Highlights of Athens in a Day

Are you going to Athens on a one day trip? Follow this itinerary and make sure that you get the most of it.

Set out early in the morning and spend a few hours in the National Archaeological Museum - it is a must for fans of both art and history. With more than 11,000 exhibits, the museum boasts one of the greatest collections of ancient Greek sculptures and pottery in the world. After lunch, head to the Acropolis. First, visit the Athenian Agora, an ancient public space consisting of numerous monuments and remains of government buildings. The Agora also contains Temple of Hephaistos, one of the best preserved ancient Greek temples, which also inspired several other buildings around the US and UK. After you explore this area, climb up the rocky hill and admire Acropolis, an imposing complex of historical monuments, which became the symbol of ancient Greece.

Take your time to explore all the monuments on the hill and then descend back to the Herodes Theatre and Theatre of Dionysus, which is considered to be the birthplace of Greek drama. If you have time and energy, you can peek into the museum devoted to findings from the Acropolis archaeological site. Acropolis Museum contains mainly sculptures that used to decorate the historical sites located on Acropolis, but also instruments that the inhabitants of Acropolis used in their everyday life.

The last stop is the Temple of Olympian Zeus, which used to be one of the greatest monuments of its age, as well as the largest temple in Greece. Only 15 of the original Corinthian columns are still standing today, but it is still worth a visit. On your way to the temple, note the Arch of Hadrian, a commemorative monument erected in honor of the Roman emperor Hadrian.