The Heart of Ancient Glory

Dominating the city skyline is the Acropolis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the world-famous Parthenon. This ancient citadel, standing proudly above the city, represents Athens’ enduring legacy as a center of art, philosophy, and democracy. The Acropolis draws millions of visitors every year, offering breathtaking panoramic views of the modern metropolis below.

As of 2025, entry tickets to the Acropolis cost around €20 for adults (reduced to €10 in winter), while a combined archaeological pass (€30) grants access to multiple sites including the Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, and Kerameikos Cemetery. Visiting early in the morning or late in the afternoon helps avoid peak crowds and harsh midday heat.

The Acropolis Museum and the National Archaeological Museum

To truly grasp Athens’ story, a visit to its museums is essential. The Acropolis Museum, located just a short walk from the site, houses original statues, friezes, and relics discovered on the hill. Its glass floors reveal ancient excavations beneath, allowing visitors to literally walk over history. The National Archaeological Museum, one of the world’s finest, displays over 11,000 artifacts, including the Mask of Agamemnon and the Antikythera Mechanism — a 2nd-century BC astronomical calculator that astonishes historians even today.

Museum entry fees are around €15 for the Acropolis Museum and €12 for the National Archaeological Museum, both open daily from morning until early evening.

Strolling Through Plaka: The “Neighborhood of the Gods”

At the base of the Acropolis lies Plaka, one of Athens’ oldest and most charming districts. Its narrow cobblestone streets, neoclassical houses, and bougainvillea-draped balconies create a postcard-perfect scene. The area blends old-world charm with vibrant modernity — cafés serving Greek coffee sit beside souvenir shops and local craft boutiques.

Here, visitors can enjoy authentic Greek tavernas offering dishes like moussaka, souvlaki, and tzatziki. In the evening, live bouzouki music spills into the streets, and the Acropolis glows above, reminding everyone of the city’s eternal connection to its past.

The Ancient Agora: Birthplace of Democracy

Just northwest of the Acropolis lies the Ancient Agora, once the heart of Athenian public life. It was here that Socrates debated, Pericles spoke, and democracy was born. The site includes the Temple of Hephaestus, one of the best-preserved Doric temples in Greece, and the reconstructed Stoa of Attalos, now home to the Agora Museum. Walking through this area gives visitors a tangible sense of how ancient Athenians lived, worked, and philosophized.

Beyond the Icons: Hidden Corners of Athens

While the Acropolis and Plaka are unmissable, Athens rewards those who venture off the main path. The Anafiotikadistrict, a hidden neighborhood beneath the Acropolis, resembles a whitewashed island village. Its Cycladic-style houses and winding alleys offer peaceful escapes from the city bustle.

For panoramic views, climb Lycabettus Hill, accessible by foot or funicular. From the top, the entire city — and even the Aegean Sea on clear days — spreads out before you. The hilltop café and chapel of St. George make it a picturesque stop, especially at sunset.

Summary

• The Burj Khalifa stands at 828 m, but the Acropolis remains one of the most significant cultural landmarks in human history — distinct for its architectural and historical importance.

• The Acropolis entry ticket costs approximately €20, with discounts in low season and combination passes available.

• The Acropolis Museum and National Archaeological Museum are among Europe’s top cultural institutions, open daily with entry fees between €12–€15.

• The Ancient Agora features the Temple of Hephaestus and Stoa of Attalos, illustrating Athens’ civic and philosophical past.

• Plaka, Anafiotika, and Lycabettus Hill remain major local highlights, offering culture, scenery, and authentic Greek hospitality.

Additional Updated Information

Athens continues to modernize while preserving its heritage. In 2025, ongoing restoration projects at the Parthenon ensure the preservation of its marble structure, while guided AR (augmented reality) tours offer visitors an immersive look at ancient Athens as it once stood.

Public transportation is convenient, with the Acropolis Metro Station connecting easily to major landmarks. Entry lines can be long during summer, so online booking is recommended. Athens also hosts cultural festivals throughout the year, including the Athens Epidaurus Festival (June–September), featuring open-air theatre, music, and dance performances.

Travelers can enjoy walking tours starting around €30 per person, often led by historians or archaeologists. Nighttime tours provide a different perspective, showcasing illuminated ruins against the Athenian sky.

What are the must-visit sites in Athens?

