Panathenaic Stadium
Panathenaic Stadium
4.5
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
About
The Panathenaic Stadium dates back to the 4th century B.C. and was the site of the first modern Olympic games in 1896 and remains the starting point of the Olympic flame torch relay. Made entirely of white marble, it's an impressive sight that's earned it the nickname Kallimarmaro or "beautiful marble". There are even a couple of hours in the morning designated for morning jogs when you run in the footsteps of former Olympians. Take a stroll up to Ardittos Hill for a panoramic view of the stadium. Tickets are required to enter the stadium, which includes a free audio guide. – Tripadvisor
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Top ways to experience Panathenaic Stadium
The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Kallimarmaro
How to get there
  • Syntagma • 10 min walk
Reach out directly
See what travellers are saying
  • Shivani S
    23 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    See the Panathenaic Stadium - worth it!
    As expected, a very busy site to see. We were able to get to the stadium within a 45 min walk from our hotel, but seeing it up close was amazing. Definitely worth seeing. Such rich culture and history surrounds this site. If it's the first time you're going, I suggest going with a tour so you can learn and understand the understated history that they share with you. Take a picture on the podium. Run a lap of the (huge) track. Walk up or down the staircases / seating area. Just appreciate the sheer size of this structure and its heritage.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 3 October 2023
  • rdkjsd
    70 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth the visit (with audio guide)
    Enjoyed the visit as we used the audio guide (included in ticket price). Took about an hour with the audio guide, taking photos, etc. You can run on the track if you choose. Not included in combo ticket but there was no line to purchase tickets.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 4 October 2023
  • Lyanne C
    Sheffield, United Kingdom25 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    An Athens must !
    Amazing place !! The history & architecture is outstanding. Easy to get to from centre of Athens. We got there via city site seeing red bus & used the headphones from the bus for the audio guide as none are provided. 10€ entry is worth it. Not too crowded at 1pm either.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 19 October 2023
  • Devar s
    Mirissa, Sri Lanka65 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautifully preserved ancient place
    A beautifully preserved historic place! The marbles and the seating gives you the opportunity to feel the history while you enjoy the beautiful view. The museum was very nice and we enjoyed reading about the different Olympics through the history.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 10 November 2023
  • Richard M
    Hampstead Norreys, United Kingdom937 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Stunning amazing place
    The stadium is just amazing. The banks of marble seats surroind the track and it just has the look of the ancient stadium it is develped from. The olympic rings loom over you and make sure you go inside to the museum. It contains an example of every olympic torch which is a great snapshot of history. A must for olympic fans.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 26 November 2023
  • TravelbugVietnam
    1,647 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth a Visit
    A mobile phone is given to you when you buy your ticket and you listen to the commentary this way. The stadium is huge and is used for sporting events and in the summer for outdoor concerts and theatre. When I visited there were groups of small children learning to play soccer. I believe there are early morning times when you can go for a run around the stadium and indulge your Olympic fantasies, including standing on the winner’s dias.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 28 November 2023
  • Craig R
    Yarrawonga, Australia2,026 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Athens to Sydney Cruise 2023
    Built for the first modern Olympics in 1896. This is just magnificent to see, the entire stadium is made from white marble. It cost 10 euros to enter but well worth it to walk around the track and sit in the stands.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 10 December 2023
  • elmooo
    26 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Interesting way to spend an hour.
    A peaceful way to spend an hour in Athens. On entry you receive an audio guide which is easy to use and informative. The collection of torches and posters was an interesting section. Small coffee shop just outside. It is €1 to use the toilets though. Nice to couple with a walk through the gardens across the road. Some good photo opportunities and a more relaxed trip compared to some of the busier sites in Athens.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 15 February 2024
  • GAR
    970 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Interesting and relaxing visit
    Reasonably priced entry which includes an engaging audio guide that is very easy to follow. Visitors can access the seating and climb up for views over the stadium. It doesn’t take long to visit, an hour or less, but it’s worth going. It was pretty quiet too, so nice to get away from the crowds
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 4 March 2024
  • Mark S
    London, United Kingdom210 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent site in Athens
    We enjoyed this site more than we were expecting. The views are amazing. You must pay and go inside, only 10 Euros, well worth it. The view from outside does not do it justice. The small museum is interesting. You get a good view of the Acropolis as well from the 'back' side. A peaceful haven in the middle of Athens.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 23 March 2024
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4.5
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MikeMidd2001
London, UK99 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
The Panathenaic Stadium is worth a visit, especially if you have a sunny day so you can climb to the top and get the great views of the Acropolis from sections 20-21.

Whilst you can get nice pictures from outside, walking to the top inside gives you a real sense of scale. That's particularly important when you remember it is made of marble. There's also a bit of fun in walking the track in the centre. There is a free and useful audio guide that runs about 35-40 minutes, though my machine kept automatically shutting off.

Worth noting that there are steep steps and no railings, of course, so not suitable for those with mobility issues.

The 'museum' is mostly historical Olympic posters, and the upper floor was locked the day I was there.

