At a glance
🎟️ 30€
Same price all year. Free for EU citizens under 25.
🕗 Slot 8:00
The first hour of the day has the fewest people.
🚪 Two entrances
The south one is usually quieter than the main one.
📱 hhticket.gr
The only official platform. Book there.
First: how entry works
Since September 2023 the Acropolis has admitted visitors in time slots, with a limit of about 20,000 a day. When you buy a ticket you choose an entry time and you have to go in within it. Once you’re through the gate, you can stay as long as you like until closing.
That means the “queue” comes in two parts. The first is at the gate, for the ticket check, and with an e-ticket it usually moves fast. The second, and more tiring, is up top, on the steps of the Propylaea, where at peak times people climb in a narrow line. The moves below spare you both.
If you have an e-ticket, you don’t need to queue here.
Scan the QR code and go through. The time on your ticket matters.
This is where people bunch up at peak times, not at the gate.
Photos: George E. Koronaios (CC BY-SA 4.0), Jean Housen (CC BY-SA 4.0), Bryan Ledgard (CC BY 2.0) · Wikimedia Commons
1. Book the first hour of the day
The Acropolis opens at 8:00 all year. The 8:00 slot is the best decision you can make: fewer people, cooler air, and you reach the Parthenon before the big groups. From April to October this slot sells out first, sometimes days ahead. Book as soon as you know your date.
With the first slot you climb before the groups.
In the morning the light comes from the east, behind the temple.
For people with reduced mobility, on the north side.
Photos: Holger Uwe Schmitt (CC BY-SA 4.0), George E. Koronaios (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons
2. Or the last one
If you miss the morning, look at the last hours of the day. The groups have gone, the heat drops and the light is warmer. The downside is that you have less time up there. From November to March the site closes at 17:00 and last entry is at 16:30. In summer it closes later, and the exact time changes from month to month, so check it on your ticket.
3. Avoid 10:00–14:00 from April to October
These are the hours when most organised groups and cruise passengers go up, and the heat is at its worst. If the only free slot falls in this window, choose the south entrance and bring water and a hat.
🌡️ During a heatwave
In heatwaves the Ministry closes the Acropolis in the middle of the day, usually 12:00–17:00. The decision comes the day before or on the day. If you have a midday ticket, check the news in the morning. There’s almost no shade on the Rock.
4. Buy only from hhticket.gr
The official ticket costs €30 all year and is sold on hhticket.gr, the Ministry of Culture’s platform. There you see the free time slots, prices and reductions. EU citizens under 25 get in free with an ID card or passport, but they still need a free ticket with a time slot.
Be careful with sites selling “skip-the-line”. Most of the time they sell you the same time slot at a higher price. A package with a licensed guide is worth it for the guiding, not because it puts you at the front. For the city’s other tickets, see our guide to the combined ticket.
5. Go in by the south entrance
The Acropolis has two entrances, and the same ticket works at both. The main (west) entrance is above the Areopagus, with the big ticket office, and most groups start from there. The south entrance is on the pedestrian street of Dionysiou Areopagitou, opposite the Acropolis Museum, 200 metres from the metro station.
From the south entrance you climb gradually up the slope: you pass the Theatre of Dionysus, the Stoa of Eumenes and the path above the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, and reach the Propylaea in about 20 minutes. It’s a bit more walking, but the queue is usually shorter and you see monuments most people skip.
On Dionysiou Areopagitou, opposite the Acropolis Museum.
The first stop on the way up. The tragedies of the 5th century BC were staged here.
The arched wall below the Rock, on the path up.
The path passes above the theatre before reaching the Propylaea.
Photos: George E. Koronaios (CC BY-SA 2.0, CC0, CC BY-SA 4.0), Jean Housen (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Wikimedia Commons
🗺️ The two entrances and where they meet
The orange line is the short climb from the main entrance. The purple one is the climb from the south entrance, past the Theatre of Dionysus and above the Odeon: about 20 minutes. Both end at the Propylaea. Tap each number to see what it is.
6. A cloudy day is a gift
A day with clouds or light drizzle brings fewer people and a more bearable temperature than a scorching, clear sky. The light is soft and photos come out better than you’d think. Just be careful: wet marble is very slippery, and in strong winds or a storm the site may close.
A grey day empties the Rock. The light is soft.
In drizzle the crowds thin out. Just mind the wet marble.
Photos: Vislupus (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons
7. On the day
- Have your QR code ready. Take a screenshot before you arrive. Don’t go digging through your emails at the turnstile.
- A small bag. Large backpacks and suitcases aren’t allowed in. Leave them at the apartment.
- Water and a hat, from May to September. There’s almost no shade.
- Shoes with a good sole. The marble has been polished by millions of footsteps.
- Allow 90 minutes to 2 hours on the Rock, and another half hour if you came in from the south side.
Free days: more people, not fewer
On free days (6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September, 28 October and the first and third Sunday from November to March) the Acropolis fills up. If you want to make the most of them, go at 8:00 and use the south entrance. All the dates are in our calendar of free museum days.
For people with reduced mobility
There’s a lift on the north side of the Rock. Its use is arranged at the main entrance, and at peak times you may have to wait. Come early in the morning and ask at the ticket office. The paths up top are smoother than they used to be, but the marble is slippery.
🚇 How to get there from Ioulianou 50
Choose your route according to your entrance. For the 8:00 slot, leave the apartment at 7:25.
Route 1: to the main entrance, no change (about 30 minutes)
- Ioulianou 50 → Victoria station: 3 minutes on foot.
- Line 1 (green), towards Piraeus: Omonia, Monastiraki, and at the third stop get off at Thissio.
- Thiseio → main entrance: 15 minutes on foot, uphill, along the pedestrian street of Apostolou Pavlou.
🚇 Route 1: Line 1 to Thissio → main (west) entrance
No change of train. From Thissio you walk up the Apostolou Pavlou pedestrian street.
Route 2: to the south entrance, with one change (about 25 minutes)
- Ioulianou 50 → Victoria station: 3 minutes on foot.
- Line 1 (green), towards Piraeus: one stop, to Omonia.
- Line 2 (red), towards Elliniko: Panepistimio, Syntagma, and at the third stop get off at Akropoli.
- Akropoli station → south entrance: come out onto Dionysiou Areopagitou and walk 200 metres. The entrance is on your right.
🚇 Route 2: Line 1 + Line 2 to Akropoli → south entrance
One change at Omonia. The south entrance is 200 metres from the station.
Where it is in relation to the apartment
📍 From Angels Athens to the “Acropolis · Entrance”
See at a glance how to get there from the apartment at Ioulianou 50. Drag the map and zoom in for details.
For the whole visit
What to see on the Rock, with a stop-by-stop map, is in our complete guide to the Acropolis. Afterwards, head down to the Acropolis Museum when the heat rises, and if you still have the energy, climb Areopagus Hill for the sunset in the afternoon.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a ticket that gets you in ahead of everyone?
No. Everyone enters with a time slot. A more expensive package may include a guide, but not real priority at the entrance.
How early should I book?
In winter you can usually find a slot on the same day. From April to October book a few days ahead, especially for the 8:00 slot.
What if I’m late for my slot?
Time slots are strict. If you’re late, you may be asked to wait for the next free slot or not be let in. Leave yourself a margin for the metro and the climb.
Is a guide worth it?
Not for the queue. To understand what you’re seeing, a good licensed guide makes a big difference. Book ahead and avoid people who approach you at the entrance.
— Kathy
