National Garden in Athens: Admission, Things to Do, Directions

Located in the heart of Athens, next to Syntagma Square, the National Garden is the city's green lung and largest park.

Find out what to do in the former royal garden, along with helpful information about history, how to get there and entry fees, in this complete guide to the National Garden in Athens.

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What Can I Do in the National Garden?

The National Garden from the 19th century is an idyllic park in the center of the metropolis. With its rich nature, it is considered one of the most beautiful parks in the city and is a popular attraction for children in Athens.

The National Garden is a shady recreation area for relaxing and strolling. It covers almost 16 hectares and includes rich flora, lush flower beds and a number of sculptures. Occasionally one even comes across ruins from antiquity, such as the remains of a temple foundation, the mosaic floor of a former Roman villa or the remains of an ancient water pipe.

Especially on weekends, the National Garden is a very popular place for the locals and always attracts visitors as a retreat away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Visitors can enjoy refreshments in the small café on the east side of the extensive area.

You can also visit the Botanical Museum, which sheds light on the history of the park. Another highlight is the Zoological Garden, which is home to around 400 animal species. The enclosure with wild animals and the fountain with turtles are also very popular with children, who also have a children's playground at their disposal.

In the immediate vicinity of the National Garden, apart from Syntagma Square, there are also sights such as the Parliament, the Zappeion and the Benaki Museum, which is why a visit to the park can be combined with a visit to these attractions.

Admission, Tickets and Guided Tours

How Do I Get to the National Garden?

The National Garden in central Athens is located next to Syntagma Square and across from the Benaki Museum.

The easiest way to get to the National Garden is to take Metro 2 or 3 to Syntagma. Alternatively, you can also take the Hop on Hop off bus tour to station A1 "Syntagma Square".

Cruise passengers arriving from Piraeus Port can go to the nearby Piraeus Metro Station and board the M1 line. A single ticket is sufficient for the 16-minute journey to Monastiraki Station. There change to the metro line 2 and go one stop to the station "Syntagma".

An entrance is located directly to the right of the Parliament building.

History of the National Garden

The history of the National Garden dates back to ancient times when it was used as a private garden by the philosopher and naturalist Theophrastus of Eresos.

Under Queen Amalie, the almost 16-hectare park was essentially given its current appearance. Between 1838 and 1840 she had the site laid out as a royal garden, intended to serve both as a private retreat and as a botanical garden used for scientific purposes. For this reason, when designing the royal garden, emphasis was placed on a rich variety of plants.

The park, which was renamed "National Garden" almost 50 years later, has been open to the public since 1923.

Today, the National Garden is an extremely popular retreat for Athenians.

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