#messini

In the aftermath of the fire that passed right through the archaeological site of Mycenae (fortunately the site wasn’t irreparably destroyed, it was mostly smoked) here are 10 of the most important / standard archaeological sites to see in Greece. These aren’t even a tenth of the sites Greece has to offer, neither are recently discovered important sites that  have yet to open to the public included in this list, but this is the list of the places to get started from, either because they are very informative or because they typically attract the majority of tourists.

1. Acropolis, Athens

The standard first stop of every tourist arriving in Greece and yet, Greeks frequently fall into two categories; those who see it every day and those who have yet to visit it. On the Acropolis (which means Edge of the City) one can see the Propylaea (the monumental gateway), the Temple of Nike, the Erechtheion with the Caryatids, which is a temple dedicated to both Athena and Poseidon and, lastly, the Parthenon which is the most important landmark of Greece. Parthenon was the temple dedicated to Athena, the patron Goddess of Athens. A walk to the Acropolis should be ideally combined with a visit to the New Acropolis Museum nearby.

2. Delphi, Phocis

The archaeological site of Delphi is located at Phocis, nestled in Mount Parnassus. It is a shrine dedicated mostly to Apollo and this was also where the most famous oracle of antiquity functioned. Nowadays, the visitor can see the ruins of Apollo’s Temple, treasuries from various cities, the most important one being that of Athens, the ancient theater, the ancient gymnasium, the Castalian spring and the Tholos of Athena Pronaia. The exploration is not complete without a visit to the Museum of Delphi.

3. Ancient Olympia, Elis

This is where the Olympic Games were founded and took place. Nowadays, it is still the location where the Olympic Flame is lit every four years. Afterwards, the Olympic Flame travels from Olympia around Greece, then it arrives to the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens and from there it travels to the previous and then the next host city of the Olympic Games. Visitors there can see the ruins of the temple of Zeus, the temple of Hera, the Stadium, the Palaestra (the wrestling school) and much more. The beautiful statues have been removed from the site and are exhibited in the Museum of Olympia. There you can also see the famous Nike of Paionios and Hermes of Praxiteles.

4. Knossos, Heraklion

Knossos was the capital of the Minoan civilization (3000 - 1400 BC) in Crete. The palace of Knossos is associated with numerous Greek myths, such as those of Theseus and the Minotaur and Daedalus and Icarus. The site is notable for its exquisite frescoes that are both beautiful and very informative about the era. The throne hall and the storage rooms are impressive, especially if you consider that this is the first throne room of Europe.

5. Mycenae, Argolis

Let’s go to the smoked impressive sweetie.The Mycenean civilization flourished right after the Minoan and its base was Mycenae, in mainland Greece. Its most notable king was Agamemnon, who made his way into the Homeric epics and the Greek mythology. At Mycenae visitors can see the Lion Gate, the impressive royal tholos tombs, the king’s halls and much more.

6. Vergina, Imathia

While Alexander the Great’s tomb remains a world mystery, his father’s King Philip fortunately is not (99% at least). In Vergina visitors can see the unplundered royal tombs and the palace as well as the artifacts of great importance found in them.

7. Temple of Poseidon, Cape Sounion

The temple of Poseidon attracts many thousands of visitors annually. Built on the edge of the cliff above the sea, it creates idyllic conditions for photographs, especially at night with full moon.

8. Messini, Messenia

Messini in Peloponnese is one of the best preserved ancient cities in Greece. One can clearly see the gymnasium, the theater, the stadium, one of the two city gates, the fountain of Arsinoe and many more structures / buildings. Just next to the site is the archaeological museum with all the findings that complete the visitor’s impression of the place.

9. Lindos, Rhodes island

On a hill next to the sea in the south of Rhodes you can visit the Acropolis of Ancient Lindos and the temple of Lindia Athena. Much later in time, a medieval fortress was built around the ancient acropolis, making the site even prettier.

10. Epidaurus, Argolis

The most famous theater of antiquity and one of the best preserved. It’s worth a visit not just for the archaeological site itself, but also for its wondrous acoustics. Besides, the theater still operates and certain theatrical plays take place there, where you can attend and feel like you belong to an ancient audience.