Top tourist sites in Athens

No city boasts more historical grandeur and mythological tradition than the cradle of civilization: Athens. As one would expect from the birthplace of the Western world, Athens contains countless ancient marvels, but in recent years it is has also reinvented itself as a progressive and modern metropolis. Here are five of Athens' finest attractions.

The Acropolis
The Acropolis is undoubtedly the most well-known and recognizable symbol of ancient Greece. The iconic Parthenon temple stands perched atop this massive flat top rock overlooking the city's skyline. The ancient temple at the top of this massive Acropolis stems back over 7,000 years, but it reached its prime during the golden era of ancient Greece, when it served at the center of religious and commercial activity. Today, it serves a different purpose, as one of the country's most popular tourist attractions.

The New Acropolis Museum
Located just a stone's throw from one of Athens' oldest landmarks, The Parthenon, sits one of its newest. The New Acropolis Museum was opened just a few short years ago, yet it is already considered among the city's greatest museums. Designed by architect Bernard Tschumi, this visually stunning building houses almost every major artifact found on or around the Acropolis. The exquisite collection comprises over 4,000 treasures that are displayed across two floors.

Elsewhere, glass paneled walls allow visitors to peer into houses, workshops and roads of an ancient Athenian neighborhood, where ongoing excavations are still taking place. For the final act, visitors enter the astounding Parthenon Gallery, where dozens of ancient sculptures and frieze from the original temple are beautifully presented.

National Archeological Museum
The National Archeological Museum in Athens is not only renowned as Greece's finest museum, but ranks among the top museums in the world. The sheer size of this collection is truly staggering. Apart from its unparalleled collection of ancient Greek antiquities, the museum also features one of the world's most impressive displays of Egyptian Art. One of the museum's highlights is the Mycenaean Collection, which contains unearthed treasures like gold cups, jewelry and the famous Mask of Agamemnon, which dates back roughly 3,500 years.

Theater of Dionysus
This great theater of the Greek god Dionysus was constructed in 400 B.C. to stage the plays and performances of the ancient Athenians. The venue once catered for over 17,000 spectators during the annual festivals in honor of the eponymous deity of harvest, wine and theater. Today, little more than the ruined shell of the original theater remains. Theater-lovers need only visit the neighboring Roman theater, Odeon of Herodes, to catch one of the performances during the annual Athens Festival.

Mt. Lycabettus
It's said that Athens' highest hill emerged when the goddess Athena accidentally dropped a piece of Mt. Pendeli (which she originally intended to use to boost the height of her own temple on the Acropolis). Since then, people have been traversing the slopes of Mount Lycabettus to take in some truly astounding views of Athens, the Acropolis and the surrounding countryside. For those who don't fancy the hike, a convenient funicular embarks up the hill every 30 minutes.