9430
Greek Historical Costume Museum
Open Mon, Weds, Fri:10-1 Thurs: 5:30-8:30 Entrance Free.
Dimokritou st 7n Kolonaki