Athens
Excavated only in 2011, this site is not much to look at – only building outlines are visible – but it is hallowed ground. Aristotle founded his school…
Must-see attractions in Athens
Syntagma & Plaka
First built in the 11th century and now the Russian Orthodox Cathedral, this is the only Byzantine church with an octagonal plan. It's quite small but…
Church of Agia Marina Thission
Athens
Striped like a multilayered cake and bursting with red-tile domes, this 1931 church perches on the northwest side of the Hill of the Nymphs. Its murals,…
Church of Agios Nikolaos Rangavas
Syntagma & Plaka
This lovely 11th-century church was part of the palace of the Rangavas family, who counted among them Michael I, emperor of Byzantium. The church bell was…
Athens
This ornate 1862 cathedral is the seat of the archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church of Athens. Far more significant, both historically and…
Syntagma & Plaka
This museum covers the general history of money, from ancient times on. There's a token nod to the euro era, but really this place is about that venerable…
Syntagma & Plaka
Built between 1836 and 1842 by Bavarian architect Friedrich von Gärtner, Greece's Parliament was originally the royal palace. From its balcony, the…
Athens
This relic of the junta years is a stark architectural statement of the times. But its displays of weapons, maps, armour and models from the Mycenaean…
Athens
Built in 1759, this building on the south side of Monastiraki is one of few surviving examples of a tzami (mosque) in Athens. It has not functioned as a…
Athens
On the summit of Lykavittos Hill is the little Chapel of Agios Georgios, all in white with a dainty dome. It's floodlit at night and looks like a vision…
Syntagma & Plaka
One of the few remnants of Athens' Ottoman period, this 17th-century hammam (Turkish bath) is also the only intact public bath building in the city –…
Syntagma & Plaka
One of the few very old Byzantine churches that is open regularly, this is definitely worth a peek inside to see how an 11th-century space is still in…
Athens
Μanolis Anastasakos and Pavlos Tsakonas, along with students from the Athens School of Fine Arts (ASKT), are responsible for this provocative piece of…
Athens
This 12m-high marble monument at the top of Filopappou Hill was built between AD 114 and 116 in honour of Julius Antiochus Filopappos, a prominent Roman…
Athens
This small 11th-century church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, stands smack in the middle of the Ermou shopping strip. It was saved from the bulldozers and…
Syntagma & Plaka
Excavation work to create a ventilation shaft for the metro uncovered the well-preserved ruins of a large Roman bath complex, built in the 3rd century AD…
Syntagma & Plaka
Housed in two interconnected buildings, including the palace where King Otto lived between 1830 and 1846, this small museum is not so much about the city…
Syntagma & Plaka
Inaugurated in 1888, the neoclassical Zappeio Hall is named after Evangelis Zappas, the tycoon who funded the first modern Olympics in 1896. Used to host…
Athens
Greece’s national art museum has been closed since 2013 for rebuilding; it's not set to be completed until around 2022. In the meantime, a portion of the…
Athens
This university is infamous as the spot where the junta countered a student protest in 1973 by crashing in with a tank.
Syntagma & Plaka
This 11th-century church is worth a detour just to see it still existing amid all the modern office buildings. Inside, you'll see a tiled dome and, under…
Athens
Northwest of Hill of the Pnyx, this hill is home to the old Athens observatory, built in 1842.
Museum of Greek Children’s Art
Syntagma & Plaka
Founded to cultivate a love of art and creative development, this space exhibits young artists' work and holds workshops for children.
Athens
Contemporary Greek artists. Look for the building entrance between the basket vendors that line this street.
Athens
This imposing late-19th-century church was built in honour of the future King Constantine I.
Athens
On the south side of the National Archaeological Museum, this is an important collection of Greek inscriptions, but the main halls' tersely labelled…
Syntagma & Plaka
Clinging to the north slope of the Acropolis, the tiny Anafiotika district is a beautiful, architecturally distinct subdistrict of Plaka. In the mid-1800s…
Athens
This museum has been closed since 2015, when it began its transition to this new site at Adrianou. Once it reopens in 2020, it will display secular and…
Athens
To get a sense of how ancient ruins once looked, take a virtual-reality trip at this multimedia centre. The Tholos virtual-reality theatre takes you on an…
Syntagma & Plaka
Get a close-up look at the evzones, the traditionally dressed Greek soldiers, standing in front of their main barracks and, further down Irodou Attikou,…
Syntagma & Plaka
A neoclassical mansion contains the collection of Paul and Alexandra Kanellopoulos that was bequeathed to the Greek state in the 1970s. There's lovely…
Ileana Tounta Contemporary Art Centre
Athens
Established in 1988, this venerable arts hub in a warehouse is one of the more prestigious places to exhibit in the city. Shows include both Greek and…
Athens
Established by American artist Rick Lowe, known for his Project Row Houses in Houston, Texas, this storefront is what he calls a 'social sculpture': a…
Athens
Under Ottoman rule, Greeks buried their dead at their local church. Only after independence in 1821 was this city cemetery established. It's a peaceful…
Athens
Take the tram to this highly family-friendly park with loads of playground facilities and a summer puppet theatre, plus an open-air cinema. The coast just…
Melina Merkouri Cultural Centre
Athens
For anyone who loves the Greek tradition of karagiozi (shadow puppets), this free museum is a treat, packed with the creations of master puppeteer…
Athens
This educational centre devoted to science and technology includes Athens' planetarium, a 950-sq-metre hemispherical dome on which 3D virtual trips to the…
Athens
This ornate building, completed in 1885 and modelled on Plato's Academy, is Greece's most prestigious research institution. It was designed by Theophil…
Museum of Greek Folk Art at 22 Panos
Syntagma & Plaka
While the main Museum of Greek Folk Art is being rebuilt (it's scheduled to reopen in 2020), this annexe houses the permanent collection Men & Tools,…
Theocharakis Foundation for the Fine Arts & Music
Athens
This arts centre has good exhibitions spread across three levels of gallery space; they change around four or five times a year. For English details on…
