Parthenon Still Off Limits to Pets, Says Greek Government

Over 100 other historical sites are opening up to pets, though

Parthenon
The ancient Parthenon temple is pictured atop the Acropolis Hill before Earth Hour in Athens, Greece on March 25, 2023.
Costas Baltas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Many historical sites and landmarks around the world can seem like ideal places to visit with an animal companion in tow. This can seem like a logical choice in some cases — if you’re traveling with a pet, walking through an outdoor space with said pet could make the experience even more memorable. That doesn’t mean that every historical site encourages or permits it, though — some tourism websites offer detailed looks at where pets are and are not welcome.

Recently, Greece’s government revisited its own policies on pets and historical sites. As a recent ARTnews article reveals, the number of storied spaces where you could bring a pet has now expended — with a few big caveats.

ARTnews reports that the Central Archaeological Council voted in favor of opening up access to 120 sites across the country to people with pets. There are some substantial exceptions, though — the Parthenon, for one, as well as Delphi and other spaces.

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The policy also includes some guidelines for dogs in the sites that are opening up, including a regulation on the length of a leash and a requirement that larger dogs be muzzled. Visitors arriving with dogs will also need to show that they have — there’s no delicate way to phrase this unfortunately — the necessary tools to clean up after their dogs if their dogs are inspired to defecate on the site. Seems like a fair trade-off for access to history.

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