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Acropolis Athens Tours › Acropolis Athens Through the Year: Hours, Free Days and HeatUpdated 2026-09-16

Acropolis Athens Through the Year: Hours, Free Days and Heat

Hours, prices and access verified by the Acropolis Athens Tours team — last checked 2026-09-16.

The Acropolis seen from the pine-covered hills to its west

The Acropolis is open almost every day of the year, but not for the same hours, and not in the same weather. Its closing time steps down every fortnight in autumn, a handful of days are free and a handful are closed, and late July is the hottest stretch of the Athens year. If you are fitting one of the acropolis tours athens greece into a trip, this guide shows what each month brings.

When is the Acropolis open, month by month?

It opens at 08:00 every day it opens. Closing depends on the season, and the museum keeps its own hours. The temperatures are the HNMS 1991–2020 averages for the Elliniko station on the coast, low and high in °C.

MonthAcropolisAcropolis MuseumFree and closed daysAvg low / high
January08:00–17:00Winter: Mon–Thu to 17:00, Fri to 22:00, Sat–Sun to 20:001 Jan: both closed7 / 14
February08:00–17:00Winter hours—7 / 14
March08:00–17:00Winter hours6 Mar: both free. 25 Mar: Acropolis closed, museum free9 / 17
April08:00–20:00Summer: Mon to 17:00, Tue–Sun to 20:00, Fri to 22:0018 Apr: Acropolis free12 / 20
May08:00–20:00Summer hours1 May: both closed. 18 May: both free16 / 25
June08:00–20:00Summer hours—21 / 30
July08:00–20:00Summer hours—23 / 33
August08:00–20:00Summer hours—24 / 33
September08:00–19:30, then 19:00 from the 16thSummer hoursLast weekend: Acropolis free20 / 29
October08:00–18:30, then 18:00 from the 16thSummer hours28 Oct: both free16 / 24
November08:00–17:00Winter hours—12 / 19
December08:00–17:00Winter hours24 and 31 Dec: museum to 15:00. 25–26 Dec: both closed9 / 15

The Ministry prints winter hours (08:00–17:00, last entry 16:30) and summer hours (08:00–20:00, last entry 19:30) but not the dates it switches between them; the table places winter from November to March, as one ticket listing does. Check the Ministry's page if you visit in late March, April or early November. The museum's own seasons are official: winter from 1 November to 31 March, summer from 1 April to 31 October.

How do the autumn closing times step down?

From 1 September the days shorten, and the Ministry shortens the site's hours with them, every fortnight:

  • 1 to 15 September: 08:00 to 19:30, last entry 19:00.
  • 16 to 30 September: 08:00 to 19:00, last entry 18:30.
  • 1 to 15 October: 08:00 to 18:30, last entry 18:00.
  • 16 to 31 October: 08:00 to 18:00, last entry 17:30.

September and October are warm rather than hot, with average highs of 29 °C and 24 °C at the coast, which makes autumn a comfortable season for the climb. If you book an afternoon slot in autumn, check which fortnight your date falls in. A tour that starts at 17:00 in early September has most of its time on the rock; in late October it would start after last entry.

Which days are free?

The Acropolis is free for everyone on five occasions a year: 6 March, in memory of Melina Mercouri; 18 April, International Monuments Day; 18 May, International Museums Day; the last weekend of September, for European Heritage Days; and 28 October. In 2026 that September weekend falls on 26 and 27 September.

The museum keeps its own list: 6 March, 25 March, 18 May and 28 October, plus 27 September 2026 from 17:00 to 20:00. Free days are the busiest days of the year on the rock. If you use one, go at 08:00, and expect the security queue to be long.

Which days is the Acropolis closed?

Six: 1 January, 25 March, 1 May, Easter Sunday, and 25 and 26 December. On 25 March, Greek Independence Day, the rock is closed while the museum is open and free, so that day belongs to the museum.

The museum closes on 1 January, Orthodox Easter Sunday, 1 May, and 25 and 26 December. On Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve it opens 09:00 to 15:00 only. If you are in Athens for Christmas, do the rock on 24 December and the museum that morning, or save both for the 27th.

What happens in Easter week?

Greece follows the Orthodox calendar, so Easter falls on a date that moves each year and often differs from Western Easter. Check it before you book spring travel. Three days change:

  • Good Friday: the Acropolis opens 12:00 to 17:00; the museum 12:00 to 18:00.
  • Holy Saturday: the Acropolis opens 08:30 to 15:30; the museum 09:00 to 15:00.
  • Easter Sunday: both closed.

