• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Time Travel Turtle

A travel blog with stories beyond the brochure

  • HOME
  • ABOUT ME
  • CONTACT ME
  • BY COUNTRY
    • WEST EUROPE
      • Belgium
      • England
      • France
      • Germany
      • Ireland
      • Liechtenstein
      • Luxembourg
      • Netherlands
      • Northern Ireland
      • Scotland
      • Switzerland
      • Wales
    • NORTH EUROPE
      • Estonia
      • Finland
      • Latvia
      • Lithuania
      • Norway
      • Sweden
    • SOUTH EUROPE
      • Cyprus
      • Gibraltar
      • Greece
      • Holy See
      • Italy
      • Malta
      • Portugal
      • San Marino
      • Spain
    • EAST EUROPE
      • Austria
      • Belarus
      • Croatia
      • Czech Republic
      • Hungary
      • Montenegro
      • Poland
      • Serbia
    • NORTH ASIA
      • China
      • Japan
      • Kazakhstan
      • Kyrgyzstan
      • Mongolia
      • North Korea
      • Tajikistan
      • Uzbekistan
    • SOUTH ASIA
      • Cambodia
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Myanmar
      • Malaysia
      • Nepal
      • Philippines
      • Singapore
      • Sri Lanka
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
    • NORTH AMERICA
      • Antigua & Barbuda
      • Belize
      • Canada
      • Costa Rica
      • Guatemala
      • Mexico
      • USA
    • SOUTH AMERICA
      • Argentina
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Paraguay
      • Peru
      • Uruguay
    • AFRICA
      • Egypt
      • Morocco
      • Namibia
      • South Africa
    • OCEANIA
      • Australia
      • New Zealand
    • MIDDLE EAST
      • Jordan
      • Turkey
  • MOST POPULAR
    • The world’s oldest backpacker
    • Orangutans in Borneo
    • The need for speed
    • Trying to get out of the slum
    • The lake swamped with tourism
    • Journey into Dreamland
    • The village where life begins again
    • Is Cambodia safe for travellers?
    • Making the perfect gin and tonic
  • UNESCO

Acropolis wow!

April 18, 2020 | Michael Turtle | 49 Comments

WORLD HERITAGE SITE

The Acropolis, Athens, Greece

It’s always a bit strange, I find, actually going to one of the world’s most famous landmarks. There’s so much expectation there.

You’ve seen so many photos – often making the place look better than it could ever be in real life – that you fear the actual thing couldn’t possibly live up to the hype. I was worried the Acropolis in Athens would be one of those.

How to visit the Acropolis, Athens, Greece

Climbing the steps, it is hot. A steep cliff rises above me, a scattering of ruins lies around. Nothing to write home about yet.

Tourists are paused along the path, taking photos of… I’m not really sure. One Japanese visitor is told off by the guards for using a tripod but I’m not really sure why. There’s no need for him to be using the assistance to photograph the unmoving objects in the hot sunlight – so there’s no real point in stopping him. But so be it.

I walk further on and leave him to his sweaty mutterings, imagining speech bubbles of angry kanji characters.

How to visit the Acropolis, Athens, Greece

Up the final set of stairs it’s starting the get slippery. Climbing on marble in flip flops makes you wonder if the stones are perspiring themselves.

Perhaps it’s the strain of supporting so many visitors over so many thousands of years. I imagine it’s always been tiring, even if the material of the sandals have changed over the generations.

How to visit the Acropolis, Athens, Greece
How to visit the Acropolis, Athens, Greece

Getting to the top, I pause for breath. Not because of the steep incline I’ve just climbed, but because the beauty of the Acropolis has finally revealed itself.

Everything that had been visible from a distance is in front of me but close up it takes on a new dimension.

I had wondered if it would live up to expectations. It does.

How to visit the Acropolis, Athens, Greece

The Parthenon at the Acropolis

The columns tower above, the scale something that could not be imagined. Unlike many ruins in Greece, it’s easy to picture the original form.

