Small Group – Athens Highlights Semi-Private Tour

Athens Semi- Private Tour

• Acropolis Hill – Parthenon – Erechtheion
• Ancient Agora
  
• Academy of science – Athens University – National Library
• Old Olympic Stadium
• Parliament – Changing of the Guards
• Plaka – The Old City
• New Acropolis Museum
• Temple of Zeus – Arch of Hadrian

Sightseeing in Athens starts with the hill of Acropolis which will make your day.

On the historical hill you will have the opportunity to see the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Temple of the Athena Nike, the monumental gateway (Propylaea), the Erechtheum and of course the famous Parthenon, the main temple dedicated to the virgin goddess Athena.

After the Acropolis, we will head towards the Ancient Greek Agora, which is considered the birthplace of democracy, philosophy and free speech. In the ancient Greek Agora, you will visit the Temple of Hephaestus (the best-preserved temple in Greece standing largely as built) and a small museum house under the Portico of Attalos.

After that, we will drive to Panepistimiou Street one of the most historical streets of Athens to see numerous neoclassical buildings still standing and dating back to the late 19th century but more importantly we’ll see the architectural trilogy of Athens (The Academy – The University – The National Library).

From there we will visit Panathenaic Stadium where the first modern Olympic Games were held in 1896. Next driving alongside the National Garden, we will see the changing of the guard (Evzones) in front of the old palace, which is today Parliament House, above the central square of Athens.

You will be feeling hungry by now, so our next stop is going to be a Greek tavern with the authentic Greek Pitta Gyros in the traditional neighbourhood of Koukaki.

Enjoy your lunch and taste Gyros, the most popular Greek recipe, with a set menu, as described below:

•1 Pitta Gyros (pork or chicken or veg, fried potatoes, tzatziki, tomato, onion)
•1 Greek salad (tomato, cucumber, green pepper, olives & feta cheese, dressed with salt, Greek oregano, and olive oil)
•1 piece of Baklava (layered pastry dessert made of filo pastry, filled with chopped nuts, and sweetened with syrup or honey)
•1 Drink (beer or glass of wine or soft drink)

(Please contact us in case of food allergies or dietary restrictions)

After lunch, we will visit the New Acropolis Museum. A brand new museum opened in 2009 to host all the findings that have been excavated on the hill of Acropolis and its slopes also known as the museum of the senses. It is counted as one of the best museums in the world.

Eventually, we will head towards the Temple of Zeus, the biggest in antiquity, devoted to the King of the Gods, by way of Hadrian’s Arch.

After traveling with us you will have seen the ‘real Greece’ and met ‘real people’. We are content to show you the Greece we know and love. Avoiding the tourist traps. Being a traveler, not a tourist.

Inclusions:

Exclusions: 

ADMISSION FEES FOR SITES:

Included in the price:

Ticket for: Acropolis of Athens & Ancient Agora of Athens

Acropolis Museum Ticket: 20€ per person

Summer Period: (1 April – 31 October)

Acropolis of Athens: (08:00am- 20:00pm)

Ancient Agora of Athens:(08:00am- 20:00pm)

Winter Period:(1 November – 31 March)

Acropolis of Athens: (08:00am- 17:00pm)

Ancient Agora of Athens:(08:00am- 17:00pm)

Free admission days:

• 6 March (in memory of Melina Mercouri)
• 18 April (International Monuments Day)
• 18 May (International Museums Day)
• The last weekend of September annually (European Heritage Days)
• Every first Sunday from November 1^st to March 3^rd
• 28 October

Holidays:

• 1 January: closed
• 25 March: closed
• 1 May: closed
• Easter Sunday: closed
• 25 December: closed
• 26 December: closed

Free admission for:

• Children & young people up to the age of 25 from EU Member- States
• Children & young people from up to the age of 18 from Non- European Union countries
• Persons over 25 years, being in secondary education & vocational schools from EU Member- States
• Escorting teachers during the visits of schools & institutions of Primary, Secondary & Tertiary education from EU Member- States
• People entitled to Social Solidarity income & members depending on them
• Persons with disabilities & one escort (only in the case of 67% disability)
• Refugees
• Official guests of the Greek State
• Members of ICOM & ICOMOS
• Members of societies & Associations of friends of State Museums & Archaeological sites
• Scientists licensed for photographing, studying, designing or publishing antiquities
• Journalists
• Holders of a 3- year Free Entry Pass

Reduced admission for:

• Senior citizens over 65 years from EU Member- States
• Parents accompanying primary education schools visits from EU Member- States
• Escorting teachers of educational visits of schools & institutions of primary, secondary & tertiary education from non European Union countries

Reduced  & free entrance only upon presentation of the required documents

Amenities for the physically challenged:

Elevator available for wheelchairs, people with diminished abilities and any parent attending two or more infants on her/his own. The elevator is located about 350 m. far from the main entrance of the archaeological site.