May Day, 1 May, is also a closed day for both, and it can fall within days of Easter.

How hot does the rock get in summer?

Hot. HNMS describes the hottest stretch of the Athens year as the last ten days of July and the first ten of August, and July and August both average a high of 33 °C at the coast. The rock is exposed limestone and marble with little shade, and the climb comes on top of the heat.

Take the 08:00 slot, carry water in your bag, and wear a hat and sunscreen. Move the museum into the hottest hours: it is indoors, and on Fridays it stays open until 22:00, so you can rest through the afternoon and spend the evening in the galleries. The shore-excursion operator warns that the Acropolis may close in extreme heat, with tickets refunded; a tour booked with free cancellation keeps your options open. The weather by month has the detail for every month.

Is winter a good time to visit?

For the site, often yes. January and February average highs of 14 °C and lows of 7 °C at the coast, which makes the climb easy. HNMS also marks January and early February for the Halcyon days.

The trade-offs are shorter hours and rain. The site closes at 17:00 in winter, with last entry at 16:30, and HNMS describes mid-October to March as the cold, rainy season. Plan the rock for the morning, keep the museum for a wet afternoon, and bring a layer for the wind on the plateau. The price stays at €30 all year on the Ministry's page.

When do slots sell out?

In the busy months, in advance. Operators warn that timed slots can sell out days ahead in season.

The safe rule is to book as soon as your date is fixed. Every tour here except the ticket with an audio guide refunds in full up to 24 hours before, so an early booking costs you nothing if your plans change.

How do the museum's seasons differ?

The Acropolis Museum runs two timetables. In winter, 1 November to 31 March, it opens 09:00 to 17:00 from Monday to Thursday, to 22:00 on Friday and to 20:00 at weekends. In summer, 1 April to 31 October, it opens 09:00 to 17:00 on Monday and to 20:00 from Tuesday to Sunday, with Friday to 22:00.

Friday to 22:00 all year is the fact to plan around. It is the one evening you can finish the rock at closing and still have hours in the galleries. The Acropolis and museum in one day works it into a timetable.

Can you plan a late-afternoon slot?

Yes, within the closing times. A late slot gives you the golden hour on the marble and fewer groups on the plateau, but nobody enters the site after dark: it closes by 20:00 at the latest, and earlier from September.

The private archaeologist tour sells a late-afternoon Golden-Light option and ends inside the site, so you can stay until closing. If you would rather see the rock lit up at night, see it from below: what runs in the evening sets out the options.

Does rain or wind stop a visit?

Rain rarely stops the tours. Several operators, the bike tours among them, state that they run rain or shine. Wet marble is slippery, so wear shoes with grip, and remember that there is little cover on the plateau.

Wind matters more if you need the Acropolis lift, which does not run in severe weather or strong wind. On a cruise day the weather can also decide whether your ship docks; the Piraeus shore excursion refunds in full if it cannot.

Frequently asked questions

What time does the Acropolis open and close?
It opens at 08:00. In summer it closes at 20:00 with last entry at 19:30, and in winter at 17:00 with last entry at 16:30. From 1 September to 31 October the closing time steps down every fortnight, from 19:30 to 18:00.
When is the Acropolis closed?
On 1 January, 25 March, 1 May, Easter Sunday, and 25 and 26 December. On Good Friday it opens from 12:00 to 17:00, and on Holy Saturday from 08:30 to 15:30.
Are there free days at the Acropolis?
Yes. Entry is free on 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September and 28 October. Expect the site to be at its busiest on those days, and arrive at opening if you want the plateau before the crowds.
Are there Athens Acropolis night tours?
No tour enters the Acropolis after dark, because the site closes by 20:00 at the latest. Late-afternoon tours catch the golden light before closing, and the Acropolis Museum stays open until 22:00 on Fridays, so an evening in Athens can still include both.
What should I wear to the Acropolis?
Shoes with grip, because the marble paths are worn smooth, plus a hat and sunscreen for an exposed rock with little shade. The Ministry asks for footwear suitable for walking and dress that suits an archaeological site.
How far ahead should I book Acropolis Athens tours and tickets?
As soon as your date is fixed. Operators warn that timed slots sell out days ahead in the busy months. Every tour here except the ticket with an audio guide refunds in full up to 24 hours before, so booking early costs you little.

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