Acropolis Tickets and Admission 2026
How much is admission, how do the time slots work, and which entrance should you use? Prices and opening hours come from the official ticketing platform of the Greek Ministry of Culture, last checked on 25 September 2026.
The essentials in 30 seconds
- The ticket for the Acropolis and its slopes costs €30, reduced €15, all year round. It is valid for one entry.
- EU citizens up to 25 and all children under 5 go free. Bring ID.
- Entry works with one-hour time slots. No more than 20,000 visitors are admitted per day; in season the morning slots sell out early.
- Official tickets are sold online by Hellenic Heritage (tickets.hh.gr) or at the ticket offices at both entrances.
- The Acropolis Museum has its own ticket (€20). It is at the south entrance, three minutes from Akropoli metro.
The second link is an affiliate link: we may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.
Acropolis admission prices 2026
Prices apply all year; the former winter discount was abolished in 2025. Each ticket is valid for one entry in the booked time slot.
| Ticket | Included | Price | Reduced* | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acropolis and slopes | The rock with Parthenon, Erechtheion, Propylaea and Temple of Athena Nike, plus the north and south slopes with the Theatre of Dionysus | €30 | €15 | 1 entry in the booked time slot |
| Acropolis Museum | Museum at the south entrance, separate operator | €20 | €10 | 1 day |
| Former Athens combined ticket | Acropolis and six other sites, 5 days | discontinued | no longer offered since April 2025 |
* Reduced: according to the operator, children and young people aged 6 to 25 from non-EU countries and seniors over 65 from the EU and EEA. Free: EU citizens up to 25, children under 5, people with disabilities and one companion. Every reduction must be documented at the entrance. Sources: Hellenic Heritage, Ministry of Culture.
Time slots: how entry works
- Since September 2023, tickets are issued for a one-hour time slot, for example 8 to 9 am. You must pass the checks within that hour; once on top you can stay as long as you like.
- No more than 20,000 visitors are admitted per day, spread across the slots. The early slots have the most places and the shortest queues, but sell out days ahead in summer.
- Tickets from providers such as GetYourGuide are also tied to a time slot; on guided tours the guide sets the slot.
- Ticket offices on site only sell the next free slot. In season that can mean the afternoon, or nothing at all.
Acropolis opening hours
| Period | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 April to 31 August | 8:00 | 20:00 |
| 1 to 15 September | 8:00 | 19:30 |
| 16 to 30 September | 8:00 | 19:00 |
| 1 to 15 October | 8:00 | 18:30 |
| 16 to 31 October | 8:00 | 18:00 |
| 1 November to 31 March | 8:00 | 17:00 |
Last entry 20 minutes before closing. Closed on 1 January, 25 March, 1 May, Easter Sunday and 25 and 26 December. During heatwaves the Ministry of Culture closes the rock at short notice over the midday hours; this is announced in the morning on the operator’s website.
Buying tickets: official or through a provider?
Just the ticket? Buy it officially from Hellenic Heritage. This is the platform of the Greek Ministry of Culture and the cheapest way. The ticket arrives with a QR code on your phone, so you skip the ticket office. The site is available in Greek and English only.
With a guide or audio guide? Then a package makes sense. Providers such as GetYourGuide bundle ticket, time slot and guide. It costs more than the plain ticket, but a good guide explains why the Parthenon looks the way it does.
Beware of mark-ups: Many websites with “Acropolis tickets” in their name are not official and charge well over €30. The official address is hh.gr and the official sales run through tickets.hh.gr. Tickets are issued for a time slot and cannot be changed.
Free admission: free days, children, EU citizens under 25
- Free days: 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September, 28 October, and from November to March the first Sunday of each month; for winter the operator also lists the third Sunday. There is no online booking on these days and it gets very crowded.
- EU citizens up to 25: free, with ID. This also applies to students from the EU.
- Children under 5: free, whatever their nationality. A free child ticket can be added to an online booking.
- People with disabilities and one companion: free. A lift on the north side of the rock takes wheelchair users to the top; it is arranged through the operator.
The Acropolis with a guide
You can walk the Acropolis in an hour, but without explanation it remains a pile of marble. A guided tour of one and a half to three hours puts the buildings in order and tells what happened in 1687. Tours run daily in several languages; choose the language when booking.
Affiliate links to GetYourGuide: we may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. Prices, languages and availability change; the provider’s listing prevails. Selection checked on 25 September 2026.
