What to see in Athens

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Shrine of the Muses

Nestled at the base of Filopappou Hill, the ancient sanctuary to the goddesses of imagination is etched into the stone.
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The Runner

Created over the course of 6 years, the 12m-high sculpture of an athlete running at speed by artist Costas Varotsos is constructed from thousands of jagged sheets of glass. It was originally located at Omonia Square in 1994 before being moved to...
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Theocharakis Foundation for the Fine Arts & Music

With three levels of gallery space, this arts centre features good exhibitions that are changed up to five times a year. Furthermore, the centre's theatre provides the occasional classical music performance and other events.
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We Need Books

Come to We Need Books, an NGO in Athens that focuses on helping marginalized and vulnerable people, including refugees. This library, play space, and social integration centre is free and open to the public, and they also host events and...
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Zappeion Hall

Built in 1888, Zappeio Hall pays tribute to Evangelis Zappas, the wealthy benefactor behind the inaugural modern Olympic Games of 1896. Its neoclassical design makes it a popular choice for hosting exhibitions and conferences, and it is worth a...
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AD Gallery

Search for the entrance to a building housing contemporary Greek art between the street vendors selling baskets.
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Agios Athanasios Church

For centuries, this church has been present on the site of an ancient monument, and its oldest part, a chapel built in 1756, is located just down the street. Perched atop a rock, the chapel still stands as a testament to the church's many incarnations.
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Aristotle's Lyceum

This site was only uncovered in 2011, and although there isn't much to see in terms of actual buildings, it holds a special place in history. It was here, in 335 BC, that Aristotle founded his Peripatetic School, teaching rhetoric and philosophy...
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Bath House of the Winds

This 17th-century hammam, the only intact public bath building still remaining from Athens' Ottoman period, no longer serves its original purpose but is now open to visitors as a museum. Accompanied by music, sound and projections, visitors can...
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Athens Cathedral

The Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Athens, from 1862, holds the seat of the archbishop, and is of great historical and architectural significance. Furthermore, the small 12th-century Church of Agios Eleftherios, located next to the cathedral, is a...
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Athens Olympic Complex

Santiago Calatrava’s 2004 Olympic Park, which features multiple stadiums and a pool, was given a facelift. Crowning the main stadium is the famed architect’s signature wing-shaped canopy. Visitors can attend major sporting events and concerts...
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Flisvos Park

Head to this park near the coast for a great family outing. There are plenty of playground activities, a summer puppet theatre, and an outdoor cinema. The closest beach to downtown Athens is just east, accessible via the tram at Mousson stop....
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Zappeion

Adjacent to the National Garden in Athens, the green space at the centre of the city is composed of a network of wide, tree-lined walkways that surrounds Zappeio Hall. It can be accessed through Leoforos Vasilissis Amalias and Leoforos Vasilissis...
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Athens University

Christian Hansen, a Danish architect, designed and finished this grand building in 1864. Despite the fact that the university has seen a dramatic surge in student population (over 100,000 enrollees), the structure still stands as the university's...
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Church of Agia Marina Thission

Perched atop the Hill of the Nymphs and boasting a multi-tiered, striped design and vibrant red-tile domes, this magnificent 1931 church is a sight to behold. Within, art nouveau inspired murals add to the serenity. In the southeastern corner, a...
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Dipylon Gate

The Kerameikos archaeological site features the Dipylon Gate, which was the major gateway into ancient Athens and the starting point of the Panathenaic Procession. Located to the northeast of the Sacred Gate, it was the principal entrance to the city.
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Holocaust Memorial

Deanna Maganias, a Greek-American sculptor, proposed a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust that is comprised of a fractured Star of David created from Egyptian marble. This fragmented design is symbolic of the devastation that Greece's...
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Museum of Greek Children’s Art

This space serves to foster appreciation for art and creative growth through the exhibition of works by young artists, as well as hosting workshops for kids.
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Agiou Dionysiou Aeropagitou Church

The awe-inspiring structure of Saint Dionysios Church in Athens looms over a small plaza. Visitors of the church may admire the stunning artwork of Spiros Vasiliou, the exquisite wood carvings of Theofanis Nomikos, and the magnificent chandelier...
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Museum of Folk Art & Tradition

