Athens offers more than the Acropolis! Visitors should not only see its magnificent monuments but also experience all that Greece has to offer! From exploring Ancient Olympia and The Parthenon on Acropolis to breathtaking beaches and islands – Greece has something special waiting for them!
Meteora, just 2.5 hours away from Athens, offers breathtaking monasteries perched atop towering rocks. Devoted to Apollo, god of music, harmony, light and healing, these hermitages truly take your breath away.
Acropolis
The Acropolis was the center of all political and artistic life in ancient Athens. Now designated a Unesco World Heritage Site, its collection of temples includes the Parthenon as well as buildings that continue to influence modern architecture.
Temples constructed using Pentelic marble from Mount Pentelicus northeast of Athens required enormous blocks to be cut and brought uphill for fitting – which required thousands of stonemasons, sculptors and artisans in its construction. The Acropolis became home for many cult statues that celebrated goddess Athena as well as an altar for offerings during Greater Panathenaea festival.
Thrasyllos’ Sponsor Monument was constructed to recognize winners of dramatic contests held at the Theater of Dionysus, covering an entrance to a cave as well as becoming a church called Panagia Spiliotissa in Christian times. However, its structure was severely damaged in 1827 due to an Ottoman bombshell explosion on Acropolis and suffered substantial damage as a result of that.
Ancient Agora
Ancient Athens’ Agora was at the core of commerce, religion and politics – home to temples, the Stoa of Attalus (a covered promenade of shop stalls), Bouleuterion for city council meetings as well as Metroon which served as official city archives – in addition to serving as both marketplace and entertainment centre, where theatre and gymnastic performances took place before special venues were set aside for such activities.
An agora was the meeting place of ancient philosophers like Sophocles, Plato and Socrates to discuss politics, religion, philosophy, art, literature and social issues. It provided a vibrant space that fostered ideas of citizenship equality and freedom – something later town centers lacked. A visit to an agora will give visitors an understanding of how Greek society worked as it provides visitors with an authentic experience that should not be missed! For any history buff.
Theatre of Epidaurus
Epidaurus, known for its sacred healing center dedicated to Asclepius the God of Medicine, boasts an amazing theatre with incredible acoustics that attracts visitors worldwide to witness ancient Greek drama performances held here. The well-preserved structure remains one of the site’s signature attractions and continues to draw in people from around the globe for performances held here.
Hellenistic theaters were known for their three-part structure – comprising of skene, orchestra and cavea – as a seating arrangement. The diazoma section reserved for patrons of higher social standing while front tiers of cavea offered luxurious backed seats for front rows.
Epidaurus temple ruins are just two hours’ drive southwest from Athens and make for a wonderful day trip experience. Visit between May and June or September and October when there will be less crowds, to take full advantage of Epidaurus’ architectural marvels and unique acoustics without peak crowds – even whispers on stage can be heard by audiences in its highest rows of seats!
Mycenae
Mycenae, famous as the birthplace of King Agamemnon, is one of the most significant archaeological sites in Greece and features numerous buildings, such as a palace and beehive-shaped tomb known as The Treasury of Atreus.
Scholars remain uncertain why Mycenaean civilization collapsed; theories include natural disaster, overpopulation, internal social unrest or external invasion from tribes like Sea Peoples. Whatever its reason may have been, Mycenae played an integral part of Greek history and contributed significantly to many cultural and literary works today.
The Mycenaean palace on the Acropolis dates back to around 1350 BCE. Built in stages, excavations of this complex have revealed several interesting artifacts. Additionally, several burial sites predating Mycenaean walls by three centuries exist at this location and contain funerary objects for burial. Grave Circle A is most notable.