Essential sites include the Acropolis, the Parthenon, and the ancient Agora, each offering a unique perspective on Athenian history.

When is the best time to visit Athens?

The best time to visit Athens is during the spring (April to June) and fall (September to October) when the climate is pleasant and crowds are smaller.

Are there guided tours available in Athens?

Yes, there are various guided tours available covering historical sites, local cuisine, and cultural experiences, perfect for those wanting deeper insights into the city’s heritage.

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If you have toured Sardinia at all, you should have noticed there are many remains from its ancient past; the prolific Nuraghic civilization left towers literally every mile or two. There are, however, even more mysterious places on the island, leaving scientists wondering how to connect facts that don’t seem to have anything in common.

Monte D’Accoddi Hill is one of these places – a seemingly random hodgepodge of ancient cultures that should have never met each other. The megalithic altar is made of huge stones arranged in neat layers. It’s the perfect place to imagine for a moment that you are an ancient high priest – straighten your back and walk solemnly up the 40 m (130 ft) ramp to the top of the hill, where you can confess your deepest desires to the gods. Although the altar is only 9 m (30 ft) high, the view from the top is spectacular and sweeps over the surrounding fields, which were perhaps once filled with worshipers.

Monte D’Accoddi in Sardinia, Italy | © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

What happened at the sacred site of Monte D’Accoddi?

Around 6,500 years ago the area was dotted with round huts organized in a settlement, most probably belonging to the people of the ancient Ozieri culture. Although at that time there was no altar here, the settlement was centered around a few other important stones. A menhir (a 4,7 m/16 ft tall upright stone to the left of the altar today) was used to utter prayers and perform rituals and sacrifices, together with other peculiar stones. You’ll see these strange shapes – including a trapezoid, an egg-shaped stone, a circular stone and several stones that form a table-like structure – around the area.

These stones were originally painted red. The ramp was erected later.

Monte D’Accoddi in Sardinia, Italy | © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Why is Monte D’Accoddi so unusual, and where does Mesopotamia fit into the whole story?

The answer is simple: nowhere else in Italy or the whole Mediterranean has a similar altar been discovered. In terms of architecture, its closest relatives are ancient Sumerian temples called ziggurats (dating back to around 3000 BC). To date, 32 ziggurats have been discovered in Iran and Iraq, revealing with them some of the world’s oldest known scripts.

Archaeologists are perplexed at how such a similarity can be observed in two cultures that have never been connected in any way (at least as far historians know), especially in their cults and temple-building.

Useful information

Monte D’Accodi is 20 km (13 mi) from Sassari and 45 km (28 mi) from Alghero. You will need a car to reach the site, as there are no public buses that go there. The opening hours change according to the season; in summer, the site is open from 9 am to 7 pm. Tickets cost 3 euros. You can find more information about the site’s working hours, prices and other details here.

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Monte D’Accoddi, Sardinia | © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

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The earlier inhabitants of Delos built (ca 2.500 BC) their simple dwellings on the low hill Kynthos, from where they could easily inspect the sea for any approaching enemies. The Mycenaeans, who arrived later on (end of 15th cent. BC), felt confident enough to settle in the small valley by the sea.

The Apollonian sanctuary, established at least since the 9th cent. BC, reached the peak of its glory during the archaic (7th-6th cent. BC) and classical (5th-4th cent. BC) period, when Hellenes from all over the Greek world gathered there to worship Apollo, the god of light, harmony, and balance, and his twin sister Artemis, the moon-goddess.

Naxos, and later Paros, tried to exert their power by taking advantage of the glory of the Sanctuary. However, the city which ultimately prevailed was distant Athens, justifying her presence there with various myths. During the rule of either the tyrant of Athens Peisistratus or his sons (540-528 BC), the Poros Temple of Apollo was built and housed a larger-than-life statue of the god.

In 478 BC, after the end of the Persian Wars, the Delian League of Greek cities was formed in order to deal with future threats. The headquarters of the League was on Delos, where the enormous sums which had been contributed by the city-states were kept and where their representatives met. Very soon the Delian League evolved into an Athenian hegemony, and the allies became subjects of the Athenians. The funds from the common treasury were moved to the Acropolis of Athens in 454 BC, ostensibly for reasons of security; in reality, however, they were intended to finance Pericles’ ambitious building programme.

