yiassas

Dina4,
As it is a Sunday in July for your visit I would definitely say do the Acropolis first, be there for opening time. Any later & it will be very hot as well as busy. There is no shade up there & you will be glad of the airconditioned museum afterwards, also it could mean good timing for lunch in the cafe there with a view of the Acropolis.
No need for advance tickets, you have to lock yourself into a time slot if you do. You may come down from the Acropolis & want to visit later, after a walk round elsewhere & a stop for a drink. You will only be able to decide how you feel on the day as to whether you want to descend via the Agora or Anafiotika, have a look round Plaka, lunch there, THEN do the museum.
I have been to the museum 4 times, only once was the queue long & looking daunting, but it moved quite quickly & we didn't have to wait long.

parosblue

I agree with yiassas. Pay homage to the Acropolis first, have a lunch and a cool drink, then enjoy the Acropolis Museum. Wonderful history.The cafe is lovely and notice the reflection of the Acropolis on the wall. I will visit it every time I can get there.

ShilpiC

Thanks for the excellent tips....I am planning a trip with my husband and 4 yr old son in September. Just wanted to know if it's a doable walk up for teh little one? Strollers possible?
Thanks,
Shilpi

tejana

Excellent points. Just returned from Greece and had a half day guide in Athens who suggested that we do the museum with her (the added commentary was extremely helpful!), then do the Acropolis on our own afterwards. It worked out great, because we were front-loaded with information, and could take our time and visit the Acropolis at our own pace, then walk back down to the Plaka via the Agora or down through Anafiotika.

And I don't think people stress enough to NOT WEAR A SKIRT!!!! We saw several young ladies (on the floor above us) who were completely blind to the fact that they were walking on a glass floor.

BeachGirl247

>>Strollers possible?<<

I don't see how they would be possible and they are restrictive on what is allowed in the area. If they would allow it you would be carrying the stroller rather than pushing it as there are many, many stairs and once you reach the parthenon it is a rocky, gravel area, no paved walkways.

We saw baby backpacks but no strollers. I think it's a doable walk and there are shady stops along the path. You cannot bring in food or drinks unless it is the water purchased from the vending machine inside the ticket gate. However, I saw a small family sitting in the shade enjoying snacks and drinks.

We saw too many girl's behinds because they had on short dresses/skirts and there are lots of stairs!

Delaine

I loved Anafiotika too. I was determined to find it before I arrived in Athens and had good directions. I can't recommend it enough! It was like an oasis in the middle of everything, complete with laundry swaying in the breeze and cats sunning themselves on stone walls.

txtree

We visited the museum this afternoon (before our tour of the acropolis itself). Zeppole, I agree with all your observations - the museum is such a treasure; perfectly located, beautifully designed, well executed. Also, having visited Athens 20+ years ago, I must say, it's like I'm in a different city. Athens is utterly transformed.

Also, if you are visiting the museum with children, please note that they have a "backpack" you can borrow filled with activities for the kids. Really enhanced our family's visit.

Gina_07

zeppole, what a great idea! We are leaving for Greece in a week with two kids and this is very helpful. Would you guys recommend a tour guide either for the Acropolis or the museum? We usually do such things on our own but my kids are old enough (14 and 9) to be able to follow a guide. Is it worth it?

Also, I read somewhere that a part of the museum is either closed or closing. Is this true?

travelerjan

Gina, it depends upon what your budget is ... what is "worth"?? You can do the Athenswalkingtour.com. thing for 36€ adults, 29 students, free under 12 ... groups are up to 18, the guides are praised as being highly qualified and enthusiastic ... There is a list of private guides http://tourguides.viator.com/Listing...ki&City=Athens with varying prices -- with your short notice, I would advise telephoning (remember 7 hour time difference ... call at noon to possibly get at guide at home, at 7 pm). If you are staying in a bIg Athens hotel, they often have guides on tap for customized private tours.

If you want to do the Acropolis as a D-I-Y, I suggest photocopying the Rick Steves book, he has a very good D-I-Y tour ... also, the BLUE GUIDE ... neither one covers the Museum. You might consider D-I-Y (using such aids) for Acropolis, then having a guided tour of Museum.

You were not reading correctly.... the Nat. Arch. Museum (NOT the Acropolis museum) had closed some of its galleries due to budget cuts for staff, but I think now all are open -- they currently also have a terrif coin collection based on the gods & goddesses. Rick-Steves book also has a good "Top Ten" d-i-y tourof this museum... if it's on your list.

Gina_07

Thanks, Janet (I believe, that's your name), for the tips. You have been so helpful with planning our Greece trip. I guess, I had misread the name of the museum. Yes, we would like to do both, good to hear the Arch. Museum is all open.

progol

Just want to make a minor correction to travelerjan's comments on Rick Steves Guide -- the newest book does have an overview & tour of the Acropolis Museum.

As someone who has had ambivalence over Rick Steves' guides at times, this book seems surprisingly well done and provides a comprehensive overview of the major sights in Athens and beyond (Delphi, Peloponnese and a taste of the popular islands). Since I will have just 2 days in Athens, it looks like it will suit my needs very well.

travelerjan

Thanks for the correction progol, ... I received mine a year ago but looking at it, its the Nov. 2009 edition. I am glad to hear it. His D-I-Y approaches for Delphi & Olympia are also very straightforward and useful. In the past, I've had to list quite a number of online sources in order to put together self-guides for these, especialy for people with lmited time.

marigross

tagging to read later.

clehrman

bookmarking

Africanwonderer

Zeppole, thanks to you and the other contributors for an informative report.

One suggestion, if time in Athens is limited, is to do a walking tour with Athenswalkingtour.com. There is a tour combination which covers Athens and the Acropolis in the morning, and the museum in the afternoon. The guides are well informed and well prepared. Well worth it

The museum tour however does start from the bottom and one does tend to tire by the time you get to the top floor. Nonetheless highly informative and educational.