Acropolis Combined Ticket – Your Pass To Ancient Athens
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For history buffs visiting Athens, especially for the first time, the Acropolis Combined Ticket can be a great option to explore the city’s ancient treasures while saving both time and cash.
Also known as the Athens Combined Ticket, this pass allows you to visit the best archaeological sites in Athens, including the Acropolis, as well as some of the city’s lesser-known ancient sites.
But is the Acropolis Combo Ticket worth it after all? And how does the Athens Combo Ticket work? This comprehensive guide answers these and several other questions to help you decide if purchasing the Acropolis Combined Ticket is a good idea for you.
What Is The Acropolis Combined Ticket?
The Acropolis Combined Ticket is a pass that allows you one-time admission to each of seven different archaeological sites in Athens within five days from the date you visit the first of the included ancient sites.
What Does The Acropolis Combined Ticket Include?
As mentioned above, the Acropolis Combo Ticket grants you access to seven archaeological sites in Athens.
These are the Acropolis of Athens and its Slopes, the Ancient Agora of Athens and its Museum, Kerameikos and its Museum, the Roman Agora of Athens, Hadrian’s Library, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, and Lykeion of Athens.
Below, you’ll find a brief overview of these historic sites with links to the thorough guides we’ve published about each.
1. The Acropolis of Athens & Its Slopes
The Acropolis of Athens
The Acropolis of Athens needs no special introduction. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, the Acropolis is the ultimate icon of Greece and one of the world’s most recognizable landmarks.
Built atop a rock overlooking Athens, the iconic Acropolis resembles an apparition that soars above the concrete jungle that is the modern Greek capital.
The grandiose buildings that still adorn the once glorious citadel were all constructed in the 5th century BC during the so-called Golden Age of Athens.
Of course, the most striking of all the monuments on the Acropolis Hill is the Parthenon, a large temple dedicated to Goddess Athena, the patroness of Ancient Athens.
Another stunning building is the Erechtheion, known for its southern facade, which is decorated with the statues of six beautiful women, the Karyatides.
There’s more to explore in the Acropolis of Athens, such as remnants of other religious or secular buildings, as well as ruins of the ancient citadel’s old fortification walls.
South Slope of The Acropolis
Some people might not know about this, but the journey into the magic of the Acropolis doesn’t end at the top of what we Greeks like to call the Sacred Rock. It continues on the slopes, too.
Among many other ancient ruins, the South Slope of the Acropolis is home to a sanctuary of Asclepius, the Ancient Greek God of Medicine. The Sanctuary dates back to 420 BC when it was used as a healing center.
Another site not to miss on the South Slope of the Acropolis is the Theater of Dionysus, the Ancient God of Festivity and Wine. This theater was the oldest in the region of Attica (and maybe the world), with a capacity of 16,000 spectators.
From the South Slope of the Acropolis, you can also enjoy a spectacular view of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, which isn’t open for visits, as it’s reserved for live performances.
North Slope of The Acropolis
The North Slope of the Acropolis is one of the city’s best-kept secrets, hidden in plain sight under the shadow of the Acropolis rock. In Ancient Athens, the North Slope of the Acropolis was a place of worship for secondary deities.
Throughout the centuries, some of these ancient sanctuaries were turned into Christian Orthodox churches. Along the quaint paved path of the North Slope, there’s also a Mycenaean Fountain and Klepsydra, a natural spring.
Unfortunately, the North Slope of the Acropolis is currently closed, and there’s no prediction as to the time of its re-opening. However, you can have a sneak peek of the North Slope if you stroll along the scenic Theorias Street.
How To Visit The Acropolis of Athens & Its Slopes
A full ticket for the Acropolis and its Slopes costs 20 EUR from April 1st to October 31st or 10 EUR from November 1st to March 31st.
You need three hours to fully enjoy the Acropolis of Athens and the South Slope.
