Greece To Allow Fewer Visitors at the Acropolis in Athens

Simply put, there are too many tourists visiting Greece.

Greece is the latest country to impose tourist limits on one of its most popular attractions. Beginning in September 2023, the Acropolis in Athens, a UNESCO World Heritage site, will be capped at 20,000 visitors per day.

If Greece is on your travel list this year or beyond, keep reading to discover how this new restriction could affect your travel plans.

New Rules for Visiting the Acropolis

In an effort to curb overcrowding at the centuries-old archeological site, Greek officials will now allow only 20,000 visitors per day at timed intervals beginning on September 4, 2023. Currently, the citadel sees upwards of 23,000 visitors on its busiest days with cruise ship travelers making up about 50% of that number.

Greece’s Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni says, “Obviously tourism is desirable for the country, for all of us. But we must work out how excessive tourism won’t harm the monument.”

A trial period will begin on September 4, 2023, until April 1, 2024, when the new rules will become permanent. Only 3,000 visitors will be allowed to enter between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., followed by 2,000 more visitors in the next hour, with varying entry limits throughout the rest of the day.

What This Means for Other Sites

Earlier recently, it was announced that Venice, Italy, is facing placement on UNESCO’s World Heritage in Danger List. This comes as the city and its world-famous lagoons face an unprecedented threat due to over-tourism and climate change.

Last month, Amsterdam made the move to ban cruise ships.

As travel becomes more and more easily accessible, destinations without the proper infrastructure to meet demand will likely institute similar restrictions. Only time will tell how these future requirements will impact the travel industry along with the health of these beloved destinations.

Final Thoughts

Greece is taking a stand against over-tourism in the best way it knows how: by limiting the number of visitors to the Acropolis. It’s not the first country to do so and it certainly won’t be the last. But with proper planning, the archeological site is still a viable option for any Athens itinerary.