Overview
1h 30min- 112 stories
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3km distance
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34 stops
No trip to Athens could be complete without a visit to the Ancient Agora! Get your time-slotted entry e-ticket and waltz in this unique site with a fascinating audio tour on your phone. Download the tour on your smartphone and follow, at your own pace, the riveting journey of the evolution of Athenian democracy as you enjoy a visit to the most dynamic archaeological site of Athens.
Your tour begins with a comprehensive introduction to the chain of events that made democracy possible in ancient Athens. At the foot of the hill where the temple of Hephaestus still stands radiant, you’ll learn about Solon, whose legal reforms paved the way for the formation of the earliest civil society in world history. Just uphill from the Tholos, take a glimpse of the ruined Bouleuterion, where 500 Athenians met daily to draw up laws and proposals presented to the city’s popular assembly. As you continue your walk, anecdotal stories from the lives of bright Athenian personalities, such as Aristides the Just and glorious Pericles, will come alive through the original and fun content of your expertly designed audio guide. The exhibits in the Museum of the Agora are bound to fascinate you, providing a rich pool of information on the ingenious, yet at times cruel, methods used by the Athenians to defend their democracy from any malign influence. Enjoy picture-postcard vistas to the Acropolis from the hill of Pnyx and the Rock of Ares, while later as you ascend on the hill of Philopappos, you’ll discover the prison of Socrates and gain some important insights into the life and death of the great Athenian philosopher.
Your tour ends within easy reach of the Acropolis archaeological site, in front of the theatre of Dionysus, where you’ll marvel at the oldest theatre of the world and the actual place where the tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides were once staged.
The birth of the Athenian laws
In the early 6th century B.C., social and political tensions had led Athens to the verge of collapse. Nearly all power was in the hands of a few influential families. The remaining population was in a state of unrest, with the poorest having to take loans secured against their own person and subsequently finding themselves reduced to slavery. Then, in 594/3 B.C., the Athenians elected Solon as archon (chief ruler), with their legislative powers to resolve the crisis. Solon’s reforms are considered to be one of the major stepping stones on the path to a democratic form of governance.
Inclusions and Exclusions
Inclusions
- Entrance fee/adult e-ticket for the Ancient Agora
- Pre-booked ticket service (e-ticket sent to your email)
- Self-guided audio tour for your smartphone (Android & iOS)
- Offline content with an offline interactive map to avoid roaming charges
Exclusions
- Live Guide
- Smartphone or headphones
- Food and drinks
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Transportation
Mandatory items
- Charged smartphone
- Headphones
Charged smartphone, headphones comfortable shoes, hat & sunscreen
The location
Address
Starting point
The tour begins at the entrance of the archaeological site, located on the very crowded Adrianou Street
Directions to starting point
Be sure that you have already printed your ticket, before presenting it to the staff. The only way to go to Ancient Agora is on foot from Monastiraki square or Thissio station.
Areas
Ancient Agora, Areopagus & Philopappos Ηills, Theatre of Dionysus
Important information
Opening hours
Opening hours for Ancient Agora of Athens
1 November - 31 March
- Monday - Sunday: - (last admission: )
1 April - 31 October
- Monday - Sunday: - (last admission: )
Recommended visiting hours
The best time to visit is early in the morning or at the end of the day. It is more crowded during the holidays and at weekends.
Know before you book
- This is a combination of a downloadable self-guided audio tour for your smartphone (accessible through our app) and an entry ticket for the Ancient Agora.
- No live guide or meeting point provided.
- You will receive an email from the local supplier with important ticket & audio instructions.
- An Android (version 5.0 and later) or iOS (version 15.0 and later) smartphone is required. The audio tour is not compatible with Windows Phones, iPhone 6/6 Plus or older, iPod Touch 6th generation or older, iPad 4th generation or older, iPad Air 1st generation, iPad Mini 3rd generation or older.
- You will need storage space on your phone (100-150 MB)
- EU citizens aged 0-25 years old, are entitled to have free admission tickets.
- From 1st of April to 31st of October Non-EU citizens, between 6 to 25 years old are entitled to 50% reduced admission.
- From 1st of April to 31st of October senior citizens over 65 from Greece or other EU member-states and the European Economic Area are entitled to 50% reduced admission.
- Free/reduced admission tickets do not have pre-booking privileges and can only be acquired at the ticket booth on-site.
Know before you go
- Download the ticket(s) & audio tour while on WiFi prior to your visit – no wifi/4G on-site
- Receive an email from the local supplier with important ticket & audio instructions. Check your spam folder as well.
- Tickets need to be either printed or downloaded on your phone
- Ensure that your smartphone is fully charged & that you bring your earphones
- The Ancient Agora is one of the most visited monuments in Athens. The best time to visit is early in the morning or at the end of the day. It is more crowded during the holidays and at weekends.
- In order to enjoy your visit to the fullest, you should wear comfortable shoes and have your camera or cell phone fully charged.
- The course of the visit may be modified and special restrictions may be imposed due to the circumstances. The visitors must always adhere to the guidelines of the guards of the site.
- Access to the archaeological site with suitcases or trolleys is not allowed.
Contributors and Bibliography
Contributors
Christiana Damanaki
Tiny, happy person who wanted to be a writer but by accident became an Archaeologist. You will find her in libraries working on her PhD. She is the one with the blue hair!
Download the app
To take this self-guided tour, you will need to download the Clio Muse Tours app on your iOS or Android device. Enjoy your tour!
Reviews
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