Hi Fodorites!
I am lucky enough to catch my 21 year old son for a long weekend in Athens at the end of this month (February)! Specifically regarding the New Acropolis Museum and the Acropolis: 1.Which should we plan to do first? Museum then Acropolis, or reverse?; and 2. What is the best way to fully experience the Acropolis and the Museum without breaking the bank? Thanks in advance!
Gidlaurie
Israel

1. I think that's very much an individual preference. Two considerations come to mind:

• Some people find it difficult to appreciate ruins without first knowing more about how they would have looked, while others appreciate the details more once they can better visualize the site. I don't think there's as much a difference with this pair of site & museum as some (such as Pompeii), perhaps because I was focused on exteriors anyways and the museum doesn't focus on the items that would have been part of the interior decor, but maybe that's just my reaction.
• Timing might make a difference, purely in terms of how they fit into the rest of your time in Athens.

2. To keep your costs down:

• Don't hire human guides
• Make sure you check free day / combined ticket information on the official websites for each
• IIRC, I used audio guides for each and thought them well worthwhile, but you can always read in advance and perhaps have printed material with you.
• When I was there, there were many wonderful staff at the Museum of the Acropolis who were happy to share information with people.

Enjoy!

I would visit the Acropolis first thing in the morning when it first opens for the day at 8am, thus avoiding the huge crowds that will come soon after. You can then easily walk down to the Acropolis Museum to get a more detailed sense of what it must have been like when the Parthenon was still intact.

We did a walking tour that included the Acropolis, then did the museum. It was great to do the museum after the Acropolis because we could cool off and have lunch (cafe was great).

I agree! I had a glass of wine there before my EVENING visit to the museum -- after the Acropolis itself closed.
Be sure to consider opening hours!

IF you want to get the most out of the Acropolis/Parthenon, and several other sites, go thee NOW to the Rick Steves Athens Site and click on Listen... he has FREE audio downloads with step-by-step descriptions of the Acropolis & Parthenon... download it beforehand & listen to it, then you'll be prepared to listen as you walk. also a download for the Ancient Agora, which you encounter coming down from the heights ... and also for "the 10 top things to see" at the Natl Arch. Museum (this is not nearby but only a €5 taxi ride up a main avenue, which will go by wonderful temple-like buildings : Athens University, the National Library etc. As for the Acropolis Museum, it's just across frm the SOUTH exit from Acropolis grounds. Ther is no Rick Steves audio, but this museum is very easy to understand... particularly if you go to the TOP floor first, where there's a terrific 20 minute video (live action and graphic/animated) which gives the entire history of the Big Rock, and all the buldings that have crowned it... when u go down the escalator, the middle floor shows many sculptures that hve been excavated from the heights... and you'll see them restoring some other items, like the maidens from the other temple. There's a very nice glassed-in restaurant that looks right up at the parthenon, and has very reasonable items for lunch.

To each his/her own!
I did not find the RS information useful.
I'm very glad I ENDED my visit to the Museum of the Acropolis with its stunning top floor.
People differ, and vive la difference!

Thank you all for the input! I so appreciate hearing the voices of experience, and value the different opinions! I will definitely download and listen to the Rick Steves podcasts, before arriving in Athens, and will recommend to my son to do the same. Then we can decide if we are going to listen to them again once we are "up there". Museum first seemed logical to my mind, but I also see now the excitement of seeing the ruins and then "filling in" the history. So, will see how the timing works out. February - so super hot midday weather not too concerning. But crowds - probably still an issue.Will factor that in. Thanks! So much!

The best time to visit the Acropolis is first thing in the morning when it opens at 8 a.m. Even in February you'll get tour groups and tourists showing up. At 8 a.m. it will give you a good hour to have a relatively quiet and more enjoyable experience of the Acropolis then you can walk down the south slope to see even more ancient sites on the way to the museum.

There are numerous websites and guide books for the Acropolis to familiarize yourself with before going.

You can buy a multi-site ticket which includes the Acropolis, Agora, Kerimikos Cemetery, Hadrian's Library, and Temple to Zeus for 30 euros. However, I think during your time there prices are reduced for single ticket only so it may cost you less. The museum shouldn't be that expensive.

You can probably see all the major sites in one day but it would be rushed. Spread it out over your long weekend plus see what else Athens is all about here:

https://www.athensguide.com/

I respectfully disagree! Athens holds a wealth of sites, IMO.

I was talking about the MAJOR sites like the Acropolis, Agora, Kerimikos Cemetery, Hadrian's Library, & Temple to Zeus which can be seen in one day if one starts early and has lots of energy but it would be better to take a couple days to do so.

Yes, there are many more scattered sites around the city but most people don't know about them unless they are doing more in-depth research.

I think you should see the Acropolis first so you have a sense of where everything was (for example, the 6 Caryatids on which temple, building, etc), so when you go across the street to the Acropolis Museum and see them, it will help fill in the blanks. That is the order my brother and I did it 1 year ago and many of the tour groups do so too. Also, if you want to grab lunch, the Acropolis Museum restaurant is nice and reasonably priced. It's sort of cafeteria-looking with tables inside and outside on the patio/terrace area. A waiter takes your order and brings it to you. There are great views over to the Acropolis!

We visited the Acropolis first thing in the morning and then went to the museum for a late breakfast. By the way, the cafe was a little unexpected highlight of the museum! If I remember correctly, we had seats overlooking the Parthenon and enjoyed the best Greek (of course!) yogurt. (And the doughnuts were amazing.)

I’ve heard good things about the restaurant in Acropolis Museum, but not until after visiting there. Another surprise was the glass floors allowing you to see the ruins below the museum itself.

And not just the ruins, but some of the resident cats.

Thank you, all, for your insights and comments! We will be there in a week! Will let you know how our visit proceeded - Acropolis first or Museum first. And, definitely going to visit the cafe/restaurant!

The only guide we have ever hired on our world wide travels was for the Acropolis and it worth every penny.

Can you pass along name of the guide? Going for day and half before going on cruise.