Stand before Kolokotronis, the general who led Greece to independence, outside the building that once housed the Greek Parliament, founded by the same Queen Amalia who planted the palm trees you passed earlier. Today it holds the National Historical Museum. Museum entry is sold separately.

Stand before the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier as the Evzones change guard, then step down into Syntagma Metro station to see a 2,500-year cross-section of Athens uncovered during its construction. Both are free to visit, no ticket required.

Stand beneath Hadrian's Arch, built to mark the line between the old Greek city and the new Roman one. Hear the story behind the inscriptions on both sides, still visible today. Free to view from the street, no ticket required.

See the towering columns of the Temple of Olympian Zeus, one of the largest temples of the ancient world, over 600 years in the making before Emperor Hadrian finally completed it. Of the original 104 columns, only 15 still stand. Entrance to the site is sold separately.

From the Areopagus Hill and surrounding streets, listen to the story of the Acropolis and the Parthenon. Entrance tickets to the archaeological site are sold separately.

Wander through Anafiotika, a hidden pocket of whitewashed Cycladic houses tucked into the northern slope of the Acropolis. Hear the story of the island workers who built this village by hand in the 19th century. Free and open to explore, no ticket required.

See the Tower of the Winds, a nearly 2,000-year-old octagonal marble monument that once told time and tracked the winds. Hear the story of how Roman Athens marked its days here. Entrance to the archaeological site is sold separately.

Stand before the only stadium in the world built entirely of marble. First built in ancient times and rebuilt for the very first modern Olympic Games in 1896, this is where the Olympics as we know them were reborn. Entrance inside the stadium is sold separately.

Step into the National Garden, planted in 1838 by the same Queen Amalia behind the palm trees and the old Parliament building, once her private retreat, now open to everyone. Wander shaded paths past centuries-old trees and hidden ancient ruins in the middle of the city. Free and open daily.

Walk past the Ancient Agora and the Temple of Hephaestus, where Athenian democracy was born. Hear the story of daily life in the marketplace over 2,000 years ago. Entrance to the archaeological site is sold separately.

Look down into the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, a Roman-era stone theatre built in 161 AD in memory of a beloved wife — and still hosting concerts under the stars today. Best seen from the pedestrian walkway above, especially after sunset when it's lit up. Free to view; performance tickets are sold separately.

Find the tiny Byzantine church of Kapnikarea standing squarely in the middle of Ermou, one of Athens' busiest shopping streets, nearly a thousand years old, surrounded by shop windows. Free to visit, no ticket required.

Look closely at the walls of the Little Metropolis church, built from reused ancient and Byzantine marble fragments, including the carved bull you'll hear the story of. Free to visit, no ticket required.