The temple for Athena is a tribute which merges the human and the divine. All of Athens, her city, lies flat below but up here, closer to the heavens, you feel displaced from the minutiae of everyday life.

There is a spirituality to standing atop the Acropolis that neither time nor cynicism can destroy.

How to visit the Acropolis, Athens, Greece
How to visit the Acropolis, Athens, Greece

It seems even hotter up here. Are we closer to the sun? Is there a reflected heat from all the stone? Is it just a lack of shade?

Under one of the few trees on top of the hill, bubblers of water allow visitors to quench the thirst and refill their bottles.

One family has commandeered them all, though, like foreign invaders conquering and hydrating. Their small children use it as a bath, splashing around in the shallow basin.

Really, it’s not that hot! And it’s my turn!

How to visit the Acropolis, Athens, Greece

It’s funny how the grandest of sites can be so impressive, despite the expectation. The most religious of places can be almost transcendental.

But the little things somehow always creep in. A ban on tripods; slippery stairs; a queue for the drinking water. We are but mere mortals.

THE BEST ACCOMMODATION IN ATHENS

There’s a good range of accommodation in Athens and I would recommend finding something near Syntagma Square for convenience.

BACKPACKER

For a backpacker option, I would recommend the modern and comfortable Bedbox Hostel.

BUDGET

If you’re looking for value, I would suggest the Athens Mirabello, which also has a great location.

BOUTIQUE

There are some cool design hotels in the city and one of the nicest is The Artist Athens.

LUXURY

And for 5-star luxury, I would suggest the modern Electra Metropolis with a great view of the Acropolis.

This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For more info click here. You can see all the UNESCO World Heritage Sites I’ve visited here.
Greece Travel Guide

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT Greece?

See my Greece Travel Guide

To help you plan your Greece travel:

  • As 3 day itinerary for historic Athens
  • Hoe to get a free local tour of Athens
  • The wonder of the Acropolis in Athens
  • How to see the origin of the Olympics
  • An ancient civilisation as a day trip from Athens
  • Is this where modern medicine all began?
  • The Greek island where Jackie Onassis escaped to

Let someone else do the work for you:

You may also want to consider taking a tour of Greece, rather than organising everything on your own. It’s also a nice way to have company if you are travelling solo.

I am a ‘Wanderer’ with G Adventures and they have great tours of Greece.

You could consider:

  • Sailing Greece – Mykonos to Santorini (8 days)
  • Best of Greece (15 days)
  • Sailing Greece – Athens to Santorini (15 days)

When I travel internationally, I always get insurance. It’s not worth the risk, in case there’s a medical emergency or another serious incident. I recommend you should use World Nomads for your trip.

Reader Interactions

    Comments Cancel reply

  1. D.J. - The World of Deej |

    August 29, 2012 at 9:19 am

    Reply

    Beautiful pics…really need to make it to Greece, before they have to sell off the country..

    • Michael Turtle |

      August 31, 2012 at 5:28 pm

      Reply

      Do you think they’ll start with the Acropolis? Surely it would be worth quite a few euro?? 🙂

  2. Elmer Cruz |

    August 29, 2012 at 11:20 am

    Reply

    Such beauty.

    • Michael Turtle |

      August 31, 2012 at 5:28 pm

      Reply

      Yeah, it’s quite a stunning place – from every angle!

  3. BlogDaz |

    August 29, 2012 at 1:09 pm

    Reply

    love that night time shot, what a great photo.

    • Michael Turtle |

      August 31, 2012 at 5:29 pm

      Reply

      Thanks. I had to get high up on top of a mountain to get it. Not much else is higher than the Acropolis in Athens.

  4. Aleah | SolitaryWanderer.com |

    August 29, 2012 at 1:54 pm

    Reply

    My first thought when I reached the Parthenon was like: why are there cranes here? It doesn’t look like its pictures in the postcards 😀 I had to spend over an hour there to really appreciate the beauty that is Acropolis.

    • Michael Turtle |

      August 31, 2012 at 5:30 pm

      Reply

      Yeah, it seems like there is constant construction (restoration) work going on there. It does take away from the mood slightly. I wonder whether they’ll ever be finished?

