Acropolis ticketed timed entry

[luvseaside]

Just saw this update on the Acropolis and Athen's attempt to manage the crowds this summer. 

https://greekreporter.com/2023/07/11/acropolis-crowds-time-slots-e-ticketing/

[Postcards]

I read similar article couple days back. We have booked a walking tour, just wondering how that will change timing etc.

Over 17,000 persons on average attend this site daily. Just “WOW”.

  Can you say, mental crowd prep?!!

[edinburgher]

 

 

 

 

4 hours ago, luvseaside said:

Just saw this update on the Acropolis and Athen's attempt to manage the crowds this summer. 

 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Postcards said:

We have booked a walking tour, just wondering how that will change timing etc.

 When are you visiting?  I posted this a few minutes ago:

 

:https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2950670-acropolis-closed-due-to-extreme-heat/#comment-65727458

 

Edited July 14, 2023 by edinburgher

[Postcards]

Yikes, the heat. We just watched that on the cnn.  Wow, think I will look out for a simple little fan.  After a couple days in Athens we sail on the 3rd of September.

[edinburgher]

14 hours ago, Postcards said:

 After a couple days in Athens we sail on the 3rd of September.

This unusually hot heatwave may have abated by then as the highest temps are usually in August,  but weather patterns are unpredictable nowadays.

 

Cross your fingers (and toes!)

[jennmaybe]

I’m assuming this won’t impact us if we have already purchased our tickets for October?  We are spending 2 days pre-cruise in Athens and plan to do Acropolis later in the afternoon once most passengers are back on board.

[edinburgher]

On 7/17/2023 at 3:40 AM, jennmaybe said:

plan to do Acropolis later in the afternoon once most passengers are back on board.

Maybe best keep an eye on the Acropolis website from time to time time before your visit, as there may (or may not) be changes once the heatwave has abated (which hopefully it will do) and  Acropolis visiting times revert back to more normal pre-heatwave opening hours.

 

later in the afternoon once most passengers are back on board.

 

And understand that cruise passengers do not make up the majority of visitors.  They add to it, yes, but the vast majority of visitors will be on land trips/city breaks and the like, or on day trips from resorts outside of Athens, so won't be "back on board". You will still need to share the space with a few thousand of your soon-to-be best friends.

 

Did you read any of the link in post #1? it quotes the DAILY number of Acropolis visitors at around 17,000, and if that figure is correct, cruise pax will account for only the tiniest of percentages of that number.

Edited July 18, 2023 by edinburgher

[TeamCan]

With regard to the "timed-entry ticket slots",  Viator sells general day tickets with no timed-entry slots.

With the announcement of the cap yesterday on the number of visitors to the Acropolis which will take effect from September, how will access be granted to general day tickets with no timed entry slots?  Can you still show up at anytime to line-up for access? 

Where should we buy our tickets from in advance?

TIA

 

[marazul]

On 7/16/2023 at 10:40 PM, jennmaybe said:

plan to do Acropolis later in the afternoon once most passengers are back on board.

 

On 7/18/2023 at 9:07 AM, edinburgher said:

And understand that cruise passengers do not make up the majority of visitors.  They add to it, yes, but the vast majority of visitors will be on land trips/city breaks and the like, or on day trips from resorts outside of Athens, so won't be "back on board". You will still need to share the space with a few thousand of your soon-to-be best friends.

The Acropolis tends to be packed at sunset, so "later in the day" is not necessarily the best time. First thing in the morning is the best time.

[edinburgher]

2 hours ago, marazul said:

The Acropolis tends to be packed at sunset, so "later in the day" is not necessarily the best time. First thing in the morning is the best time.

 

I expect jennmaybe who posted about visiting later in the afternoon will appreciate knowing that, as will others cruise pax planning to visit.

4 hours ago, TeamCan said:

With the announcement of the cap yesterday on the number of visitors to the Acropolis which will take effect from September, how will access be granted to general day tickets with no timed entry slots?  Can you still show up at anytime to line-up for access? 

Where should we buy our tickets from in advance?Viator sells general day tickets with no timed-entry slots.