In 476 BC the construction of the second temple of Apollo, the Great Temple, or Delian Temple began. It was interrupted because the League’s funds had been moved to Athens. Building was resumed during the Period of Independence (314-166 BC), but the temple was never completed.

During the winter of 426/5 BC the Athenians decided the “purification” of Delos, supposedly for reasons of piety. They opened up all the graves on the island and moved the bones and funerary offerings to Rheneia, where everything was buried in a common pit. At the same time, they decided that no one would be allowed to be born or die on Delos; and that women close to delivery and the seriously ill should be transferred to Rheneia. From that time on, no one was born, no one died, and no one was buried on the holy island; and the inhabitants of Delos, as was the intention of the Athenians, were left without a homeland. In 422 BC the Athenians completed the “purification” by exiling all the local population.

Immediately after the purification, and despite the fact that they were still at war, the Athenians, without any remorse or fear, began the exceedingly costly task of constructing yet another temple to Apollo, this time of white Pentelic marble, and established the Delia, a festival in honour of Apollo.

After the death of Alexander the Great, the Aegean suffered almost forty years of upheaval due to the wars between the ambitious generals who succeeded him. Antigonos and his son, Demetrius Poliorcetes (the “Besieger”), established the ”Commonwealth of the Islands”, with Delos as its religious centre, whereupon Delos was declared free and independent (314-166 BC).

During the Period of Independence the rulers of the Hellenistic states vied with each other in constructing magnificent buildings on Delos. The entire site of the Sanctuary was decorated with hundreds of marble and bronze statues, and costly votive offerings from cities or wealthy individuals; unfortunately, only their inscribed pedestals remain.

The Commercial centre and the cosmopolitan City

The Period of Independence came to an end when the Macedonians were defeated by the Romans at Pydna in 168 BC. In 166 BC, the Romans granted Delos to the Athenians who once again exiled the Delians and installed their own settlers on the island. The Romans, who were thenceforth to regulate the fate of the Mediterranean, proclaimed Delos a free port aiming thus to precipitate the financial ruin of the rival Rhodians. The fact that Delos was exempted from tax (ateleia) by the Romans, as well as its exceptionally favourable geographical location and the destruction in 146 BC of Corinth, hitherto an important commercial centre, resulted in Delos becoming the hub of the transit trade between East and West, North and South. Powerful Rhodes was economically ruined, while Delos soon became the maximum emporium totius orbis terrarum (Festus), the greatest commercial centre in the world. On the noisy wharves, ships from all over the Mediterranean, were constantly loading and unloading tons of merchandise and thousands of slaves.

An inevitable consequence of the island’s growing wealth was the sharp increase in population and intense construction activity. Within a few decades a City spread over the slopes of the six low hills surrounding the valley of the Sanctuary. The result of this rapid growth was a haphazardly built city without formal city planning or a regular street layout. This is especially evident in the Theatre Quarter, the oldest and the wealthiest quarter of the city.

Compared to other commercial cities of that period, the existence of the ancient Sanctuary and the myths surrounding it, made Delos a noteworthy city.

Destruction and abandonment

The wealth which had been accumulated on the island and the Delians’ friendly relations with Rome were the main causes of the island’s destruction. The island was devastated and looted twice: in 88 BC by Mithridates King of Pontos, who was at war with the Romans, and again in 69 BC by the pirates of Athenodoros, an ally of Mithridates.

After Delos had been destroyed for the second time, the population gradually dwindled, and the island was eventually abandoned and forgotten. Tertullian, apologist of Christianity, cited the later Sibyllic oracle in a characteristically spiteful way: “Even Samos shall be sand, the Far-Seen [Delos] unseen”.

In the early centuries AD, there was even a considerable Christian community on the island, as testified by the remains of eight early Christian basilicas and the fact that Delos is mentioned as being the seat of a bishop. After the 7th cent. AD, however, it appears to have been totally deserted and the uninhabited islet became a pirates’ lair for many centuries.

The excavations

The excavations, which started in 1872 and are still in progress, have unearthed the Sanctuary and a good part of the cosmopolitan Hellenistic town.The findings from the excavations are housed in the Delos Museum, and include all or part of some 30,000 vessels, statuettes, small objects, 8,000 sculptures, and 3,000 inscriptions. Most of the sculptures, a few pottery and small objects are exhibited in the Museum’s eleven halls.

