Acropolis of Athens

"Is what is old new again?" A timeless question heralded the advent of the sixth annual Athens Democracy Forum, convened by The New York Times and aiming to dissect democracy's biggest challenges in its very birthplace.

The Acropolis Museum in Athens ranked No 6 in TripAdvisor's annual Travelers Choice Awards for 2018, coming one spot above the Louvre in Paris and one below Madrid's Prado.

Designed by Swiss architect Bernard Tschumi and inaugurated in 2009, the building, says the review, "is as stunning as the treasures it houses."

English legend Bryan Ferry brings his "elegant, seductive croon" to Greece as part of an ongoing tour of the UK and Europe, with a career-spanning show. The iconic singer will appear at Athens Herod Atticus Theater on Tuesday, September 11, and at Thessaloniki's Dasos Theater on Thursday, September 13.

Culture Minister Lydia Koniordou has sent a letter to British counterpart Matt Hancock asking for an intensification of talks for the return to Greece of the Parthenon Marbles, which are housed at the British Museum.

In a statement, the Culture Ministry said the move came on the heels of Koniordou's visit to London in July.

Workers stand on scaffolding at the Parthenon temple atop the Acropolis hill in Athens, Tuesday. Years of repair work continue at the 2,500-year-old temple, dedicated to the goddess Athena. [AP]

The board of the Athens & Epidaurus Festival announced on Thursday it will donate 20,000 euros to those affected by the devastating wildfires in Attica along with the proceeds from a special concert it will hold on August 29.

The concert, which will be held at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens, will be organised in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture.

A thick cloud of black and orange smoke hung over the Acropolis hill and the Parthenon temple early on Monday afternoon after a fire broke out near Kineta, about 54 km (35 miles) west of Athens. The fire has prompted nearby residents to flee their homes. 

The archaeological site of the Acropolis will close early on Monday due to what is expected to be a day of excessive heat, authorities said.

The site will close at 2 p.m.

The decision was made to protect staff at the site and visitors from the dangers of heatstroke.

Temperatures were expected to climb to the upper 30s on Monday.

Tourists take photographs in front of the Parthenon in Athens. The Acropolis is a must on the itinerary of most of the 30 million tourists Greece welcomes every year, yet the country only has one state school turning out guides who are licensed to conduct tours of the Sacred Rock and other Greek sites and monuments, and that school currently has just 40 students.

Greek Culture Minister Lydia Koniordou brought up the issue of the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece during a visit to London this week, the ministry said in a press release on Friday.

The minister was in the British capital to participate in an event celebrating 100 years from the founding of the Koraes Chair of Modern Greek and Byzantine History at King's College London.