Although Athens gets more and more commercialised it still manages to maintain its authentic side. The best thing to do is to start your trip at the Plaka, the centre of old antique Athens and decide what you would like to explore or go to the centre of the present Athens, Sindagma Square, which in itself is not very interesting, but serves as a good starting point for walks to the main sights. You can also start with a visit to one of the two other areas packed with ruins, the Agora (northwest of the Acropolis) or the Roman Forum. Temples of The Acropolis Hill is one of the main sights of Athens. This 'sacred rock' of Athens served as a residential area from the Neolithic period onwards. Besides that, it was the matrix for the cult of the city's patron goddess, Athena. Besides that, three important temples were erected on the ruins of earlier ones, namely, the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, and the Temple of Nike. All these monuments reflect the successive phases of the city's history. Although these monuments were converted into Christian churches and houses belonging to previous invaders (such as the Frankfurts and the Turkeys) at one time, after the liberation of Athens from the Turks, a large-scale restoration and preservation plan was made, which is still maintained on this very day. Some must see attractions are:
Acropolis Museum
Open summer: Mondays noon-7pm, Tues.-Sun: 8am-7pm. Open winter: daily, 8am-2.30pm. This museum houses portable objects that could be removed from the Acropolis since mid-nineteenth century.
Museum of Greek Folk Art
Tues.-Sun: 10am-2pm. Entrance fee: Dr500. Collection of authentic Greek costumes and collections of pottery, weaving and embroidery influenced by the Middle-East.
The National Archeological Museum
Open summer: Mondays 13.30pm-7pm, Tues.-Sun: 8am-7pm. Open winter: Mondays 10.30am-5pm, Tues.-Sun: 8am-2.30pm. Dr2000. One of the most well-known museums in the world
Museum of Cycladic and Ancient Greek Art
Open: Mon. & Wed.-Fri: 10am-4pm, Saterdays: 10am-3pm. Dr1000. The museum houses collections of the period of the fall of Mycenea up to the beginning of Historic Times. Besides that, memorabilia of the earlier Cycladic civilization and the pre-Minoan Bronze Age are on show.
Benaki Museum
An impressive collection of memorabilia from the Greek War of Independence.