Hiking up the Acropolis

You will see many steep marble steps and gravel paths throughout the complex. I do not recall any railings on the steps as that would require altering an antiquity. Best advice is to get an early morning start so you can walk in cooler weather and with fewer people.

As you approach the Acropolis and climb the marble steps there won't be any railings, but as you get near the top they'll be railings just before you get to the top. After that there are no railings, there are gravel paths, some areas will be rocky but if you take your time you'll be fine.

The best time to get there is at opening, 8 a.m. or a couple hours before closing. You'll avoid the tour groups and tourists which can make your experience less enjoyable with everyone pushing, shoving and getting in the way of photo ops.

There is no road for the Happy train to take you up the Acropolis to the Parthenon and the other temples on the top.

Its stairs and a path or this elevator, if you qualify---http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/3/eh355.jsp?obj_id=2384

The elevator is HARD to qualify for, you need to be genuinely disabled (wheelchair, crutches or MD note re your disability) not just arthritis knees... also, you have to be vigilant about prior reservation and phone calls the day before AND day of, to be sure an attendant is on hand.

If you just are worrying about insecure footing, and weary climbs, think about a collapsible, packable, lightweight trekking pole, or even 2. Amazon has several (3-4 sections that lock together, internal STRONG bungie cord, folds down Z-style to less than 12"). I have 2 "Earthtrek" that I adore, because adjusts down for shorter people (= 5-3 ladies). I"ve recommended these to dozens, friends & on line; Am going back to Athens (@ Acropolis) next May and for sure, I'm packing my poles!

I do like the happy train fo people who get tired walking around the central "landmarks" district. you can get on at Syntagma, it's about a 40-minute trundle around the area, €5, you can get off at a number of points & get on to the next one (there are 3-4 of them making the rounds), big plus is that they can go on many pedestrianized paths. http://www.athenshappytrain.com A good overview when u first arrive; a godsend for family groups that include Achey Grandpa and wiggly pre-schooler.

We were just there in June. Keeping in mind that I made no special notice of this at the time, I remember the path up to the Acropolis was variously concrete and brick sidewalk, and somewhat steep, and the surface was in good shape. There are several switchbacks to ameliorate the gain in elevation. At the top of this path there is a large set of stone steps (large in both height of stairs and rise height) and then a few earthen ramps leading up through the Propylaia (large stone gates). Unfortunately I don't remember if there is a ramp that completely traverses those stone steps. The only guardrails I remember at any point were at the narrowest part of the Propylaia where the walk narrows to 2-3 abreast in size. Once on top of the Acropolis there are gravel paths of sorts that are more or less even, but there were some areas in which it was unavoidable to walk on smoothly worn and deeply pocked marble. It may help in terms of heat and crowds to go when it opens or an hour or two before closing. We went around 18:30 and it didn't seem crowded. The tightest group of people, although not terrible, were on the stairs at the Propylaia. It's kind of a choke point and picture spot rolled into one.

Remember that your walking sticks must have rubber tips to avoid damage to the monuments.

Keep in mind that dusty marble can be as slippery as wet marble. A young man with his son warned me about that. I did my best to stay on the slightly less challenging gravel.

When I saw the switch back route covered in people sitting, I took the stairs with the railing. I saw nothing that indicated it was one-way down. The people using it sure acted like it was, but I wasn't about to try to climb over all the people blocking the other route. That route was almost empty when I exited, so I did go that way then.

I saw nothing of any Happy Train. It might take people to the bus lot below the entrance, but there's still a good bit of walking to even get to the entrance.

In summary, yes, the marble steps are slippery. Yes, the paths are uneven and there is gravel. Yes, there are lots of steps, probably more than 150. They are most noticeable if you take the stairs I may have mistakenly taken, but there is a rail there. I saw no other rails anywhere except along the edge that overlooks the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, which is still in use as a performance venue.

One other note. The toilet facilities at the bottom near the entrance are primitive. Take your own paper and Wet Ones and don't expect the toilets to have seats.

We went after 6:30 pm in June. It wasn’t crowded at all, and a cool breeze at the top made for a pleasant hike. The steps and path can be slippery at times, so you want to watch your step!

Thanks to everyone for your helpful responses.

Martha a video is worth a thousand words -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3MFso8_01Q -- this is step by step all the way up to the Parthenon -- its via the MAIN entrance sorta west side .... the South Entrnce (which enters aat the area of the theatres-- is a bit steeper ... they both lead to the foot of the Acropolis, which is partly steps and partly concrete RAMP (rememer, in ancient times they had to lead bulls and sheep up to sacrifice, and animals don't like steps either)... Just wear sturdy rubbersole shoes/sneakers ... take your time... you can even bring a (foldable) trekking stick, and you'll be fine.... I'm waaaay older than u I bet and I look forward to doing it one last time next June.