Although the Panathenaic Stadium is used only for special events, coming here is definitely one of the things to do in Athens that you should not miss. Located at the foot of the hill of Ardittos, the stadium was the venue of the first Olympic Games that were held in the modern times, which was in the year 1896.
Shaped like a horseshoe, the Panathenaic Stadium's origins go way back to 330 – 329 BC, when it was first constructed for the Panathinea athletic competitions. Between the years 140 and 144 AD, restorations were made to the stadium by Herodes Atticus. He gave the stadium its form that was found during an excavation in 1870, which also led to its restoration that was done before the holding of the first modern Olympics. Having a capacity to seat some 60,000 people, visiting the stadium is definitely among the things to do in Athens that should be part of your itinerary. This is not only because of its being a great venue for large events but also because of its rich past.