How to choose the best time of day to visit the Acropolis in Athens so you can beat the heat and the crowds!
What time should you visit the Acropolis?
Past advice has been that visitors should plan on seeing the Acropolis as early as possible during the day. 08:00 has often been said to be the best time to visit the Acropolis.
The reason for this, is that during the summer, it is a good idea to walk to the top of the Acropolis early before the temperatures of Athens get too hot.
The slight drawback to this plan, was that almost every visitor to Athens had the same idea. This meant that visiting the Acropolis at 08:00 actually put you there at the busiest time of the day. Not great if you wanted to avoid the crowds!
By the way, the photo above was taken on a quiet day at the Acropolis!
Then, in 2024, the Greek government changed the rules slightly, and introduced time-slots for visiting the Acropolis. You pre-book your time-slots here on the official Hellenic Heritage Website.
This system aims to alleviate overcrowding at the Acropolis and ensure a smoother experience for everyone. It did, however, create a couple of problems. The main one being that early tickets sell out quite quickly, meaning that a lot of people are forced to visit the Acropolis at hotter parts of the day.
To add to the confusion of choosing which time of the day to walk around the Acropolis, the government also now closes the Acropolis on super-hot days (+40 degrees) between the hours of 12:00 and 17:00.
This is a good thing. Take my word for it. I’ve been living in Athens for 10 years, and you do NOT want to be climbing up the Acropolis in that sort of heat!
(I only ever visit the Acropolis in off-season when the temperatures and tourist numbers are lower!)
But, it’s a bad thing if you only have limited time in Athens and you find yourself missing out.
So, what are you supposed to do?
How to get an early ticket for the Acropolis
On balance, visiting at 08:00 is still the best time to see the Acropolis. In terms of temperature, it’s the coolest time of day, and now there’s a limit on the number of visitors, the crowds are better managed. The issue is in getting a ticket.
Your first step should be to see if you can get an Acropolis and Slopes ticket through the official site mentioned earlier. If there are some available, well done you!
If there aren’t any available, don’t panic. You might still be able to go and see the Acropolis early
The reason for this, is that tour companies often pre-buy tickets or have some other arrangement that gives them access to tickets. This means that while you can’t get one yourself, they might be offering a tour or even a skip the line Acropolis ticket.
Yes, it’s going to be more expensive than the official website, but if you’re set on visiting at 08:00 it’s the only way to go.
Two good options are:
Important note: Keep in mind that the Acropolis, Parthenon and Slopes are one site. The Acropolis Museum is a separate site with its own ticket.
18:00 Might Be A Good Time To Visit The Acropolis
Now with all that said, the 18:00 time-slot might be just as good a time to go to the Acropolis. At least during the summer.
The temperatures will have cooled off from the peak heat of the day, you will have avoided any site closures, and fewer people visit at this time. Researching this in July, I haven’t seen any of the evening Acropolis time-slots sell out, even for the next day.
It will be a little warmer than visiting in the early morning of course. The main advantage though, is that an evening Acropolis time-slot will be far less crowded.
Times To Avoid Seeing The Acropolis
All things considered, you should probably avoid visiting the Acropolis between 12:00 and 17:00 during the peak summer period of late June, July, August and early September.
The authorities will close the site on very hot days, and even if it’s not hot enough to close, it will still be very hot for most people!
Stick to morning and evening time-slots for the best experience!
Off-season Acropolis Sightseeing
Outside of June, July, August, and September, you can really visit the Acropolis at any time. You still need to pre-book your tickets and time-slot, but there will be fewer crowds and the temperatures will be more tolerable.
Tips for visiting the Acropolis
- Book tickets online: Secure your entry time slot in advance.
- Wear comfortable shoes: You'll be doing a fair bit of walking on uneven terrain. Yes, it’s uphill!
- Bring water: Stay hydrated, especially during warmer months.
- Sunscreen & hat: Protect yourself from the Greek sun, even on cloudy days.
- Early morning or late afternoon: Enjoy fewer crowds and cooler temperatures (check time slot availability).
If you have any questions about how to see the Acropolis or visiting Athens, just leave a comment below and I’ll do my best to answer. Here’s a few more Athens travel guides you might be interested in:
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Is Athens worth visiting? Yes… and here’s why
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What is Athens known for?
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Is Athens Safe To Visit? – An insider’s guide
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How Many Days Do You Need In Athens?
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Best Time to Visit Athens
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Useful Athens Travel Tips For First Time Visitors
– Dave Briggs
Dave is a travel writer who's been living in Greece for the last ten years. In addition to creating this guide on choosing the best time of day to see the Acropolis in Athens, he's written hundreds of other Greece travel guides and insights here on Dave’s Travel Pages.
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