Best 25 Ancient Greek Ruins to Visit in 2024

What are the best ancient Greek ruins to see on your next trip to Greece? The ancient Greek world fuels the Western imagination with tales of gods and goddesses, oracles, and monsters but this is Greece and there are ruins everywhere you look!

In this detailed guide, I show you how to visit the 25 most important and awe-inspiring ancient Greek ruins yourself and give you the best tour options as well. I’ve divided it into the main tourist zones of Greece: Athens, Attica, and Sterea, the Greek Islands, the Peloponnese, and northern Greece.

Let’s dig in!

Athens

Map of Ancient Greek Ruins in Athens

The Acropolis of Athens

Where to start with the majestic Acropolis Hill and its numerous ancient ruins?

The Parthenon, the Erechtheion, the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, Herodotus’ Odeum, and the Theater of Dionysus are perhaps the major sites to see on any visit to the Acropolis. 

In fact, they are the most important sites to see in all of mainland Greece.

The ruins of the Parthenon are majestic. Begun in 447 BC, this temple to the goddess Athena is the greatest surviving building of Classical Greece.

It was constructed when Athens was the world’s great cultural center and the other buildings you see on the top of the Acropolis were also built at this time.

It is considered the most perfect example of Doric architecture ever built.

The Parthenon was built on the site of an earlier Persian temple. It has been a Greek temple, a Christian church, and a mosque during its centuries of life.

It has had munitions exploded within it and its sculptures have been taken to other countries (the Elgin Marbles).

It never hosted the cult of the goddess Athena, rather it functioned as a political symbol of victory over Persia, and a united Hellenic identity.

The Propylaia is the monumental gate, or entranceway made of enormous marble blocks that are still the modern entrance to the Acropolis.

As you walk up the steps of the Propylaia you will see a small temple on your right. This is the Temple of Nike, and a giant statue of Athena Nike, the winged goddess of war, once looked out from here over the city.

As you descend the Acropolis you will come to a magnificent Roman theater, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus.

And just inside the southern entrance gate, you will see the place where theater was invented, at the Theater of Dionysus.

The main monuments on Acropolis Hill can be seen in a half-day (get there when it opens!)

Read more about Everything You Need to Know to Visit the Acropolis: Acropolis Entrance Fees, Hours, and Tours and I’ve created the Essential Acropolis Self-Guided Walking Tour if you’d like to see the monuments without joining a tour.

The Acropolis Museum is the next must-see stop.

Completely different from the dusty ancient ruins on the Acropolis, this stunning modern building has separate areas for the main Acropolis buildings and shows you the treasures found inside.

Athenian Agora of Athens

As you walk up to the Acropolis, you can’t but notice the Temple of Hephaestus on the northwest slope.

This beautiful and intact temple is known as a Doric peripteral temple and stands upon Agoraios Kolonos Hill.

The temple is also to the northwest of the enormous excavation zone that is the ancient Agora of Athens and is one of its many temples.

Agora is a marketplace (which is why Agoraios Kolonis Hill is known as Market Hill). Because of its large dimensions, it is also known as a place of gathering.

There are over two dozen significant buildings or structures in this Agora which is the best example of any Agora in Greece.

The site has been excavated annually since 1931 and there is a museum on-site (in the Stoa of Attalos) that displays, not just ancient Greek finds but also Byzantine, Turkish, and Roman objects.

Temple of Olympian Zeus

This was once a mighty temple in the middle of Athens dedicated to Zeus, the King of the Olympians. You can’t but help see the ancient ruins immediately (500 meters) below the Acropolis.

It took 638 years for the building to be finished from its beginning in the 6th century BCE.

At the turn of the millennium, the Temple of Zeus was the greatest temple in a country that was really good at building grand temples for the gods.

But like most of the wonderful ancient structures in Athens, it was subjected to multiple invasions and abandoned, and its columns were used for other buildings.

Despite being used as a quarry, 16 enormous columns still stand, making it one of the most important structures of ancient Greece that remain. It is now an open-air museum.

