The Byzantine and Christian Museum

For most visitors Athens means the classical age, but for more than a thousand years the city lived within the Byzantine world, and this museum is where that long chapter comes to life. Founded in 1914, the Byzantine and Christian Museum first displayed its collection in the National Archaeological Museum, then moved in 1930 to the Villa Ilissia on Vasilissis Sofias Avenue. The villa itself is a treasure: it was built between 1840 and 1848 as the winter residence of Sophie de Marbois-Lebrun, the Duchess of Plaisance, an eccentric and wealthy French philhellene who played a colourful part in the early life of the new Greek capital, and its architecture blends classical and romantic styles. The collection numbers more than 25,000 objects dating from the third to the twentieth century. The galleries trace the transition from the ancient world to the Christian one, through early Christian sculpture and grave markers, to the height of the Byzantine Empire and on to its influence after the fall of Constantinople. The highlights are the icons, from tiny, jewel-like panels to large church icons glowing with gold, along with wall paintings detached from churches, mosaics, carved marble, illuminated manuscripts, liturgical silver and embroidered vestments. Much of the permanent exhibition is displayed in spacious modern galleries built into the slope beneath the villa, with calm lighting that suits the icons perfectly. The museum's garden is a pleasure in itself, a quiet, shady space with the Ilissia cafe-restaurant, and right next door are the excavated remains of Aristotle's Lyceum, the school where the philosopher taught. Because the museum is often uncrowded, it is one of the most peaceful cultural experiences in Athens.

Why go: the Byzantine Museum fills the gap between the Parthenon and the Greek Orthodox churches you see on every street corner. Once you have seen how icon painting developed, the small Byzantine churches of Plaka and Monastiraki, such as the one standing in the middle of Ermou Street, make far more sense. The museum is also a revelation for art lovers who know Byzantine art only from books: the best icons here are as moving as any Renaissance painting, and the frescoes give a sense of how richly decorated the region's churches once were. Look out, too, for the everyday objects scattered through the galleries, from coins and jewellery to pottery, lamps and household items, a reminder that Byzantium was a living society and not only a world of saints and emperors.

Tickets and hours: the full ticket is eight euros, with a reduced ticket at four euros for eligible visitors, sold at the desk and on the official Hellenic Heritage platform. The museum is closed on Tuesdays and on major holidays, and it keeps daytime opening hours, closing in the mid-afternoon all year round, so plan a morning or early-afternoon visit. Entry is free on several dates, including the first and third Sundays of each month from November to March, the last weekend of September and 28 October. Allow ninety minutes to two hours, more if you are an enthusiast.

Combining it: the museum is on Vasilissis Sofias Avenue, a short walk from Evangelismos metro station and from Syntagma. The Museum of Cycladic Art and the Benaki Museum of Greek Culture are a few minutes' walk away, the remains of Aristotle's Lyceum are next door, and the National Garden is close by. A satisfying half-day pairs the Byzantine Museum in the morning with lunch in the Ilissia garden cafe or in Kolonaki, then the Cycladic Museum in the afternoon.