10 Must-see Sights of Athens

The Acropolis is not only a famous monument of Greece, but is also of great significance to the entire world. Although the Acropolis is now a ruin with crumbling walls, one can imagine its splendor 2,500 years ago.

Of course, you have to go to the Acropolis and take a close look at the these millennia-old monuments. It is also one of the most popular attractions in Athens. If you want to avoid the crowd, you can choose to go in the morning or evening.

In front of the Parliament Building in Syntagma Square, the Presidential Guard will change posts once every hour. The uniform of the changing guards is quite a sight. They wear a white traditional costume, a white short kilt with white pants, a flamboyant red hat and loud leather shoes, very different from the majestic soldiery outfit in our imagination.

After the ceremony ends, the visitors are allowed to take photos with the guards on duty, so long as you stand by the soldiers quietly to take pictures - but no touching or talking.

Mount Lycabettus is the highest point of Athens. It is an unforgettable experience to climb to the top of the mountain in the evening and take in the beautiful sunset and night scene of Athens. If the weather is clear, you can see far away with an excellent view.

There is a cable car at the foot of the mountain, which can take people directly to the top of the mountain. There is also a church on top of the mount that could be visited, and at night you can watch the soldiers carrying out the flag-lowering ceremony.

The Erechtheion is located in the northern part of the Parthenon and is one of the famous buildings of the Acropolis. It was considered to be the most sacred place in the Acropolis, the home of the gods, and the tomb of the legendary kings.

The Erechtheion was built between 421 BC and 405 BC. It was originally a stone temple to house the remains of eight saints. It is a typical representative of the Ionian style in the Acropolis architecture. Built on uneven high ground, the architectural design is complex and sophisticated. Visitors can now only look on from outside the temple.

The Temple of Zeus is located in the Olympic Village and was built for sacrifices to Zeus. It is one of the largest temples in ancient Greece. The Temple of Zeus was once famous for its ivory and gold statue, but now it is impossible to see the original statue. The Temple of Zeus was built in 470 BC and was completed in 456 BC. The temple was designed by the architect Libon, and the statue of Zeus was created by the sculptor Pheidias.

The Acropolis Museum is located in the southeast corner of the Acropolis, just 100 meters from the Parthenon. This modern glass building is particularly eye-catching among the ancient monuments of the Acropolis. Built on the archaeological site of Makrygianni, this new Acropolis museum was designed and built by world-renowned architect Bernard Tschumi and Greek architect Michael Photiadis, and is 10 times larger in area than the old Acropolis Museum.

The National Archaeological Museum is the largest museum in Athens with the greatest collection. Many important cultural artifacts are in the collection here. These artifacts come from different archaeological sites in Greece, ranging from prehistoric to late ancient times. The museum is located in the Exarhia district in the heart of Athens. The entrance is located on Patission Avenue, next to the historic building of the Athens Institute of Technology.

Built in 161 AD, the Atticus Theatre was built by the Greek nobleman and Roman Senator Herodes Atticus. It is one of the oldest theatres in the world and the most outstanding of the period. Many famous playwrights of ancient Greece had staged many classic opera works here. Even today this theater is still in use, with the annual Athens Music Festival held here.

The Arch of Hadrian was built in 132 and is the Triumphal Arch of the Roman era. The Arch is located not far from the southeast of the Athens city wall, across an ancient road in the center of Athens. It is said to have been the boundary between the old and new city of Athens. The words sculpted on either side of the arch also hail Theseus and Hadrian as the founders of the old and new city of Athens.

The two ancient market sites remaining in Athens - the Ancient Agora and the Roman Agora - are both located in the Monastiraki district, not far from each other. It is recommended to tour them together.

The greatest attraction of the Ancient Agora and the Roman Agora is that they are hidden in the old town of Monastiraki, blending with the old streets lined with residences and shops. If you are making a special visit to an ordinary tourist spot, you will likely be dissapointed. It is better to visit the Monastiraki district on a leisurely stroll.