✅ Free on this day
- The Acropolis rock with the Parthenon
- The Ancient Agora, Kerameikos, the Roman Agora, the Temple of Olympian Zeus
- The National Archaeological Museum and the other state museums
❌ Not free
- The Acropolis Museum: normal tickets on these days
- Private museums (e.g. Benaki Museum, Museum of Cycladic Art)
Which days exactly
- November, December, January, February, March: the 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month.
- 18 April: International Day for Monuments and Sites, whatever day of the week it falls on.
The countdown at the top of the page always shows the next one. The days are set by ministerial decision (Government Gazette B 1968/2024) and apply every year. For the days when the Acropolis Museum is free as well, see the article on 6 March, 18 May and 28 October.
National Archaeological Museum: the closest one
Greece's largest archaeological museum is at Patision 44, 8 minutes from the apartment. Here you'll see the gold Mask of Agamemnon from Mycenae, the Antikythera Mechanism and the bronze Jockey of Artemision, found in the sea off Evia. Allow at least two hours. A rainy winter Sunday is the perfect day for it.
The entrance is through the garden, on Patision Street.
Found in pieces in a shipwreck off Artemision, Evia.
A gold funeral mask from Mycenae, 16th century BC.
The gears of the ancient «computer» found in the sea.
Photos: Wozart (CC0), George E. Koronaios (CC BY-SA 4.0), Jebulon (CC0), Joyofmuseums (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikimedia Commons.
How to get to the National Archaeological Museum
- Ioulianou 50 → 3is Septemvriou: walk east along Ioulianou for about 200 metres to 3is Septemvriou Street.
- 3is Septemvriou → Ipirou: turn right onto 3is Septemvriou for about 140 metres, then left onto Ipirou.
- Ipirou → Vasileos Irakleiou → Patision: Ipirou becomes Vasileos Irakleiou and brings you out on Patision, next to the museum.
- Patision 44: turn right onto Patision; the entrance is in the garden, a few metres on.
About 600 metres in total, 8 minutes. For the Acropolis: Line 1 to Omonia and Line 2 to Akropoli station, about 20 minutes.
🎟️ From Ioulianou 50 to the National Archaeological Museum
About 600 metres on foot. Tap the museum for the route in Google Maps.
Ancient Agora and Kerameikos
If the weather is good, combine the rock with the Ancient Agora and Kerameikos. They are right next to each other below the Acropolis, and in winter they are less crowded.
The Stoa of Attalos, now home to the Agora museum.
The ancient cemetery of Athens, quiet even on free days.
Photos: A.Savin (CC BY-SA 3.0), George E. Koronaios (CC0), Wikimedia Commons.
Kathy's tip: in winter the archaeological sites close earlier than in summer. Start with the rock in the morning and keep the National Archaeological Museum, which is right next to us, for the afternoon. Check each site's opening hours before you go.
Frequently asked questions
When is the next free day?
Sunday 1 November 2026. The countdown at the top of the page updates itself.
Is the Acropolis Museum free on these Sundays?
No. The Acropolis Museum is not one of the ministry's museums and has its own free days. The Acropolis rock, however, is free.
Is it free for tourists too?
Yes, for all visitors.
Do I need a ticket?
Yes, a zero-value one. You pick it up at the site's ticket office; free tickets can't be booked online.
— Kathy
