Athens Shore Excursion: Acropolis Walking Tour
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Athens, Greece
- 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Offered in: English
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Overview
When your cruise ship docks in Piraeus, witness Athens’ classical highlights on a 4-hour guided shore excursion. Travel by air-conditioned vehicle to Syntagma Metro Station to see its fascinating archaeological museum, and walk up the pedestrianized Dionysiou Areopagitou past sites including the Herodian Theatre and Mars Hill. At the Acropolis, inspect the Parthenon, the temple that epitomized Athenian power in the 5th century BC, as your guide details its design. Behold the stellar city views from here and enjoy free time to explore Athens independently before your return to Piraeus.
- 4-hour Acropolis and central Athens walking shore excursion, with an expert guide
- View the archaeological relics on display at Syntagma Metro Station
- See the Greek Parliament House, Temple of Zeus, Herodian Theatre and other highlights
- Visit the majestic Parthenon and soak up the views over Athens' rooftops
- Enjoy some free time to explore Athens’ historical center independently
- Learn about the Parthenon and Athens’ classical history from an informed guide
What's Included
- Round trip transfer from the Port of Piraeus and back
- Acropolis guided tour
- Local licensed guide
- Skip-the-ticket line service (if WITH ticket option booked)
- Free time in Plaka
- Athens guide magazine
- Athens map
- Food and drinks, unless specified
- Gratuities
- Entrance fee - Acropolis Tickets (if WITHOUT ticket option is selected)€30.00 per person
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup point
- Piraeus
Pickup details
Pick up from the cruise ship terminal
Operating hours.8:45 am
Itinerary
1
Change of Guards
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
National Garden (Pass By)
Zappeion (Pass By)
2
Temple of Olympian Zeus
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
3
Acropolis
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT BABY STROLLERS: baby strollers are not allowed on the Acropolis archaeological site and that there is no cloakroom at the side entrance we use to enter. For your own convenience, it is recommended to use a baby pouch instead of a baby stroller
- Comfortable walking shoes, sun-screen and a hat are recommended
- Dress according to weather
- Bring a bottle of water
- Strict Acropolis entry times mean we can't wait for latecomers. No refunds will be given.
- All visitors undergo airport-style security; expect peak season waits of up to 30+ minutes.
- Cutoff times sync with Athens local time.
- Tours run rain or shine.
- If you have selected the “Book WITH Ticket” option, everything is included, and you will collect the admission tickets from our staff during check-in for the tour at the meeting point. We will be prepurchasing the tickets for you for the specific timezone.
- If you have selected the WITHOUT Ticket option, follow the instructions on your voucher to purchase the Acropolis Tickets
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 24 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.5
based on 132 reviews
Debra_L, Aug 2025
A lot of walking but well worth it. The guide was well informed and we saw lots around the area we walked
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you, Debra, for your lovely feedback! We’re so glad you found the walk worthwhile and enriching. Our guides love sharing their knowledge while making sure you see the very best of the Acropolis and its surroundings. Delighted to hear you enjoyed the experience!
Tina_C, Oct 2024
Loved acropolis. Guides were great. Little disorganized with taxi and meeting spot at metro. The jewelry store mentioned at meeting spot was nowhere to be found. Must be a new jewelry store name that wasn’t updated. Other than that it was a great tour.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thank you for your thoughtful feedback, Tina! We’re pleased you loved the Acropolis and enjoyed the tour with our guides. We apologize for any confusion with the taxi and meeting spot. Thank you for choosing us, we’d love the chance to welcome you back for another memorable experience!
melissa_c, Sep 2024
Let me start by saying Annie was an incredible guide and if I was just rating her I would give her a 5 star. But I am rating the company so I will give a 3 star. There were 20 people in the group which is larger than advertised. The tour started walking through the garden in the cool of the day. That was so silly to walk there. It had almost no historic value. Why be there when it was cooler and be on the top of the accropolis when it was extremely hot? It would have been better for the company to get an earlier entrance. The skip the line did work well but it was at 11 am and so hot it was most unbearable. Annie tried to keep us in the shade but that is difficult. Annie taught to different locations and countries and did an excellent job. The tour should skip the garden and go to other historical places and walking past the prime ministers home was not necessary either.
Response from Host, Sep 2024
Thank you for your review and for your kind words about Annie – we're thrilled to hear she did such a great job guiding the tour!