Kerameikos

There are two equally fascinating parts of this interesting site northwest of the Acropolis which is also called Ceramicus.

The inner part of Kerameikos was inside the walls of ancient Athens. Ceramicus was the potter’s quarter and the word “ceramics” comes from this site.

The other part of Kerameikos was outside the city walls and included a very famous cemetery.

This area has been used as a cemetery for over 5000 years and the Kerameikos Museum houses the best collection of burial goods in Greece.

The Sacred Way begins here and runs to Eleusis with funerary sculptures lining the route.

Greek Islands

Map of Ancient Greek Ruins: Greek Islands

Akrotiri – Ancient Thira (Santorini)

If there was ever a truly credible contender for the lost city of Atlantis, it is here at Ancient Akrotiri on the island of Santorini.

Ancient Akrotiri was a sophisticated and wealthy city of three-story villas with a view of Crete from the rooftop terraces.

That was until the mother of all earthquakes blew apart the island that was called Thera and left the magnificent caldera that makes Santorini sunsets so spectacular.

Ancient Akrotiri was covered in lava and is being excavated. You can walk through this Minoan city that is 3,000 years old. Streets, murals, and furniture can all be seen. It’s Santorini’s hidden gem.

The Sacred Island of Delos

Delos is a small island next to its better-known sibling, Mykonos.

Unlike Mykonos, Delos is not known for its parties and nightlife but it is one of the most important mythological sites of the ancient world. It was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1990.

Delos is so old it was a sacred sanctuary island for 1000 years before the Greeks believed it to be the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis.

The Terrace of the Lions has seven remaining lions lining the Sacred Way.

The Delian Temple, the remains of the colossus of Apollo, and the temples and structures to Dionysius and Zeus are just some of the many archaeological treasures remaining on this island.

It’s no wonder UNESCO describes Delos and its ancient ruins as “exceptionally extensive and rich.”

Rhodes

Rhodes was called Lindos in ancient Greece and it is well known for the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the seven ancient wonders of the world that once stood guarding the entrance to the harbor, as well as for the Acropolis of Lindos.

Greek mythology holds that the island was born from the nymph, Rhodus, and Helion, the sun god. Their three children are the names of the three ancient cities on Rhodes and these cities can be seen today.

The island was continually invaded, including by the Minoans, Mycenaeans, and Dorians and there is rich archaeology and history of this fascinating island.

The ancient cities, acropolis, Olympic stadiums, and temples make Rhodes one of the most popular Greek destinations.

For a detailed guide on the Acropolis of Lindos, read Ancient Lindos Rhodes: Incredible Things to See and Do.

Minoan Palace of Knossos in Crete

Crete is the home of the Minotaur and the labyrinth but Knossos is believed to be the oldest city in Europe, dating to 7-8000 BCE.

Knossos Palace was the center of Minoan culture. The first Knossos Palace showed that the population was large and enormous wealth was being generated to create such incredible structures so early in human history.

Earthquakes are the scourge of Crete (and of Ancient Greece generally) and the current palace is built on earlier palaces felled by earthquakes.

It is enormous for such an ancient building – covering five square acres if you include its outbuildings.

As the peak of the sophisticated ancient Minoan culture, it is an important site to visit to see the ancient Greek civilizations.

It’s also important to visit the Heraklion Archaeological Museum so that you can see wall frescoes and objects that were found inside the Palace.

For a detailed guide, read Visit Knossos Palace and the Minotaur Labyrinth.

Temple of Aphaea, Aegina

Less than an hour from Athens lies the best-preserved ancient Greek temple you will see in Greece. On the Saronic island of Aegina, atop a hill is a 5th-century BCE Temple dedicated to Aphaea.

This perfectly proportioned temple was constructed using 32 limestone columns and 25 of the Doric columns remain standing.

It is part of the Sanctuary of Aphaea, the mother goddess, and is one of several impressive ancient Greek ruins on this once-wealthy island.

What a fantastic day trip from Athens!

