Best Historic Sites to Visit in Greece

You can’t miss the Acropolis on your Greece vacation. The iconic hill is topped by the Parthenon and other monuments dating back to the 5th century BC. A visit also includes the chance to marvel at the Temple of Athena, the Theater of Dionysus, Propylaea, and more. Universal symbols of classical civilization, they make up the world’s greatest architectural and artistic complex from Greek Antiquity. While you can easily visit the Acropolis on your own, a private or small-group tour will allow you to get the most out of it. You can experience it without the distraction of a big tour group while gaining a much better understanding that brings its history to life with interesting anecdotes that you’ve probably never heard before.

The sanctuary of Asklepios, the god of medicine, lies in a small valley in the Peloponnese. Part of the Sanctuary of Epidaurus, it developed during the 6th century BC and is widely regarded as one of the purest masterpieces of Greek architecture, along with the Theatre and the Tholos. The entire vast site, which includes hospital buildings that were developed for healing gods, offers invaluable insight into the healing cults of both Roman and Greek times as well as the emergence of scientific medicine. It’s said that over 200 healing centers worked under the authorization of Asklepieion throughout the Eastern Mediterranean. Today they stand testament to the practice of medicine in antiquity while recognized as masterpieces of ancient Greek art.

Nestled in the northeastern Peloponnese, the ancient city of Mycenae served as the center of the Mycenaean civilization which dominated much of southern Greece around the second millennium BC as forerunners to the Athenians. Along with Tiryns, it played a key role in the development of classical Greek culture while unfalteringly linked to the Homeric epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey, which have influenced European literature and art for over three millennia. Highlights include the dramatic Lion Gate, the entrance to Agamemnon’s fortress, and Agamemon’s Palace with rooms at the north side believed to be royal private apartments. You can also see the “secret cistern,” a vaulted tunnel considered a masterpiece of engineering for the time, unique tombs, and more.

Tucked just beneath the Acropolis in Athens, the Agora is a testament to the city’s status as the birthplace of Western civilization. It was first developed in the 6th century BC before being devastated by the Persians in 480 BC with a new one immediately built on the site. Today, it provides a lush respite from the hustle and bustle with greenery inhabited by lizards and various birds, the Temple of Hephaestus, a museum, and the 11th-century Byzantine Church of the Holy Apostles. It once served as the heart of public life, a popular trading place and meeting spot where the early Athenians came to discuss the nature of the universe, politics, and other current events, as well as to conduct business. 

The most well-preserved ancient theater in Greece when it comes to structure and perfect acoustics, the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is renowned for its unique architecture and harmonious proportions. Once holding up to 14,000 spectators, it was built in the late 4th century BC. The theater hosted everything from singing, music, and games that were included in the worship of Asclepius to a venue for healing patients, with the belief that observing dramatic shows had positive benefits for both physical and mental health. It originally had 34 rows of seats divided into 34 blocks by walkways and stairs. Surrounded by lush greenery, it adds to the aesthetics as part of the experience.

The Acropolis of Rhodes is the site of the ancient Hellenistic city of Rhodes which ascends the slopes of Monte Smith just west of medieval Old Town Rhodes. Unlike most of the ancient acropolises around Greece, it wasn’t fortified but it was home to many huge temples, public buildings built on precipitous terraces, and sanctuaries. It’s considered one of the finest when it comes to Hellenic-style architecture that harmoniously blended in with the environment. Only a few of the ruins have been restored, such as the 2nd century BC tree-lined stadium, the theater once used for lectures by the Rhodes School of Rhetoric whose students included Julius Caesar, and the striking columns of the Temple of Pythian Apollo. 

The Byzantine City of Mystras is an archeological site at the classic fortified city of Mystras which sits on the steep slopes of Mount Taygetos. It was built in amphitheatrical style during the mid-13th century and was the second most important after only Constantinople during the later years of the Byzantine era. Today it offers a trip back in time before the majestic palace was abandoned. Surrounded by orange and olive trees, there is an imposing fortress at the highest point while seven medieval churches are connected by a descending series of arches and staircases. The Pantanassa Monastery is still occupied today, with the few nuns that remain in order to tend the garden and feed feral cats. Inside are rare frescoes.