In the picturesque district of Monastiraki travelers encounter the second most significant historical site of Athens, the Agora. Once a vivid and bustling marketplace, the Agora was for many centuries the heart of Athens, filled with stores, administrative buildings, public monuments and temples. Associated with the daily life of Athenians and considered the cradle of democracy, this noteworthy site used to be everybody’s favorite part of the city, where eminent politicians, administrators and philosophers mingled with the citizens. Enjoy a guided tour of this wonderful archaeological park and stroll around the ruins of public monuments, the ancient parliament and store stoas that once embellished the area. Find out more about philosophers like Socrates, Athenian politics and the society in the Greek antiquity. Admire the temple of Hephaestus, the best preserved classical temple of Greece, built on a low hill that offers a panoramic view of the entire Agora. Conclude the tour with the local museum’s collection, which features ancient drachma coins, measurement weights, voting ballots and high-quality pottery, among many other interesting exhibits.

Continue by car towards the precincts of the Byzantine Museum. Discover the ruins of Aristotle’s Lyceum, the philosophical school of one of Greece’s most famous ancient philosopher, Aristotle. Nestled in a small, beautiful park with fragrant plants, where two rivers used to flow by, Aristotle’s Peripatetic School was considered one of the three major gymnasia in ancient Athens. Walk around its ruins to explore the parts where Athenian men exercised, bathed and prepared themselves for training. Find out about Aristotle’s life and teaching and his contribution to the world philosophical reflection.

Complete the tour with a visit of the nearby Byzantine Museum, a prominent museum in Athens. Once the villa of a famous duchess, this remarkable museum includes a rich collection of artifacts that relate to the Byzantine history of Athens, such as the impressive mosaic floor and sculpture reliefs of an old church. Admire early Christian art, jewelry, an Emperor’s hand-written edict, Byzantine golden and silver coins and an outstanding collection of high-quality, hand-painted Byzantine icons.