Shore Excursion: Acropolis, City Tour & Free Time in Plaka with Transfer

Tour Code: SC3X

89€

If you choose this option, please read very carefully the admission tickets section.

Book WITHOUT Ticket

Tour Code: SC3B

122 € Adults (Summer price)

With this option, admission tickets are included in the price.

Book With Ticket

Free Cancellation
Admission Tickets
Discounts and Offers

: Departure time
8:45 am
: Meeting point
Cruise Terminal
: Duration time
3 hours and 30 minutes

Highlights Tour Details Meeting point Admission Tickets Discounts and Offers Reviews

What makes this tour unique

This worry-free shore excursion covers the top attractions of Athens, the changing of the guards, the Zeus Temple, the National Gardens, and the Acropolis with all its monuments.

Highlights

Acropolis, Parthenon, Temple of Zeus, Dionysus Theater and Sanctuary
Changing of the Guards, Greek Parliament, National Gardens
Small group tour
Only licensed guides
Cover all main attractions
Feel the pulse of the city

Tour details

Inclusions

Round trip transfer from the Port of Piraeus and back
Acropolis guided tour
Free time in Plaka/ Anafiotika
Licensed tour guide
Skip-the-ticket line (if option WITH ticket booked)
Athens Guide magazine
Athens map

Exclusions

Food and drinks
Gratuities (gratuity rates in Greece are around 10% of service cost)
Entrance tickets (Can be booked as a separate option)

What You Will See and Do

A City Tour: Ancient to Modern

Athens is a city of ancient and modern layers, a place of fascinating ancient ruins that stand alongside a bustling metropolis. With your local guides, you’ll explore the key landmarks, historic sights, unique neighborhoods and take in astounding views of the city that sprawls out to the coast.
A highlight of the tour is the Acropolis, the eternal landmark of Athens and a destination of incredible architectural, historical, and cultural significance. Set on a high rocky outcrop at the core of the Greek capital, monuments such as the Parthenon tell a story of a great era that shaped the Western world as we know it.

Modern and Ancient Highlights

Start at the Syntagma metro station for a 10-minute tour inside of the station’s museum. Archaeological artifacts uncovered during the metro’s construction offer insight into daily life here thousands of years ago. The next stop is the Greek Parliament, followed by the Monument to the Unknown Soldier where you will watch the Changing of the Guards.
The walk continues to the National Gardens of Athens, Zappeion, Temple of Zeus, and Hadrian’s Arch. The route passes through the charming and historic Plaka district to the next stop: the Acropolis.

The Acropolis

Entering on the south slope of the Acropolis, you’ll visit the Dionysus Sanctuary and Dionysus Theater before you walk up the slope leading to the Acropolis monuments. Panoramic views of the city will be perfect for Instagram-ready photos.
During your tour, you’ll gain insight into the significance of its historic monuments including the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, the Propylaia, the Nike Temple, and other significant sights including the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Ancient Agora, the National Observatory of Athens, and the city’s scenic hills: Filoppapos, Mars, Pnyx, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus and the Ancient Agora.

Explore the Famous Plaka and Anafiotika District

After the guided portion of the tour, you will have the opportunity to explore one of the oldest neighborhoods in the world: the Plaka and Anafiotika area, which is located on a hill above the Plaka district. You will have free time to take in the atmosphere in this unique urban pocket of culture and charm which oozes with the atmosphere. Here, you can stop at simple, traditional, or trendy outdoor cafes, shop at mom-and-pop boutiques selling local goods and souvenirs or try a local dish at traditional eateries. Plaka is a district where diverse architectures merge and the perfect place to snap the most memorable of photos as you stroll down the narrow stone pedestrian walkways and wander cobbled paths shaded by colorful bougainvillea. Admire the whitewashed cubic houses, with brightly painted shutters and beautifully carved wooden doors, elements of a typical Cycladic architecture!

Skip-the-Ticket Line Access
Please be aware that even with our skip-the-ticket-line service, there might be some waiting time required for security checks. This is because visitor numbers can fluctuate unpredictably at the sites throughout the day. The typical waiting time falls within 0 to 10 or 30 minutes, though on rare occasions, it might be longer.

However, here's where our service truly shines: Even amidst a queue, our experienced guides will always stay by your side. They will use this time as an opportunity to kickstart your tour, offering in-depth explanations about the history and significance of the site you're about to explore. This way, not a moment is wasted, and you're assured of the full, rich experience we promise.

