Athens half-day tour | Enjoy the highlights of Athens in a private sightseeing tour

Athens half-day tour | Enjoy the highlights of Athens in a private sightseeing tour

Overview

Explore Athens with a half-day 4½ h private tour by Athens Tours Greece!

A well-designed and organized sightseeing tour in Athens is the perfect way to get to know the historical capital of Greece and its worldwide known monuments.

Our private half-day tour in Athens offers to you an excellent opportunity to visit the most important sites and monuments of Athens, in a comfortable and hassle-free way.

Athens half-day tour itinerary

The Kariadides on the Acropolis
The Kariadides on the Acropolis

During the half-day tour in Athens, you will:

Visit: the Acropolis – the Parthenon – Erechtheum – Temple of Athens Nike – Propilea – Plaka  – Panathenaic Stadium (outside) – the Parliament – tom of the Unknown Soldier – Change of the guards – Lycabettus Hill

Sightseeing: Piraeus Riviera, Athens Riviera – Odeon Theater – Dionysus Ancient Theater -Hadrian’s Arch (Athens Gate) – Temple of Zeus – Presidential house – the Ex-Royal Garden/National Garden – Greek Parliament – Constitution square (Syntagma square) – Numistamic Museum of Athens – Catholic cathedral – The Academy of Athens – University of Athens – National library – Statue of General Kolokotronis – The museum of history of Greece – The famous Ermou str.

* View the route of our private sightseeing tour in Athens in a larger Google map

 

Highlights of the Half Day Tour in Athens

  • 4½ -hour, morning or afternoon, sightseeing private tour of Athens
  • Visit Athens’ modern and classical sites with expert drivers
  • Explore the Acropolis, the cornerstone of the Athenian culture
  • Our tour combines the highlights of ancient Athens, Constitution Square and Panathenaic Stadium, with its picturesque quarters, such as Plaka, and the modern meeting points, such as Kolonaki- the high end of Athens, or Lycabettus Hill, the highest hill of Athens
  • English-speaking tour driver
  • Pickup and drop off from your Athens hotels, cruise terminal, or cruise ship

Description

Description of the Athens half-day tour

Our half-day tour in Athens will give you an overview of the modern city of Athens, and insight into the ancient monuments and sites that have made Athens known all over the world.

the acropolis in athens
The famous Acropolis of Athens

If you are a first-time visitor to Athens, this tour will help you in orientation and a possible plan you want to make for the remaining days.  Athens is a balanced mixture of ancient and modern characteristics, reflected in each and every corner of the city

This private tour in Athens stretches from the Acropolis to the Lycabettus Hill and Kolonaki, connecting that way the most ancient symbol of the city with the commercial area of modern Athens.

 

The highlight of this sightseeing tour in Athens is of course the Acropolis, the trademark of the city. The Sacred Rock, the symbol of the Greek culture, features the highest point in town that used to serve as a fortress. The word Acropolis with a capital “A” indicates in all world languages the Acropolis of Athens, the most famous Acropolis, the cradle of Western civilization.

plaka in Athens
Plaka

Visiting the Acropolis you will have the chance to pass through the Propylaea, admire the Erechtheum, and the Caryatids, while watching the city spreading in front of your feet, allowing your eyes to wander from the distant mountains to the blue waters of Piraeus harbor.

The most important monument of Athens dominates the Acropolis: The Parthenon of Athens, the most perfect example of classical architecture in the world, was designed as a shrine to Goddess Athena, the patron God of the city, and used to house a massive gold and ivory statue of the Goddess of Wisdom.

At the feet of the Acropolis lies one of the most wonderful and picturesque quarters of Athens, Plaka, known also as the neighborhood of Gods. You will have the chance to see its lovely paved streets with colorful art and tourist shops.

After the visit to the Acropolis, the sightseeing tour in Athens continues with a drive to the most important parts of the city. You will pass by the Tomb of Unknown Soldier and the Parliament on Syntagma (Constitution) Square, and you will see Hadrian’s Arch.