We’d like to clarify a few things about the tour and how it's structured. First, our group size has a maximum capacity of 24 guests, and in your case, the group did not exceed that limit. We also offer specific tours that focus solely on the Acropolis, for those who prefer to dedicate their time there.
The tour you experienced was the City Tour, which includes both a visit to the Acropolis and other significant parts of Athens, like the changing of the guards and a walk through the city. This allows guests to get a well-rounded glimpse of the city’s rich culture and history. We start the tour in the garden and other areas early to make the most of the cooler hours before reaching the Acropolis, and it’s important to note that once we finish at the Acropolis, guests cannot reenter with the same ticket. Almost all our guests appreciate being able to spend additional time there at the end of the tour.
We understand your concerns about the heat and will take your feedback into consideration for future improvements. Thanks again for taking the time to share your experience!
Kris_H, Aug 2024
A real archeologist lead our tour. What a treat. He paced the tour well enough to allow my 76 year old mother to pull off the ascent up the Acropolis. Bus met us at the cruise port, well organized and air conditioned. Back in time to get back for our cruise departing. Would totally do again.
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Kris, we're glad you had a great and organized experience on our Athens Shore Excursion: Acropolis Walking Tour! Thanks for praising our guide as a real archeologist leading your tour, we are happy they provided expert insights as we strive for. It's an extra pleasure to read that the tour paced well enough for your 76-year-old mother to enjoy the ascent up the Acropolis. We aim to create memorable and convenient experiences for all our guests, regardless of age or fitness level. Thank you for choosing us for your shore excursion and for sharing your feedback. We hope to see you again soon for another adventure!
Fred_M, Jul 2024
Wish we had booked a tour that was less history lesson. Too much walking to the Acropolis. Wish we had booked the other entrance. Less demanding
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Dear Fred,
Thank you for your feedback. We appreciate your comments and take them seriously as we strive to improve our tours.
While our tour does involve walking to and within the Acropolis, we strive to maintain a comfortable and relaxed pace, making it accessible for most guests. We're pleased that many of our clients, regardless of age or physical ability, find the tour enjoyable.
We understand that each person is unique, and we always encourage our guests to share any specific needs or concerns with us prior to the tour. This allows us to suggest alternative tours or even a private tour option tailored to your preferences.
We hope that despite the walking you did enjoy the information shared during the tour.
Starlena_O, Jul 2024
Our walking tour started great with clear communication as to where to meet. Traffic while on the bus was crazy busy, but we were excited about the tour thinking Athena would be our guide. Unfortunately at the bus station we were passed off to another tour guide. Being an elementary teacher, I know from many field trips that the guide makes or breaks the trip. In our case, our guide was mediocre, disinterested and not engaging. He did make sure he stopped to talk in places with shade, but there was not adequate restroom and picture taking opportunities . We enjoyed the sights, but it was not an interesting learning experience.
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback about your recent walking tour with us. We are thrilled to hear that you had a positive initial experience with Athena, our outstanding operations and hosting agent. Athena consistently receives high praise for her exceptional service, and we're glad you found her amazing as well.
We sincerely apologize for the disappointment you experienced with the tour guide you were assigned. We understand how crucial a guide is to the overall experience, especially given your background as an elementary teacher. Your feedback about the guide's engagement and the lack of adequate restroom and picture-taking opportunities is invaluable to us, and we will certainly address these concerns to ensure a more enjoyable and informative experience for future guests.
We appreciate your understanding and hope to have the opportunity to provide you with a more enriching tour experience in the future.
Isabelle_M, Jun 2024
Wonderful tour to get a quick overview of Athens and visit the Acropolis. The tour guide was an encyclopedia of knowledge, with the right amount of entertainment and cynicism. It was very hot and he broke down the stops to make sure we had breaks in the Acropolis climb and as much shade as possible when he was providing information. We also had approximately two hours of free time to have lunch and visit la Plaka. Easy port pick-up. Well organized. Great day!
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Dear Isabelle,
Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the Athens Shore Excursion and found the guide knowledgeable and entertaining. We’re happy to know you found the tour well organized and that you had a wonderful day. Hope to see you on another tour soon!