Meeting point

From Your Cruise Terminal

An Athens Walking Tour representative will be waiting for you at a designated area outside of the customs building. Look for someone holding an orange colored Athens Walking Tours sign. Your transfer will depart from the port at 8:45 am.

Drop Off Point in Athens

Your driver will drop you off at the entrance of the Syntagma metro station in front of the Parliament building. Head inside of the metro station’s lower level to find your Athens Walking Tours guide who will be holding an orange colored Athens Walking Tours sign by the ticket validating machines underneath the hanging clock.

The tour starts at 9:30 am.

Back to the Port of Piraeus and Your Ship

Your transfer will depart at 15:50 (3:50 pm) from Patseas Jewelry Store, at the beginning of the pedestrian Dionysiou Areopagitou walkway and across Hadrian’s Arch. The guide will point out this meeting place earlier during the tour. The vehicle will have an orange colored Athens Walking Tours sign in the window. If for any reason you miss the return transfer, you will have to return to the Port of Piraeus by your own means.

Important Note: You must be at the designated meeting point 10 minutes prior to departure. The departure vehicle stops briefly to pick up passengers and will depart immediately for the Port of Piraeus.

*On Good Friday (Greek Orthodox Easter) our tour starts at 10:30 am inside the Syntagma Metro station.

Admission Tickets

A new time zone system for entry to the Acropolis has been introduced. This innovative approach aims not only to minimize waiting times but also to prevent overcrowding, ensuring a more sustainable and enjoyable experience for all visitors.

Booking a tour with us guarantees your entry on that specific date and time. Advance booking is highly recommended due to limited availability.

WITH Ticket option

If you have selected the “Book WITH Ticket” option, everything is included, and you will collect the admission tickets from our staff during check-in for the tour at the meeting point. We will be prepurchasing the tickets for you for the specific timezone.

WITHOUT Ticket option

It's up to you to purchase your admission tickets from the official site—a simple but important task to ensure your spot on the tour. This means you'll need to carefully choose the right date, time slot, and ticket category (for example, adults, students, etc.).

Tour Schedule Alignment:

The tour starts with the City Tour and accesses the Acropolis two hours approximately past the tour's starting time, at approximately 11:40am, (Book your Acropolis ticket independently here → https://hhticket.gr)

It's crucial to ensure your tickets’ entry time corresponds with our tour's specific schedule.

Pre-Purchase Tickets: To ensure your participation, you must purchase your tickets prior to booking our tour. This step confirms the availability for your chosen tour date and time.

Non-Refundable Tour Fee: Not possessing a valid entrance ticket at the beginning of the tour disqualifies you from joining the tour. Remember, the tour fee is non-refundable if you fail to meet this requirement.

Please follow these steps carefully to ensure a smooth and enjoyable tour experience.

Additional info

Please note that presenting a valid ID or passport for verification at the sites is mandatory to be eligible for any applicable discounts.
It's essential to double-check and ensure the accuracy of your personal information during the booking process. Any disparities between your reservation and the actual details could lead to non-refundable tour and ticket conditions.

Ticket Prices

From April 1 2025

NON EU CITIZENS

30 € for adults 18 years of age and over, covering all the monuments that will be visited during the tour with valid ID or passport
FREE for infants/children/youth (0-17 yrs) with valid ID or passport

EU CITIZENS

30 € for adults 25 years of age and over, covering all the monuments that will be visited during the tour with valid ID or passport
FREE for infants/children/youth (0-24 yrs) with valid ID or passport

Not sure if you are EU or NON EU citizen? Check it here

From November 24 until 31 March 2025

Αll adults 25+: 10 €
Youths non EU (6 - 24): 10 €
Youths EU (6-24) & all infants (0 -5): Free

Prices of the entrance tickets are subject to changes without prior notice.

For more details please check our entrance fees and tickets page

Discounts and Offers

We want our guests to get the most out of their visit to Athens, and we would love to help you explore more with our help! If you book this tour, you can save money on more tours and activities in a variety of ways:

Book a 2nd tour, get 5% off

If you book a second tour with us, you are eligible for a 5% discount. Use the code SNDT at your booking process inside the promo code field.

Discount code for families and groups

5% discount to families/groups with 4 or more paying members.
Use promo code: FMD

Discount code for groups of more than 4 participants with second tour (SNDT+4): 10% discount to families or groups (4 or more paying members) booking more than one tours.

For more information on discounts and special rates please read the FAQ about discount and special rates