Benaki Museum of Greek culture skip-the-line tickets
Attractions & guided tours

Benaki Museum of Greek culture skip-the-line tickets

5/5
Excellent
Based on 2 reviews
Free cancellation
Availability: On selected dates
Mobile voucher accepted
Validity: Flexible
Do this because
  • Visit one of the most important museums of Athens and explore a unique Byzantine collection
  • Admire outstanding examples of marble portraits, glasswork and authentic swords
  • See the original manuscripts written by world-famous Greek poets
What to expect

One of the most beautiful neoclassical-style buildings in Athens houses the Benaki Museum of Greek Culture. The location was converted into a museum in order to shelter the collections of Antonis Benakis, a unique exhibition of Greek culture arranged diachronically from prehistory to the 20th century. The museum includes three permanent collections that refer to Prehistoric, Ancient Greek and Roman Art, Byzantine Art and Historic Heirlooms.

The collection of Prehistoric, Ancient Greek and Roman antiquities includes several exhibits from the dawn of Prehistory to the end of the Roman era such as gold jewels, vases and sculptures, coins, outstanding examples of miniature work in faience and ivory, glasswork, marble portraits and funerary steles.

The exceptionally rich Byzantine collection links the ancient Greek world to that of modern Greece and is divided into two groups. The first group includes examples of bronze and silver household and ecclesiastical vessels, miniature sculptures and enamels, ceramics and manuscripts. The second group includes Byzantine and post-Byzantine icons, a number of household vessels from the early Byzantine period, a collection of Byzantine jewelry as well as a large group of crosses, reliquaries, amulets and miniature steatite icons.

The collection of historical heirlooms recreates the history of modern Greece from the end of the 18th century onwards. Many of the objects are connected with the Philhellenic movement and others date to the reigns of King Otho and King George. It includes authentic swords and other weapons which belonged to the heroes of 1821, personal belongings such as Ioannis Kapodistrias’s seal and Lord Byron's pistols, manuscripts written by the poets Dionysios Solomos, Constantine Cavafy, Kostis Palamas and Yannis Ritsos, and the Nobel prize certificates and gold medals won by the poets George Seferis and Odysseus Elytis.

Read more
What's included
  • check Skip-the-line entrance ticket
What's not included
  • x_not_included Pick up and drop-off service
  • x_not_included Guided tour
Where

Koumbari St. & Vas. Sofias Ave. 1, 106 74 Athens, Greece

Meeting point:
Benaki Museum
What to remember
  • In order to access the Main Exhibition building, visitors on wheelchair or with baby strollers can use the entrance on Vas. Sofias avenue
Read more
Provider
Key Tours Greece
Booking fee
Good news! No extra fees are applied to this booking.
Cancellation policy
Receive a 100% refund if you cancel up to 1 day before the experience begins.

What people say about this experience

Excellent

5/5

Based on 2 reviews from verified customers

100%
0%
0%
0%
0%
  • Anonymous

    From United States of America - July 2023

    Excellent

    Overall rated

    5/5

  • Anonymous

    From France - September 2022

    Excellent

    Overall rated

    5/5

You might also like

Private Athens Tour with Acropolis and Plaka
Activities

Private Athens Tour with Acropolis and Plaka

The ancient Greeks left behind a treasure trove of monuments, statues and artefacts in Athens. And on this private tour, you'll take in all the top spots with an expert guide. Exclusively for you and your party, you'll tour highlights including the Roman Agora, Hadrian's Library, the Plaka neighbourhood and the UNESCO-listed Acropolis. Vassiliki, one of our expert local guides, says, ‘Acropolis means “high city” and it usually refers to any settlement built on top of a hill. You'll find many towns in Greece that have an acropolis, but the Acropolis of Athens is certainly the most famous.'You'll start with a guided tour of the Acropolis – with skip-the-line tickets, there'll be no waiting around. Soak up wow-factor views over Athens at the Areopagus – a rocky hill where legend has it the Greek gods would hold court. Let your guide bring history to life as you marvel at ancient landmarks like the Roman Agora, the Theatre of Dionysus and the still-standing columns of the Asklepieion and Parthenon. Then, it's on to the city's Instagram-worthy old quarter, Plaka – the capital's most appealing and historic neighbourhood. Always thronged with a mix of locals and visitors, the pedestrianised lanes are brimming with tavernas whose tables spill onto the streets. Vassiliki says, ‘Athenians call this area “the neighbourhood of the Gods,' as it has been inhabited since the days of ancient Greece. In fact, excavations show that the street layout has barely changed since antiquity.'

free cancellation
Available in:

de, en, fr 

Ancient Delphi Tour
Excursions & day trips

Ancient Delphi Tour

Delve into the ancient treasures of Delphi and Thebes on this full-day tour. And both are just a short drive from Athens. You'll visit these well-preserved archaeological sites before an afternoon exploring the charming mountain villages of Levadia and Arachova.

free cancellation
Available in:

en, fr 

Athens City Tour and Acropolis Museum
Excursions & day trips

Athens City Tour and Acropolis Museum

A wealth of ancient treasures is packed into central Athens. On this guided morning tour, you'll uncover some of its megastars, including the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian's Arch, the Parthenon and Acropolis – and also enjoy a guided visit to the Acropolis Museum.

free cancellation
Available in:

en, fr 

Athens by Night
Excursions & day trips

Athens by Night

Athens's fascinating mix of antiquity and contemporary vibrancy is especially evident when the sun goes down. Experience the magic of Athens by night on this excursion, as you take a scenic tour through the city and enjoy dinner and a Greek dance and music show in the historic Plaka district.

free cancellation
Available in:

en 

Saronic Islands Cruise – Hydra, Poros and Aegina
Excursions & day trips

Saronic Islands Cruise – Hydra, Poros and Aegina

The beautiful islands of the Saronic Gulf are just a short journey away from Athens. This full day island-hopping tour is a great way to explore the ‘other Greece' while immersing yourself in the country's culture and nature. You'll cruise to three islands Hydra, Poros and Aegina, and enjoy lunch on board.

free cancellation
Available in:

en, fr