Asklepieon, Kos

The Greek god of medicine was Aescelpius. Around 300 sanctuaries for healing were created across the Hellenistic world, the greatest remaining one being on the island of Kos (see also Epidaurus below).

His symbol, of a snake wrapped around a staff, remains globally as a symbol of doctors, medicine, and healing.

Askelpieon sanctuaries were all about holistic healing and beautiful natural settings were important. The ancient Greek sanctuary sits peacefully atop a hill looking out towards Turkey.

The Asklepieon at Kos is reputed to have been founded by the world’s most famous ancient physician, Hippocrates (who was born here in Kos).

Three levels of ruins remain including two Temples of Asclepius built in the 2nd and 4th centuries BCE as well as a Temple of Apollo, and an altar of Kyparissios Apollo.

Atticus and Sterea

Map of Ancient Greek Ruins: Atticus and Sterea

Delphi

The importance of Delphi to the ancient Greeks can’t be understated. It was the center of the universe, marked by the Omphalos or naval.

In Greek mythology, Zeus sent two eagles to find the center of the universe and they alighted at Delphi, where the ancient city was built.

Delphi was originally called Pytho. It is on the slopes of Mount Parnassus and is one of the greatest sites remaining of the ancient Greek world.

Homer recounts the myth of Apollo coming to Delphi as a dolphin.

The Oracle of Pytho was consulted about the most important decisions facing the ancient Greeks.

Over time this prehistoric oracle became known as the Oracle of Delphi who resided at the Sanctuary of Apollo.

The  4th century BCE Temples and the cave where the Oracle practiced were much-visited sites in ancient times.

Delphi became the place for the congregation of people from all over Greece with celebrations throughout the year as well as the Pythian Games.

For any lover of ancient Greek history and myths, Delphi is not to be missed and for a comprehensive guide, read Oracle of Delphi: Why and How to Visit.

Temple of Poseidon, Sounion

Accessible on a day trip from Athens, the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion looks out at the Aegean Sea from mainland Greece and is dedicated to one of the most important figures of Greek mythology, the King of the Sea.

The beautiful Doric Temple of Poseidon is the second temple to Poseidon on this site, the first likely being razed by Xerxes I at the same time that he was razing all the buildings on the Acropolis of Athens.

The Temple was built in 444-440 BC in hexastyle. This means it had six Doric columns at the front of the portico.

The temple would once have contained a 20-foot-high bronze statue of Poseidon.

The God of the Sea is the son of Cronus and was eaten by his father.

It’s perhaps understandable that the god of the sea, storms, earthquakes, and horses was thought to be a little bad-tempered.

Eleusis

The Eleusinian mysteries were an initiation ceremony that was held every year at the Panhellenic Sanctuary of Eleusis in Attica.

They were the most important rituals in Ancient Greece and the Sacred Way led from Athens 14 miles to Eleusis and was the only road in Greece.

The secret religious rites were in honor of Demeter and Persephone and related to the ancient Greek myth of Hades abducting Demeter’s daughter, Persephone. The secret rites were practiced for 2000 years.

Among the ancient ruins at Eleusis is the Telesterion, a large hall used for the initiation into the Eleusinian Mysteries. It was constructed in 435 – 421 BCE.

For a detailed guide to visiting Eleusis, read Secrets of Eleusis: Eleusinian Mysteries

The Sanctuary of Artemis at Brauron (Vravrona)

Brauron is one of the most important sites of worship for the cult of Artemis. Sanctuaries to Artemis usually consisted of groves of trees near water.

The sanctuary at Brauron includes some interesting ancient ruins: a temple to Artemis, a stone bridge, a pi-shaped stoa, springs, and caves.

Girls participated in pre-puberty and fertility rituals. In the archaeological museum at Brauron, you can see all the objects that girls threw into the sacred spring during the pre-puberty rituals (called the arkteia) to appease the goddess Artemis.

Peloponnese

Map of Ancient Greek Ruins: the Peloponnese

Temple of Apollo Epicurius, Bassae

This incredible temple has been globally looted.

