Athens Full Day Private Tour
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Athens, Greece
- 8 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Explore the highlights of Athens in just one day on this private or small-group tour by private vehicle. Enjoy pickup from your hotel or a convenient meeting point and visit highlights such the Acropolis, Parthenon, Ancient Agora, Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Acropolis Museum (museum entrance extra), and Lycabettus Hill and explore the neighborhoods of Plaka and Monastiraki. Includes lunch.
- Discover the best of Athens in one day on a private or small-group tour
- Travel comfortably in a private vehicle with knowledgeable driver
- Includes entrance fees to Acropolis, and Agora
- Relax with hotel pickup (private) or easy meeting point (small-group)
What's Included
- Professional Drivers with Deep knowledge of history [Not licensed to accompany you in any site]
- Skip the line Tickets: Acropolis, Ancient Agora (Depending on your booking option)
- PRIVATE TOUR: Hotel / Cruise port pick up & drop-off
- SMALL GROUP: Meeting Point at ''Herodion Hotel'' [near Acropolis metro station]
- Lunch: Pitta Gyros, Greek salad, Baklava, Drink (Depending on your booking option)
- Worry- free Shore Excursion
- Private transportation
- Bottled water
- Museum Ticket [Options: Acropolis Museum OR National Archaeological Museum- 20€pp]
- Licensed Tour guide upon request— depending on availability [Additional cost: 350€]
- Airport Pick Up and drop-off [Additional cost]
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Itinerary
Kick off with morning pickup from your Athens hotel (private tour option) or from the meeting point near the Acropolis metro station (small-group tour option) and head directly to the Acropolis. Enter with skip-the-line tickets and enjoy free time inside to take in the Parthenon and other highlights.
Next, move on to the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Panathenaic Stadium before the scenic drive to the top of Mount Lycabettus to take in the view. After a stop to admire the ancient Agora, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and Academy of Athens, take a break for an included lunch.
Your day ends with a choice of visiting the Acropolis Museum or Natural Archaeological Museum (tickets own expense) or enjoying free time to shop and sightsee in the historic Plaka neighborhood before drop-off at your morning meeting point.
Next, move on to the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Panathenaic Stadium before the scenic drive to the top of Mount Lycabettus to take in the view. After a stop to admire the ancient Agora, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and Academy of Athens, take a break for an included lunch.
Your day ends with a choice of visiting the Acropolis Museum or Natural Archaeological Museum (tickets own expense) or enjoying free time to shop and sightsee in the historic Plaka neighborhood before drop-off at your morning meeting point.
1
Acropolis
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
2
Parthenon
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
3
Propylaea
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
4
Temple of Athena Nike
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
5
Erectheion
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Temple of Olympian Zeus (Pass By)
Panathenaic Stadium (Pass By)
6
Mount Lycabettus
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
7
Ancient Agora of Athens
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
8
Temple of Aries
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
9
Museum of the Ancient Agora
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
10
Plateia Syntagmatos
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
11
Monument to the Unknown Soldier
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Academy of Athens (Pass By)
Academy of Athens (Pass By)
National Library of Greece (Pass By)
12
Koukaki
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Monastiraki (Pass By)
13
Acropolis Museum
1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included
14
National Archaeological Museum
1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included
15
Plaka
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Infant seats available
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- The drivers are not licensed to accompany you inside the archaeological sites and museum.
- Please contact us after your booking if you are using a wheelchair or if you are travelling with infants
- German/ Spanish Speaking Drivers upon request- depending on the availability
- If your goup is more that 14 people you can make several bookings & let us know that you are all together after your booking
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Supplied by
Frequently Asked Question (1)
Q:Will my driver accompany us inside the archaeological sites?
A:Your driver will have deep knowledge of history and mythology history, but they are not licensed to accompany you inside the archaeological sites & museum. We can reserve a licenced guide for you at an extra cost - depending on the availability
Apr 2022
The answers provided are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 3,034 reviews
Roger_O, May 2026
Very good pace, very enjoyable, and our tour guide Giannis made it an outstanding tour. Outstanding English, great knowledge, and very personable.