It is usually advisable to purchase tickets from the official website of any attraction you plan to visit anywhere it may be. Note that Viator is only a third party middleman, and with the announcement being as new as it is, once the dust has settled and more details are known,companies such as Viator may no longer be able to sell any general entry  tickets at all.  If they are still advertising general entry tickets at present, they themselves may be waiting for clarification. If you have not already bought from Viator, I would hold back and check the new rules for entry on the official website, and if timed entry only, buy  from the official site once they become available.

 

How will access be granted to general day tickets with no timed entry slots?  Can you still show up at anytime to line-up for access? 

 

You would need to contact  a person in authority for clarification. (maybe through the Acropolis website?) but it may be that some of the finer details have not yet been clarified.  EG Will entry be ONLY with timed entry tickets or will a small number of "general entry" tickets be allowed each day if only at certain times. Or  may  there be a temporary  exempt period  for those who have already bought general entry tickets before the announcement?  For now likely that only the Acropolis officials know the answers to these questions. One reason for not buying tickets from third party websites.

 

[TeamCan]

2 hours ago, edinburgher said:

I expect jennmaybe who posted about visiting later in the afternoon will appreciate knowing that, as will others cruise pax planning to visit.

It is usually advisable to purchase tickets from the official website of any attraction you plan to visit anywhere it may be. Note that Viator is only a third party middleman, and with the announcement being as new as it is, once the dust has settled and more details are known,companies such as Viator may no longer be able to sell any general entry  tickets at all.  If they are still advertising general entry tickets at present, they themselves may be waiting for clarification. If you have not already bought from Viator, I would hold back and check the new rules for entry on the official website, and if timed entry only, buy  from the official site once they become available.

 

How will access be granted to general day tickets with no timed entry slots?  Can you still show up at anytime to line-up for access? 

 

You would need to contact  a person in authority for clarification. (maybe through the Acropolis website?) but it may be that some of the finer details have not yet been clarified.  EG Will entry be ONLY with timed entry tickets or will a small number of "general entry" tickets be allowed each day if only at certain times. Or  may  there be a temporary  exempt period  for those who have already bought general entry tickets before the announcement?  For now likely that only the Acropolis officials know the answers to these questions. One reason for not buying tickets from third party websites.

 

Thank you for your advice.  Yes, I agree, we usually try to buy tickets directly from the official website. The tickets from the official website are timed-entry and are non-refundable, whereas Viator tickets are general entry and refundable.  Exactly what you said in your example, I am worried that entry will ONLY be allowed with timed entry tickets and will allow some general entry tickets at certain times.  They gave a possible example 3000 people will be granted access from 8-9am. etc. I agree,the timed-entry tickets direct from the official website is the safer way to go.

 

Now on a side note, been monitoring the coopculture.it site to buy tickets for the Rome Colosseum Arena and Underground. The tickets are bought by bots and sold out in 15min when released!  I emailed them asking how to purchase tickets since everyday they are sold out and have not received a reply. It seems like if we want to access the Arena and Underground, we will have to purchase an expensive tour with a third party(whose bots buy up all the tickets).  Any advice on how to buy tickets from coopculture.it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[edinburgher]

10 hours ago, TeamCan said:

It seems like if we want to access the Arena and Underground, we will have to purchase an expensive tour with a third party(whose bots buy up all the tickets).  Any advice on how to buy tickets from coopculture.it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

i feel your pain, but sorry to say  I don't understand how to circumnavigate bots either. I do know that they are a problem for all sorts of ticket purchases including live music concerts by big names and festivals,denying genuine fans access to tickets unless they buy them at vastly inflated prices when they are subsequently sold on.

 

It really does seem to be an unfair practice and  should not be allowed, but until some form of regulation is introduced, for now it is the way things stand. No real consolation, but as you won't be the only one, perhaps you would consider submitting a complaint to one of the official Rome Tourism departments, or any other department which may be relevant, such as a consumer protection dept?  I honestly do not know.

 

i can though suggest a visit to a different one. Should youu have Naples as a port of call at any time, this is on the outskirts in a suburb.  It is the Flavian Amphitheatre located in Pozzuoli, and the third-largest Roman amphitheater in Italy. You can visit underground at this one, OK not the Collosseum but a not bad substitute if it is the only option.