Getting there: by metro to the Acropolis
The Acropolis is in the centre of Athens. The easiest way is metro line 2 to Akropoli: the exit is on the pedestrian street Dionysiou Areopagitou, three minutes from the south entrance and the Acropolis Museum. Monastiraki and Thissio stations (lines 1 and 3) are about 15 minutes on foot from the west entrance.
From the airport, metro line 3 takes about 40 minutes to Syntagma; change there to line 2 for one stop to Akropoli. If you come by car, park outside the centre: there is practically no parking around the rock.
The two entrances
- West entrance (main entrance)
- Below the Propylaea, with ticket office and checks at the foot of the rock. The direct way up, but the bigger crowds.
- South entrance
- On Dionysiou Areopagitou next to the Theatre of Dionysus, close to the metro and the museum. The path climbs across the south slope, passing the theatres.
Both entrances, 16 highlights and three routes are on our Acropolis map. How the Parthenon became a ruin is told in our history of the Acropolis.
The Acropolis Museum
The museum at the south entrance shows the originals missing from the rock: the Parthenon frieze, five of the six caryatids from the Erechtheion and finds from the slopes. From the top floor you look straight at the Parthenon. Tickets cost €20, reduced €10, bought separately from the Acropolis ticket, officially at etickets.theacropolismuseum.gr.
Summer opening hours (April to October): Monday 9 am to 5 pm, Tuesday to Sunday 9 am to 8 pm, Friday until 10 pm. Winter (November to March): Monday to Thursday 9 am to 5 pm, Friday 9 am to 10 pm, weekends 9 am to 8 pm. Source: Acropolis Museum.
Tips for your visit
- First or last time slot: At 8 am and in the final hour it is emptiest and coolest.
- Best time to visit: March to May and October. In high summer there is no shade on top, and the rock closes at midday during heatwaves.
- Slippery marble: The paths on the rock are polished smooth. Wear shoes with grip, not sandals.
- Bring water: There is a drinking-water tap on top but no café.
- Museum in the afternoon: Rock first in a morning slot, museum when it gets hot outside.
Frequently asked questions about Acropolis tickets
How much are Acropolis tickets?
The ticket for the Acropolis and its slopes costs €30, reduced €15, all year round (as of 25 September 2026). EU citizens up to 25 and children under 5 go free. The Acropolis Museum costs an extra €20.
Where can I buy official Acropolis tickets?
Online from Hellenic Heritage (tickets.hh.gr), the ticketing platform of the Greek Ministry of Culture, or at the ticket offices at the west and south entrances. Guided tours with ticket and time slot are sold by providers such as GetYourGuide.
Do I need to book a time slot for the Acropolis?
Yes. Since September 2023 tickets are valid for a one-hour time slot in which you must pass the checks. No more than 20,000 visitors are admitted per day. In season the morning slots sell out days in advance; buying on site only gets you the next free slot.
How long do you need for the Acropolis?
One to two hours for the rock with the Parthenon, Erechtheion and Propylaea. Two to three hours with the south slope, Theatre of Dionysus and Asklepieion. The Acropolis Museum takes another two hours.
Is the Acropolis free for EU citizens?
For EU citizens up to 25, yes, with ID. From 26 the ticket costs €30; seniors over 65 from the EU pay €15.
When is the Acropolis free?
On 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September, 28 October, and from November to March on the first Sunday of the month. There is no online booking on free days and the crowds are large.
Which Acropolis entrance is better?
The south entrance on Dionysiou Areopagitou is three minutes from Akropoli metro and climbs across the south slope past the theatres. The west entrance is the main entrance with a direct way to the Propylaea. With a booked time slot you can use either.
Is the Acropolis open in the heat?
During heatwaves the Ministry of Culture closes the rock at short notice over the midday hours, usually from 12 to 5 pm. This is announced the same morning on the operator’s website. Morning slots are the safe choice.
Can you go inside the Parthenon?
No. The Parthenon, Erechtheion and Propylaea are fenced off; you walk around them. The original sculptures are in the Acropolis Museum.
Sources and status
Text: Daniela Pieper, Back in Time Travel editorial team. Prices, opening hours, time slots and rules checked on 25 September 2026. Details may change; the operator’s information prevails.
- Hellenic Heritage: Acropolis of Athens (prices, opening hours, free days)
- Hellenic Heritage: official ticket sales
- Acropolis Museum: Plan your visit
- Greek Ministry of Culture: free admission
- t-online (German): Athens restricts access to the Acropolis (time slots, 20,000 per day)
- Archaeology Travel: Buying Acropolis Tickets 2026 (end of the combined ticket)
Image credit
The Acropolis seen from the Pnyx. Photo: George E. Koronaios, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
