Entry fees will also be increased for other places of historical interest. A ticket to enter Knossos, the Bronze Age site on Crete, will soon cost 15 euros ($17). Currently the ticket costs 6 euros.

The aim is to generate income for the Greek economy. "The price adjustments put the rates on a par with those in the rest of Europe," said Ioanna Baltsou, a culture ministry official.

The new, higher prices will come into force on January 1, 2016. According to official sources, some six million tourists visited the museums and archaelogical sites last year.

ks/ak (dpa)