Athens Byzantine and
Christian Museum
The Athens Byzantine and Christian Museum is housed in a beautiful
villa with an underground wing and lovely gardens too.
Athens Byzantine and Christian Museum
Photo: Joy of Museums
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
Another of Athens' specialist collections, this is partly
housed in an 1840s villa with its own courtyard, filled with flowers and orange
trees. The villa was home to the Duchesse de Plaisance, a French widow who had
been married to one of Napoleon's generals and who fell in love with Greece and
created this Florentine villa in what was then the outskirts of Athens.
Athens Byzantine and Christian Museum
Photo: Marsyas
The Underground Wing
Although the collection was originally mainly of interest to
the connoisseur, it was brought to stunning new life by the building of a large
underground wing which opened in 2007. Although underground, this new set of
galleries are bright and spacious, with an open-plan look.
Our Pick of the Athens Guides
The first room in the new gallery outlines the story of the Byzantine Empire, and then armed with this overview visitors can make their way through the various display areas, starting with Christian Art and ending an engrossing hour or so later with the Fall of Constantinople in 1453.
Musical Eros by Defterevon Sifnios
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
Byzantine Art
There is certainly no lack of information, and you can spend
as much time reading the display boards, which are in Greek and in English, as
looking at the objects themselves. These include numerous icons, naturally, but
also many other forms of Byzantine art such as sculptures, frescoes, jewellery,
ceramics, manuscripts and embroideries.
Photo: George E. Koronaios
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
Visiting the Athens
Byzantine and Christian Museum
There are audio tours in several languages, and some
displays for blind people to touch and experience. There are also temporary exhibitions
to enjoy, and allow time to appreciate the gardens, too. What used to be a
museum only for the specialist now rightly appeals to everyone.
http://www.byzantinemuseum.gr/
Other Athens pages
This extract of Artistic Athens in the Lonely Planet book Culture Trails takes visitors on a journey through the artistic side of Athens..
Athens culinary tours are among the food walking tours offered by an unusual company, Culinary Backstreets.
Athens, an Eater's Guide to the City, is published by Culinary Backstreets, who do walking food tours in Athens and the book recommends the best places to eat.
Greece Travel Secrets gives its choice of the best hotels in Athens from budget and moderate options through to 5-star luxury choices.
The Changing of the Guard in Athens takes place outside the Parliament building at the top of Syntagma Square and is a must-see for visitors.
Athens Airport car rentals include Alamo/National Car Rental, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt, all with offices at the airport.
Athens car rental options include almost all of the major international car hire firms such as Avis, Budget, Hertz, and Europcar.
The Athens Acropolis has the city's most iconic building, the Parthenon, along with other historic buildings and is where the Elgin Marbles were taken from.
Pictures of Athens from the Greece Travel Secrets website
The Greece Travel Secrets website looks at the Athens weather, the chance of rain, the climate in summer and winter and the best time to visit Athens.
The Athens Agora or ancient market is a must-see site and one of the best things to do in Athens with its restored arcade building, the Stoa, and its museum.
Athens Airport hotels include the luxury Sofitel at the terminals, Holiday Inn near the airport, and others close by like the Hotel Pantheon.
If you're wondering where to eat in Athens and Piraeus we have a few suggestions including some favorites around the Acropolis, Omonia Square, and Syntagma.
Easter in Athens is, like everywhere in Greece, the biggest religious celebration of the year and this page tells you what to expect over the Easter weekend.
Greekality is a Greek company offering food tours in Athens including street food tours, wine and nightlife tours, vegan tours and cooking classes.
Greece Travel Secrets visits the Monastiraki Flea Market, followed by Sunday lunch at Sigalas on Monastiraki Square
Athens Food Tours are being introduced by new company The Greek Fork, and will include tours of the Central Market, and the best street food.
Mount Lykabettos is the highest hill in Athens and provides some of the best views of the city, with a funicular cable car the easiest way to get to the top.
The beach resorts of Athens are easily reached from the city and also close are Cape Sounion with the Temple of Poseidon, ancient Marathon and Rafina's port.
There's all kinds of entertainment in Athens whether you're interested in theatre, dance, classical music, jazz, Greek music, rock music, disco, opera or movies.
Athens is a top vacation destination. The Greece Travel Secrets Athens guide has information on hotels, museums, Athens airport and all the best things to do.
Athens walking tours and other experiences like cookery lessons, ceramics workshops, dining with a family, and street art are available from Alternative Athens
If visiting Athens it helps to know when major events and public holidays take place, as some shops and attractions may be closed, but to be there at times like Easter can make for a magical trip.
Greece Travel Secrets picks the best time to visit Athens with a month-by-month account of the weather, hotel prices and any special events that are happening.
This beginner's guide to Greek architecture explains how to tell your Ionic from your Doric columns, and what to look for in temples and Byzantine churches.
Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...
Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?
- Click on the HTML link code below.
- Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment,
your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.
-
Greece Travel Secrets picks the ten best budget hotels on Santorini, some with caldera views, some near beaches and some close to the heart of Fira.
Read More
-
The Pan-Hellenic Seamen’s Federation (PNO) has announced its participation in the 24-hour strike called by the General Confederation of Greek Labor (GSEE) on Wednesday, April 9. The strike, which will…
Read More
-
Andros, named Greece’s top hiking island for 2025 by Conde Nast Traveler, boasts diverse landscapes, scenic trails, cultural charm and stunning beaches.
Read More
-
The Greek island of Karpathos, a true hidden gem, has earned a spot on GEO magazine’s list of Europe’s nine best-kept travel secrets.
Read More
-
Among the many city eateries offering modern and classic Greek cuisine, Mavros Gatos in Pangrati stands out as a prime example of what a true traditional taverna should be today.
Read More
-
A total of about 180 people arrived on two direct flights from Morocco, including actors as well as the core production team.
Read More
-
Greece Travel Secrets lists the ten best dishes to try in Greece, especially if it’s your first visit, and also discover the best places to find them.
Read More
-
Athens sizzles with culinary creativity, blending timeless classics and innovative flavors at unforgettable dining spots.
Read More
-
Greece’s public museums and archaeological sites will offer free entry on Sunday, March 2, and Thursday, March 6, following a decision by the Greek Culture Ministry. According to the ministry, on the…
Read More
-
Apano Meria, rich in geology and Cycladic history, captures the timeless charm of the Greek islands.
Read More