2. Ancient Agora of Athens & Ancient Agora Museum
Archaeological Site of The Ancient Agora of Athens
Second only to the Acropolis of Athens, the Ancient Agora is probably the most important archaeological site in Athens.
The Agora was the ancient city’s commercial, administrative, business, and cultural center. On its grounds, the Athenians gave birth to the very idea of democracy.
A visit to the Ancient Agora makes you feel as though you’ve traveled back in time, strolling the same streets as Ancient Athenians. The Panathenaic Way was one of them. This wide road started from Kerameikos and led to the Acropolis via the Ancient Agora.
The Ancient Agora of Athens covers a vast area dotted with sun-drenched ruins from several periods in history, such as the Classical Period, Hellenistic Years, and Roman Times.
Among them, the Temple of Hephaestus stands out for being the best-preserved Doric Temple in Greece. Another impressive building is the Attalos Colonnade.
Gifted to the city of Athens by the King of Pergamon in the 2nd century BC, the Colonnade was a popular place for Ancient Athenians to meet or do their shopping.
Destroyed during the Heruli invasion, the Colonnade was reconstructed by the American School of Classical Studies in the 1950s.
Ancient Agora Museum
Also known as Stoa of Attalos, the Colonnade houses the on-site Ancient Agora Museum on its ground floor.
From everyday household items to objects related to the city’s public life, the Museum, although very small, features a collection of spectacular archaeological findings from several historical periods.
How To Visit The Ancient Agora of Athens & Its Museum
A full ticket for the Ancient Agora of Athens and its Museum costs 10 EUR from April 1st to October 31st or 5 EUR from November 1st to March 31st.
You need two to three hours to fully enjoy the Ancient Agora of Athens and its Museum. For everything you need to know to plan a seamless visit, read our thorough Ancient Agora of Athens visiting guide.
3. Kerameikos & Archaeological Museum of Kerameikos
Archaeological Site of Kerameikos
Probably the most underrated of all archaeological sites in Athens, Kerameikos is a marvelous open-air museum with many layers of ancient history narrating the area’s several different functions throughout the centuries.
Kerameikos was a large district in Ancient Athens. Most of its area was covered by one of the oldest cemeteries in Ancient Greece. Part of Kerameikos Cemetery was Demosion Sema, the burial ground of prominent Ancient Athenians and war heroes.
Apart from a cemetery, Kerameikos was also known as the Potters’ District. The area’s proximity to the ancient Eridanos River created excellent soil conditions for the development of pottery.
Potters settled there to produce some of the finest Attic vases we still admire at archaeological museums across Greece.
Moreover, visiting the archaeological site of Kerameikos allows you to see part of the old defensive walls and the remnants of two of the ancient city’s gates, the Sacred Gate and Dipylon.
Other ancient ruins include Pompeion, a grand public building, a once-elaborate Fountain House, and the Sacred Way, the road that led to the ancient city of Eleusis.
Of course, you can’t miss the Street of Tombs, a road lined with impressive funerary monuments.
Archaeological Museum of Kerameikos
More funerary memorials await at the terrace of the on-site Kerameikos Museum. Once inside the museum, several items related to burials are on display.
Yet, the most impressive exhibits are the sculptures that were used for the construction of the city’s wall or the support of its roads.
How To Visit Kerameikos & Its Museum
A full ticket for Kerameikos and its Museum costs 8 EUR from April 1st to October 31st or 4 EUR from November 1st to March 31st.
You need at least two hours to fully enjoy Kerameikos. For everything you need to know to plan a seamless visit, read our thorough Kerameikos visiting guide.
4. Roman Agora of Athens
Similar to the Ancient Agora of Athens, the Roman Agora was where the ancient city’s heart used to beat in Roman Times.
Access to the archaeological site of the Roman Agora is via the Gate of Athena Archegetis, the magnificent main entrance made of Pentelic marble.
Inside the archaeological site, you’ll see another entrance, the Eastern Propylon, which is equally imposing.