Clifford_W, Apr 2024
Pickup at the cruise terminal in Piraeus went smoothly. We were driven in a taxi, arranged by the tour company, by Mr. G, who was very entertaining. The walk from the Syntagma metro station took us past the Parliament, where we saw the changing of the guard, some gardens, Hadrian's Arch, the Olympus Temple, and through some streets of the Plaka shopping district. We had a brief lunch, then onto the Acropolis. Our guide, Tina (?) was very, very knowledgeable, and great at getting us through the crowds. Since we skipped the Museum, we had plenty of time to explore the winding streets of the Plaka. The taxi ride back to the cruise terminal again went smoothly. A great day.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Dear Clifford, thank you for your fantastic review! We're touched that you had a great day. From the entertaining pick-up to Tina's informative tour, it's wonderful to hear everything went smoothly. We'll be sure to pass on your compliments!
Exploring landmarks like the Parliament, Hadrian's Arch, and Plaka district was enjoyable, and Tina's expertise made navigating the Acropolis crowds a breeze.
We're happy that you had time to soak in the local culture in Plaka. Thank you for choosing to spend your day with Athens Walking Tours!
Tcatarina2, Jul 2023
Apollo our tour was great at sharing the Greek myths and history about the Acropolis. He also adjusted and helped deal with the heat so that we could enjoy our trip. Thank you for a great day!
Judy_B, May 2023
Our guide, Apollon was excellent. He had great knowledge of history and mythology of Greece and was also an archaeologist. He was also considerate of all ages on the tour stopping frequently as we climbed to the top of the Acropolis. Thanks for a great experience!
ShirellAnita, Jun 2022
First offf, this tour seemed to be pieced together meaning that it was far from smooth sailing. To start, we were driven from the port by multiple cabs. I've never seen that before. From there we met up with other groups in a train station (a crowded loud one) that had some relics inside. She walked us through the free relics stating what we could read on the plaques, which was good because none of us could hear the tour guide, Daphne. It would have been helpful if they had radios, but they didn't.
We then watched the changing of the guards and even outside I could not hear her. So, I learned nothing about it.
Then we walked to the Temple of Zeus and Hadrian's Gate- and the process to get us all tickets was unorganized and long causing a lot of waiting around in the heat.
Then on to Acropolis- more waiting around for them to figure everything out. We gave up and went to Acropolis on our own and thank goodness we did otherwise we would have had little time on our own and no time to shop or eat.
Tour guide Daphne - she was kind and seemed to be knowledgeable but none of us could hear her, even when standing right next to her. I asked her to speak up several times but there was no charge. In addition, I don't think I have had a tour guide with less excitement.
It's also important to note that although we booked with the tour, this doesn't include a speed pass, when you arrive you you have to wait in line with everyone else. There was really no need to book with the tour. I could have done this on my own- I wish I had just done the Hop On/Off bus and gone directly to the Temple of Zeus.
Response from Host, Jun 2022
Hello Shirel and thank you for your comments. We welcome even negative feedback because it is an opportunity for improvement.
First of all, the reason we send cabs and not i.e. a minivan is for extra flexibility, speed, and comfort (a taxi is much more agile in heavy traffic than a bulky vehicle).
Secondly, we understand that part of the tour (i.e.the relics of the Syntagma metro station) may not be equally interesting for all guests, but it is actually a matter of taste and interest in history. Perhaps you chose the wrong tour category. The metro stations of Athens feature casts of the Parthenon sculptures, ancient amphorae, and other monuments, as well as some of the finest works of public art created by important Greek artists. They are underground museums (especially the Syntagma and Acropolis metro stations), and have been ranked among the top 10 subways worldwide because of their archaeological exhibitions and art installations.
Thirdly, we are proud to offer all our guests a skip-the-line-service. In other words, as member of our group tour, you enter the sites without any queue waiting. If the particular day there was some amount of waiting because of heavy crowds, we do apologize even though we are not responsible.
Last but not least, we are terribly sorry you could not hear your guide well. Our guides are highly trained professionals and they are usually very accommodating to all guests' needs. We are also sorry you did not like Daphne's style, even though she is one of our guides that constantly receive exceptional feedback. We have an excellent reputation in the local community and welcome further discussion to hopefully resolve the situation. If you'd like, please feel free to contact us asap by sms or email. Have a lovely day!
Robin_S, May 2022
This was a great tour but it was incredibly hot and there was a lot of walking. We started our on a walking tour of Athens, visited parks, and then climbed the Acropolis. If we had gone first to the Acropolis, we would have been there at a much cooler part of the day, and would have spent enough time at the Acropolis to really see everything. I stead, we were rushed, hot, and uncomfortable. The guide had some interesting stories, but a lot of the facts and stories as we walked around Athens seemed designed to simply fill time until our timed tickets at the Acropolis.
