When in Greece, one has to pay a visit to the ancient ruins. They are, after all, the stuff of legends.
Athens is home to a number of significant sites, one of them being the Acropolis. The citadel is located above the city and can easily receive 23,000 visitors in a day.
In a bid to avoid overcrowding, the Greek government has now decided to introduce a limit on the number of daily visitors to the historic monument.
“There is a very high demand and it is completely normal and understandable. The Acropolis… is a world symbol. Therefore, anyone who comes to Athens wants to visit it,” stated Culture Minister, Lina Mendoni. “Obviously, tourism is desirable for the country, for all of us. But we have to see how over-tourism will not damage the monument.”
Under the pilot program, which goes into effect on September 4, no more than 20,000 visitors will be permitted per day. There will be different slots between 8AM and 8PM during which around 3,000 people will be able to enter at a time.
The initiative is then expected to be implemented permanently on April 1, 2024.