There isn’t much to see on the Areopagus itself. It’s just a rock hill, barren except for cigarette butts and trash. Yes, there is a bronze plaque of the Apostle Paul’s speech to the Areopagus mounted on the base of the hill. And, yes, there are the original (and highly worn) stairs leading up to the summit.

But it’s not what you see on the Areopagus that makes this site so compelling … it’s what you see from it. Some of the best panoramic vistas in Athens are found right here on this little hill. The Acropolis rises up above you to the east: grand and majestic and imposing. The ancient agora (the living heart of Athens—where Plato walked and Pericles governed) spreads out below you to the north. West of you is a great view of the Pnyx, where citizens gathered in ancient times and voted on the important issues of the day. South is the Filapappos Hill (also known as the Hill of the Muses). Everywhere you turn, as you stand on this historic spot, there is new and important site to see.

And it’s not just old stuff. There are wonderful views of modern Athens as well. Watch people strolling along Apostolou Paulou Street (the pedestrian promenade that borders the west side of the Acropolis/agora. See busy Adrianou Street, with its teeming crowds and sidewalk restaurants. Catch sight of Mount Lycavittos in the distance with a sea of red and blue and white roofs in between.