The mansion of folklorist Angeliki Hatzimichalis (1895–1965), who wrote more than 100 books and articles about Greek traditions, is a beautiful window into the daily life of the past. Inside, visitors can explore regional costumes, embroidery and...
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Epigraphical Museum

The National Archaeological Museum is home to an important collection of Greek inscriptions, which the casual visitor may find uninspiring due to the tersely labeled shelves of stones in the main hall. Two newer sections, however, provide...
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Stoa of Eumenes & Asclepieion

The Theatre of Dionysos can be reached by taking a path uphill and to the west, leading to the Stoa of Eumenes. Built by Eumenes II, King of Pergamum (197–159 BC), the Stoa is a long, columned structure that served as both a shelter and a...
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Hellenic Cosmos

Experience the splendour of ancient ruins with a virtual-reality tour at the Tholos virtual-reality theatre. Explore the Historic Agora, Acropolis or Hagia Sophia in İstanbul and learn more about the ancient world through the multimedia centre's...
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Ileana Tounta Contemporary Art Centre

Founded in 1988, this prestigious art gallery located in a warehouse is renowned in the city for its exhibitions featuring Greek and international artists, showcasing a wide range of media. A well-stocked art bookstore is also available.
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Korai 4

In 1941, the German military took over the Ethniki Insurance offices in Athens and used the two-level basement as a prison for three years, tucked away in the bustling downtown area. The walls of these rooms, which have been preserved, are marked...
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Melina Merkouri Cultural Centre

This free museum offers a delightful experience for anyone who is fond of the Greek tradition of karagiozi (shadow puppets). It showcases the work of renowned puppeteer Haridimos (Sotiris Haritos), with few English labels. However, visitors are...
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Hellenic Children’s Museum

This centre offers activities that foster children's development and stimulate their imaginations. Exhibits are only in Greek but some activities are available to those who do not speak Greek and most staff members are able to converse in...
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Hill of the Nymphs

The old Athens observatory, built in 1842, is located northwest of the Hill of the Pnyx.
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Ilias Lalaounis Jewellery Museum

The Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry Museum is a must-see for fashionistas. It boasts an impressive collection of 4500 pieces of bold, classically inspired Greek gold jewellery, some of which have graced the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Melina Mercouri....
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Museum of the City of Athens

The small museum, located in two interconnected buildings and once the palace home of King Otto between 1830 and 1846, is dedicated to honoring the city's influential people through a collection of royal furniture, antiques, paintings and...
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Roman Baths

An archaeological excavation revealed a large, well-preserved Roman bath complex from the 3rd century AD when a ventilation shaft was created for the metro. The ruins were found at the edge of the Zappeion, and people can look down from above to...
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Socrates' Prison

Follow the path up the slopes of Filopappou Hill to explore the warren of rooms carved into the bedrock. Legend has it that this is the place where Socrates was held before his trial in 399 BC.
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Statue of Athena Promachos & Pedestals

As you wander along the Panathenaic Way and into the Acropolis site beyond the Propylaia, you will spot, to your left, the foundations of pedestals that once bore statues, including one that held Pheidias' 9-meter-high Athena Promachos. This...
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Athens Academy

Completed in 1885 and designed by Theophil Hansen, the brother of Christian Hansen, this ornate building, modelled after Plato's Academy, is Greece's most esteemed research institution. It features an Ionian-style entrance that is reminiscent of...
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Athens Polytechnic

This university has gained notoriety due to an event in 1973 when the junta violently interrupted a student protest by driving a tank into the area.
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Church of Agiou Konstantinou

In honour of the future King Constantine I, this grand late 19th-century church was constructed.
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Beulé Gate

At the entrance to the Acropolis, visitors are taken up a path, passing through the Beulé Gate, named after Ernest Beulé, the French archaeologist who discovered it back in 1852. Built in the late Roman period, halfway up the stairs to the...
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Victoria Square Project

Rick Lowe, an American artist known for his Project Row Houses in Houston, Texas, created this storefront as a "social sculpture," a space for art, community outreach, and whatever else local residents desire to do. It is hard to know exactly...
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Acropolis Southeast Entrance

For individual visitors, this entrance to the Acropolis provides a better option than the main entrance due to its lack of bus traffic and large crowds. Additionally, you can enjoy more time alone if you arrive at the entrance early in the...