Acropolis Tickets & Tours

Greece › Athens › Archaeological Sites › Acropolis Tickets
Updated: March 12, 2024
By Santorini Dave

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Online Tickets: Acropolis & Acropolis Museum

• Skip the line ticket for Acropolis (no tour)
• Skip the line ticket for Acropolis Museum (no tour)
• Athens Pass Combo Ticket (no tour)

Tours: Acropolis & Acropolis Museum

I highly recommend doing a tour. Your visit will be much more interesting and memorable with a professional guide, and if you have kids they will likely be way more engaged by a professional guide than by their parents. (Sorry.) Also, all tours mentioned here include skip-the-line tickets, which saves time and hassle.
• Acropolis Tour (small group)
• Acropolis & Acropolis Museum Tour (small group)
• Acropolis Tour (private)
• Acropolis & Acropolis Museum Tour (private)

The view of the Parthenon and Acropolis (my favorite cultural attractions in all of Europe) from the marvelous Acropolis Museum. A guided tour of both the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum is the highlight of a visit to Athens.

Acropolis Hours and Information

• Hours: 8am to 8pm daily in summer, 8am to 5pm daily in winter. Closed January 1, March 25, May 1, (Orthodox) Easter Sunday, December 25-26.
• Museum Hours: Summer hours are Monday – Thursday 9am to 5pm (last entry 4:30pm), Friday 9am to 10pm (last entry 9:30 pm), Saturday & Sunday 9am to 8pm (last entry 7:30 pm). Open daily in winter months from 9am to 5pm (last entry 4:30 pm).
• Website: odysseus.culture.gr
• Location: Central Athens
• Telephone: +30 210 9238747
• Admission Fee: €20 full admission, €10 reduced admission for children age 6-25 with passport verification year-round, and for all tickets from November through March. Children ages 5 and under are admitted free. €30 combo tickets include access to Acropolis, Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Hadrians Library, Kerameikos, and Temple of Olympian Zeus. Combo tickets are not offered at reduced fare.
• Free Entry: March 6 (in memory of Melina Mercouri), April 18 (International Monuments Day), May 18 (International Museums Day), the last weekend of September annually (European Heritage Days), October 28, every first Sunday of the month from November 1st to March 31st.
• Parking: Street parking, nearby pay lots.
• Nearest Metro: Acropoli

The Acropolis in Athens

• The Acropolis is one of the most recognized sites in the world and an enduring symbol of Ancient Greece. (The Acropolis is a must-see and definitely one of the best things to do in Athens.)
• The Acropolis Museum is a wonderful complement to the Parthenon and Acropolis. This fantastic and modern archaeological museum is just 15 years old and was built to house every artifact found on the Acropolis and surrounding slopes, from the Greek Bronze Age to Roman and Byzantine Athens. If you’re interested in the museum (and you should be) then I recommend combining visits to both sites by doing the Acropolis and Acropolis Museum guided tour.
  

  Entrance to the Acropolis Museum, located about a 10-minute walk from the Parthenon and the key buildings of the Acropolis.

• The Acropolis is an ancient fortress built in the 5th century BC and sits on a hill above Athens. It’s home to several ancient buildings of historical and architectural significance, the most famous being the Parthenon. Other buildings include the Temple of Erechtheion, the Temple of Athena Nike, and the nearby theatre of Odeon of Herodeion.
• The word Acropolis is from the Greek words akro, meaning “high, extreme, or edge” and polis, meaning “city”. The term acropolis is generic and there are many other acropolises in Greece. The Acropolis of Athens has the most historical significance so it’s known as “The” Acropolis.
• The closest metro station to the Acropolis is Akropoli, about 30 meters away from the site’s main entrance. (Though there are still many more stairs up to the top of the hill).

Prominent structures on the Athens Acropolis

The Parthenon is a marble temple that was dedicated to Athena, goddess of wisdom, arts, literature, and war. Construction of the Parthenon started in 477 BC. It was completed almost 40 years later in 438 BC. Although a little battered, the Parthenon has withstood earthquakes, fire, wars, and explosions throughout centuries. It was partially destroyed in 1687 during the Ottoman-Venetian War, when it was hit by a cannonball that exploded because gunpowder was being stored inside.

