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Athens & Acropolis Highlights: a Mythological Tour
4.8
2,021 Ratings
Athina
The lines of reality and legend converge in Athens! Explore the illustrious landmarks of Athens and the myths associated with them! Partake in an unparalleled mythological journey, apt for all ages, that elucidates how Athens evolved into the legendary city it is today.
Duration:
4 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Temple of Olympian Zeus - Situated between the Acropolis and the Ilissos river, the grand Olympeion was among the most significant ancient temples dedicated to Zeus and one of the most renowned marble structures of the ancient world. We will discuss the Temple and its tales from the exterior.
- Acropolis - The most magnificent sanctuary of ancient Athens, primarily devoted to its patron, the goddess Athena, has been a central feature of the city for millennia. The Acropolis monuments (the Parthenon, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion, the Propylaea, the Theater of Dionysus,…) are all exceptional examples of ancient architecture, influencing art and culture for centuries and blending seamlessly with their natural surroundings.
- Theater of Dionysus - Dionysus, the god of wine and grape harvest, was honored with the oldest theatre in Athens. This theatre was the venue for the first performances of the unparalleled works of Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes.
- Temple of Athena Nike - Dedicated to the goddesses Athena and Nike, the Temple of Athena Nike honored Nike, the goddess of victory, and Athena in her victorious form. Legend has it that the statue of the goddess in the temple was wingless to ensure she would never leave Athens.
- Erechtheion - The Erechtheion, an ancient Greek temple on the Acropolis of Athens, was built to house the ancient wooden cult statue of Athena and to celebrate the city’s peak of power and influence.
- Parthenon - Dominating the Acropolis hill in Athens, the Parthenon was constructed in the mid-5th century BCE and dedicated to Athena Parthenos (“Athena the Virgin”). It is widely regarded as the pinnacle of the Doric order, the simplest of the three Classical Greek architectural styles.
- Ancient Agora of Athens - The Agora was the vibrant heart of ancient Athens, serving as the hub of political, commercial, administrative, and social activities, as well as the religious and cultural center and the seat of justice.
- Temple of Hephaestus - The splendid Temple of Hephaestus, one of the best-preserved ancient temples globally, was a place of worship for two key deities for many merchants and shop owners of the Ancient Agora: Hephaestus, the god of metallurgy, and Athena Ergani, the goddess protecting potters and cottage industries.
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What's Included
- Small group for an optimal experience
- Expert certified guide
- Fun ancient Athens map
What's Not Included
- Entry fees (we can pre-purchase for you)
- Food or drinks
- Transfer from/to meeting point
Additional Information
- We can pre-purchase entry tickets for you, just let us know!
- Small group tour
- ID card or passport are required for people under the age of 25 for possible discounts
- Strollers, backpacks and big bags are not allowed at the Acropolis and should not be taken on the tour
- Entry fees are non-refundable, non-exchangeable
Location
Arch of Hadrian (Hadrian's Gate)
Leoforos Vasilisis Amalias
Your meeting point is under the Arch of Hadrian (Hadrian's Gate), on Leof. Vasilisis Amalias.
The closest metro station is ACROPOLIS and then you’ll need to walk 5’ to get to the Arch of Hadrian.
Your guide will be waiting for you holding a sign "ALTERNATIVE ATHENS".
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(2021 Ratings)
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Chuck
Jul 30, 2024
Trip to Athens - This is a great tour. The guide is really helpful and explains a lot very easy to understand and a wonderful location. I would highly recommend it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jill_n
Jul 30, 2024
Fantastic tour in Athens - Our guide was a great storyteller! She was friendly and engaging. She also did a great job of finding shade for our group on a very hot day!
Review provided by Viator
Denville_m
Jul 29, 2024
Phenomenal - Our guide was great. He was very knowledgeable, patient and considerate to the children in the group.
Review provided by Viator
Chloe_a
Jul 29, 2024
It was very informational... - It was very informational , our tour guide knew it all even told us about other locations during side conversations we had. It was very hot when we went but he made sure to keep us in shaded areas and allowed us to take breaks in between . It was a very nice experience
Review provided by Viator
Wjfooks
Jul 28, 2024
Great guide and excellent experience - Our guide was great. She was enthusiastic and proud of her city. She made sure that as much of the tour as possible was in shaded areas. The company obtained our tickets for us which was seamless. I would highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Viator
Travel52818617898
Jul 28, 2024
Love the mythology - Fantastic tour. Tons of history. Our guide, Dimitra, was wonderful. Friendly and full of knowledge. Our 13 year old son is into Greek mythology and he loved answering her trivia questions.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Olie_p
Jul 27, 2024
Superb - Excellent! Our guide Dimitria was lovely and knowledgeable. Well worth it. Having to buy the entry tickets to the Acropolis complex was unexpected but not a problem all in all. Make sure you wear comfy shoes with good grips, polished limestone is SLIPPERY
Review provided by Viator
Pelletpossitsopinion
Jul 27, 2024
Fun but pricey - Excellent tour although it wasn’t super clear that the tour didn’t include entry into the Acropolis complex, which actually made the tour a bit on the expensive side. Our guide Demitria was very good and knew her onions mythology wise, and was very good at linking facts and tales to specific structures and artefacts. We enjoyed it but would probably look for a cheaper option had we known we needed to purchase entry tickets earlier on. Still well organised and fun.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cynthia_a
Aug 1, 2024
Poor experience - Firstly, our meeting point was easy to find BUT the guide should have picked a different place for her to begin her intro. We stood next to a really busy road and the traffic from the buses, motor cycles, cars etc muffled out the tour guide. Additionally, from the start Georgia (our assigned tour guide) seemed irrate and rushed. Someone asked a question in the group and she responded short and rudely- you could see that the rest of the group saw the impatience in her response.
Secondly, when we were giving out the printed tickets to our group she ripped them out of my father in laws hand and started giving them out...it seemed that she probably thought he was taking too long and instead took it upon herself to get the job done faster by literally ripping the tickets from his hand. EVERYONE in the group saw this, not only was my father in law and everyone else embarrassed, my parents, myself and my husband could not believe she did that. This shocked the entire group. I was additionally embarrased because you could hear everyone wondering why she didnt like us. Just around the same time, she had told another group member to find her daughter that went to the bathroom. That woman did, and while she was away she complained that now the lady and her daughter were now missing. I told her that she has just asked her to go hurry her daughter up, and that that was exactly what the woman was doing. Her impatience with everything so early on was terrible, especially it being before we entered the Acropolis at beginning of the tour.
There were ups and downs to how she talked to us there going fwd, and at the end she literally said bye and left. While i am not the type to not give a tip i was prepared to give her something since she did offer education. BUT when she stormed away at the end I didnt even have an opportunity to even go up to her.
There were many tour groups around us that day and I kept listening to other guides and how fun, excited, energetic,patient and kind they were. I was upset that we were being treated this way. This experience was incredibly poor.
Review provided by Viator
S1827kujohnb
Jul 28, 2024
Not good - From the start it was a joke bought the tickets then read that you have to buy your entry tickets wich were sold out !! So make sure you can get entry tickets first...then for one it Is not a small group it's a large group and on top of that they don't even have ear pieces so you can't hear the guide cause the group is why to large to get close enough to hear her ..my advice make sure your guide has ear pieces for you to hear second don't but tour without entry tickets included ..ended up costing me over 218 euro n was the worst tour in three countries!
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