The Stavros Niarchos Foundation was established after the death of the Stavros Niarchos, the Greek shipping tycoon in 1996. The foundation features a cultural center that was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano and was later donated to the Greek state in 2017.
The center is a great place to go for outdoor performances, concerts, exhibitions, classes, cinema screenings, and so on. The center is also family-friendly and suitable for all kinds of travelers from outdoor lovers to concert-goers.
Stavros Niarchos Foundation Center Bikes
The center also offers visitors a short-term bicycle rental service and it is suitable for children and adults that can use bicycles. You can rent a bike from the foundation in two ways which are by using a personal Bike Card or by using the smartphone. The foundation also features three different bike repair spots filled with basic equipment and tools that can be used for a simple and free checkup for your bike. The foundation also provides a pop-up workshop which is designed to aid you through the fixing process that can be followed while at the repair stations.
Guided Tours at the SNFCC
You can also join the guided tours inside the building complex that was designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop. The building also features a new headquarters for the National Library of Greece and the Greek National Opera and you will get to explore the interior and exterior public spaces that surround the buildings. The guided tour will take about 90 minutes and the number of participants per tour is 25.
Stavros Niarchos Foundation Center Hosts National Library of Greece
Except from visiting this Art piece of architecture you can also get a sneak peek at the National Library of Greece. Once SNFCC was done and ready the relocation of the National library of Greece to its amazing space was completed in 2018. More than one million books, magazines and handwritten copies dating back to the 9th century are there for you to read after your bicycle ride.
Visit with children
Playgrounds & Water Jets
The foundation features playgrounds that are designed in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way. It is provisioned with wood-based equipment that is derived from logging gotten from sustainable forestry. The playgrounds are also surrounded by shrubs instead of fence which gives children the opportunity to roam around in a safe enclosure. The wood-based equipment also features a marking that signifies the age limit for safer play. You are also going to find an impressive water-jet where you can try out numerous water activities.
For a safe visit, parents can get bracelets for their children at the info point. The staff will help to write down the parent contact number on the inside with a marker so that parent can easily track their kids in case they separate with each other. You can get the bracelets at the visitors’ center, info point Agora, and the lighthouse.
Kids Bikes
The kids can go cycling with either their bike or rent the SNFCC bikes. You are going to find about 25 SNFCC bicycles for children at the visitors’ center. These bikes are usually 20 inches and they are for children aged 5-8, there are also 24-inch bikes for children between age 9-13. All kids must also wear a helmet for safety.
Tours at the Stavros Niarchos Park
On this tour, you will get to explore the park which is a welcoming and open space that reflects the landscape of the Mediterranean. The tour duration is 60 minutes and the number of participants per tour is 20 people. This tour is free of charge and you will need to make pre-registration to join this tour.
Dancing Fountains
You can also head to the dancing fountain at the canal which includes 59 vertical water jets that line the architectural designs. The jets also feature 10 swiveling fountains where you can enjoy light, water, and sound display both in the day and night. The dancing fountains were built due to the initiative and funding of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. The fountain will also be hosting two more water shows that are choreographed to songs of Dmitri Shostakovich and Nikos Skalkottas. The water show takes place daily with two choreographed pieces every half hour.
Athens at a Glance 
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Thank you Safi 🙂
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