Unfortunately, like many other ancient sites, through theft, bribery, and other means, its treasures are either lost at sea or now exhibited in major museums in London and Moscow.

The Temple of Apollo Epicurius is described by UNESCO as “one of the best-preserved monuments of classical antiquity.” It was built by the ancient Greeks at Bassae, in the Arkadian mountains.

It is dedicated to Epicurius, the god of healing and of the sun.

Built by the ancient Greek Phigaleians in the fifth century, it was perhaps designed by the same man who designed the Parthenon.

It gained its listing as a UNESCO World Heritage site in part because of its use of all three Greek columns but also for its daring architectural innovations.

Its sculptures and its wonderful preservation mean that if you are in this part of Greece, it’s a must-see site.

Corinth

Only two hours from Athens and close to the nearby town of modern-day Corinth, Ancient Corinth became Greece’s greatest city-state.

The home of Sisyphus and devoted to Poseidon, this large archaeological site dating back more than 5,000 years contains a very photographic Temple of Apollo.

The Temple of Apollo is the only one within an entire ancient city you can walk around and lies beneath the Acrocorinth.

The Acrocorinth is the largest and tallest acropolis in Greece and the fortress protected the route across the land into the Peloponnese.

For a detailed guide to visiting ancient Corinth, read Ancient Corinth and Acrocorinth

Epidaurus (Epidavros)

Epidaurus is the reputed birthplace of Asclepius, the son of Apollo and the Greek god of medicine. The Asclepius at Epidaurus.

Today the most impressive remaining ruins of Epidaurus are its magnificent theater at the southeast end of the Sanctuary of Asclepius.

Of all the ancient Greek theaters, the theater of Epidaurus is considered the most perfect for its aesthetics and more importantly, for its acoustics.

The theater of Epidaurus was built toward the end of the fifth century. The music, dramatic shows, festivals, and games held here (it could seat 14,000 people) were believed to help with the health of patients.

Mycenae

Close to the ancient ruins of Corinth and only 120 km from Athens, Mycenae was the Kingdom of Agamemnon.

In the Late Bronze Age (around 1200 BCE) it was the richest palace center in Greece. In Greek mythology, it was founded by Perseus, son of Zeus.

But the Mycenae worshipped Minoan gods and goddesses and is considered the forerunner to the Greek religion. For example, the Mycenae sky deity became the Greek god, Zeus.

Mycenaen culture flourished with prosperous families dominating the area and creating elaborate tombs that can be seen today.

These families were organized into chiefdoms and a complex social hierarchy existed.

The Mycenean culture was carried through the ancient world through the poems of Homer. In Greek history, the period from 1600 BCE until 1100 BCE.

It’s known as the Mycenae period because of the influence of this great military culture that dominated much of Southern Greece and its southern islands.

The citadel on the top of the acropolis above the ruins of ancient Mycenae is built in a style known as Cyclopean because the stones are so large it was thought only Cyclops could move them.

There are many iconic ruins to see in ancient Mycenae, including the Grave circles, it was here that the gold mask of Agamemnon was found.

But what makes this citadel so exciting is the monumental sculptures that make up the Lion Gate.Read all about this fascinating piece of ancient Greek architecture here: Visit the Mycenae Archaeological Site.

Olympia

At the foot of Mount Kronos on the Peloponnese west coast, lies the sanctuary of Olympia.

Within the sanctuary is the Temple of Hera and also the Temple of Zeus, and it was here that one of the Ancient Wonders of the World was discovered, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia.

Famous as not only the most important religious center in Greece, it was also the most important athletic site.

Olympia was dedicated to Zeus and is the birthplace of the Olympic Games, a national event, that was held at Olympia every four years to honor Zeus.

The last Games were held in 393 BC and Olympia was destroyed in the next century.

The great temples, buildings, athletics tracks, and gymnasiums of Olympia continue to be excavated and restored.

For a comprehensive article about visiting Ancient Olympia, read: Visiting the Ancient Stadium at Olympia, Greece.