Users of the elevator should contact in advance for details and terms (+30 210 3214172).

The facility is not available during extreme weather conditions and strong winds.

Acropolis:

The Acropolis hill (acro – edge, polis – city), so-called the “Sacred Rock” of Athens is the most important site of the city and constitutes one of the most recognizable monuments of the world. It is the most significant reference point of ancient Greek culture, as well as the symbol of the city of Athens itself as it represents the apogee of artistic development in the 5th century BCE. During Perikles’ Golden Age, ancient Greek civilization was represented in an ideal way on the hill and some of the architectural masterpieces of the period were erected on its ground.

Propylaea:

The Propylaea is the monumental entrances to the sacred area dedicated to Athena, the patron goddess of the city. Built by the architect Mnesicles with Pentelic marble, their design was avant-garde. To the south-west of the Propylaea, on a rampart protecting the main entrance to the Acropolis, is the Ionian temple of Apteros Nike or Wingless Victory.

Parthenon:

It is the most important and characteristic monument of the ancient Greek civilization and still remains its international symbol. It was dedicated to Athena Parthenos (the Virgin), the patron goddess of Athens. It was built between 447 and 438 B.C.E. and its sculptural decoration was completed in 432 B.C.E. The construction of the monument was initiated by Perikles, the supervisor of the whole work was Pheidias, the famous Athenian sculptor, while Iktinos (or Ictinus) and Kallikrates (Callicrates) were the architects of the building. The temple is built in the Doric order and almost exclusively of Pentelic marble. It is peripheral, with eight columns on each of the narrow sides and seventeen columns on each of the long ones. The central part of the temple, called the cella, sheltered the famous chryselephantine cult statue of Athena, made by Pheidias. The rest of sculptural decoration, also by Phidias, was completed by 432 BCE. The sculptural decoration of the Parthenon is a unique combination of the Doric metopes and triglyphs on the entablature and the Ionic frieze on the walls of the cella. The metopes depict the Gigantomachy on the east side, the Amazonomachy on the west, the Centauromachy on the south and scenes from the Trojan War on the north. The Parthenon, the Doric temple, the pinnacle of Pericles’ building program, is beyond question the building most closely associated with the city of Athens, a true symbol of ancient Greek culture and its universal values.

Erechtheion:

The elegant building known as the Erechtheion was erected in 421-406 BC. The name derives from Erechtheus, the mythical king of Athens, who was worshipped there. The building owes its unusual shape to the irregularity of the terrain – there is a 3-metre difference in height between the eastern and western parts – and the multiple cults it was designed to accommodate. The eastern part of the building was dedicated to Athena Polias, while the western part served the cult of Poseidon-Erechtheus. The sanctuary also contained the grave of Kekrops and the traces of the dispute between Athena and Poseidon for the possession of the city of Athens.
The temple was made of Pentelic marble, the frieze of Eleusinian grey stone with white relief figures attached to it and the foundations of Piraeus stone. On the north side is the entrance to the west part of the building, sheltered by a pi-shaped propylon with four Ionic columns along the facade and one on either side. The stone paving of this propylon was thought to preserve the traces made by Poseidon’s trident when it hit the ground and produced salt water. Finally, another door on the south facade of the western temple opened onto the porch of the Karyatides, a pi-shaped structure with six female statues instead of columns to support the roof. Five of them are in the Acropolis Museum and another in the British Museum those on the building are casts. The frieze probably depicted scenes related to the mythical kings of Athens

The New Acropolis Museum:

As you enter the museum grounds look through the plexiglass floor to see the ruins of an ancient Athenian neighborhood, which were artfully incorporated into the museum design after being uncovered during excavations. This dazzling modernist museum at the foot of the Acropolis’ southern slope showcases its surviving treasures still in Greek possession. While the collection covers the Archaic and Roman periods, the emphasis is on the Acropolis of the 5th century BCE, considered the apotheosis of Greece’s artistic achievement. The museum cleverly reveals layers of history, floating over ruins with the Acropolis visible above, showing the masterpieces in context. The surprisingly good-value restaurant has superb views (and reviews); there’s also a fine gift shop.