Alan_S, May 2026
Stefanos was excellent, very knowledgeable and very friendly. Answered all our questions. An excellent experience.
Denise_S, May 2026
I felt very safe and information was very helpful Manolis was very respectful and very patient and professional
Becky_C, May 2026
Very informative. Panos was a superb guide!! He was very knowledgeable about the historic sites in Athen, Greece. We ate an authentic Greek meal at a cute restaurant. We especially liked watching the changing of the guard.
Gary_K, May 2026
Manos was a fantastic guide for our full day private tour of Athens. We could not have asked for a better tour and guide. We highly recommend this tour when you are deciding whether or not to take the full day tour. Incredible!!
barbara_F, May 2026
Manis was amazing! He was extremely knowledgeable. He took us to all of the highlights and then some! We loved hearing about his Nonna and Pappo!!
Richard_P, May 2026
Our driver Pantelis was knowledgeable and accommodating. We had been to Athens 32 years ago and wanted to revisit. Our first stop was the Acropolis. Having tickets included let us skip the line and go right in. Be advised it is a climb but most people i saw did it okay. Pantelis gave us a good overview of the city so we saw sights we missed before. A very enjoyable and memorable day.
Audrey_T, May 2026
Nico’s was great! Learned so much about the history of Greece & Athens. We loved the change of the guard. A must if visiting Athens.
Rosemary_W, May 2026
Make sure the trip description matches the ticket you are allocated. We thought lunch and admission was included but the ticket said otherwise
Dimitris was a great guide, very knowledgeable and professional.
DavidK, May 2026
Yiannis was an excellent tour guide who provided a very informative day. He was interesting and knowledgeable. I would highly him.
Eileen_B, May 2026
Excellent tour of all the major Athens highlights in one day. Our guide, Tolis, provided an excellent experience with expert timing to beat the lines. He also gave great commentary on each of the sites.
Paul_K, May 2026
Vasso was a remarkable guide. She was extremely knowledgeable on the topics we saw. She was so enthusiastic to teach others about Athens and its history. She shared detailed explanations on every aspect and answered questions thoroughly. She made our tour stupendous.
Manolis was a fantastic driver. He was flexible, supportive and drove admirably.
The two of them made our full day trip so rewarding and exciting. We appreciate all that they did to make our trip so wonderful.
Elizabeth_M, May 2026
Niko transported us around his Athens on a full day tour that took us to numerous sites. This method of drop off and pick up, tickets in hand, helped alleviate the heavy crowds. Niko knew his city well and shared both history and current happenings. We especially liked the Changing of the Guard ceremony and our Greek lunch.
Cristina_P, May 2026
We had the best experience ever and the price was fair for the service we got! We booked the full day private tour of Athens. Our driver, Nikolas, made it feel so easy and so familiar, we felt like being shown around by an old friend. Not only did he drive us around, but he also added some information about architecture and history as he's passionate about both; he suggested us some exclusive spots to go to and planned the tour wisely according to traffic and crowds. He was the most polite, caring and attentive, left us enough time to see all attractions and this really made the atmosphere unique.
If we ever come back to Athens, we want to be on his team! He's the very best!
Highly recommended!
Penny_T, May 2026
ThIs is the *only* way to see all of the highlights of Athens in a day, with so much history and context, in absolute comfort, and with real care and attention to our enjoyment.
Aris Anagnostopoulos was quite wonderful. He treated us with so much consideration and accommodated some special needs for my elderly mother with empathy and warmth. He was incredibly knowledgeable, giving us so much information that helped us to enjoy the experience even more. He found the best spots to stop and to share the amazing beauty and wonders of this special city.
Nothing was rushed, but the eight hours of our tour just flew past.
Aris made my mom’s dreams come true: “I could not have had a better day. It just surpassed all my expectations”.
Definitely to be recommended. Thank you Aris.