However, the most striking monument at the Roman Agora of Athens is no other than the so-called Tower of The Winds, an impressive clock that’s considered an engineering wonder.
Next to the Clock, one of the quirkiest archaeological finds awaits to fascinate you with its similarities to modern times: the remains of a building that housed the Roman Agora’s public toilets.
How To Visit The Roman Agora of Athens
A full ticket for the Roman Agora of Athens costs 8 EUR from April 1st to October 31st or 4 EUR from November 1st to March 31st.
You need less than an hour to fully enjoy the Roman Agora of Athens. For everything you need to know to plan a seamless visit, read our thorough Roman Agora of Athens visiting guide.
5. Hadrian’s Library
No trip to Athens is complete without a stroll through its historic center, namely the neighborhood of Plaka. As you wander around Plaka, it’s almost certain that you’ll stumble upon the ruins of Hadrian’s Library.
However, no matter its very central location, this archaeological site is not among the most-visited ancient sites in Athens. Therefore, apart from its historic value, it’s also a wonderful site to explore in peace and quiet.
This gorgeous Library was founded by Hadrian around 133 AD and reflected the Roman Emperor’s wish to turn Athens into the cultural capital of the entire Roman Empire.
For this reason, he ensured the Library featured splendid architecture and boasted a huge collection of books as if to accumulate all of the world’s wisdom within its walls.
The monumental main entrance of the archaeological site is one of its most striking constructions, followed by the mosaic-covered floors of a church that used to stand in the middle of the historic site.
Yet, the building of the Library itself is what leaves you speechless, especially if you let your imagination travel back to the times when Hadrian’s Library stood there in all its glory.
How To Visit Hadrian’s Library
A full ticket for Hadrian’s Library costs 6 EUR from April 1st to October 31st or 3 EUR from November 1st to March 31st.
You need less than an hour to fully enjoy Hadrian’s Library. For everything you need to know to plan a seamless visit, read our thorough Hadrian’s Library visiting guide.
6. Temple of Olympian Zeus (Olympieion)
Right in the heart of Athens, the archaeological site of Olympieion is one of the easiest ancient sites to reach and explore.
It’s home to the massive Temple of Olympian Zeus, the largest temple in Ancient Greece and a powerful symbol of the strong bonds between the ancient city of Athens and the Olympian Gods.
Apart from the Temple, other ruins to explore at Olympieion include an elegant main entrance, the mind-blowing remains of a Roman Baths complex, and scattered fragments of the Old City Walls.
Right outside the archaeological site of the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the still-standing dramatic gate was built in honor of Emperor Hadrian.
How To Visit The Temple of Olympian Zeus
A full ticket for the Temple of Olympian Zeus costs 8 EUR from April 1st to October 31st or 4 EUR from November 1st to March 31st.
You need about one hour to fully enjoy the Temple of Olympian Zeus. For everything you need to know to plan a seamless visit, read our thorough Temple of Olympian Zeus visiting guide.
7. Aristotle’s Lyceum in Athens (Lykeion)
Probably the least-known of all the archaeological sites included in the Acropolis Combined Ticket, Aristotle’s Lyceum in Athens or Lykeion of Athens is often considered the birthplace of global intellect as that was where Aristotle, one of the greatest minds of all time, established his School.
However, not much remains of the once-famed philosophical school but the area of the Palaestra, the open-air wrestling and training center.
During your stroll through the Lykeion archaeological site, you’ll see remnants of Roman Baths and various rooms of the Palaestra.
How To Visit Aristotle’s Lyceum in Athens
A full ticket for Aristotle’s Lyceum in Athens costs 4 EUR from April 1st to October 31st or 2 EUR from November 1st to March 31st.
You need less than an hour to fully enjoy Aristotle’s Lyceum in Athens. For everything you need to know to plan a seamless visit, read our thorough Lykeion of Athens visiting guide
Do You Need Separate Tickets For The Acropolis & The Acropolis Museum?
