In this guide
💡 The Short Version: The Acropolis closes before sunset in every month, so the sunset is seen from a hill: Philopappos Hill, the Pnyx and the Areopagus are free, and Lycabettus is €13 return with the cable car running 09:00 to 02:30. Section 21 of the Panathenaic Stadium is €12 and shows the Acropolis, the Zappeion and Lycabettus, but closes at 19:00 from March to October. The Acropolis Museum restaurant has views of the Acropolis and stays open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, with a free ticket from the desk. The sun sets at 20:41 to 20:51 in June and 17:05 to 17:14 in December. Or book a tour: the evening e-bike tourad with views from the Hill of the Nymphs is from €48 (GetYourGuide).
The views compared
| View | Price | Hours | What you see |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philopappos Hill | Free | Open hill | The Acropolis, the city and the sea |
| The Pnyx | Free | Open hill | The Parthenon through the pines at sunset |
| The Areopagus | Free | Open rock | Beside the Acropolis entrance |
| Lycabettus | €13 return; €10 one way | 09:00 to 02:30 | Downtown Athens and the Acropolis |
| Panathenaic Stadium, Section 21 | €12 | March to October 08:00 to 19:00; November to February 08:00 to 17:00 | The Acropolis, Parthenon, Zappeion, National Garden and Lycabettus |
| Acropolis Museum restaurant | Free ticket from the desk | Fridays and Saturdays to midnight | The Acropolis and the hills |
The sun sets at 20:41 to 20:51 in June and at 17:05 to 17:14 in December. The Acropolis closes at 20:00 in summer and 17:00 in winter, so it is always shut before sunset.
Philopappos Hill
Koukaki · free · open hill
The Hill of the Muses is an open hill in Koukaki. A marble monument to Gaius Julius Antiochus Epiphanes Philopappos, a Roman consul from the Kingdom of Commagene, crowns it, built in the second century AD, and the pines were planted in the early 20th century. The city’s tourism site calls the view one of the best in Athens, with the Acropolis in the foreground, the city behind it and the sea beyond. Athenians picnic and fly kites here on Clean Monday, the first day of Orthodox Lent (15 March 2027). Koukaki is at the foot of the hill.
The Pnyx
Free · the hilltop where the assembly met
The Pnyx is the hill where the Athenian assembly gathered from as early as 507 BC. The city’s tourism site recommends it for sunset, with the Parthenon seen through the pine trees. It neighbours Philopappos Hill, so the two make one walk.
The Acropolis from the Pnyx in the evening light. Photo: George E. Koronaios, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The Areopagus
Free · beside the Acropolis entrance
The Areopagus, the Hill of Ares, is the rocky outcrop north-west of the Acropolis where the ancient council of Athens met. The Ministry of Culture lists it with the Ancient Agora. There is no ticket. Acropolis tickets has the entrance.
The Acropolis from the top of the Areopagus. Photo: George E. Koronaios, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Lycabettus
Kolonaki · €13 return · to 02:30
A 3-minute cable car in a tunnel from Aristippou 1, or a 5 to 10 minute walk from the Lycabettus Theatre car park, takes you to the highest point in the centre of Athens, 277 metres up. The cable car runs 09:00 to 02:30. Lycabettus Hill has the prices, the walk and the sunset times.
Panathenaic Stadium
Vasileos Konstantinou Avenue · €12 · Section 21
The Stadium says the view from the upper bleachers of Section 21 takes in the Acropolis, the Parthenon, the Zappeion, the National Garden and Lycabettus Hill. It is open 08:00 to 19:00 from March to October and 08:00 to 17:00 from November to February, so in summer you see it before sunset. See the Panathenaic Stadium.
The Acropolis Museum restaurant
Dionysiou Areopagitou 15 · free ticket from the desk · Fridays and Saturdays to midnight
The restaurant on the second floor has a 700-square-metre dining room with panoramic views of the Acropolis and the other historic hills. The café on the ground floor has a terrace over the archaeological excavation. The restaurant and the second-floor shop need a free admission ticket from the museum’s ticket desk, and the restaurant stays open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays; the museum itself is open until 22:00 on Fridays. See Acropolis Museum tickets.
Rooftop bars
Rooftop bars in Athens lists the bars with Acropolis views, with each one’s own rules and prices.
Tours worth paying for
Prices are GetYourGuide’s lowest “from” prices, per person.
Evening e-bike tour
From €48 · 2 hours · 577 reviews
Athens: 2-Hour Highlights Tour by E-Bike After Sunsetad is an evening ride through the lit city with views of the Acropolis from the Hill of the Nymphs, in English, Dutch, French or Spanish. Cancel up to 24 hours ahead for a full refund.
We Bike Athens small-group e-bike tour
From €45 · 2.5 hours · 1,437 reviews
Athens: Small-Group E-Bike Tour of Ancient & Modern Sightsad rides up to the Pnyx and Philopappos Hill for panoramic views of Athens, then past the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Panathenaic Stadium, in English, Spanish, Dutch or French. The stops are for photos, with no entry to sites that need a licensed guide. Cancel up to 24 hours ahead for a full refund.
Which to choose
- Sunset in summer: Philopappos Hill or the Pnyx. The Acropolis closes at 20:00 and the sun sets after 20:40.
- Sunset in winter: Lycabettus or the hills; the Acropolis closes at 17:00, and the sun sets at about 17:10 in December.
- After dark: Lycabettus, open to 02:30, or the Acropolis Museum restaurant on a Friday or Saturday until midnight.
- No money: the hills, and the paved promenade along Dionysiou Areopagitou below the Acropolis.
- A view from inside a monument: Section 21 of the Panathenaic Stadium.
Free things to do in Athens lists everything else that costs nothing, and What to book before you go to Athens has the closed days for every sight. Sunset times by month are in the best time to visit Athens, and Athens in one or two days puts the evening on a hill.
Common questions
Where is the best place to watch the sunset in Athens?
The Acropolis closes before sunset in every season, so people go to Philopappos Hill, the Pnyx or Lycabettus. The sun sets at 20:41 to 20:51 in June and 17:05 to 17:14 in December.
Which viewpoints in Athens are free?
Philopappos Hill, the Pnyx and the Areopagus. The paved walk along Dionysiou Areopagitou below the Acropolis is also free.
How much is the Lycabettus funicular?
€13 return and €10 one way, from 09:00 to 02:30, with the station at Aristippou 1 in Kolonaki. The path up from the Lycabettus Theatre car park takes 5 to 10 minutes.
Where can I see the Acropolis from above?
From Philopappos Hill, the Pnyx and Lycabettus. The upper bleachers of Section 21 of the Panathenaic Stadium look at the Acropolis, the Parthenon, the Zappeion, the National Garden and Lycabettus.
Can I have dinner with an Acropolis view without a rooftop bar?
Yes, at the restaurant on the second floor of the Acropolis Museum, which has views of the Acropolis. It stays open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, and needs a free ticket from the museum's desk.
Can I see the sunset from the Acropolis?
No. It closes at 20:00 in summer and 17:00 in winter, before the sun sets.
