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

Tour Code: SC3

89€

Free Cancellation
Entrance fees not included
Discounts and Offers

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

Highlights Tour Details Meeting point Entrance fees not included 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
Skip-the-Ticket Line service
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
Athens Guide magazine
Athens map

Exclusions

Food and drinks
Gratuities (gratuity rates in Greece are around 10% of service cost)
Entrance tickets

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
We are pleased to offer all our guests a convenient skip-the-ticket-line service. We take care and pre-purchasing the entrance tickets for each archaeological site and Museum visited during the tour, saving you the hassle of buying them online or queuing up at the ticket counters. However, 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.

Entrance fees not included

Check below the rates applying to your party for all sites visited during this tour. If you haven't chosen the option "Book with Ticket", please make sure you have enough cash (Euros) with you as well as a valid ID or Passport for verification of age and nationality to purchase the tickets from us upon check-in for your tour.

From April 1 to October 31

20 € for adults 25 years of age and over, covering all the sites that will be visited during the tour
10 € for all citizens from non- EU countries under 25 years old
free for all European Union citizens up to 25 years old
free for all children up to 5 years old

From November 1 to March 31

10 € for adults 25 years of age and over, covering all the sites that will be visited
10 € for all citizens from non- EU countries under 25 years old
free for all European Union citizens up to 25 years old
free for all children up to 5 years old

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