The ancient main entrance hall to the Acropolis complex, the Propylaea is located on the west side of the hill. It was designed between 437–432 BC by the Athenian architect Mnesicles.

The Temple of Athena Nike is on the southwest corner of the Acropolis. It was built around 420 BC. Nike is Greek for “victory”. Athena was worshiped in this form, representing victory in war.

The Temple of Erechtheion is on the north side of the Acropolis and is dedicated to Athena and the god Poseidon. It was built around 406 BC. The female figures that support the entablature of the temple are known as Caryatids, from the Greek term for “maidens from Karyai”, an ancient Peloponnese town.

The Odeon of Herodeion theatre is located on the Acropolis’ southwest slope. The building was completed in 161 AD, destroyed in 267 AD, and renovated and reconstructed in 1950. Theatrical performances and concerts still take place here.

Athens Acropolis FAQ

How much are Acropolis tickets?

The price of Acropolis tickets varies by season. From April 1 to October 31 (peak season), a standard ticket costs €20. From November 1 to March 31, a standard ticket costs €10. You can also qualify for a discount, in certain cases. For instance, children between the ages of 6 and 25 who are not from the European Union and people over 65 from the EU and European Economic Area get 50% off their ticket price during peak months.

Acropolis tickets are categorized into:
• Single-Use (Adults)
• Single-Use Reduced (Children under 25 years, university students, and certain others)
• Combo

The prices of the Acropolis single-use entrance & single-use reduced tickets vary depending on the season you visit. A single-use ticket will grant you admission to Acropolis and its slopes. Listed below are the single-use entrance ticket costs to the Acropolis during the summer and winter seasons:

• Summer (1st April to 31st October): An entrance ticket to the Acropolis during the summer season costs €20 per adult. For children under the age of 18, students and others (single-use reduced), the cost is €10 per ticket.
• Winter (1st November to 31st March): An entrance ticket to the Acropolis during the summer season is reduced to €10 per adult. For children under the age of 18, students & others (single-use reduced), the cost is €5 per ticket.

If you plan to visit the Acropolis along with the other archaeological sites in Athens, you can purchase a combo (multi-site) ticket for €30, which will grant you access to Acropolis & 6 other sites for a period of five days. A combo ticket will cost you €30, irrespective of the season you visit or ages of the visitors. There are no reduced price combo tickets offered.

Can you buy tickets to the Acropolis online?

Yes, you can buy tickets to the Acropolis online. Just keep in mind that you can’t buy tickets ahead of time for the following season. You can only buy summer tickets from April 1 to October 31, and you can only buy winter tickets from November 1 to March 31.

To purchase your tickets, all you need to do is to visit the Hellenic Heritage e-ticket portal. Once there, select “Acropolis and Slopes” and choose the date and time you wish to visit. Single-use and combo tickets are offered. Alternately, you can purchase Acropolis skip-the-line tickets from 3rd parties (like Tiqets) that cost a little more but have a much better user experience and are easier to get refunded should that be necessary.

Note: Booking tickets online – through the Hellenic Ministry or otherwise – will only help you avoid the (often very long) ticket-booking line and not the entrance line to the Acropolis. In order to avoid the entrance queue, you’ll have to opt for a guided tour of the Acropolis.

What does an Acropolis ticket include?

A single-use Acropolis ticket will grant you access to the Acropolis, including the Parthenon, Erechtheion, and other monuments at the top, as well as those on the Acropolis’ North & South Slopes – like the Odeon of Herodeion theatre.

A combo ticket will grant you access to the Acropolis & 6 other archaeological sites in Athens, each of them once for a period of five days.

What does the Acropolis combo ticket include and how does it work?