  5. Natalie |

    August 29, 2012 at 4:46 pm

    Reply

    An amazing part of history so perfectly displayed for the current generation. I often wonder with this ruins, what people will think about them in say 300 years time.

    • Michael Turtle |

      August 31, 2012 at 5:30 pm

      Reply

      In 300 years’ time, everyone will probably be getting virtual tours on their ipads before they’ve even learnt to walk!! 🙂

  6. Angela |

    August 29, 2012 at 9:12 pm

    Reply

    Fantastic photos, so much history enshrined in those ruins.

    • Michael Turtle |

      August 31, 2012 at 5:32 pm

      Reply

      If only the columns could talk… 🙂

  7. Sophie |

    August 29, 2012 at 10:19 pm

    Reply

    Only an Aussie would climb Acropolis in flip flops 😉

    I think the Acropolis very much lives up to the expectations. Even on hot summer days with heaps of tourists, it’s quite possible to imagine how it once was.

    • Michael Turtle |

      August 31, 2012 at 5:33 pm

      Reply

      Ha ha ha. We do everything in flip flops! Is there any other footwear? (And at least it wasn’t in crocs!)

  8. Lillie - @WorldLillie |

    August 30, 2012 at 3:46 am

    Reply

    Sweet article! The Acropolis totally exceeded my expectations, but what made it even cooler was randomly seeing Blues Brothers impersonators there: http://www.aroundtheworldl.com/2012/05/20/the-blues-brothers-at-the-parthenon-of-athens-greece/ 🙂

    • Michael Turtle |

      August 31, 2012 at 5:34 pm

      Reply

      Wow – that’s pretty hilarious! Not what you would expect at all at the top of the Acropolis. But a pretty unique impression (I assume).

  9. Karen @ Trans-Americas Journey |

    August 31, 2012 at 4:26 am

    Reply

    That second photo is gorgeous! And we know what you mean about fearing that reality will not live up to the hype. We felt that way about the Taj Mahal, then it turned out to be so much MORE than expected that we visited it on two different occasions!

    • Michael Turtle |

      August 31, 2012 at 5:42 pm

      Reply

      That’s great to hear that about the Taj Mahal. I haven’t been there yet but would have the same kind of concern. To be fair, there aren’t a lot of places that do disappoint… but there’s just always the fear that they will.

  10. Abhishek Behl (Wild Navigator) |

    August 31, 2012 at 6:36 am

    Reply

    Awesome 🙂 – Thanks for posting

    • Michael Turtle |

      August 31, 2012 at 5:43 pm

      Reply

      My pleasure. Thanks.

  11. Laurence |

    August 31, 2012 at 5:37 pm

    Reply

    Love the night time shot of the acropolis. And also your description of your approach to it, and how it managed to meet you expectations, despite the minor niggles. You are right.. there is always something 😉

    • Michael Turtle |

      August 31, 2012 at 5:44 pm

      Reply

      Grrr… there’s always something! 🙂

  12. Cole @ FourJandals.com |

    August 31, 2012 at 10:35 pm

    Reply

    Beautifully written post about a beautiful spot that I really want to visit. I had high expectations for the Pyramids in Egypt. And they luckily blew me away.

    • Michael Turtle |

      September 2, 2012 at 12:45 am

      Reply

      I’m pleased to hear that about the pyramids! I’m sure you won’t be disappointed with the Acropolis either.

  13. Jess | GlobetrotterGirls |

    September 1, 2012 at 6:33 am

    Reply

    Ugh, this makes me really want to go to Greece now. Why can’t the world get smaller instead of larger the more we travel! 🙂 Great piece. I love the perspective about what your day is actually like the day you visit one of the world’s greatest attractions. Like when Dani and I went to Tikal and I had my first day of Dengue. Wasn’t really what I expected that day to be like 🙂 but we had a good time anyway! 🙂

    • Michael Turtle |

      September 2, 2012 at 12:43 am

      Reply

      I’m sure I’ll always remember going to The Acropolis but I probably won’t always remember the family who were hogging the water. The small things aren’t important, as such, by they are part of the experience.
      Having said that, I reckon you’ll always remember Dengue!! Poor thing…

  14. Claire |

    September 1, 2012 at 11:34 am

    Reply

    I’ve been there a few times but I still love it. I personally love the view of the acropolis and agora from the aeropagus. I can just imagine the cases being heard and Paul’s sermon as well.

