Changing of the Guard
in Athens
The Changing of the Guard in Athens takes place outside the National Parliament Building at the top of Syntagma Square and is a must-see for visitors.
One of the main things visitors want to see is the changing
of the guard in Athens. It’s an impressive and highly choreographed routine and
it happens at the top (eastern) end of Syntagma Square.
Where is the Changing
of the Guard in Athens?
At this end of the square and behind a wall is the unmistakable
National Parliament Building. In front of the wall is the Monument to the
Unknown Soldier, with several guard huts for the Evzones who stand guard there.
Their duties include guarding both the monument and the Presidential Palace,
which is on the far side of the National Garden.
National Parliament
Building
The National Parliament Building, or Hellenic Parliament, stands
at the top of Syntagma Square, and its full Greek name is the Vouli ton Ellinon,
which literally means the Will of the Greek People. It's a handsome building
which was originally built as a royal palace for King Otto, the first King of
the modern independent Greek state, and it opened in 1843.
It ceased being a royal home in 1924 when the monarchy was first abolished in Greece. For a time it was a hospital and then a museum, before becoming home to the Greek Parliament in 1935.
The building is not open to the public although there are occasional exhibitions in the Parliament Library, and if one is on when you’re in Athens you should definitely take the opportunity to look inside, whether you're interested in the subject of the exhibition or not.
Evzones
The Evzones were originally several different elite units of
the Greek Army, though now their role is more ceremonial. Their kilt-like
outfit is known as a fustanella, and these were worn by Greek highwaymen known
as klephts, who became heroes for resisting the Turkish occupation of Greece.
When is the Changing
of the Guard in Athens?
The changing of the guard in Athens takes place every hour,
on the hour, every day of the year. However, if you can, try and watch the
ceremony at 11am on a Sunday morning. This is a more elaborate version of the
guards changing, and something you shouldn’t miss if you’re in Athens on a
Sunday morning.
Where to Stay in Athens
Some other Athens pages
There are lots of flights from Athens to Santorini as well as a ferry service from Piraeus, with flights to Santorini leaving from Athens International Airport.
Athens' Benaki Museum is one of the city’s top museums with an outstanding collection, especially of Greek and Egyptian artefacts, in a beautiful mansion.
Athens walking tours and other experiences like cookery lessons, ceramics workshops, dining with a family, and street art are available from Alternative Athens
This drive around Attica offers visitors high hills, beach resorts, small villages and classical sites like Marathon and the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion.
The Athens Byzantine and Christian Museum is housed in a beautiful villa with an underground wing and lovely gardens too.
The Athens War Museum is a fascinating look at Greek history through the lens of warfare from ancient battles to the Greek War of Independence and World War II.
The Greece Travel Secrets guide to the original Athens Olympic Stadium, built for the 1896 Olympic Games and open to the public for jogging and photography.
In My Athens on Greece Travel Secrets travel writer Mike Gerrard describes what he loves about Athens including the Acropolis and eating!
This walk around the Kolonaki neighbourhood of Athens starts and ends in Syntagma Square and takes you to several museums, Kolonaki Square and Mount Lykabettos.
Athens car rental options include almost all of the major international car hire firms such as Avis, Budget, Hertz, and Europcar.
The Athens Museum of Cycladic Art houses a remarkable collection of Cycladic figurines and other items and is one of the best museums in Athens.
The National Archaeological Museum is one of the best things to see in Athens, and the best museum in the world for seeing Greece's archaeological treasures.
Two of the best cocktail bars in Athens, MoMix Kerameikos and The Clumsies, are making creative cocktails using that most Greek of Greek spirits, Metaxa.
Athens International Airport is east of Athens city centre with its own Metro train station, buses to Athens and Piraeus, taxis and car rental offices.
Athens in the rain isn’t something you’re likely to experience but here are suggestions for things to do in the rain in Athens including museums and shopping
The best things to do in Athens, Greece, include top archaeological sites like the Acropolis and must-see attractions such as the National Archaeological Museum
A History of Athens from the first people to live on the Acropolis through the Golden Age of Pericles and Alexander the Great to the military junta.
Amusing children in Athens is easy as there is lots to do including a children’s museum, planetarium, beaches, and easy excursions to the nearest islands.
Piraeus is the port of Athens from where many ferries to the Greek islands depart, and it also has an Archaeological Museum and the Hellenic Maritime Museum.
The Athens Agora or ancient market is a must-see site and one of the best things to do in Athens with its restored arcade building, the Stoa, and its museum.
The Greece Travel Secrets website looks at the Athens weather, the chance of rain, the climate in summer and winter and the best time to visit Athens.
Greece Travel Secrets lists the ten best museums in Athens, with the top two being the National Archaeological Museum and the Acropolis Museum.
The Athens National Historical Museum is in the former Greek Parliament building and houses an archive of historical artefacts and documents.
If you're wondering where to eat in Athens and Piraeus we have a few suggestions including some favorites around the Acropolis, Omonia Square, and Syntagma.
Greece Travel Secrets gives its choice of the best hotels in Athens from budget and moderate options through to 5-star luxury choices.
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