Philopappos Hill

Philopappos Hill, known in Greek as Filopappou and in antiquity as Mouseion, the Hill of the Muses, rises south-west of the Acropolis and offers some of the finest views of the Parthenon in the city. It is a large, open green space crossed by footpaths through pine trees and wild grasses, and it feels a world away from the traffic of the streets below.

At the summit stands the monument that gives the hill its modern name. Gaius Julius Antiochus Epiphanes Philopappos was a prince of the kingdom of Commagene, in what is now south-east Turkey, who became an Athenian citizen and a Roman consul. After his death in 116 AD, his sister Julia Balbilla and the people of Athens raised a marble tomb monument in his honour. Built of white Pentelic marble, it shows him riding in a chariot in a carved frieze, and the upper level held statues of the prince and his royal ancestors. About two-thirds of the facade survives.

The hill connects to the neighbouring Pnyx hill and lies beside the hill of the Observatory, also known as the Hill of the Nymphs. On the south side is the Dora Stratou theatre. In the early 2000s there were plans to fence the hill and charge admission, but a residents' movement opposed them, and in 2015 the Council of State ruled in their favour, so access remains open and free.

Walking up from the paved lower paths to the monument takes around 20 to 30 minutes at an easy pace. The paths are uneven and slippery in places, so wear decent shoes. Sunset is the most popular time, when the light falls on the Acropolis, but early morning is cooler and quieter. Bring water in summer, as there are no facilities at the top, and avoid the more remote paths alone after dark.

The hill rises directly from Dionysiou Areopagitou, across from the Acropolis, and the nearest metro stations are Petralona on Line 1 and Syngrou-Fix on Line 2; trolleybus 15 also serves the area. The neighbourhoods of Koukaki and Petralona at its foot are full of tavernas and cafés for afterwards.