Soon afterward, the tour will bring you to the Panathenaic Stadium where the first modern Olympic Games took place, in 1896. And then you will see

academy of athens
The Academy of Athens

many government buildings, the Presidential Palace ( ex-Royal Palace), and elegant houses built on streets half-covered by sour orange trees.

Close by you will also drive down the Panepistimiou Avenue where you can see the Catholic Church of Athens, and pass by the Academy, the University of Athens, and the National Library. And you will see one of the busiest parts of Athens getting to Omonoia Square.

After that, the half-day tour in Athens will bring you to the more buzzing part of the city, Kolonaki, and will lead you to the Lycabettus Hill where you can see the Orthodox church of St. George, allowing your eyes and senses to rest on the city that will remain to your heart for your entire life.

“This private half-day tour in Athens is highly recommended as a cruise excursion for tourists visiting Athens for a day during their cruise in Greece.”

Details


Tour Type

Included in the tour

  • Transport by air-conditioned Mercedes-Benz vehicle or similar appropriate for the size of your group
  • Your tour will be accompanied by a professional English-speaking driver or escort possessing in-depth knowledge of Greece’s history and culture. They will provide insightful commentary throughout the journey, guiding you until the entrance of archaeological sites and museums. However, please note that drivers are not licensed to accompany you inside these venues.
  • If you desire a licensed state tour guide to escort you within the archaeological sites and museums, providing comprehensive insights and explanations, we can gladly arrange one for an additional cost. These licensed guides are freelance professionals, and their availability is subject to your tour date.
  • When a licensed tour guide or English-speaking tour escort accompanies a group, the professional driver may not necessarily speak English fluently. Their role is focused on providing safe transportation.
  • Pick up and drop off at your hotel in Athens. Extra charge for hotels outside Athens.
  • Pick up and drop off at Piraeus Port or Athens Airport.
  • Pick up and drop off at our terminal: Leof. Andrea Siggrou 37, 117 43 Athens, Greece.
  • Accommodation is based according to availability (for multiple-day tours only)
  • Road tolls and all local taxes

Excluded from the tour

  • Wine tasting fee (for wine tours)
  • Olive oil tasting fee (for olive oil tasting tours)
  • Optional Gratuities
  • Food and beverage
  • Your private chauffeur/guide will discuss a program best suited to your interest and mobile abilities. Option for a professional tour guide with a state license at an extra cost. Read more for the Differences between a Tour Guide and a Tour Driver

Cancellation Policy

Read our cancellation policy

Additional info

  • Dress Code: When visiting religious sites, shoulders and knees must be covered out of respect for the cultural norms.
  • Please review our Terms & Conditions and Frequently Asked Questions
  • Upon booking, an electronic voucher will be emailed to you containing our contact information, tour details, and all necessary instructions. This voucher serves as your ticket and proof of purchase. Please present a printed or digital copy of the voucher on the day of your tour to redeem your activity.
  • City Tax for Hotel Stays: Effective from January 1st, 2018, a City Tax for hotel overnights is applicable and not included in our excursion rates. Clients will need to pay this tax directly at their hotel upon check-out. The amount per room is as follows: 5-star hotel: €4/overnight || 4-star hotel: €3/overnight || 3-star hotel: €1.50/overnight
  • Opening Hours and Entrance Fees for Archaeological Sites and Museums in Greece
  • Entrance Fees for Children from Non-EU Countries: Starting November 1st, 2019, children aged 6 and above from non-European Union (non-EU) countries will be required to pay the full entrance fee for Museums and Archaeological sites. For children from EU countries, the existing rates remain in effect. However, it is crucial to have their passports readily available to prove their nationality.

Persons with Disabilities

  • Due to uneven surfaces, certain sites are not recommended for persons with walking disabilities or using a wheelchair. Such sites are the Acropolis, the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion, Mycenae, Delphi and Meteora
  • In all cases, we recommend comfortable flat-solid walking shoes, sunglasses, and sunscreen.


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Contact Information

Tour Details

Any bag or item with a single side longer than 50 inches (120 cm), including wheels, handles and packaging is an oversized item.

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