Private Full Day Guided Tour of Athens and Cape Sounion
Your driver will pick you up from the arranged point to start this wonderful half day sightseeing tour of Athens.
As you enter the city center and your tour begins, the first photo stop is at the exquisite Panathenian stadium. Built on the site of the ancient Athenian stadium, entirely from marble, for the first modern Olympic Games of 1896. It is very impressive and well worth a stop.
After the brief stop you will set off towards the Temple of Zeus, a colossal ruined temple that was dedicated to Zeus, king of the Olympian gods. The remains of this once great temple still inspire awe to the visitors of the site.
Continuing onwards via the national gardens for a brief stop outside the Greek parliament. The traditionally dressed Evzones stand guard outside the building; the changing of the guards is fun to see and get a feeling for Greek modern history. Your driver will be waiting for you to take you to the majestic Acropolis.
Next is the sight that’s sure to be a highlight on any visitor’s list: the Acropolis of Athens. You will be dropped off at the foot of the pedestrian road leading to the site. It is a gentle uphill stroll to the city’s famous ancient citadel. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the acropolis is home to several incredible buildings that date back to the days of Ancient Greece. See the Parthenon, Propylaea gateway, Erechtheion and Temple of Athena Nike, a monument built to representAthens’ ambition as the most powerful Greek city. The buildings on the Acropolis are considered by many as the most impressive architectural feats of the ancient times.
Concluding your visit to the Acropolis it is a short walk (5-10 minutes, downhill) to the Acropolis Museum. Opened in 2009, the new museum looks on to the Acropolis and features amazing displays. The artifacts are situated in such a way so as that the guests can actually understand and envision what the Parthenon actually looked like in antiquity. It is considered one of the most beautifully situated museums in the world. This dazzling modernist museum at the foot of the Acropolis' southern slope showcases its surviving treasures still in Greek possession.
Our visit to the Acropolis will end and we will have some free time for lunch.
It takes about an hour and a half to get to the Cape from Athens. An important part of the tour is the scenic drive along the Attica Riviera. Enjoy the beautiful seaside leading from Athens all the way to Cape Sounio. About half way to the cape, the scenery changes from an urban to a more sparsely populated and rugged scenery. The small beaches and seaside resorts make for a very nice drive up to the Cape.
Cape Sounio is the most southern point of the Attica Riviera and looks on to the Aegean Sea. At the tip of the cape the ancient Greeks built a temple to honor the god of the Sea, Poseidon. The temple that stands today was built at the fifth century BC and replaced other buildings that were already built at the area.
The site has a very long history not only as a place of worship but also as a strategic vantage point that controlled the shipping lanes to and from Athens. The site is quite modest, the Doric columns that stand today are a reminder of how important this site was in antiquity. If you stand at the foot of the temple and look out to sea is as if you are standing on the bow of a ship looking out to the Aegean Sea. The waves crashing on the cape and you standing atop commanding the ancient shipping lanes. It is awe inspiring and really well worth the visit.
Your personal guide will explain and give you insights about the sight, the history and the legends surrounding it. Take advantage of being on a private tour and the one to one personal attention your guide will provide.
After spending some free time at the site, make your way back to the car where your driver will be waiting for the return trip to Athens.
This tour is provided on a reserved basis prior to departure. Passengers must contact the local sightseeing company upon arrival to reconfirm their tour.
Duration:
Approximately 6 hours
Meeting point:
Hotel lobby
Ending point:
The same
Departure Time:
09:00 AM (could be changed upon request), daily
Not Included:
Drinks, meal, gratuities
Additional Information:
Due to hot weather it is strongly recommended to have an adequate supply of water, wear a suitable hat, and choose comfortable walking shoes.
Maximum number of participants: 6 people.
Tour does not operate: 2024: November 10, December 25 – 26. 2025: January 1, January 6, March 3, March 25, April 18, April 20 – 21, May 1, June 08 – 09, August 15, October 28, December 25-26
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