Tourists take a selfie in front of the 5th century BC Parthenon temple atop the Acropolis hill, earlier this month. [AP]
The Greek Ministry of Culture and the Hellenic Organization of Cultural Resources Development have launched a new way to experience Greece’s most famous historical site, the Acropolis.
Labeled the Acropolis Experience, the new initiative allows visitors, in groups of up to five, to book a private tour of the site outside of the usual operating hours – meaning either early in the morning or after dusk.
The fee for having the Acropolis all to yourself is set at €5,000, with the proceeds, according to the Ministry of Culture, going toward the ancient citadel’s restoration and preservation. Officials expect the private tours to generate over €400,000 in revenue per year.
Locals in the historical Plaka district at the foot of the Acropolis had much to say about the initiative.
“My first reactions that it would be an incredible experience, but it also feels a bit unfair because the Acropolis belongs to everyone and not many people will have the opportunity to experience it in this way,” said Lydia Kampanellis, an Athenian who spends part of the year in Paris for her studies.
While the idea of a private tour of a public site reserved for a select few was not welcomed by most of the people approached for this story, all agreed that putting the proceeds back into renovations was positive. That said, many questioned whether this would actually happen.
“I find it hard not to be suspicious of any allocation of funding from a government body. If the funding is done honestly, then that could be a good source of revenue – but that’s a big if,” said Giorgos Tsagaris, a Plaka native, born and raised.
The introduction of this new experience also coincides with a shift in the tourism model that many claim is progress in Greece right now: The idea of fewer tourists paying more. This also raises questions of whether private tours such as the ones organized for the Acropolis will also be introduced at other historical sites in other parts of the country.
For Tsagaris, that sounds like a good idea. “In a way, I can understand that a bit more, in the sense that with other monuments, you get more people who are more interested in history, other than people who just want to go to the Acropolis because they know the Acropolis, and that’s it,” he said.
Locals also seem to feel pushed out by the initiative, saying the Acropolis Experience is exclusively geared toward tourists. They had several propositions as to how to prevent this kind of notion from dissuading younger Greeks from engaging with their history.
“I think Greeks should have a few opportunities each year to experience places like the Acropolis in a special way, as it is a part of our history and identity,” Kampanellis said.
Alternatively, said Calliope, who grew up in downtown Athens and still lives there today, “there can be a program where people are selected once a year to go for free.”
Alexander Haramis is a summer intern at Kathimerini English Edition and a third-year student at St Andrews University.
