Choosing Where to Go
Greece has hundreds of fenced, ticketed archaeological sites, but a first visit usually revolves around a short list: the Acropolis and Ancient Agora in Athens, Delphi on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, Olympia in the western Peloponnese, Mycenae and Epidaurus in the Argolid, the Minoan palace of Knossos on Crete, and the island sanctuary of Delos in the Cyclades. Most of these are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and each has an on-site or nearby museum that holds the finds. The museums are not an optional extra: much of what makes a ruin legible, from the Delphi Charioteer to the frescoes of Akrotiri, is indoors.
Think in regions rather than a list. Athens works as a base for the Acropolis, the Agora and the National Archaeological Museum. Delphi is a long day trip from Athens or a comfortable overnight. The Peloponnese sites form a loop: Corinth, Mycenae, Epidaurus and Nafplio sit close together, and Olympia is a few hours further west. Crete and the Cyclades need their own flights or ferries.
Athens: the Acropolis and Its Neighbours
The Acropolis is the most visited site in the country, and entry is by timed slot. Tickets are sold through the official Hellenic Heritage e-ticketing service (hhticket.gr), and booking ahead is the only reliable way to get the hour you want in summer. The first slot of the morning and the last two hours before closing are the coolest and least crowded. The main entrance is on the west side, near the Areopagus; a second entrance on the south slope passes the Theatre of Dionysus.
Leave time for the Ancient Agora below, with the well-preserved Temple of Hephaestus and the reconstructed Stoa of Attalos, and for the Acropolis Museum at the foot of the hill, where the Parthenon frieze is displayed at full scale in a glass gallery aligned with the temple itself. The National Archaeological Museum, north of the centre, holds the gold of Mycenae and the Antikythera mechanism.
Delphi and the Peloponnese
Delphi was the sanctuary of Apollo and the seat of the oracle. The site climbs steeply from the Temple of Apollo to the theatre and the stadium, so the walk to the top is a real climb in the heat. The Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia, with its circular tholos, lies a short walk down the road and is often missed by tour groups.
Olympia is flat and shaded by pines, the opposite of Delphi. The stadium tunnel, the Temple of Zeus and the workshop of Pheidias are the main points, and the museum holds the sculptures from the Temple of Zeus pediments. Mycenae, with the Lion Gate and the beehive tomb known as the Treasury of Atreus, and the theatre at Epidaurus are each about half an hour from Nafplio, which makes Nafplio the obvious base. Epidaurus still stages performances in summer as part of the Athens and Epidaurus Festival.
Crete and the Islands
Knossos, a short drive south of Heraklion, is the largest Minoan palace site. Parts of it were reconstructed in concrete by Arthur Evans in the early twentieth century, which helps visitors picture the building and frustrates purists. The Heraklion Archaeological Museum, with the original frescoes and the Phaistos Disc, is essential to understanding it; see the museum first if you can.
Delos, opposite Mykonos, is reached only by boat and has no overnight accommodation. The Ministry of Culture's 2026 listing gives the site and museum hours as 08:00 to 19:30 with a full ticket of 20 euros. On Santorini, the covered Bronze Age town of Akrotiri, buried by the Minoan-era eruption, also charges 20 euros in 2026, while Ancient Thera on the Mesa Vouno ridge charges 10 euros.
Tickets, Discounts and Free Days
Since 2025 Greek state sites use a tiered, year-round price structure, and the old winter half-price season no longer applies. Prices for the largest sites are set higher than for smaller ones, and the Acropolis sits in a category of its own. Buy from the official e-ticket service or at the site ticket office; avoid resellers who add a markup to a standard entry ticket.
EU citizens under 25 are admitted free to state sites with proof of age, though at the Acropolis you still need to book a zero-price ticket for a time slot. Reductions apply to some other categories, and the Ministry of Culture publishes a short list of free-admission days each year. Carry a passport or ID card; you will be asked for it.
Practical Advice
Heat is the main hazard. From June to September most sites have little shade, and the stone radiates heat by early afternoon. Arrive at opening time, carry water, and wear a hat and shoes with grip: marble steps and paths are worn smooth and slippery. Large bags may not be allowed in, and drones are prohibited without a permit.
Sites close or cut their hours in heatwaves, strikes and on some public holidays, so check on the day. Guides licensed by the Greek state can be hired at the larger sites and add a great deal at places like Mycenae, where the visible stones tell only part of the story. Finally, plan fewer sites per day than seems possible. Two major sites plus their museums is a full day, and three is usually too many.