The Acropolis combo ticket gives you admission into the Acropolis and its slopes, as well as six other archeological sites: the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian’s Library, the Ancient Agora, museums in Ancient Agora, the Roman Agora, Aristotle’s School, and Kerameikos Cemetery. If you get the combination ticket, you can skip the ticket purchasing line for all seven of these sites. The cost of a combo ticket is €30 for both the summer and winter seasons. The combo ticket allows visits to each of the sites once within a 5-days period. Note that all Acropolis tickets are by timed entry, but the other sites can be visited at any time within the five days specified.

Can you see the Acropolis for free?

Anyone can also visit the Acropolis for free on the following days:

• March 6 (Melina Mercouri Remembrance Day)
• April 18 (International Monuments Day)
• May 18 (International Museums Day)
• The last weekend of September (European Heritage Days)
• October 28
• Every month’s first Sunday between 1st November & 31st March

Children under 5 from any country get in for free at any time, as do kids, teens, and young adults under 25 from EU countries.

Is the Acropolis free on Sundays?

That depends on the time of year you visit. During the winter (November 1 to March 31), entry to the Acropolis is free on every first Sunday of the month. In the summer months (April 1 to October 30), entrance is not free on first Sundays.

Do you need skip the line tickets for Acropolis?

We strongly recommend skip-the-line tickets to the Acropolis to save time, energy, and hassle but they are not mandatory.

Do I need to buy Acropolis tickets in advance?

Buying Acropolis tickets in advance is recommended but it is not mandatory. In-person tickets are for sale near the two entrance gates of the Acropolis. Be prepared for long lines to purchase tickets, however, especially since, as of 2024, there is a cap on how many visitors will be let in to the site every hour.

The ticket line at the Acropolis can often be 1 to 2 hours long. I highly recommend buying skip-the-line tickets online and in advance.

Where can I buy Acropolis tickets?

Tickets can be purchased online, from either the Hellenic Heritage e-ticket portal or third-party sites (skip-the-line tickets are recommended), or you can go to the entrance gates and purchase the tickets from the ticket counter. Acropolis tours will also include Acropolis tickets. Whatever option you choose, it’s advisable to purchase the tickets online; the Acropolis ticket-office queue is often quite long, with a wait of 1-2 hours until you get your hands on the ticket.

Is the Acropolis Museum worth it?

Yes, the Acropolis Museum is definitely worth a visit. It’s one of the best museums in Greece and deserves at least two hours to tour – though history lovers could easily spend the better part of a day inside. The Acropolis and Acropolis Museum Tour (with skip-the-line tickets) is an easy and efficient way to see both attractions.

What should I wear to the Acropolis?

There aren’t any restrictions on clothing for visiting the Acropolis. You can wear anything you like. Though there is no strict dress code, it’s best to use common sense. A climb up the hill during the hot summer months makes light, casual clothes a better choice than heavier or more formal wear. There is little vegetation in the area and lots of marble, so a midday visit can be bright and often hot. As for footwear, flip-flops are not allowed. Choose comfortable shoes with good tread, because the steps are made of marble and can be slippery, and much of the ground at the top is covered in uneven stones. The Acropolis is an important historic and cultural site for Greeks so while shorts and tank tops are fine, showing good taste and some modesty is always recommended.

How difficult is it to climb the Acropolis?

The Acropolis sits on a hilltop high above the city of Athens, so you’re going to have to climb a bit to make it to the top. The walk to the top can take up to 15 minutes and involves a fairly steep incline. But the paths are wide and well maintained and there are plenty of spaces to pull to the side, catch your breath, and enjoy the views. Water and snacks are available for purchase at the top near the ticket kiosks but there are no snack shops after you enter the ticketed gates.

How many steps up the Acropolis?

The uphill route to the Acropolis consists of several sets of steps. The Acropolis is 150 m (500 ft.) above sea level and 70 m. (230 ft.) above the surrounding neighborhoods from which you will climb. You can expect to climb the equivalent of 200 steps to reach the entrance.

Is the Acropolis Handicapped-Accessible?

