A great choice of tour to join if you want to get a really deep insight into ancient Athens and the Acropolis as you will be able to see all of the Acropolis sites which also include the world-famous Parthenon as well as the Temple of Nike, the Propylaea. From the Acropolis, we will take a walk over to the secret hidden away Socrates' prison before heading up the Philopappos hill to take in some amazing views before heading over to the Roman Agora where you can check out the Stoa, Hephaesteion, and many more ruins.
This full-day tour will take you to see all of the Acropolis before heading onwards to see more of the scenery that lies within a short distance from the Acropolis. The day will begin with your allocated tour guide coming to collect you in the morning firstly, now whether you book as a regular group tour or as a private tour with us you shall be given your collection time upon time of booking, also your pick up can be from various points such as from Piraeus Harbour – Athens Airport and also your hotel depending upon which tour you wish to book either private or as a regular group tour.
To visit The Odeon of Herodes Atticus -Parthenon-Temple of Athena Nike-Propylea-Erechtheion & Dionysus Theatre will take about 2.5 hours
Once you have been collected we will then start on your day around Athens, the first point of the call shall be to the outstanding Parthenon which is the number 1 attraction of Athens and a day in Athens would not be the same without visiting here. As we reach Parthenon we will take a walk up the hill where along the way you can see the Temple of Athena Nike, it was here that Athena was worshipped as the goddess who stood by the Athenians in times of war and this temple still stands in a great condition. Straight after the Temple, you will pass through the grand Propylaea which in the English language means ‘Monumental Gateway’, the amazing well-kept Propylaea was created back in 437-432 B.C and also offers great views before you enter through it. Moving on you will come to the world-famous Parthenon, it can be seen from any angle you stand in Athens and shines down to the city below the same as the sun shines in the sky. This Temple was built as a dedication to Athena and is incredible – it makes the most perfect photograph to take back home as a reminder! Just next to the Parthenon is a smaller building called Erechtheion and just beside here are known legends that the very first olive trees were grown when Athena threw the seeds to the ground. While we are visiting the area of Acropolis we will be able to take an exploration of the Dionysus Theatre also known as Attica, this theatre was the very first theatre to have been built in the world and is thought to have been the first sample of a Greek theatre and the actual birthplace of Greek Drama entertainment, as you can tell by the name of this theatre it was built in dedication to Dionysus who was the god of making wine, they even erected a very large statue of Dionysus in the front row facing the stage so that the god himself would be able to watch and enjoy the plays. In the 5th century, this theatre was first used as a regular place to hold many performances of plays and scenes of tragedy that had been written by poets including Aeschylus, Euripides, and also Sophocles. The theatre could hold a big crowd of up to 17,000 people and the acoustics were so clear and of perfect tone that no matter where you sat you could still hear the actors very clearly, some of the seats, or shall we say thrones were in scripted by the rulers that would sit in these specific seats and the rest were available for the public.
To visit Socrates Prison – Hill of Philopappos will take about 1.5 hours
It’s time to move on after uncovering the sites and ruins at the Acropolis and the theatre, moving on we will make our way over to the Hill Philopappos but before we reach there we will make a stop at Socrates Prison, now this prison is just breath-taking as it has been carved into a hill itself that’s just west of the Acropolis, this kind of construction truly does show how architecture was done in the time of Ancient Athens. It is told that artifacts from Acropolis and the National Archaeological Museum were hidden away here to keep them protected from the invasion of the Nazis during world war 2. As we make our way up to Philopappos you will notice that the top of here offers by far the best views of the Parthenon as you will be standing almost at eye level, and just on this hill you will find a monument that was placed here in memory of Roman Prince Gaius Julius Antiochus Philopappos and of course, is still in viewing condition so be sure to have your cameras at the ready.
Visit Hill of Phynx will take about 30 minutes
Just a short distance away we will reach the Hill of Phynx which is approx. 500m away from the Acropolis, The hill of Phynx is rocky with its surroundings being made up of parks, therefore, making the scenery around here very green and naturally beautiful. This hill has a very specific place within world history as one of the most important historical sites, there is an artificially carved out stone platform or Bema and these stone platforms are on the side of the hill and take steps to reach the top. Phynx has been noted to of been found during the 5th century B.C and has also undergone 3 construction periods before it has become its lasting structure. By the third formation the Phynx became of a larger scale and could accommodate up to 20,000 people and out of that 20,000 they made 6,000 to be for Athenians to enable the discussions to start over political issues. When there was excavation work was done there were many other ancient remains found such as 2 large stones whose purpose was to shelter people in case of terrible weather there was also an altar of Zeus Agoraios and the sanctuary of Zeus Hypsistos.
To visit The Roman Agora will take about 1.5 - 2 hours
The last part of our tour today will be with a casual walk over to the Roman Agora which sits just below the Acropolis, this agora can also go by the name of Ancient Agora, this place was the political and social heart of Athens. You will have the opportunity to explore the ruins laid around here but also what makes it come to life more will be great stories your guide will tell you along the way. Inside the Agora you will come across the Hephaestus Temple or as some may say Theseion which is still commonly used, it has been said that this temple was a dedication and is one of the best preserved in all of Athens. Just directly opposite you will see the Stoa of Attalos which was the first but also the largest shopping center during this time and rapidly became a meeting point for the locals. This huge Stoa has now been converted into a museum which of course is full of great pieces that will be sure to keep you occupied checking out all the findings, some of which will surely amaze you!
This just about wraps up our tour for today, therefore you will head back to the bus with your guide who will then drop you back off at your allocated drop-off points where you will be able to spend the rest of the day relaxing and also reviewing your day with us.
*This All Round Acropolis Tour is available all year round in private.
INCLUSIONS
*Pick up and Drop Off
*Professional Licensed Guide
*Parking Fees
*Transport and Driver
EXCLUSIONS
*Lunch – Drinks
*Entrance Fees
*Gratitude’s
ACROPOLIS AND PARTHENON
General admission fee: €20 Reduced: €10
The price is reduced by 50% during winter (1 November and 31 March). Children under 18 (with proof of ID), students and others (scroll down for the full list) pay €10 for their tickets (€5 during winter). Entry to the Acropolis not only gives you access to the Citadel (where you can see the Parthenon and the Erechtheion) but also the North and South slopes, where you will find the Odeon of Herodes Atticus and the Theatre of Dionysus – amongst other features.
ROMAN AGORA TICKET
General admission fee: €8, Reduced: €4
Ancient Agora of Athens - Museum of Ancient Agora of Athens
Special ticket package: Full: €30, Reduced: €15
According to the common ministerial decision ΥΠΠΟΑ/ΓΔΑΠΚ/ΔΜ/ΤΑΜΣ/Φ32-Φ56/370862/218709/12209/7831 (FEK 2916 b’/31.12.2015) from the 1st of April 2016 the ticket price for the site (Ancient Agora and Museum of Ancient Agora of Athens) changes to 8 Euros (reduced 4 Euros). The price for the unified ticket changes to 30 Euros (reduced 15 Euros) and has valid for 5 days. Valid for: Acropolis of Athens, Ancient Agora of Athens, Archaeological Museum of Kerameikos, Archaeological Site of Lykeion, Hadrian's Library, Kerameikos, Museum of the Ancient Agora, North slope of Acropolis, Olympieio, Roman Agora of Athens, South Slope of Acropolis.