The Temple of Zeus:

This marvel is right in the center of Athens. It is the largest temple in Greece. Building began in the 6th century BCE by Peisistratos, (but it was abandoned for lack of funds). Various other leaders attempted to finish it, but it was left to Hadrian to complete the work in AD 131 – taking more than 700 years in total to build. The temple is impressive for the sheer size of it. Originally it had 104 Corinthian columns (17 m high and with a base diameter of 1.7 m). Unfortunately, only 15 remains (the fallen one was blown down in a gale in 1852). Hadrian also put up a colossal statue of Zeus (in the cella) and because he was such a modest fellow he placed an equally large one of himself next to it.

Hadrian’s Arch:

The Roman emperor Hadrian had a great affection for Athens. Although he did his fair share of spiriting its classical artwork to Rome, he also embellished the city with many monuments influenced by classical architecture. His arch is a lofty monument of Pentelic marble that stands where busy Leoforos Vasilissis Olgas and Leoforos Vasilissis Amalias meet. Hadrian erected it in AD 132, probably to commemorate the consecration of the Temple of Olympian Zeus. The inscriptions show that it was also intended as a dividing point between the ancient and Roman city. The northwest frieze reads ‘This is Athens, the ancient city of Theseus’, while the southeast frieze states ‘This is the city of Hadrian, and not of Theseus’.

The Old Olympic Stadium / Panathenaic Stadium:

The grand Panathenaic Stadium lies between two pine-covered hills (between the neighborhoods of Mets and Pangrati). It was originally built in the 4th century BCE as a venue for the Panathenaic athletic contests. It’s said that at Hadrian’s inauguration in AD 120, 1000 wild animals were sacrificed in the arena. Later, the seats were rebuilt in Pentelic marble by Herodes Atticus. After hundreds of years of disuse, the stadium was completely restored in 1895 (by a wealthy Greek benefactor Georgios Averof) to host the first modern Olympic Games the following year. It’s a faithful replica of the original Panathenaic Stadium. There are seats for 70,000 people, a running track and a central area for field events. It made a stunning backdrop to the archery competition and the marathon finish during the 2004 Olympics. It’s occasionally used for concerts and public events, and the annual Authentic Athens Marathon finishes here.

The Changing of the Guard:

Although the guards change hourly, there is a big ceremony once a week. These guards, the Evzones, stand motionless at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Getting into this unit is an honor and they have to be over 6 ft. tall. They wear white tights, a white skirt, a white blouse with full sleeves, an embroidered vest, red cap and shoes with big pom-poms, but don’t let the outfit fool you, these guys are the best of the best. The uniform is based on the clothing of the Klephts, mountain fighters who fought the Turks from the 15th Century until Greek independence in the 19th Century.

The Academy of Science:

The Academy Building constitutes one of three parts in an “architectural trilogy”. It was founded with the Constitutional Decree of March 18th, 1926, as an Academy of Sciences, Humanities and Fine Arts. The same Decree appointed its first members who were all eminent representatives of the scientific, intellectual and artistic circles of that era. Designed in 1859, by the Danish architect Theophil Hansen (1813-1891, the younger brother of the University’s architect, Christian Hansen). It is considered the most important work of Hansen and is regarded by some experts as the most beautiful neoclassic building worldwide. The architect’s source of inspiration was the classical architecture of 5th century B.C.E. Athens, as portrayed in the monuments of the Acropolis. In particular, Hansen imitated the Ionian rhythm that dominates the building of the Academy, from the Erechtheion monument. The essence of all ancient Greek tradition can be found in the building’s sculptural and pictorial decoration; simultaneously the character of that era’s Hellenism and its visions for the future are also expressed.

The University of Athens:

The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens is the largest state institution of higher learning in Greece, and among the largest universities in Europe. The splendid Athens University was designed by the Danish architect Christian Hansen and completed in 1864. It was the first of the Architectural Trilogy to be built. It still serves as the university’s administrative headquarters. To its left is the Athens Academy, unfortunately, neither is open to the public.