Howard_L, May 2026
This was a rushed tour due to later arrivals of three other customers. If possible., suggest splitting to two days if schedule allows.
russbiz3591, May 2026
Group of eight travelling together booked the full day private tour of Athens. It is a long day but it covers all the must see highlights of Athens plus a few lesser visited places. Our driver was excellent - kept us safe and on time. Our optional additional guide was terrific and well worth the additional cost. Highly recommend this tour.
chiaohwang, May 2026
Our day in Athens after disembarkation from the cruise was amazing. Theodore and Parnos picked us up from the cruise terminal 10 minutes before meeting time without any issues. We visited Acropolis and Agora of Athens with tickets provided, savings us tremendous time without having to wait in line to buy tickets. Theodore, our guide and driver, was very knowledgeable and provided lots of information regarding Athens. He showed us many beautiful spots for photo shoot. Very professional and courteous.
Brian_J, May 2026
Amazing tour guide. Very Knowledgeable and accommodating. We loved the tour and got to see all the highlights of Athens
James_P, May 2026
Dimi was a wonderful guide. He was able to navigate the city to mostly avoid the crowds and gave us just the right amount of history and culture to make our trip memorable. I highly recommend him to anyone.
Lois_C, May 2026
This was a wonderful tour. Our guide, Manilos, was friendly and knowledgeable. We enjoyed the flexibility of being able to choose the order of our afternoon activities. Maps of the Acropolis and the Agora would been helpful. Our most enjoyable tour this week!
abbeywarner, Apr 2026
We had seen such great reviews about Terry and he did not disappoint! Everything went incredibly smoothly. Terry was very knowledgeable and communicative. It was a great balance of information and guided sections as well as opportunities to be dropped off at places like the Acropolis and wander at our own pace. It's a big day but we saw all the major sites and had a great time. Thank you!
Jeff_S, Apr 2026
Stefanos gave us the most amazing tour of Athens! His knowledge and passion made it come alive …..as this was our first time experiencing Greece! His energy and enthusiasm was genuine and heartfelt. From the first handshake in the morning to the hug goodbye in the afternoon, we learned more than we could have ever expected. It was the absolute perfect way to begin our vacation. We rarely write reviews but couldn’t pass up this opportunity to give him the credit he deserves! We walked away from the day with a deeper understanding of how Greek culture influenced Western Civilization.
Thank you Stefanos for the most meaningful and memorable day!
Deborah_I, Apr 2026
My husband and I sighed up for the small group Full Day Tour of Athens. Fortunately for us, on the day of, some people canceled their tour. Subsequently my husband and I had a Full Day Private Tour of Athens.
Nicholas, was our exemplary Tour Driver. He was helpful, accommodating, affable, and knowledgeable. He brought us to all the posted historical sites and more. We also had a delicious lunch at a local restaurant. Towards the end of our Tour, my husband and I purchased tickets for the Acropolis Museum.
Note: My husband and I paid for one Add-On, pickup and drop-off at our Hotel.
My husband and I were very satisfied with this Tour, and would recommend. If you’re lucky, you’ll have Nicholas for Tour Driver!
Sarah_M, Apr 2026
A note for anyone booking: I initially arranged this tour without a licensed guide, assuming we could navigate Athens' landmarks on our own. After experiencing the difference a licensed guide made at Knossos Palace in Crete earlier in our trip, I reached out to Olive Sea Travel just 2-3 days before our Athens stop to see if one could be added. Alexander responded promptly, was upfront about the challenges of finding availability during a holiday week, and somehow made it happen. If you're on the fence about booking a licensed guide — don't be. Ours was worth every penny and then some, and I am so grateful Alexander moved mountains to find him!
Our driver Yiannis met us at Piraeus port right on time, sign in hand. Calm, confident, and quietly thoughtful throughout the entire day, he pulled the car around to the curb to make loading my mom's mobility scooter as easy as possible — my mom is a lung cancer survivor celebrating her 60th birthday who relies on a scooter for longer distances, and Yiannis handled every stop with the kind of effortless consideration that makes all the difference. He drove us as close to the Acropolis as possible, where we collected our licensed guide, Averkios — and from that moment, the day became something I will genuinely never forget.
