Greece has one of the world's highest densities of archaeological sites. The state protects them through the Ministry of Culture and its regional ephorates, and every new building project, such as the Athens or Thessaloniki metro, often turns into an excavation: some stations are now small museums.
Must-see sites
| Site | Region | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Acropolis of Athens | Attica | The Parthenon and the symbol of classical civilisation |
| Delphi | Central Greece | Apollo's sanctuary, "navel of the world", on the slopes of Parnassus |
| Olympia | Peloponnese | The sanctuary of Zeus and the ancient games stadium |
| Mycenae | Peloponnese | Agamemnon's citadel and the Lion Gate |
| Epidaurus | Peloponnese | The best-preserved theatre and the sanctuary of Asclepius |
| Knossos | Crete | The great Minoan palace |
| Delos | Cyclades | Apollo's sacred island, an entire ancient city |
| Akrotiri | Santorini | The "Pompeii of the Aegean", buried by the eruption |
| Vergina | Macedonia | The Macedonian royal tombs |
| Dion | Macedonia | Sacred city at the foot of Olympus |
| Mystras | Peloponnese | Byzantine town with frescoed churches |
Greece's 20 UNESCO sites
| Year | Site |
|---|---|
| 1986 | Temple of Apollo Epikourios at Bassae |
| 1987 | Archaeological site of Delphi |
| 1987 | Acropolis, Athens |
| 1988 | Mount Athos |
| 1988 | Meteora |
| 1988 | Early Christian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki |
| 1988 | Sanctuary of Asclepius at Epidaurus |
| 1988 | Medieval city of Rhodes |
| 1989 | Mystras |
| 1989 | Archaeological site of Olympia |
| 1990 | Delos |
| 1990 | Monasteries of Daphni, Hosios Loukas and Nea Moni of Chios |
| 1992 | Pythagoreion and Heraion of Samos |
| 1996 | Archaeological site of Aigai (Vergina) |
| 1999 | Archaeological sites of Mycenae and Tiryns |
| 1999 | Historic centre (Chora) of Patmos, Monastery of St John and Cave of the Apocalypse |
| 2007 | Old town of Corfu |
| 2016 | Archaeological site of Philippi |
| 2023 | Zagori cultural landscape |
| 2025 | Minoan Palatial Centres of Crete: Knossos, Phaistos, Malia, Zakros, Zominthos and Kydonia |
Great discoveries
- 1829The French Morea expedition launches scientific archaeology in Greece.
- 1870-1890Heinrich Schliemann digs Troy, Mycenae and Tiryns.
- 1875-1881German archaeologists excavate Olympia.
- 1892-1903The French School excavates Delphi, moving an entire village.
- 1900Arthur Evans begins digging Knossos; Italians excavate Phaistos.
- 1901The Antikythera mechanism is found.
- 1967Spyridon Marinatos discovers Akrotiri on Santorini.
- 1977Manolis Andronikos opens the royal tombs at Vergina.
- 2015The rich tomb of the "Griffin Warrior" is discovered at Pylos.
Many foreign archaeological schools work in Greece: the French (since 1846), the German, the American, the British School at Athens (since 1886) and the Italian School (since 1909), among others.
The Parthenon marbles
In the early 19th century Lord Elgin, British ambassador in Constantinople, had most of the Parthenon sculptures removed and taken to Britain, under an Ottoman permit whose validity is disputed. Since 1817 they have been in the British Museum. Greece has sought their return for decades, and the Acropolis Museum, opened in 2009, leaves empty spaces for the originals beside plaster casts. Some fragments held elsewhere, including one from the Salinas Museum in Palermo, have already returned to Athens.
Practical tips
- Tickets for the Acropolis and the busiest sites are sold online on the ministry's official site (hhticket.gr), often with time slots.
- Combined tickets exist, for example for seven sites in Athens.
- Entry is free for EU citizens under 25 with ID, and on certain days, such as 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September and 28 October.
- In summer visit sites at opening time or late afternoon: the heat can be intense and shade scarce.
- Bring water, a hat and non-slip shoes: polished marble is very slippery.
See also ancient Greek art and places of myth.