Getting To The Acropolis
One nice thing about where we stayed in the Plaka region of Athens, was that we were within walking distance to the Acropolis. There are several different ways to get to the top but the best way is to keep walking down the street until you reach the very end of the Acropolis.
There is another ticket station and it is much less of a hike up, granted, it is still a hike. When we arrived we noticed the large number of stairs with NO shade. We would also suggest buying your tickets in advance. You can buy a skip-the-line ticket (which we never really figured out) but it kept us from waiting in line to buy tickets, to then to wait in line again to actually enter the Acropolis.
Getting to the top of the Acropolis
One thing we always have to keep in mind with Emma is her stamina and hydration. If she gets dehydrated, she can have seizures and she doesn’t have the stamina of most kids. As we were trying to figure out which line to stand in for the skip-the-line tickets, I saw there was a disability entrance. I was able to talk to an attendant and explain our situation with Emma. She gladly let Emma through but only one of us could go with her. Then we had to wait for a golf cart to come and take us to the elevator. I was expecting a regular elevator. Oh no, it was a vertical incline, fully glass elevator. It was a spectacular view up and I wish I had realized so I could have my camera out.
Check out the video for all the details about the disability entrance – without this entrance I don’t think we would have made it up.
Please remember this elevator is only for those with disabilities and if you are taking a child, only one member of the family can go with you. When I went with Emma, they also took my name in the elevator and put it on a list. I do appreciate these efforts though, so this doesn’t get abused and overrun. When we headed back down, Andy and I switched places and I was concerned they might not let him on because they had taken my name and not his. I was able to talk to an attendant though and they were able to get back down without much issue.
Exploring The Parthenon & Other Buildings
Once you arrive at the top, there is a ramp getting off the elevator and smooth paths around the different buildings. So if you have a stroller like us, or a wheelchair, you can still get around and explore the buildings. Now, we are crazy and do lots of off-roading with Emma’s stroller. Once you are off the smooth paths, it is either rough stone and small stone pebble paths. Not the best for pushing anything in but we did it anyway. Andy has had lots of practice taking this stroller over cobblestone, over curbs, up onto shuttles, etc.
Overall we had a great time at the Acropolis and my inner history nerd was totally geeking out. I’m glad we found the elevator to use otherwise our experience would have been much different. After doing some reading (once we got back of course), several sites have mentioned if you’re going to use the elevator, to call in advance to make sure you can use it. We did not have any trouble but it might still be good to at least check it out in advance.
Other Resources
If you’d like more information about the Acropolis or things to do in Athens my dad does a history podcast. There are several walking tour videos that might be helpful. He can tell you which way NOT to go up the Acropolis as well. My dad almost killed my sister, brother-in-law and step mom when they went back in 2011.
https://www.greeka.com/attica/athens/sightseeing/acropolis/ – Has some good information about the history of the Acropolis
https://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/en – Don’t forget to check out the Acropolis Museum. Lots of artifacts and you can even visit the excavation site under the museum.