Athens Zappeion

Location: Syntagma

The Zappeion Megaron of Athens: Designed by the famous Danish architect Theophil Freiherr von Hansen in 1878, the Zappeion Megaron is named after Evangelos Zappas, a businessman from Epirus who played a major role in starting the Zappian Olympic Games, which laid the path for the modern Olympic Games. He offered to sponsor the revival of the Modern Olympic Games and soon the first modern Olympics were held at the Panathenaic Stadium Athens in 1896.

The Zappeion building is a tribute to this great man who brought the Olympic Games back into the modern world. Having played the role of the official Olympic village for the Olympic games of 1896 and host of the fencing events, the Zappeion building today is used for public exhibitions, wine tasting, trade shows, business meetings, and cultural events. Many international conferences are also hosted in Zappeion. Note that it was here that the integration of Greece into the European Union was signed in 1979 by the then prime minister Konstantinos Karamanlis.

The classic architecture of this building is completely breathtaking. With an oval shaped open area flanked by a two-storey colonnade, the building is painted in traditional rust colors, a feature common in several ancient Greek buildings. One of the more famous exhibitions held here was that of Olympic Torches, an extremely interesting collection. The Zappeion Megaron is easily accessible with buses running frequently from Syntagma Square. A walk through the National Garden is definitely required.

Top Tours and activities

• Self-drive classic route

  Category: Other, Multi Days, City Breaks, City, Private, Ancient Sites, Shore Excursions

  Explore Greece by car on this self-drive classic route. Give your self the change to see the capital of Greece, Athens, and the most important archaeological sites of the country at your own pace!

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• Best Seller

  Full-day Athens tour with Cape Sounion

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  A complete tour of Athens including the major sightseeing points as well a drive to the famous Cape Sounion Temple.

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• Walking tour with Acropolis and city tour

  Category: City, Walking

  Discover the most important sightseeing of Athens on foot! Walk through the Syntagma Square, Plaka and go up the Acropolis Hill. The tour begins in Syntagma metro station and ends in the Acropolis. A licensed guide will give you detailed explanations of all sights.

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How to get there

There are many ways to reach Zappeion, from any location in Athens.

Tours: Discover Zappeion with an organized tour, starting from 125 euros.

Private transfers: We recommend using an online pre-booked Athens transfer service, which provides transfer by taxi, minibus or private VIP car and arranging a pickup directly from the port, airport or your hotel. Alternatively, there’s the option of arranging a pickup by a local driver directly at the following numbers: 0030 693 881 8288, 0030 694 597 2090, 0030 690 943 9292 or book your taxi online.

On foot: As Zappeion is located in a central area of Athens, it can be easily reached on foot from Syntagma metro station, in approximately 10 minutes.

By metro: The closest metro station is “Syntagma” on lines 2 and 3. Note that Zappeion is located within a 10-minute walking distance from the metro. Get a map of the metro here.

By bus/trolleybus: The closest bus stop is “Zappio”. There are many buses and trolleybuses that make a stop there. Check the routes and the official timetables on OASA Telematics.

By tram: The closest tram stop is “Zappio” on Routes 1 and 2. Get a map of the tram here.

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