Historic Site · Athens, Greece
Acropolis of Athens
The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel located on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens, Greece, and contains the remains of several anci. Built c. 501 BC. It drew 4,557,693 visitors in 2024.
Photo: Giles Laurent via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Athens, Greece |
|---|---|
| Type | Historic Site |
| Built | c. 501 BC |
| Area | Area: 1.167 km² |
| Annual visitors (2024) | 4,557,693 |
| Coordinates | 37.9717° N, 23.7261° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Acropolis of Athens is known for
The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel located on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens, Greece, and contains the remains of several anci.
About Acropolis of Athens
The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel located on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens, Greece, and contains the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historical significance, the most famous being the Parthenon. The word Acropolis is from Greek ἄκρον (akron) 'highest point, extremity' and πόλις (polis) 'city'. The term acropolis is generic and there are many other acropoleis in Greece.
History
The Acropolis is located on a flattish-topped rock that rises 150 m (490 ft) above sea level in the city of Athens, with a surface area of about 3 ha (7.4 acres). While the earliest artifacts date to the Middle Neolithic era, there have been documented habitations in Attica from the Early Neolithic period (6th millennium BC). There can be little doubt that a Mycenaean megaron palace stood upon the hill during the late Bronze Age.
Best time to visit
April to June and September to October — warm but not scorching, with fewer crowds.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Athens |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH) |
| Distance from the airport | 12.3 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH) · Spata-Artemida, Greece · 12.1 miles away
- Santorini International Airport (JTR) · Santorini Island, Greece · 145.2 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
Where to stay nearby
Places to stay near Acropolis of Athens, with a link to each place's own site.
- Hotel Grande Bretagne · Syntagma Square, Athens
Historic hotel with Acropolis views
- Electra Metropolis Athens · Syntagma, Athens
Rooftop restaurant with Acropolis views
Where to eat nearby
Places to eat near Acropolis of Athens, with a link to each place's own site.
- Strofi · Rovertou, Athens
Restaurant with Acropolis views
- Dionysos Zonar’s · Apostolou Pavlou, Athens
Restaurant facing the Acropolis
More landmarks in Greece
More historic sites
Frequently asked questions
What is Acropolis of Athens?
The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel located on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens, Greece, and contains the remains of several anci.
Where is Acropolis of Athens located?
Acropolis of Athens is in Athens, Greece. Its coordinates are 37.9717° N, 23.7261° E.
How do I get to Acropolis of Athens?
The nearest town is Athens, and the nearest airport is Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH), about 12.3 miles away (straight line).
When is the best time to visit Acropolis of Athens?
April to June and September to October — warm but not scorching, with fewer crowds.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acropolis_of_Athens — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q131013 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
- https://www.visitgreece.gr/ — Official tourism / managing-body page — best time to visit.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.