Response from Host, Jun 2022
Dear Robin, we appreciate your honest feedback. We are sorry that you overall felt unsatisfied by your experience. We always work hard and strive for 100% guest satisfaction, and that is why we welcome even disappointing feedback. However, we have to point out the following: The specific tour you booked is structured to be a comprehensive overview of the city's different historical periods and perspectives; guests walk along ancient, roman, and contemporary monuments, a fact that the vast majority finds particularly interesting, and doesn't see it at all as idle, time-filling walking. If you were interested only in the Acropolis, then by all means you should have selected our Acropolis experience (group or private), along with its museum perhaps. Moreover, Athens is a typical mediterranean city with lots of hot days; during late spring, summer and early fall, heat can be omnipresent even from early in the morning. Also, our tours are never rushed. They have been meticulously designed to allow enough time for all included sights and walking distances, along with breaks for rest at shady spots, and of course, photos! We have been successfuly offering walking tours of Athens for more than 15 years, and hope that next time you are in the city, you may perhaps give us the opportunity to prove to you why we steadily receive enthusiastic feedback and top ratings! Enjoy the rest of your holiday!
Elma_A, Oct 2019
Our tour guide was very knowledgeable. He explained the history of the area and the artifacts.Climbing the very steep and slippery steps to the Acropolis could be challenging, but it was worth it. The view was amazing. We did have a very bad experience after the tour concluded. Our guide didn't lead us back down from the Acropolis site. He just abandoned us
and said goodbye.. . We had planned on just returning down the same route that we went up. He said not to, and take an alternate route down.. We did and made a wrong turn and ended up completely lost , with narrow roads going in every directions, and no one we asked spoke English. We finally found a taxi and told him that we needed to get to the meeting point to catch our shuttle back to our cruise ship. We knew we were only a few blocks away, but just wanted to get there quickly. The taxi driver started driving down back alleys, and in neighborhoods that we knew we shouldn't be in. We asked him several times why it was taking so long and he just mumbled something about road blocks. We were getting very nervous because it was obvious he was just running up the cab fare. We insisted he take us to our meeting point , he stopped the taxi, opened the door and told us to walk 2 blocks and turn left. He insisted we owed him 30 euros for a ride that should of only cost a fraction of that. Now we are totally lost and panicking because we had to get to our meeting point and didn't know how far away we were. Luckily we met an older, honest taxi driver who showed us how to get there.. We were so upset from the experience, it ruined our whole visit to Athens.This all could of been avoided if the tour guide had just taken us back to our meeting place instead of abandoning us..
Joseph_D, Jul 2019
The people associated with the tour were friendly and knowledgeable. The person leading the tour was especially knowledgeable of the Acropolis history, Greek culture, and Roman and Greek mythology. There were two minor logistic hiccups on the way to the walking portion of the tour. This was handled professionally and did not detract from the quality and enjoyment of the tour. We definitely recommend the tour.
Lee_H, Jul 2019
Adonis was a very well educated and informative guide. He showed us all over Athens and hiked the Acropolis with us.
AMTManhattanBeach_CA, Jun 2019
Vicki, our Guide, was superior. Super knowledgeable, but did not overload us with too much information. Highly recommend this tour! Lots of walking, but at a good pace for all.
Carioca15001906, Jun 2019
Our guide was fantastic, very knowledgeable and caring ( a person in our group had difficulties in walking that hot day) but he made allowances for that. The only suggestion I can make is that they were too far away from the ship's gate and we could not see their sign. Other guides were just outside the gate with the names of the persons they were meeting). In the end I walked 100metres
to find their name in a small card in the bus windscreen. But once our group of 6 were in, we had a very good service.
KAREN_S, Jun 2019
Tour Guide was very professional, well spoken, funny and knowledgeable. He ensured no one was left behind and he was very safety conscious on our behalf particularly when crossing the road and walking around the Parthenon.
lisa.johnson, Sep 2018
After figuring some things out the tour went very well...Thr tour was acually in 3 parts with 3 different guides which we didn't expect and was a bit odd but it turned out to be fine. The last part was the best - the walking tour of the Parthenon with Alexandros - he was OUTSTANDING. He was young, enthusiastic and incredibly knowledgeable. Highly recommend.
Karen_W, Feb 2018
We were in Athens in 11/17 and it was pouring rain. But, our guide was wonderful and after lunch the sun came out and we were able to see Athens.