Edited August 6, 2023 by edinburgher

[edinburgher]

Continued from post above as I ran out of time to edit.

 

 

Not the Colosseum but a not bad substitute if it is the only option. There should be many reviews, images  and descriptions online.

 

We combined it with a visit to the amazing Solfatara, also in Pozzuoli,  a little uphill from the amphitheatre We took  buses  uphill and downhill again from close to the amphitheatre. 

We reached Pozzuoli by train from Naples but in the intervening years, the transport network in and around Naples has been extended and there may now be alternatives to reach Pozzuoli which you could look for online. 

 

The Solfatara was fabulous and a really interesting visit, but a few years ago an Italian couple and their son died when they crossed a barrier and fell in, and it was closed for a few years following that tragic accident.  I do not know if it has reopened but it should be easy enough to find out.

 

Edited August 6, 2023 by edinburgher

[marazul]

1 hour ago, edinburgher said:

i feel your pain, but sorry to say  I don't understand how to circumnavigate bots either. I do know that they are a problem for all sorts of ticket purchases including live music concerts by big names and festivals,denying genuine fans access to tickets unless they buy them at vastly inflated prices when they are subsequently sold on.

 

It really does seem to be an unfair practice and  should not be allowed, but until some form of regulation is introduced, for now it is the way things stand. No real consolation, but as you won't be the only one, perhaps you would consider submitting a complaint to one of the official Rome Tourism departments, or any other department which may be relevant, such as a consumer protection dept?  I honestly do not know.

 

i can though suggest a visit to a different one. Should youu have Naples as a port of call at any time, this is on the outskirts in a suburb.  It is the Flavian Amphitheatre located in Pozzuoli, and the third-largest Roman amphitheater in Italy. You can visit underground at this one, OK not the Collosseum but a not bad substitute if it is the only option.

The government is investigating the bot problem and looking to put an end to it. I posted an article about it in the Italy forum.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2951512-italys-antitrust-to-investigate-colosseum-ticket-sales/#comment-65749875

Edited August 6, 2023 by marazul

[edinburgher]

3 minutes ago, marazul said:

The government is investigating the bot problem and looking to put an end to it. I posted an article about it in the Italy forum.

I wish the UK Govt would also investigate and put a stop to this deeply unpopular practice.

Edited August 6, 2023 by edinburgher

[TeamCan]

2 hours ago, edinburgher said:

Continued from post above as I ran out of time to edit.

 

 

Not the Colosseum but a not bad substitute if it is the only option. There should be many reviews, images  and descriptions online.

 

We combined it with a visit to the amazing Solfatara, also in Pozzuoli,  a little uphill from the amphitheatre We took  buses  uphill and downhill again from close to the amphitheatre. 

We reached Pozzuoli by train from Naples but in the intervening years, the transport network in and around Naples has been extended and there may now be alternatives to reach Pozzuoli which you could look for online. 

 

The Solfatara was fabulous and a really interesting visit, but a few years ago an Italian couple and their son died when they crossed a barrier and fell in, and it was closed for a few years following that tragic accident.  I do not know if it has reopened but it should be easy enough to find out.

 

Thank you for your suggestions. The Flavian Amphitheatre of Pozzuoli looks awesome and you can buy an open ticket on Coopculture.😄 If we have Naples as a port of call again, we will definitely see the Amphitheatre and Solfatara(looks like its still closed from 2017). 

[TeamCan]

2 hours ago, marazul said:

The government is investigating the bot problem and looking to put an end to it. I posted an article about it in the Italy forum.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2951512-italys-antitrust-to-investigate-colosseum-ticket-sales/#comment-65749875

Good to know! Thank you!

[edinburgher]

5 hours ago, TeamCan said:

The Flavian Amphitheatre of Pozzuoli looks awesome and you can buy an open ticket on Coopculture.😄 

May have been changes since, but we paid entry only when we arrived there. Not as impressive  as Rome but maybe better than nothing.  Big bonus of course is that there are unlikely to be crowds.  At the time of our visit we four were the only ones there. Those were the days......