The Acropolis is consistently inundated with tourists, with as many as 23,000 visitors clogging up ... [+]
If you’re heading to one of Greece’s biggest tourist attractions later this year, make sure you are aware of the new visiting rules.
The Acropolis is consistently inundated with tourists, with as many as 23,000 visitors clogging up the complex on some days.
Greece’s culture minister Lina Mendoni has said the new measures are necessary to prevent visitor traffic jams and overcrowding at the archaeological site.
What are the new rules for visiting the Acropolis?
From September, a cap on visitor numbers will be introduced at the Acropolis in Athens.
A maximum of 20,000 visitors will be allowed into the UNESCO World Heritage Site daily.
There will also be a limit on how many people will be let in every hour.
The entry restrictions will come into effect on September 4 for a trial period and be implemented permanently from April 1, 2024.
On national radio, Mendoni said, “Obviously tourism is desirable for the country, for all of us. But we must work out how excessive tourism won't harm the monument.”
Tourists who join organized tours or come from cruise ships make up around 50% of the daily visitor count at the Acropolis, Mendoni said, and spend on average 45 minutes at the site.
Under the new rules, there is no time limit on visits.
What’s the best time to visit the Acropolis?
The archaeological site is open from 8 am to 8 pm daily between April and October and 8 am to 5 pm from November to March.
The morning is the busiest time for visitors to arrive at the Acropolis. Half of the attraction’s foot traffic comes between 8 am and midday.
The hours right before closing are also a popular time to visit as there are fewer crowds.
The new entry system will see a limit on how many people can access the site each hour. From 8 to 9 am, 3,000 people will be let into the complex.
The following hour, 2,000 people will be granted access and numbers for the remainder of the day will vary.
“The measure will address the need to protect the monument, which is the main thing for us, as well as (improving) visitors' experience of the site,” Mendoni said.
Will other tourist attractions in Greece cap visitor numbers?
Entry limits will also be introduced at other popular archaeological sites in Greece, Mendoni confirmed.
The decision to impose a cap at the Acropolis was taken following discussions with tour and cruise operators, she added.
