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- Locals have answered 98 questions about Athens.
- Ask Athens Locals
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1. Acropolis
- The high city of the ancient Athenians
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- Landmarks
- Acropolis
- Nile Expert Tip: You need at least an hour to see the site. To have the place to yourself, go just at the hour of opening...
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2. New Acropolis Museum
- Witness to History
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- Museums
- Acropolis
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3. Ancient Agora
- Follow the footsteps of Socrates
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- Landmarks
- Monastiraki
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4. National Archaeological Museum
- Treasures of gold and marble
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- Museums
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5. Keramikos Cemetery
- Hush... Don't wake the dead
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- Picnics, Parks & Gardens
- Plaka
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6. National History Museum (Old Parliament)
- Rooms upon Rooms of Greek Folklore and Legacy
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- Museums
- Syntagma
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7. War Museum
- From the stone age to the present day
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- Museums
- Kolonaki
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8. Museum Battleship Averof
- Of fierce sea battles
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- Landmarks
- Outside the City
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9. Marathon Battlefield & Burial Mound
By September of 490 B.C., the advancing force of Persia -- then the most powerful empire in the world...
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10. Byzantine Museum
- Religious art at its best
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- Museums
- Kolonaki
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The Best of NileGuide
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Athens is one of the oldest capital cities of the world and offers more historical things to do than any other category. The presence of countless other western civilization specialists such as the French, American, and British schools of archaeology along with the privatization of many museums has made Athens a premiere destination for lovers of culture and history, the very ones who will most appreciate our top ten list of the best historical things to do in Athens. The good news for anyone who might be hesitant accompanists of the history buffs is that these museums and archaeological sites have come a long way from the dusty, boring museums of yesteryear. The New Acropolis Museum is the best example in Athens and well worth spending at least an hour, if not just for the cafe terrace facing the Acropolis itself.
The Acropolis ticket gives access to six archaeological parks, three of which are on our list for their natural beauty and historical significance: the Ancient Agora, the Keramikos Cemetery, and of course, the Acropolis, are three places that are dramatically important to the rise of western civilization as we know it. The Marathon battlefield and burial mound is 27 miles outside of the city but well worth the visit for a breath of fresh air. The Ancient Agora, Keramikos Cemetery, and Marathon battlefield all have exceptional on-site museums, but that shouldn't keep you from paying a visit to the National Archaeological Museum, one of the best collections of antiquities in the world.
Medieval Athens is purely Byzantine, as is apparent by the high number of well preserved churches dating back to the 12th century. The Byzantine Museum has an exceptional collection of icons and treasures; it's housed in the mansion of one of Athens' most eccentric aristocrats, Sophie deMarbois, the Duchess of Plaisance.
The modern history of Greece can be absorbed in the National History museum, a museum that reads like a storybook and is located in the city's first parliament building. Go to gawk over the18th century weaponry, jewelry, and traditional costumes, or go for a postcard showing the first modern Olympic games. For fans of military history, combine a visit to the War Museum with weapons dating back to neolithic times all the way to battles of the 20th century- most of which our list's only floating museum, the Averof Battleship, was directly involved.
- Best Of Athens
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