Yes. There is a new (as of 2020) elevator for wheelchair users and people with disabilities located about 350 meters from Acropolis’ main entrance on the west side of the hill. Atop the Acropolis, new specially designed concrete paths allow wheelchair users and mobility-impaired visitors to access the Parthenon and other main structures. Handicapped-accessible restrooms can be found at both the foot and the top of Acropolis Hill.

Entrance to the Acropolis is free for people with disabilities. If the disability is not apparent, it’s a good idea to carry a physician’s note for verification.

What’s the difference between the Acropolis and the Parthenon?

The Acropolis is the name of the hill overlooking Athens on which numerous ancient monuments sit. The most recognizable building at the top of the hill is a temple called the Parthenon. The Ancient Greeks dedicated the Parthenon to the goddess Athena, who was viewed by the people of Athens as their patron.

What buildings are at the Acropolis?

The Acropolis is home to the following ancient buildings:

• The Parthenon
• The Propylaea
• The Erechtheion
• The Temple of Athena Nike
• The Old Temple of Athena
• The Pandrosion
• The Arrephorion
• The Chalkotheke
• The Brauroneion
• The Sanctuary of Zeus Polieus
• The Pandion Sanctuary

Other sites on the hill and on the North and South slopes of the Acropolis include:

• The Theatre of Dionysus
• The Odeon of Herodes Atticus (also called Herodeion or Herodion)
• The Peripatos (the ancient pathway that encircles the Akropolis)

Are there descriptions written in front of each building?

Unlike at a well-appointed museum that might have elaborate descriptions for each painting, you won’t interpretive placards, descriptions, or markings in front of most Acropolis buildings. In fact, the only building at the Acropolis with an extensive description provided to orient site visitors is the Propylaea, the complex’s monumental entrance gate. That’s one of a few good reasons we suggest opting for an Acropolis guided tour.

Can you walk up to or inside the Parthenon?

The Parthenon is an ancient temple that has braved the elements for centuries. As such, visitors are forbidden from walking onto the Parthenon itself to prevent further damage or erosion. Many visitors do like to see the Parthenon from all angles, so they walk around the entire circumference of the temple for a better, longer look.

What is the best time to visit Acropolis?

The Acropolis is one of the most famous landmarks in Athens and is prone to large crowds and lines, especially during the peak season (June-August). The busiest time is usually between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. If you want to avoid the largest crowds, book tickets in advance and arrive at the Acropolis entrance at 7:45 AM, 15 minutes prior to the opening time (8:00 AM). This should allow you a few hours to explore before the busy midday period. Crowds should start to thin around 3:00 PM making the late afternoon and early evening another good time to visit.

Your options are more flexible in the quieter wintertime season, though you’ll still find less traffic early in the morning and later in the day.

Can you visit the Acropolis at night?

You cannot visit the Acropolis at night and for good reason: The steepness of the hill combined with darkness would create a major safety hazard, as would the uneven ground and loose stones at the top. The good news is that if you want to see the Acropolis at night, you can see it from anywhere in the city center because it’s lit up after the sun sets.

How long should you spend at the Acropolis?

If you’re counting the walk up the hill and back down again, budget 40 minutes for the round-trip walk. As for the time you’ll spend at the Acropolis itself, that depends on your sightseeing tendencies. If you just want to do a quick walk-through to say you’ve visited, you can see the Parthenon and other major sites on the hill in about an hour. A more thorough visit with moments of reflection, photos, reading from a guide book, or listening to an audio guide could easily fill two hours or more.

Do you need a tour guide for the Acropolis?

It’s not an absolute need by any means. Many people choose to walk around the hill on their own, taking in the sites. You can always use a guide book, audioguide, or scroll around on your smartphone to read about the key features of the Acropolis. That said, a good guide can certainly make the experience much richer and more memorable. If you traveled thousands of miles and spent thousands of dollars to visit Athens, a little more added expense for a good guide will be worth it. This is the guided tour of the Acropolis that I recommend.

Video of the Acropolis

This is a wonderful video on the history of the Acropolis and ancient Athens. Watch it twice. Once, before your trip and again the night before you visit the Acropolis when in Athens. There’s more great historical info from the Khan Academy here.

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