Under the light of the full moon, Athens' Acropolis looked ethereal as people crowded on Sunday to enjoy this "majestic moment." The Acropolis was among 120 other landmarks and museums in Greece that opened their doors for visitors to watch the last full moon event for this summer.
From the museum's balcony that was exceptionally opened for free until midnight, the Parthenon looked fabulous standing on a hill overlooking the capital. Near 9:00 pm (local time), the massive yellow circle rose from between the hills surrounding Athens, and the full moon scene started. "It's a majestic moment," Yonissis, a Greek who lives in Switzerland told AFP.
While Spiros, 22, was gazing at the illuminated Parthenon, he regretted "the huge crowd," but also said that "all those people who came to explore the ancient history of Greece made him feel proud."
Time passed nine, and the queue of people waiting to enter the museum in the front yard was still long, extending to the pedestrian lane that surrounds the Acropolis.
Visitors were eager to benefit from the free entrance and the extension of work hours. Sophie, a French tourist, noticed that "all Athens was here like if it was a fashion week event," noting that "the night ambiance in museums is always special."
The activities and events celebrating the last full moon for this season were held across the country. Islands in the Cyclades Archipelago, Ionian Sea, and Aegean Sea like Crete saw concerts, plays, dancing performances, poetry readings and star gazing circles.
Greeks and tourists alike, anywhere in the country, had the chance to explore all the historic and cultural landmarks under moonlight. Among these sites are Kassope in Epirus (northwest Greece), Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes (southeast), in addition to the archeological sites in the Olympia, Mistras, Corinth, and Nemea in the Peloponnese peninsula (southwest), Thebes (center), and Corfu (west).
