Greece for Percy Jackson fans: Top Places to visit in Greece

Greece is where Greek mythology began, so it would make sense as a great tourist destination for someone who is a fan of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians, a series based on Greek mythology. But which places in Greece you should visit? Read on to find our suggestions!

ATHENS

We definitely recommend spending much of your time in Athens. The capital of Greece, and the home to the largest airport in the country, it is a good place to begin and/or end a trip. It is also fairly central to the surrounding islands and the mainland so makes for easy day trips.

More exciting, Athens is home to the most visited archeological sites in the country.

The Acropolis, Athens

The Acropolis, translated as “high city” akros (άκρος), “highest” and polis (πόλις), “city,” sits in the center of the bustling city of Athens. On it lies the ruins of various temples, including the most well-known—the Parthenon. Yes, this is the same temple that once housed the Athena Parthenos, the famous statue of Athena that Annabeth searches for in Mark of Athena. It is also the main place where the seven demigods and their parents fight the giant army in Blood of Olympus.

Don’t forget to check out the south slope, where you can see the Theater of Dionysus, or Mr. D, as he is called in the series. It may remind you of the amphitheater at Camp Half-Blood!

For the ultimate Percy Jackson experience in the Acropolis join our Percy Jackson Tour in the Acropolis and Acropolis Museum.

Temple of Hephaestus, Athens

Percy Jackson fans already know a lot about the god Hephaestus. He is the god of blacksmiths, fire, and metalworking, father of Charles Beckendorf and Leo Valdez, and appears throughout the series to help aid Percy and his friends. However, fans may not be aware that the Temple of Hephaestus in Athens is known as the best-preserved ancient temple in Greece.

It is definitely worth a visit to help you get an idea of how all the temples once looked. Plus, it tends to be less busy than other sites, so you can get a great group picture!

Temple of Zeus, Athens

Another temple that is a must-see is the Temple of Zeus. While there is significantly less temple to see than the Temple of Hephaestus or even the Parthenon, if you’ve read the books you know Zeus would not be happy if you didn’t visit his temple and honor him! He is the king of the gods, after all!

Temple of Poseidon in Sounio, Athens Riviera

One of the most significant moments of The Lightning Thief is when Poseidon claims Percy as his son. Throughout the series, Percy develops more and more skills related to the water. Fans will enjoy a visit to the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, only about an hour drive from Athens! You may even see a Greek ship like the Argo II, since the temple gives you a scenic view of the Aegean Sea.

Enjoy breathtaking sunset views combined with a memorable Percy Jackson inspired day trip from Athens. Join our Half-Day Percy Jackson Tour of Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon.

DAY TRIP FROM ATHENS

Delphi

Delphi is another popular tourist destination in Greece. The characters don’t visit this site in Blood of Olympus because the city was under the control of Python, Apollo’s sworn enemy (if you’ve read The Trials of Apollo you know all of the drama there).

Delphi was once home to the same Oracle of Delphi that resided at Camp Half-Blood in the body of a mummy until a certain mortal girl becomes the new vessel in The Last Olympian. In the series, the Oracle is very important—a demigod cannot go on a quest unless they are given a prophecy by the Oracle. Fans of the series will enjoy seeing where the oracle began.

Follow the footsteps of Percy Jackson and discover the unique energy of Delphi, the so-called “navel of the earth”, through our Percy Jackson Tour of Delphi.

THE PELOPONNESE

The Peloponnese is the peninsula to the west of Athens. There was much activity on this peninsula during ancient Greece, but modern day most of the towns stay fairly quiet, with the archeological sites experiencing less tourists than Athens and the Greek islands. Below are some of the best Percy Jackson stops.

Olympia, Peloponnese

This city is where the Olympic games originated. In Blood of Olympus, Leo, Frank, Hazel, and Percy visit Olympia to find the goddess Nike, and must stage a fake battle in the stadium. You, too, can stage a competition in the stadium, maybe a foot race!

Are you ready to experience a Percy Jackson challenge at the world-famous stadium of ancient Olympia? Join our Percy Jackson Tour of Olympia from Nafplion and spend a memorable day with the family.

Epidaurus, Argolis in the Peloponnese

Epidaurus was a major healing center in ancient Greece—people from all over the Mediterranean would visit in hopes that the god Asclepius would heal them. At Camp Half-Blood, the children of Apollo are in charge of healing and taking care of sick people, so it’s not surprising that Asclepius was also a child of Apollo. The characters even visit him in Epidaurus in Blood of Olympus to receive a special potion.

Want to discover more about Asclepius and its connections with Percy Jackson? Explore the UNESCO World Heritage site of Epidaurus via joining our Percy Jackson Tour of Epidaurus and Nafplion, Day Trip from Athens.

Other Peloponnese cities to consider visiting are Sparta, Mycenae, and Corinth. Check back for our article A Guide to the Peloponnese for a Percy Jackson Fan that will be posted in a few weeks for more details on these cool cities!

CRETE

Crete is the largest Greek island, and one of the most-visited, especially for fans of Greek Mythology and Percy Jackson. In ancient Greece, Crete was the center of the Minoan civilization.

Palace of Knossos, Heraklion

You may remember the story of King Minos and the architect, Daedalus. Minos’ wife Pasiphae gives birth to the Minotaur, half-human and half-man, so Daedalus builds the Labyrinth to keep it trapped. The characters in Battle of the Labyrinth navigate this same Labyrinth throughout much of the novel. The Palace of Knossos, in Heraklion, Crete, is thought by historians to be the palace where King Minos ruled, or the labyrinth itself. Visit this site and see what you think it could have been!

In mythology, Zeus is raised as a baby on the island of Crete in a cave called Dikteon Cave before he returns to rescue his siblings from their father’s stomach. This story may sound familiar since it is told at the beginning of The Lightning Thief. The cave is in an area called Lassithi Plateau and is an easy day-trip from Heraklion!

If you are visiting Crete with the kids and love the adventures of Percy Jackson, you will really enjoy our Percy Jackson Tour of Knossos and Archaeological Museum in Heraklion.

CYCLADES

Delos, Mykonos

Delos is a tiny island off the coast of the often-visited island of Mykonos. Despite its size, Delos has a large history—most notably for being the birthplace of the twin gods Artemis and Apollo. According to Greek mythology, Zeus’s wife, Hera, was extremely jealous when his lover, Leto, became pregnant, so she cursed Leto so she could not find solid ground to give birth. However, Delos was a floating island, so on it Leto was able to give birth to Artemis and Apollo.

If you’ve read Blood of Olympus, you may know this story because Apollo tells it when Leo, Hazel, and Frank meet him and Artemis on the island! Make sure to visit the theater and you too may see a glimpse of Artemis or Apollo.

Are your kids into Percy Jackson and want to plan a family trip to Greece centered around the adventures of their favorite novel character? Kids Love Greece can help you design the best Percy Jackson-inspired Trip to Greece for your Percy Jackson fans.