Connie Y, Nov 2017
This was awesome. We had our guide named Sophia, and I hope I had her name right. She was very knowledgeable with the histories and spoke a good English. She made sure to answer any questions if our group had any.
Jerome M, Nov 2017
I should have read this tour better. I was surprised that the price of the tour didn't include the entrance fees52 euros for the two of us that had to be paid in cash at the start of the tour. The tour guide we had was very good, but once we got to the top of the Acropolis, half of the group had purchased a different tour that also went to Acropolis museum. We didn't have that tour so the guide said goodby to use at the top of the Acropolis and we had to make our own way back to the meeting place to get the cabs back to the ship.
Pamela S, Oct 2017
It was rushed tour. Not recommended for those who cannot walk fast. It was an ok tour. Will l fo it again with this company? No l will not. Maybe it was the particular tour guide we got that day but this tour was too rushed.
Carol N, Oct 2017
Dorina was a fantastic guide. Incredible knowledge and passion for Athens and her work as a tour guide. She provided detailed insight into each area we visited beginning with the excavation at the train station. She was thoughtful and took bathroom breaks and paced the climb to the top of the Acropolis with breaks to provide historical context and made it easer for a handicapped person in our group. The majority of our small group did not travel on to the museum of the Acropolis afterwards and instead went to Plaka the nearby town, which I highly recommend. Here you will find narrow winding streets of the old town with shops and plenty of tavernas with excellent, authentic Greek food at excelled prices, and great for sitting outside to people watch. An incredible value for the price. Pick and drop off at the ship was effortless. I would highly recommend this tour rather that transporting and purchasing tickets on your own, which we usually do.
Steve R, Oct 2017
One of the best tours we have taken. Walking from Syntagma Square to the top of the Acropolis is not for those who have mobility issues. On the other hand, if you can walk for short stretches, with plenty of breaks, you can do this. Many of the folks on our tour were 70 in age, and were able to complete the hike up and back. The narratives given by our guide, Dori, were very good and helped us understand the city, its parks and monuments, and the attractions of the Acropolis. Highly recommended.
Susan_M, Oct 2017
Tour was great. Guide was very knowledgeable and interesting. It was a rather long walk.
Shirley_G, Sep 2017
The tour guide was so knowledgeable, yet paced the information, which was shared effectively and in an interesting way. Despite a very hot day, and quite an elevation to the Acropolis, our family of youngish seniors were easily able to get to the top of the Acropolis due to strategic stopping along the way. We appreciated the efforts to avoid other groups during the information sharing, so that it was easy to hear and gave the best viewing opportunities. An amazing historical experience, and well worth the price of the tour!
Patricia_P, Aug 2017
This tour was great. Would do it again! Very knowledgeable guide.
whoa_Nellie, Jun 2017
Knowledgeable guide - Nicholas. He took the time to explain the history of Athens and had great detail of all of the sites visited, just wish we had more time to explore. Traffic is quite heavy in Athens when there is multiple cruise ships docked at the same time in the port
Evelyn_A, May 2017
In short, this was a wonderful tour. Our guide, Aristotle yes, really, was an enthusiastic, well-educated. and delightful leader through a few millenia of history, and we couldn't have enjoyed it more. We were glad to have taken this option to a NCL cruise excursion - particularly so once we figured out how much more personal not to mention, affordable our experience was. We were picked up at the boat by a delightful taxi driver, who whisked us well, as much as you can whisk in rush hour Athens traffic from Piraeus into downtown Athens - I can't begin to imagine how long it took those busloads of excursionists to get to the same destination. Dropoff was easy - rendezvous with the Athens Walking Tour folks was fast - and we were confident that we knew when, where, and by whom we would be returned to the the ship. The tour of downtown Athens was compact time-wise but action packed, and a great tease for the climax of the Acropolis and all its wonders. No doubt, the Acropolis was packed, but Aristotle maneuvered us beautifully and slowly, thank goodness, for the older folks up the hill to the wonders above.
Athens Walking Tours has this whole thing working seamlessly. I would recommend them without hesitation. After the end of the tour, we had free time to enjoy a drink and a snack, and our new best friend taxi driver G picked us up on time and returned us to our ship with a hefty side of personality and commentary. An all-round wonderful day. Just wish we'd had more time to visit the Acropolis Museum - but that just wasn't possible. Go for it - you will enjoy. Unless you are one of those - we overheard someone actually ask - So you mean this is a WALKING tour?
From $146.88
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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