Duration : 9 Hours
Our private shore excursion to Athens from the port of Piraeus includes
all the important highlights. Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of a bygone
era!
Features of this day trip to Athens from Piraeus:
As you embark on a short ride to Athens from the port of Piraeus prepare
yourself to be completely bowled over by the magnitude, beauty and
architectural perfection of monuments from archaic times.
This tour begins with a drive past some of Athens' most famous sights:
- the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the largest in ancient Greece,
taking over 600 years to build.
- the Old Palace, now the seat of Greek Parliament, and
the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where you can witness the changing of the guard in their unmistakable uniforms.
- the Panathenian Olympic Stadium, where the first modern Olympic Games
were held in 1896.
Next stop, Plaka, one of the oldest quarters of the city.
Nestled in the shadow of the Acropolis, the Plaka district is a village oasis
in the heart of modern Athens. The narrow streets are lined with boutiques,
restaurant terraces, and graceful neoclassic homes from the 19th century, with
a sprinkling of charming Byzantine churches.
The Plaka district is also home to the New Acropolis Museum, a beautiful and brilliantly-conceived
showcase of art and artifacts.
If you prefer shopping to museums stay in Plaka, where you’ll be
surrounded by clothing, jewelry and Greek souvenir shops.
Do not leave unless you have tried the pita-souvlaki or gyro, a popular
Greek fast food consisting of small pieces of meat and sometimes vegetables
grilled on a skewer. If you want to sit down and enjoy a leisurely meal, there
are lots of cafès and restaurants in Plaka.
Of course, the highlight of this day trip is the Acropolis, the poster-girl of Athens.
the Propylaea - the monumental entry gate
the Parthenon - perhaps the most recognizable structure in the world,
and almost surely the most perfect with regard to beauty and proportions ever constructed.
Erechtheion - the true holy site on the Acropolis, where sculptures of
young females are holding the roof of the porch on their heads
Temple of Athena Nike - on a bastion, protecting the gate of the citadel
the theatre of Herodes Atticus - a 5,000-seat theatre built in the 2nd Century
AD by the Greek from which it gets its name, in memory of his Roman wife. Since
its restoration in the 1950’s, it has returned to its former life as a concert
hall. Some of the most famous voices in modern history have performed here,
including Maria Callas, Frank Sinatra, and Pavarotti.
the theatre of Dionysus - a very ancient theatre dating back to the 6th
Century BC, where classical Greek plays were first presented.
NOT INCLUDED
1. Is this tour private?
The tour is private just for your party, however you can look for other travel companions to share the costs of the tour with.
2. Is the driver also a guide?
Our English speaking drivers are NOT licensed guides. In order to provide you with the best-in-class service, our English-speaking driving guides have been trained to offer our clients a nice overview with information regarding the major highlights avoiding the expensive charges of hiring a private guide. Due to strict laws & regulations that protect officially licensed guides, our driving guides can comment and explain the sights only from inside the vehicle but are not allowed to do so once they are outside the vehicle. They are regularly licensed instead to chauffeur the public. We highly recommend that you never book with any touring company that does not make this clear.
3. Does the driver go with us inside the monuments?
No, only a licensed guide is authorized to accompany you during the visit of sights. Our driver will drop you off close to the sights but will stay with the vehicle for the duration of your visit.
4. Does this tour include lunch and admission fees to sites?
No tickets or lunch are included in the rate. Please contact our office for pricing and reservations.
5. Does it include a guide?
No guide is included either. Please contact our office for pricing and reservations.
6. What is the duration of the tour?
The duration of the tour is 8/9 hours, including pickup and drop off at the ship.
7. Is the itinerary flexible?
Our itineraries are completely flexible, and we will be happy to operate any changes to the original itinerary (within reason). Please contact our office with all the requests you may have so that we can better organize your day.
8. Do you guarantee the return to the ship on time?
In almost 30 years of business, we have never missed the ship that is why we have organized all itineraries to guarantee your return on time.
9. Is gratuity included in the price?
Tips are never included in our quotes. We think that a tip shouldn’t be included in the rate otherwise it would be a tax!!! Once in Italy do not feel as though you have to tip everyone because someone told you to. Tip only if you really liked the service. Tips are generally: 10% not bad 15 % great 20 % best tour in my life. Please report any abuse.
There will be a full charge for bookings canceled with less than 72-hour notice for any service required. In this case, a full charge will be made on your credit card. If you miss your flight or if your airline decides to cancel the flight due to bad weather or if your flight is directed to another airport on arrival, please advise us on time (as soon as you know) or a full charge will be made.
Please give us enough time so we can accept other reservations and allocate them to our chauffeurs. If the ship does not make it to the pier for bad weather, you will not be considered responsible so NO CHARGE will be made to your credit card. A full charge will be made for a no-show-up.
Only pre-purchased skip-the-line tickets (if requested) are not refundable under the circumstance and will be charged to your card.
Transfer Services activated.