Acropolis, City Tour & Acropolis Museum Tour with dinner (SAT 4)

This tour starts at 09:30 a.m. 

The Acropolis of Athens and the Acropolis Museum are the two most important attractions of Athens. The Acropolis of Athens is one of the most famous archaeological sites and a symbol of beauty, art, measure and form, of political ideals and democracy and all things civilized in the western world and will be best understood and experienced with a simultaneous visit to the New Acropolis Museum, where the masterpieces of the Acropolis are displayed in a stunning way and explained expertly by our Athens Walking Tour guide.

Your interesting City Tour
The tour begins inside the Syntagma metro station where you will visit the metro Museum (in 10 minutes) with very interesting archaeological artifacts from the daily life of Ancient Athens that came to light during the construction of the metro.

You will then continue on to the House of the Greek Parliament, the Monument to the Unknown Soldier and watch the changing of the guards. Your tour continues towards the National Gardens and on to the beautiful neoclassical Zappeion Hall, in front of which tower the surviving columns of the Temple of Zeus and Hadrian’s Arch, both of which you will have the opportunity to visit. From there you enter the famous Plaka district where you see the statue of Melina Merkouri.

Your Acropolis guided tour.
You will enter the Acropolis from the south slope so as to avoid the crowds and also to visit the Dionysus sanctuary and Dionysus Theatre built in the 5th century BC. Your guide will take care of the tickets so you can skip the line. As you begin to ascend the sacred hill a breathtaking view of the city below will unfold.

Your guide will give you a detailed explanation of the glorious monuments of the Acropolis such as the Parthenon, the Erectheion, the Propylaia, the Nike Temple and the surrounding monuments such as the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Ancient Agora, the Observatory as well as the Philopappos, Mars, and Pnyx Hills.

Acropolis Museum - the definite must visit
The New Acropolis Museum was designed by Swiss architect Bernard Tschumi in co-operation with the Greek architect Michalis Photiadis. Its unique design has incorporated the excavations which are visible under stunning glass floors. The Acropolis masterpieces are marked out and given the prominence they deserve through the ideal interior atmosphere conditions, the natural lighting, as well as easy visitor access, panoramic views and excellent layout of the exhibition areas. It exhibits about 4,000 artifacts. 

Free time
Ample time for exploring and picture taking at the Acropolis will be provided before your tour of the Acropolis Museum begins.

NOTE: After the first part of the tour which ends on the Acropolis at 12:45 you will have time to take pictures and get to the designated meeting point for your Acropolis Museum Tour where you will meet your guide at the designated time and place. There will also be time to get a snack or a drink before you start the guided tour in the Museum at 13:30. You can do this in the coffee shop of the Museum where service is a bit slow though or in the many snack and coffee places on the pedestrian walkway next to the Museum.

Time to enjoy your authentic dinner
After the tour we will arrange a memorable and delicious dinner for you at a very nice restaurant, picked out for you by our experienced team in the picturesque and traditional Plaka distirict which is within max 15 min walking distance from the Acropolis Museum where the tour ends. You will enjoy the authentic and carefully designed menu in an authentic atmosphere. You are free to go to the restaurant any time. Your menu will include starters (for two people), salad (for two people), the main course, dessert and either a glass of house wine or a glass of beer or a soft drink. Bread is also included in the price. If while at the restaurant you wish to order something else you are free to do so but you will have to pay for it at the restaurant either cash or by credit card (most places accept all credit cards).

*The following visitors are entitled to a REDUCED ADMISSION FEE 

• Students from Higher Education Institutions, from non-EU countries, with current student identification card or International Student Identity Card (ISIC)
• Young persons under 18 years of age, from non-EU countries, with current identification card to confirm age
• Greek Senior citizens and Senior citizens from EU countries, 65 years of age and over, with current identification card to confirm age

The following visitors are entitled to FREE ADMISSION:

• Young persons under 18 years of age, from EU countries, with current identification card
• Children under 5 years of age, from non-EU countries
• Students from Higher Education Institutions and Tour Guide Training Institutions, from EU countries, with current student identification card or International Student Identity Card (ISIC)
• Tour Guides with professional license from the Hellenic Ministry of Development
• Teachers accompanying children on primary & secondary education school visits
• Journalists, with current journalists’ identification card
• Official guests of the Greek Public
• Visitors with disabilities from EU and non-EU countries and person accompanying them
• Archaeologists, with current working identification card

 Entrance is free to all visitors on the following days:

• 6 March (Memory of Melina Mercouri)
• 18 April (International Monument Day)
• 18 May (International Museum Day)
• 5 June (World Environment Day)
• The last weekend of September (European Days of Cultural Heritage)
• The first Sunday of April, May, June, September and October (in case this is an official holiday, it is the second Sunday of that month).
• Greek official holidays during which the Museum remains open: 6 January, Orthodox Good Friday (12:00 - 17:00), Orthodox Easter Saturday and Monday, Orthodox Monday of the Holy Spirit, 15 August, 28 October.
• Entrance is free on the days celebrating Open Days and the European Spring of the Museums according to the dates set each year.

Acropolis Museum Opening Times
Tuesday to Sunday: 8.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m.
Monday: Closed.
Last admission: 7.30 p.m.
Galleries cleared at 7.45 p.m.

The Acropolis Museum is closed on 

• 1 January
• 25 March
• Good Friday: until 12:00 closed
• 1 May
• Easter Sunday
• 25 December
• 26 December

 Prices of the entrance fees are subject to changes without notice.

Acropolis entrance fees

General admission fee: 12 euros.

Reduced admission fee: 6 Euros.

Free admission for:

• Journalists
• Persons under 18 (with current identification to prove age)
• Tour guides
• University students from Greece and the E.U

 Entrance is free to all visitors on the following days:

• 6 March (Memory of Melina Mercouri)
• 5 June (World Environment Day)
• 18 April (International Monument Day)
• 18 May (International Museum Day)
• The last weekend of September (European Days of Cultural Heritage)
• Sundays in the period between 1 November and 31 March
• The first Sunday of April, May, June, September and October (in case this is an official holiday, it is the second Sunday of that month).
• Greek official holidays: 6 January, Orthodox Good Friday, Orthodox Easter Saturday and Monday, Orthodox Monday of the Holy Spirit, 15 August, 28 October.

Acropolis opening times

Winter:
From the 1st of November until the 31st of March 2010:
8:30-15:00

The Acropolis is closed on

• 1 January
• 6 January (opens 08:30 - 15:00)
• Shrove Monday (opens 08:30 - 15:00)
• 25 March - Independence Day of Greece
• Good Friday: until 12:00 closed
• 1 May - Labor Day
• Easter Sunday
• Easter Monday (opens 08:30 - 15:00)
• Holy Spirit Day (opens 08:30 - 15:00)
• 28 October (opens 08:30 - 15:00)
• 25 December
• 26 December