    And your photos are gorgeous, but I recognize that bust of Antoninus Pius from the Stoa of Atalos in the agora.

    • Michael Turtle |

      September 2, 2012 at 12:40 am

      Reply

      Ah, yes, how did that bust slip in there? It seemed to be pretty Acropolis-y, I thought… 🙂

  15. Andrew |

    September 3, 2012 at 6:42 am

    Reply

    Definitely go earlier in the morning to the Acropolis. I think I was up there before 10 and although sunny and warm, not insane like you talk about. Really is an impressive place though.

    • Michael Turtle |

      September 4, 2012 at 6:37 am

      Reply

      Yeah, if you get up there early you’ll avoid the summer sun and the tourist buses. It’s one of those things that I knew, but still couldn’t be bothered to wake up. I decided a sleep-in was more important than a comfortable day at the Acropolis 🙂

  16. Jeremy Branham |

    September 8, 2012 at 12:57 am

    Reply

    What commanding views over the city. Years later, we still admire the beauty of this place. I can only imagine the awe that this place inspired when it was first built and fully functional.

    • Michael Turtle |

      September 14, 2012 at 8:09 pm

      Reply

      Gosh, when it was all intact and not the pile of ruins it is now, it would have been an incredible place. Especially considering that Athens would not have been nearly as big as it is now – it would have just added to the impact of the temples up on the hill.

  17. Mary @ Green Global Travel |

    October 30, 2012 at 3:13 am

    Reply

    Interesting angle on stating the pros & cons of the Acropolis. I’m glad to read that it’s worth all of the hype.

    • Michael Turtle |

      October 31, 2012 at 12:51 pm

      Reply

      Thanks, Mary. It’s definitely somewhere worth seeing. Like all of those places, though, it could do without the tourists!! 🙂

  18. Sohbet odalari |

    December 11, 2013 at 11:22 pm

    Reply

    acropolis looks really great under the light nice pictures. i like thanks

    • Michael Turtle |

      January 19, 2014 at 3:54 pm

      Reply

      It’s beautiful with the night lights, isn’t it? And – more importantly – it’s not nearly as hot as it is during the middle of a summer day!!

  19. Robert |

    January 22, 2016 at 1:30 am

    Reply

    You really captured the Acropolis experience beautifully in this post. It is certainly one of those places that everyone must see at least once in their life. Great photos!

    • Michael Turtle |

      January 23, 2016 at 8:58 am

      Reply

      Oh yes, indeed. It really is one of the most important places in the world and you have to try to see it once, don’t you?

  20. Andrew Darwitan |

    February 23, 2017 at 3:04 am

    Reply

    You take really beautiful shots! 🙂 Despite the crowd, I think Acropolis is so quintessential you just have to do it. But the ticket also comes together with a visit to Ancient Agora (it’s like Acropolis without a crowd) and Kerameikos (very underrated, the archaeological site is themed around death). I love Greece and would like to return someday!

    • Michael Turtle |

      April 2, 2017 at 2:30 pm

      Reply

      A great point! You’ve got to see the Acropolis when you’re in Athens but it’s also really worth using the ticket to visit the other places that are included with it.

Primary Sidebar

This is the website of travel writer, Michael Turtle. After working in broadcast journalism for a decade in Australia, Michael left Sydney to travel the world indefinitely and write about the places, people and experiences he discovers. This isn't a diary - these are real stories from the world.

Want Occasional Updates?

Sign up to be the first to hear the latest about the adventures of Time Travel Turtle. You'll also get access to special offers and exclusive news.
Thank you! You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter.

Search

  • PRIVACY POLICY