I think it's certainly worth the €5 admission price.
Written 16 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ginges_revenge
Brisbane, Australia5,859 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020
We were in Athens in March 2020 at the start of the Covid restrictions and the city was effectively closed. When we walked into the square in front of the stadium, we were literally alone in the square with no-one else. It was again closed due to Covid restrictions but you can see a lot of the stadium so it wasn't to bad. A couple of Japanese reporters came and interviewed us as they were doing a story on the lighting of the flame for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics which was happening in 3 days. I would of loved to go in but at least you could see most of it. Well worth seeing as it is the birth place of the modern Olympics.
Written 18 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CMC
Herne Bay, United Kingdom1,049 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022 • Couples
Photos make this look like a smaller structure than it is in reality. Possible to walk all around the stadium and on to running track and medal podium. There is a small museum accessed via the stadium with posters of past games and Olympic torches.

Shop was closed but there was a temporary one outside.

Buy tickets at ticket office outside, no queue (afternoon in late April)

Late afternoon / early evening there is some shade on one side of the stadium so might be a good time to go if very hot day.
Written 3 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Berit P
Munich, Germany13 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020 • Solo
The ticket was 5 € and an Audioguides is included. The self guided tour took me about 30 min and gave lots of interesting facts about the stadium, the architecture and the history. Climbing the steps to the highest point, walking through the arena, all very interesting. The Audioguides let the atmosphere of a packed stadium come alive. There’s a small museum but that’s partly closed due to COVID-19. I enjoyed the visit immensely.
Written 5 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

owlbeonholiday
Worcester, UK1,204 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
The first stadium of the modern Olympic games. We spent quite a bit of time here, walking around, visiting the little museum, getting lots of photos at various points in the stadium. The scale of the place cannot be appreciated on the outside. Plus we could have gone for a run around the track if we had wanted. A few people did. €5 entry fee. Maybe a little high, but we paid it anyway for the experience.
Written 16 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ElsieF499
London, UK74 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022
Home of he modern Olympic Games.
I spent a pleasant hour here exploring the stadium and enjoying the views from the top of the stands. The entry fee of 10 euros is a bit steep, but included in that is an audio guide giving the history of the stadium and the Olympic Games, and a small museum dedicated to the olympics with posters and torches from various games. You can climb up to the top of the stands which gives you a great view over Athens. You can always walk/run on the track and have your picture taken standing on a winner’s podium. Yes, you can see the stadium from the street, but if you have the time and the money then it is worth going in
Written 12 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MS11M22S
United Kingdom229 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2023 • Family
We stopped outside the Panathenaic Stadium as part of the Athens Free Tour and decided to head back the next day to get a chance to explore it fully. And so glad we did!!

You can take photos of the stadium from outside.
However, it is so worth the entrance fee (€10 each / €5 child) to go into the actual place and you get a free audio guide as well. You can either take a personal handheld audio device & listen to it, or download it via a QR code onto your own mobile device.

The audio guide gives an easy to listen to & fascinating overview of the stadium & the history of the Olympics.
Halfway round you go into a tunnel (lovely & cool - a refreshing break from the heat in the stadium) that takes you into a hidden part of the building where you will find a huge collection of Olympic torches from games gone by! Wow!!

You can run on the track, where world class runners have gone before & stand on the winners podium.

Before you leave, you must head to the top of the stadium seats to admire the spectacular views of the Acropolis & Pathernon.

It was definitely one of the best parts of our trip to Athens & unexpectedly so!

Make the effort to visit!
Written 1 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Thomas G
Amsterdam, The Netherlands1,877 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2022
The stadium is really impressive. It is fully made of marble and the oldest Olympic stadium in the world. It is way nicer than I thought and an absolutely must do, even if you are not a sports fan. The stadium is sooo huge. I recommend on doing the audiotour, which takes about 40 minutes and it will explain everything on a fun way. There is a small museum which is nice for 10 minutes and further just enjoy the mighty stadium. One of the absolute highlights of Athens for me.
PS don't forget to run a round in this historical stadium and stand on the number 1 spot for the real experience.
Written 13 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Maud
31 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Couples
Amazing. A must-see, especially if you're into sports. Entrance is €10pp including a mobile guided tour (walk up to the second booth and leave your details to borrow a mobile phone type device). The queues were not long when we returned mid-morning on a Sunday (after a run the Thursday before). The museum is a little sub-optimised in some areas but that doesn't distract from the tangible sense of history here. There's also a merch store outside and inside the museum.

And for the runners amongst you (because it's not on the official website).....

*RUNNING IN THE PANATHENAIC STADIUM*
Turn up before opening time, from 0730 (perhaps earlier) and the entrance staff will let you run on the track and ask you to pay the €10 Euro entrance afterwards and when the ticket office opens at 0800 ish. You'll be asked to leave your name, address, DOB and signature (not entirely sure why if you're fit, so perhaps don't use your real data!). We went on a Thursday morning in our running gear and there were only 2 other runners there, though it got busier the later it got. Wear good trainers as the track isn't very forgiving. Worth skipping breakfast and getting up and out for. Take water with you. It's magical.

Take the underground to Syntagma on the red line (a couple of €'s for a return ticket) and leave the station at the 'gardens / presidential palace' exit (walk towards the souvenir stall which is by the entrance of the gardens). Walk through and out the gardens, bearing right, to the stadium which is over a busy road (a simple tourist map from your hotel will help you stay on track).
Written 22 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JalynCameron
Vancouver, Canada228 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019 • Couples
Really nice view walking around the fully marble stadium. Entey fee is a bit pricey since you can basically see the entire stadium from the outside. But you also gain access to a mini museum of the stadium underground. Its suuuuuper small and not worth calling a "museum".
Written 14 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Panathenaic Stadium - All You MUST Know Before You Go (2024)

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