The National Library:

The National Library of Greece was built at the end of the 19th century, as the last of the Architectural Trilogy of Athens, a group of three neoclassical buildings which also includes the Academy and the University. The building was designed by Theophil Hansen, a Danish architect who had studied classical architecture in Vienna and Athens. (He had also previously worked on the University – together with his older brother Christian, as well as on the Zappeion and the Academy of Athens). Construction of the National Library started in 1887 and was completed 15 years later. Theophil Hansen died in 1891 and would never see his building completed. The National Library was designed as a Doric temple flanked by two wings and built almost entirely with Pentelic marble. The design of the Doric building was based on that of the Propylaea on the Acropolis. (It is devoid of any sculptural ornamentation; even the tympanum is left undecorated). Two wide winding staircases lead to the entrance of the “temple”. The statue standing between the staircases shows one of the benefactors of the library, the merchant Panaghis Athanassiou Vallianos. The building houses a large collection of books, maps, newspapers, and manuscripts in Greek and other languages. Most interesting is the collection of Greek manuscripts, some of which are more than 1400 years old.

Ancient Agora:

In the heart of ancient Athens was the Agora, the lively, crowded focal point of administrative, commercial, political and social activity. Socrates talked about his philosophy here and in AD 49 St Paul came here to speak on Christianity. The site was occupied without interruption throughout the city’s history. It was used as a residential and burial area as early as the Late Neolithic Period (3000 BCE) but it was first developed as a public site in the 6th century BC (the time of Solon). The Agora was devastated by the Persians in 480 B.C.E., but a new one was built in its place almost immediately. It was flourishing by Pericles’ time and continued to do so until AD 267 when it was destroyed by the Herulians (a Gothic tribe from Scandinavia). The Turks built a residential quarter on the site, but this was demolished by archaeologists after Independence and later excavated to classical and, in parts, Neolithic levels. The site today is a grand, refreshing break, with beautiful monuments and temples and a fascinating museum. The museum is housed in the Stoa of Attalos and its exhibits are connected with the Athenian democracy. The collection of the museum includes clay, bronze and glass objects, sculptures, coins and inscriptions from the 7th to the 5th century B.C.E., as well as pottery of the Byzantine period and the Turkish occupation.

Plaka – The Old Town:

Stroll through the streets of Plaka – the city’s Old Town. Sprawled over the side of Athens’ Acropolis, this historical neighborhood comprises a maze of cobbled streets lined with Neoclassical architecture, Byzantine churches and busy independent shops. On the northernmost streets of Plaka is the area is known as Anafiotika — an idyllic cluster of whitewashed houses that are reminiscent of buildings in the Greek islands. Admire Anafiotika’s pretty Cycladic architecture, built by 19th-century workers who emigrated here from Anafi Island. It’s thought the workers were homesick for their native island life, so painted the buildings bright white to remind them of Anafi. Feel like an islander on the mainland.

All cancellations must be confirmed by Olive Sea Travel.

Regarding the Day Tours:

Cancellations up to 24 hours before your service date are 100% refundable.

Cancellation Policy:

• Licensed Tour Guides and Hotels are external co-operators & they have their own cancellation policy.
• Apart from the above cancellation limits, NO refunds will be made. If though, you fail to make your appointment for reasons that are out of your hands, that would be, in connection with the operation of your airline or cruise ship or strikes, extreme weather conditions or mechanical failure, you will be refunded 100% of the paid amount.
• If your cancellation date is over TWO (2) months away from your reservation date, It has been known for third-party providers such as credit card companies, PayPal, etc. to charge a levy fee usually somewhere between 2-4%.
• Olive Sea Travel reserves the right to cancel your booking at any time, when reasons beyond our control arise, such as strikes, prevailing weather conditions, mechanical failures, etc. occur. In this unfortunate case, you shall be immediately notified via the email address you used when making your reservation and your payment WILL be refunded 100%.

Booking Options:

Small Group – Athens Highlights Semi-Private Tour:

• Athens Full Day 8 Hours
• Small Group tour/ Not private
• Meeting Point: Outside of ”Herodion Hotel” at 09:00am [Hotel pick up/ Drop off available with additional cost]
• Tickets Included [Acropolis, Ancient Agora]
• Lunch Included (Pitta Gyros, Greek salad, Baklava, Drink)

2 Semi-Private tours: Athens Full Day + Sunset Temple of Poseidon:

• Athens Full Day 8 Hours
• Temple of Poseidon 5 Hours
• Small Group tour/ Not private
• Meeting Point: Outside of ”Herodion Hotel”  [Hotel pick up/ Drop off available with additional cost]
• Tickets Included [Acropolis, Ancient Agora]
• Lunch Included for the Athens Full Day(Pitta Gyros, Greek salad, Baklava, Drink)

Please contact us after your booking if you are using a wheelchair or if you are travelling with infants