Athens City Tour - 6 hours - Panathen, Greece

Athens City Tour - 6 hours

Our first proposal to explore Athens is “Athens City tour”. In this tour by car (mini van, mini bus, sedan or limo), we will start our tour by visiting:

Syntagma square, the Greek Parliament and the changing guard (by Presidential guards, well famous as Evzones). Taking pictures is fully suggested in order to capture one of your best memories in Athens.

Then will go, to the Panathenaikon Stadium a classical monument totally constructed by Pentelikon white marble! The monument has been erected in 329 BC, and has been completely renovated twice, first time in 140 BC and the second time from 1895 to 1900 AD in order to welcome the Olympic Games reborn! As the monument coming from ancient Greece, still be a gift for Athens, till nowadays!

Next stop is Hadrian Arch, just a few meters from Syntagma square. This special Gate, is a triumphal two story Arch, that has been erected in 131 BC, in honor the Roman’s Empire Hadrian’s visit in Athens! As the ancient road was leading from the Acropolis to the temple of Olympian Zeus, for many Greeks the monument is well known as Pillars of Olympus Zeus! Next place that is proposed to visit is National Gardens (entry) and by walking and crossing the Gardens to reach the exit at the point of Zappeion Hall building (Zappeion Megaron). The car will be waiting for you, in order to get on and continue our tour. Next stop is the core of our tour, and of course is the visit to Acropolis and Parthenon !

Acropolis was the citadel for the city of Athens, isolated in a grey and white rocky hill. The unique access can be reached only by the western side (Areopagitou str) and this is the starting point for exploring the Acropolis by walking. When you ‘ll reach the top of the hill you will face the perfection of ancient Greek sculpture and architecture, “the Parthenon monument”! This unique masterpiece of the Classical Art has been erected during Golden Era of Pericles, in the middle of 5^th century BC. In that era, city of Athens became the greatest cultural center of its time.

The temple of Parthenon, was built by marble from mount Penteli. Architects were Iktinos and Kallikrates and the monument has been built from 447 to 432 BC. By leaving behind Parthenon, you can see Propylaea, the Erechtheion with Karyatides, the temple of Athena Niki (Glory) and the Herodeon or Odeon of Herodes Attikos (has been erected after 174 ad, as an ancient amphitheater with seating capacity of more than 6,000 people and today is considered as the second best theater worldwide).

Then you should visit Archeological Museum of Acropolis, which is focused on the findings of the archaeological site of the Acropolis. The car will be wait for you in a prearranged meeting point in order to take you for a tour in the picturesque and traditional narrow streets of Plaka with full of taverns and restaurants serving Greek tastes and delicacies. Final stop is National Archeological Museum that is considered as one of the best museums in the world and contains the richest collection of artifacts from Greek prehistory to the late’s antiquity worldwide.