Visiting the ancient Greek citadel Acropolis won’t be as simple as it used to be. The country recently announced that it will adopt crowd control measures for the first time in history in an attempt to preserve this UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most famous tourist attractions in the world.
Greece’s minister of culture, Lina Mendoni, announced that the measures will be set in place by the end of July.
“Measures will be fully enforced by the end of the month,” Mendoni said during an appearance on Skai 100.3 radio earlier this month. “Visits in June and early July alone increased by 80% compared to 2019.”
Soon, the tourists will have to abide by the time-slot system in order to be granted access to the Acropolis. Electronic ticketing and easier access for organized groups will also be part of the crown control measures. There are also plans to expand the Propylaia gateway to avoid visitor congestion.
According to officials, 17,000 people, on average, visit the Acropolis each day. This resulted in huge crowds that were taking away from the entire experience and causing a strain on the ancient site.
The Acropolis houses some of the most significant ancient Greek buildings, including the Parthenon, Temple of Athena Nike, and Erechtheion.
