Avoid long lines by purchasing your tickets in advance, and also be sure to get a skip-the-line ticket to save you even more time spent standing in the heat, rather than exploring. Also, be sure you're not planning on visiting when it's a free day — when you'll encounter the most tourists and locals.

Get Tickets Beforehand

Avoid crowds by arriving at the Acropolis before the cruise ship tourists arrive at 9 a.m. You’ll also find smaller crowds in the evening as well as cooler weather and the potential to see a stunning sunset from the top of the hill (just make sure you give yourself at least two hours before the site closes for the day.)

Timing is Everything

There are very few (if any) shady spots once you get up the hill, so be prepared to be in full sun, and extreme heat in the summer. You'll want lots of sunscreen, UV-protective and breathable clothing, sunglasses, and comfortable shoes — and it can be windy, so keep that in mind if you plan on wearing a hat or a dress/skirt.

Dress for the Elements

Trekking to the Parthenon isn't a particularly difficult hike, but it does have rest spots, signs, artifacts, and things to see that make the hike even more interesting. Many of the stone stairs have been worn down from use and can be steep, uneven, and slippery, so wear good shoes with grip.

Wear Good Shoes

The Acropolis Museum is an expansive array of ruins, archaeological dig sites as they were when scientists excavated them, sculptures of the architecture as they might have been when the Parthenon was built, and excavation sites of an ancient Athenian neighborhood.

Check Out the Museum