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