If Yiannis is calm and grounded, Averkios is pure electricity. An archaeologist by training (yes, our guide in Athens was a real, actual archaeologist!) he brings a depth of knowledge to Greek history and mythology that is staggering. But what sets him apart isn't just what he knows. It's how he shares it. His storytelling is magnetic, his humor is sharp, and his ability to weave an unbroken narrative thread from the myth of Athena drawing the first olive tree from the earth all the way to modern Greek life left my jaw on the floor more than once. Think Robin Williams at a chalkboard — brilliant, captivating, and completely alive with enthusiasm. Dense mythology made utterly accessible, delivered with wit, warmth, and genuine theatrical flair.
Throughout the day, Averkios and Yiannis looked after us in ways both large and small: bathroom breaks built in without having to ask, water offered regularly, a jacket offered when a cool breeze rolled through. My mom and I never once felt like an afterthought. Something that particularly moved me: several times throughout the day, Averkios deliberately slowed his pace, walked alongside my mom's scooter, and spoke directly to her — not over her, not around her. It sounds like a small thing. It isn't. Even wonderful guides can struggle with that gracefully, and he did it naturally, every time.
We wandered through one of the world's greatest stories together — from the Parthenon at the Acropolis, to the ancient Agora, to lunch at O Proedros (The President), a popular local souvlaki chain where we sat outside and feasted on gyros, a perfect horiatiki (Greek village salad — tomato, cucumber, red onion, green pepper, kalamata olives, and a magnificent slab of herb-dusted feta), and a dessert plate of baklava, chocolate mosaic cake, and chilled lemon sorbet shots to finish.. All while Averkios continued to hold court, seamlessly shifting from Greek mythology to his own background in archaeology. Truly, I cannot stress enough: our guide in Athens was a real archaeologist. Let that sink in.
We finished at the Acropolis Museum — an architectural marvel that layers a state-of-the-art modern building directly over the excavated remains of an ancient Athenian neighborhood, visible through glass floors beneath your feet. The museum presents a breathtaking recreation of the Acropolis ascent, and an honest, moving account of the ongoing controversy surrounding the Elgin Marbles — the original sculptures still held by the British Museum, and the painfully incomplete collection that remains on display as a result. It is impossible to stand there and not feel the weight of that absence.
After a long, yet rewarding day, Yiannis had us back to the ship on time, scooter loaded, completely stress-free.
Yiannis, Averkios, and the entire Olive Sea Travel team delivered something extraordinary. If you are visiting Athens — especially if you are traveling with mobility considerations — do not hesitate. Book the licensed guide. Book with this team. You will not regret a single moment.
Christine_S, Apr 2026
This experience is a wonderful way to see and learn about Athens and Greek culture. I would highly recommend this excursion. Our guide was Stefanos. He was very passionate and knowledgeable about Greek culture. We learned so much from him. We liked the personal attention and pace of the tour.
dbdebard, Apr 2026
We had a great tour. This is so much better than taking a large tour bus. We had a plan but also flexibility to alter it depending on crowds, traffic and our wishes. Great local knowledge.
Christine_V, Apr 2026
If you only have a short time in Athens, this is an excellent tour! We hit the highlights and Nicholas our guide was very knowledgeable and fun. We felt like we saw as much as we could in one day. Highly recommend.
Meika_D, Apr 2026
Dimitris is a fantastic tour guide. He is knowledgeable about the sites and history of Greece and speaks great English. We felt attended to our entire day with him and he took care of us.
Mary_J, Apr 2026
Our guide Aris gave us the most amazing tour of Athens. He was extremely knowledgeable and very interesting. We learned so much about the history of Athens and the many civilizations. The tour was comprehensive and showed us everything we needed to see in Athens in a day. We especially enjoyed seeing the Acropolis and Aris was very helpful in being sure that we were able to access the elevator due to a recent surgery. It was a wonderful day and very grateful for such a great guide!
From $230.65
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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