Argos

For 7,000 years there has been a sizeable village on this site that has been continuously occupied. That makes Argos one of the world’s oldest villages.

Phillip the II of Macedon and Alexander the Great come from the Macedonian royal family of Argos.

There were a great number of mythological Kings of Argos as well as being the mythical birthplace of Perseus, a son of Zeus.

An ancient theater of Argos (3rd century BCE) sits beside the Ancient Agora (built in the 6th century BCE) but these are only some of the archaeological ruins in this fascinating ancient city.

Tiryns

Situated between Nafplion and Argos, this hill fort existed as a settlement before even the Bronze Age.

It was at its most magnificent during the Mycenean Era in ancient Greece. The Citadel of Tiryns was built in 1300 BCE and controlled the trade between the sea (just over a km away) and inland routes.

Tiryns was influenced by the great Mycenaean culture of Crete and the concept of “Cyclopean” architecture and masonry comes from Tiryns because of the sheer size of the stonework used to construct the Fort.

(The Cyclops were a mythical race of Thracians. They were called Cyclops after their King, King Cyclops). The thickness of the defensive walls of the Citadel in some places is 17 meters or 57 feet!

It’s this history of the Cyclops that makes Tiryns one of my favorite ancient sites, and being so close to the main tourist areas of the Peloponnese makes this ancient Citadel of Tiryns a fascinating day trip.

Sparta

Like Corinth, Sparta was one of the great city-states of ancient Greece. Originally named Lacedaemon, by 650 BCE Sparta’s military power made it the greatest of Greece’s city-states.

During the Greco-Persian Wars, the Greek city-states came together as a unified army under Sparta’s leadership. Sparta’s domination began to recede after its loss to the Thebans in the Battle of Leuctra in 631 BCE.

Sparta had a unique social system that sought to maximize the military proficiency of the Spartan population – Sparta wanted to create a society where each of its different classes supported the training, upbringing, and preparedness of its elite forces for war.

Spartan historic sites to visit include a theater, temples, an acropolis, a city wall, and the foundations of an ancient bridge. The ancient city ruins are now on the outskirts of the modern city of Sparti.

Northern Greece

Map of Ancient Greek Ruins: Northern Greece

Ancient Philippi

In eastern Macedonia is the UNESCO World Heritage site of ancient Philippi which lies on the Via Egnatia, the road that links Asia to Europe.

King Philip II of Macedonia took the city and named it for himself. Historians believe he did this because of the nearby gold mines and to protect it from the attacking Thracians.

Although it became an important Roman city, in Hellenistic times it was the site of a wonderful theater, walls, gates, and a funerary heroon (or temple) which can still be seen today.

Pella

Pella is the Ancient Greek word for stone and the name of this important archaeological site in Macedonia.

The birthplace of Alexander the Great, Pella was an important seaport, but it is now landlocked.

Pella was an incredible city for the ancient world, with water piped to individual houses and waste piped away from them. The central market or Agora takes a full 10 city blocks!

Other incredible finds include the Pella Curse Tablet which is a written spell in a language created by the ancient Macedonians.

The massive Palace and temples of Dionysius, Demeter, Aphrodite, and Cybele lay in ruins at this impressive site.

Vergina (Aigia)

Rediscovered only in the 19th century, Aigia (now called Vergina), was the ancient capital of the Macedonian Kingdom and contains the Royal Macedonian tombs.

The monumental palace ( circa 340 BCE) remains and was the seat of power of the dynasty that included Phillip II and Alexander the Great.

The city is a treasure trove of ancient Greek monuments. In addition to the Palace with its murals and painted stuccoes), there are temples, sanctuaries, temples, monumental tombs, and a royal necropolis.

The necropolis contains more than 500 tumuli (barrows or burial mounds).

The burial tomb of Phillip II is underground and is an amazing museum. This is a site you just can’t miss out on if your travels take you to northern Greece! Read Vergina Greece: visit the royal Macedonian tombs for a detailed guide.