Since 1990 the whole island of Delos has been designated a World Cultural Property and is protected by UNESCO. Extensive conservation and restoration work has been done the recent years financed by the EEC and the Hellenic Republic.

Dr. P. J. Hadjidakis

You will find a wide variety of boat and sailing tours going to Delos from Mykonos

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Mykonos stands out for its long golden shores that attract thousands of visitors and offer great facilities, including lively beach bars. Alternatively, you can board a water taxi. Its departing point is Platis Gialos beach and it approaches 7 of the most popular beaches on the island: Ornos, Paraga, Paradise, Super Paradise, Agrari, and Elia.

Note: The popular beaches get very crowded. It is highly recommended to book your Sunbeds online in advance!

Learn greek recipes with a local

Located In the heart of Mykonos, in the traditional village of Messaria, Mykonian Spiti offers a well-structured culinary seminar, where guests will learn to master the basics of traditional Greek cuisine. You will have the chance to collect your own vegetables and cook authentic Greek recipes following the instructions of a local chef. When the meal is ready, you will be served and eat it accompanied by good wine at the premises of this lovely stone-built Mykonian house.

Boat trip to Delos & Rhenia

A visit of island Delos is one of the most popular activities to do in Mykonos. There are various day tours that allow you to visit this small island near Mykonos and find out what makes it so special.
Delos is a very significant place in terms of history. Known as the sacred island of Antiquity, Delos used to be one of the greatest sanctuaries of Ancient Greece and at the same time, an island with great political power due to its location. Its archeological site is a listed World Heritage Site and a museum has been established on the island to display some interesting archeological findings.

See more things to do in Mykonos here.

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This is Kovachesko Kale – a massive fortress whose striking towers, which are huge for their time, keep many secrets, the biggest of which is… the ancient name of the fortress. In fact, archaeologists haven’t yet unraveled the mystery of what this site was called by those who lived in it. Its current name was given to the fortress by the Czech explorer Karel Skorpil, thanks to its proximity to the village of Kovachevets.

Kovachevsko Kale, Popovo, Bulgaria | © Maria Angelova/ 203challenges

History of Kovachevsko Kale in a couple of lines

The fortress was built between 308-324 AD, but didn’t have much luck. It was first ravaged by the Goths, then by the Huns and finally by the Avars, before sustaining damage from several earthquakes. Eventually, the fortress met its end around 578. In its heyday it had 17 towers and two entrances (the central entrance is the one used today), and was inhabited by Romanized Thracians and Greek settlers from Asia Minor.

Kovachevsko Kale, Popovo, Bulgaria | © Maria Angelova/ 203challenges

What you will see at Kovachevsko Kale

At the construction site on the road between the towns of Popovo and Byala, part of the fortress wall has been blown up and one of the angular towers remains buried under the road. Today you can see remains of the fortress walls and the towers, the ruins of a Roman bath, a pagan temple and two wooden towers (which you can climb to conquer the fortress, as the Barbarians would have done).

Among the remains, you can take a walk along wooden bridges, constructed using Roman technology – not a single iron nail was used, only wooden cotters. In the information center you will see a photo exhibition, some of the archaeological findings from the area, and a model of the entire fortress. The nearby park area contains an amphitheater, barbecues, a children’s corner, and vending machines for food and beverages.

The challenge: find out about the “secret doors” of the Kovachevsko Kale fortress – where they were and what they were used for.

Kovachevsko Kale, Popovo, Bulgaria | © Maria Angelova/ 203challenges

Useful information

Kovachesko Kale is situated 7 km from the town of Popovo, on the road to Veliko Tarnovo and Byala. The most convenient way to access the fortress is by car – it sits right next to the road, with road signs to guide you there. Admission costs BGN 1 for adults, and BGN 0.50 for children under the age of 7 and pensioners. You can take a guided tour for BGN 5 per person. If you want to take a picture wearing Roman clothes, it will cost you BGN 10. You can also watch a movie about the fortress, which costs BGN 1.50 for adults, and BGN 1.00 for pensioners and children. There is a separate fee for the museum exhibition – BGN 1 for adults, BGN 0.50 for children and pensioners. Opening hours: daily from 9 am to 4:30 pm (outside the opening hours you can visit the ruins but not the information center). Phone: +359 608/ 40030 and +359 608/ 40238. Wear comfortable shoes!

>>> Read more about unusual places in Bulgaria

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