The Acropolis

Date updated: August 24, 2026

The Acropolis was our focus while in Athens. The Ancient Agora is equally impressive and more pleasantly shaded and mellow.

We walked to the Acropolis through Plaka and stumbled across an entry by the theater of Dionysus. We managed to get there around 9 AM, before it got really crowded. The marble surfaces were slippery. And it was hot up there, even though it was only 73° or so. From the top, we could see from the mountains to the sea.

Filopappos Hill, as seen from the Acropolis. We climbed this.

The Theater of Herodus Atticus, because one theater is not enough. They still do performances here.

the Agora, from the Acropolis — The Agora, with the Temple of Hephaestus. You can see other ruins from one ruin.

The Temple of Olympic Zeus, also seen from the Acropolis.

The remains of several buildings are on the Acropolis, like the Erechtheion, which has these caryatids. I like a good caryatid! You can see these at the British Museum too.

The colossal buildings are amazing. So is the detailed stonework if you get up close. It’s also kind of amusing that there are chunks of ancient stonework sitting around, like any building materials on any job site.

You can see some of the building repairs.

By the time we left, the crowds were starting to build. Glad we got there before the crowds.

After the dust and glare of the Acropolis, winding down through the Ancient Agora was a nice change, since it was leafier and much less crowded.It was also cooler, with shade and plants. We even saw a turtle crossing a path. The well-preserved Temple of Hephaestus was one of our favorites, along with a restored stoa.