The New Acropolis Museum is located just two-hundred yards south of the Acropolis itself in the Makrigiani District. The main entrance is off of Dionissiou Areopagitou Street, part of the pedestrian promenade that winds around the southern and western flanks of the Acropolis.
Getting to the museum could not be easier. Take the Metro (Line 2) to the Akropoli exit (just one stop south of Syntagma Square). Head upstairs following the “Dionissiou Areopagitou” signs. Escalators will carry you up to the surface level. When you hit the sidewalks, you are on Makrigiani Street and should be headed north. Walk straight ahead about 20 yards. This will dump you onto Dionissiou Areopagitou Street, at which point you will turn left (west). Go another 25 to 30 yards and the entrance to the museum will be on your left. Walk down some stairs, go through a plexiglass gate, and you’ll see a doorway with an “Entrance” sign above it.
Alternatively, if you have just visited the Acropolis and want to top your tour with a look at the New Museum, walk downhill (east) on Dionissiou Areopagitou Street, with the Acropolis on your left and a line of expensive apartments and condos on your right. Look for a break in the housing as you near the bottom of the hill—on your right. Again, go down some stairs, through a plexiglass gate, and you’ll see the entrance ahead of you.
The Athens Familiarization Walk (from GreeceAudioGuides.com) begins at Syntagma Square. Bus #95 from the airport terminates there. Chances are, this is the first place you saw when you arrived in Athens. Two Metro lines (2 and 3) stop at the Syntagma Station.
If you arrive by Metro, follow signs to “Syntagma Square” up to the surface. Find the fountain in the center of the Square. Press “Play” on your MP3 player. It’s that easy.
We’ll do lots of walking today. Most hotels include a hearty breakfast in their rate. Eat a big one and make sure you put on your most comfortable shoes. Hit the sidewalks early.
Let’s start with the Athens Familiarization Walk. The audio guide begins at Syntagma Square. Find your way there, grab a shady spot and press “Play.” Then stroll the National Gardens, walk around the Acropolis, visit Hadrian’s Library, meander through the Plaka District, and otherwise learn your way around this great city.
Grab lunch at a likely spot (there are restaurant options everywhere) and then walk to the New Acropolis Museum. (If you want to give your feet a break, you could catch the Metro.)
The new Museum opened in June, 2009 . It is a much worthier home for the Acropolis treasures than where they have been—crammed in a tiny, inadequate box on top of the Acropolis itself. At last, for the first time, all the artifacts related to the Acropolis can be on display at the same time and place. The wonderful Kritios Boy. The Parthenon friezes and pediments. The evocative Sandal Binder. You can be one of the lucky few to visit this great museum while it is still a novelty.
You’ve been on your feet all day. Take a little rest. Perhaps return to your hotel for a (brief) rest. Or enjoy a leisurely coffee at one of the many cafés and tavernas in Athens. Do some people watching. Try to guess where people are from by their clothing, gestures, haircuts, and volume.
After the sun sets, do the Acropolis Night Walk. This breathtaking stroll will lead you back around the Acropolis on the Promenade. Only this time, the Acropolis will be illuminated !
End the day by threading your way through the interesting Plaka district. Scout out a likely restaurant. Try something unusual (the grilled squid is excellent) and wash it down with a glass of local wine. A shot of ouzo should have you ready for bed whatever your body clock reads.
