Fodor's Expert Review Numismatic Museum Iliou Melathron

Even those uninterested in coins might want to visit this museum for a glimpse of the former home of Heinrich Schliemann, who famously excavated Troy and Mycenae in the 19th century. Built by the Bavarian architect Ernst Ziller for the archaeologist's family and baptized the "Iliou Melanthron" (or Palace of Troy), it flaunts an imposing neo-Venetian facade. Inside are some spectacular rooms, including the vast and floridly decorated Hesperides Hall, ashimmer with colored marbles and neo-Pompeian wall paintings. Today, in this exquisite Neoclassical mansion, seemingly haunted by the spirit of the great historian, you can see more than 600,000 coins, including those from the archaeologist's own collection, as well as 4th-century BC measures employed against forgers and coins grouped according to what they depict—animals, plants, myths, and famous buildings like the Lighthouse of Alexandria. The museum's peaceful garden café is a tranquil and cozy oasis ideal for a rendezvous.