As you must have noticed, the Acropolis Combo Ticket doesn’t include a visit to the Acropolis Museum, an essential stop for any Ancient Greek history enthusiast.
You need to buy a separate ticket to visit the New Acropolis Museum. If you book your museum ticket via this link, you can opt for an insightful audio guide, too.
For a more meaningful experience, we recommend visiting the Acropolis of Athens before exploring the Acropolis Museum. Ideally, you should visit both on the same day.
How Much Is The Acropolis Combo Ticket?
The Athens Combined Ticket Costs 30 EUR. If you purchase it via this link, it comes with two different self-guided audio tours for a small surcharge.
Is The Acropolis Combination Ticket Refundable?
The Athens Combined Ticket is a non-refundable ticket.
How Does The Athens Combo Ticket Work?
The Athens Combined Ticket grants you one-time access to each of the seven archaeological sites included in the pass. The Acropolis Combined Ticket is valid for five consecutive days from the date you visit the first site.
When you purchase your Athens Combo Ticket, you’ll be asked to choose a specific day and time for your visit. This corresponds to the exact time slot reserved for your visit to the Acropolis of Athens alone.
The Acropolis of Athens is the only one among the seven ancient sites included in the Acropolis Combination Ticket that requires a specific time slot. If you miss your allocated time slot on your selected date, you won’t be allowed entry to the Acropolis of Athens.
However, you’re allowed to enter 15 minutes before or 15 after the time displayed on your ticket. To be on the safe side, though, try to be at the Main or South Entrance of the Acropolis 30 minutes before your allocated time slot.
There’s no limit to the time you’ll spend inside the archaeological site of the Acropolis.
For the other six archaeological sites, you simply show up at the entrance with your Athens Combination Ticket without prior reservation.
Is The Athens Combined Ticket Worth It?
The Athens Combined Ticket can be worth it for two reasons. First, it can save you some cash, sometimes even up to 50% off the full ticket prices. Second, it can save you valuable time queueing up to buy separate tickets for each archaeological site.
Yet, there are various factors to consider before deciding if the Acropolis Combined Ticket is worth it.
For starters, if you only want to visit the Acropolis of Athens, you can stop reading here. The Athens Combo Ticket isn’t worth it in this case as it costs more than a regular single ticket for the Acropolis.
However, since you’re here, a travel blog dedicated to Ancient Greece, we’re assuming that you’ll want to explore more of Ancient Athens than just the Acropolis.
In that case, purchasing the Acropolis Combination Ticket is certainly worth it if you’re traveling to Athens between April 1st and October 31st and you’re planning to visit the Acropolis and at least two more of the other six archaeological sites.
If you have enough time to visit all seven of them, you’ll indeed be paying 50% less than what you’d pay by buying separate single-use tickets.
That said, things are a lot different if you’re planning a trip to Athens between November 1st and March 31st.
During the so-called winter period, aka the low season, tickets for all historic sites included in the Athens Combination Ticket come at a reduced rate. More specifically, they cost half the price.
Even if you visit all seven sites, the total cost is almost the same as what the Acropolis Combo Ticket would cost.
Moreover, with the exception of the Acropolis site, during the winter season, archaeological sites in Athens rarely see long lines. Therefore, there’s no such thing as saving time during the low season.
To cut a long story short, you should purchase an Acropolis Combined Ticket if you’re visiting Athens in the summer season and planning to explore the Acropolis and at least two more of the other six archaeological sites included in the Athens Combined Ticket.
In the winter months, consider buying the Acropolis Combo Ticket only if you plan to visit all seven archaeological sites within five days.
We hope we managed to answer all your questions about the Acropolis Combined Ticket and helped you make the right decision for your upcoming trip to Athens.
If you have more questions, join our Ancient Greece-themed Facebook Group, and either we or another member of our cherished community will be more than glad to assist further.
