Private Walking Tour: The Acropolis & Athens City Tour
Recommended by 96% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Athens, Greece
- 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Explore the Acropolis, Athens’ crowning glory, and other historical highlights on this personalized walking tour. With a private guide, see the Greek Parliament House and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Syntagma Square; meander through the charming Plaka neighborhood; and view monuments such as the Zeus Temple. Then, hear about the glories of ancient Athens as you admire its showpiece monuments at the UNESCO-protected Acropolis. Stroll around highlights such as the Parthenon and Temple of Athena Nike, and ogle the breathtaking views from the rock down over Athens.
- Walking tour of Athens' top historical attractions
- Visit Zappeion Hall, the Acropolis, the Zeus Temple and National Gardens
- Enjoy privileged, personalized attention from your guide on this special private walking tour
- Expert guide specializing in the history of the Athens Acropolis
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
This tour adds context to your Athens experience with a local guide providing commentary.
What's Included
- Local guide
- Private tour
- Skip-the-ticket line service
- Athens guide magazine & map
- Entrance fees (approx. 28 euros) payable in cash directly on the day of the tour
- Hotel pickup and drop off
- Gratuities
- Food and drinks, unless specified
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Syntagma SquarePl. Sintagmatos, Athina 105 63, Greece
Departure time : 9:30 AM - Please be at the meeting point 15 min. prior to given departure time (if you would like to arrange a different departure time, please notify us accordingly at the time of booking) Your guide will be waiting for you with an orange Athens Walking Tours sign inside of the Syntagma metro station, one level down, by the ticket validating machines located underneath the big central hanging clock
End point
- AcropoliAthens 117 42, Greece
Itinerary
Meet your expert private guide in Syntagma Square and start with a brief look at a fascinating local archaeological exhibition. View the ancient relics, including items of household pottery, mosaics and a 2,000-year-old beehive, all dating from classical times and discovered during excavations in the area.
Continue to see the elegant Greek Parliament House at one end of the square. Pause to snap photos and view the Monument to the Unknown Soldier, guarded by the city's brightly uniformed evzones — presidential guards.
Cross the National Gardens and admire the neoclassical architecture of the Zappeion Hall and the ancient columns that front it — the remains of the Temple of Zeus and Hadrian’s Arch. Next, stroll through the paved streets of Plaka, Athens’ charismatic Old Town. Drink in the atmosphere of this charming neighborhood with its tavernas and bars, and pass the Lysicrates Monument as your guide explains how this large stone pedestal was used to display a competition trophy in the 4th century BC.
Inspect the remnants of an early Christian church, and then follow the Dionyssiou Areopagitou walkway to the UNESCO-listed Acropolis, the ancient citadel set on a rock high above the city. As you walk up the slopes, pause to see the Dionysious Sanctuary, Mars Hill, the Philopappos Hill monument and the Odeon of Herodes.
Pay the Acropolis entrance fee (own expense) and tour the age-old remains with your guide. View highlights such as the Temple of Athena Nike and the Propylaea gateway, and focus on the astonishing Parthenon, the Acropolis’ showpiece monument. Listen to in-depth commentary about each of the treasures, and uncover fascinating facts about their construction and history.
As you wander round, stop to absorb the stellar views down over Athens and capture them on camera.
Your tour concludes when your guide departs, leaving you free to continue exploring Athens at your leisure.
Continue to see the elegant Greek Parliament House at one end of the square. Pause to snap photos and view the Monument to the Unknown Soldier, guarded by the city's brightly uniformed evzones — presidential guards.
Cross the National Gardens and admire the neoclassical architecture of the Zappeion Hall and the ancient columns that front it — the remains of the Temple of Zeus and Hadrian’s Arch. Next, stroll through the paved streets of Plaka, Athens’ charismatic Old Town. Drink in the atmosphere of this charming neighborhood with its tavernas and bars, and pass the Lysicrates Monument as your guide explains how this large stone pedestal was used to display a competition trophy in the 4th century BC.
Inspect the remnants of an early Christian church, and then follow the Dionyssiou Areopagitou walkway to the UNESCO-listed Acropolis, the ancient citadel set on a rock high above the city. As you walk up the slopes, pause to see the Dionysious Sanctuary, Mars Hill, the Philopappos Hill monument and the Odeon of Herodes.
Pay the Acropolis entrance fee (own expense) and tour the age-old remains with your guide. View highlights such as the Temple of Athena Nike and the Propylaea gateway, and focus on the astonishing Parthenon, the Acropolis’ showpiece monument. Listen to in-depth commentary about each of the treasures, and uncover fascinating facts about their construction and history.
As you wander round, stop to absorb the stellar views down over Athens and capture them on camera.
Your tour concludes when your guide departs, leaving you free to continue exploring Athens at your leisure.
1
Change of Guards
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
National Garden (Pass By)
Zappeion (Pass By)
2
Temple of Olympian Zeus
25 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
3
Acropolis
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
4
Theatre of Dionysus
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Herod Atticus Odeon
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Propylaea (Pass By)
Temple of Athena Nike (Pass By)
6
Parthenon
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 2 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 51 reviews
Nicole_I, Sep 2023
Great tour with Giota. She was at meeting place waiting for me and spent time providing history at all sights visited. Very knowledgeable and engaging. Highly recommend.
Courtney_W, Sep 2023
Our tour guide was so knowledgable and sweet -- she took us all around the acropolis and several other city monuments leading up to it and it was a great way to be introduced to the Acropolis proper. Very high quality tour! Highly recommend.
Lisa_E, Sep 2022
Marta was fantastic at bringing ancient Athens to life for us! We all learned so much from her! Definitely recommend!
Response from Host, Oct 2022
And we appreciate the fantastic feedback, Lisa! Please join us again soon, and have an amazing day!
Brian_V, Jul 2022
We had such a great time and loved the factoids. The Acropolis is unbelievable. Truly amazing sites and Vicki was awesome.
Response from Host, Jul 2022
Such enthusiastic feedback! Thank you so much, Brian! We look forward to hosting you again soon! Have an amazing day!
Jane O, Jul 2018
This was outstanding!!! Excellent tour guide...lovely balance of information, passion about Greece and fabulous humor!!!! This is a must for all visitors.
Wendy T, Jun 2016
My head is spinning with factual - and fun anecdotal information that will remind me of the important facts. Just had my very own PH.D. archeology student guide me around the monuments of the birth of western civilisation. Nicholas could not have been more welcoming, helpful or professional.
Jennifer N, Jun 2016
WONDERFUL!!! Our guide was extremely knowledgeable. She went above and beyond and told us stories about how everything comes together. She is an asset to your company!! Thank you!!!
Emmett Kelly B, Nov 2014
Our private walking tour of the Acropolis was excellent. Our guide, Aristotle, an archaeologist, did a terrific job explaining the sites and putting everything in historical context. I have a background in ancient history; the others in our small group did not, but we were all equally impressed.
Sanjay S, Aug 2014
Brilliant! Artemis was a great guide, very patient and took time to explain and share the rich history of her city.
Neale W, Jul 2014
The tour was well worth it. Our guide was so knowledgable and actually appreciated questions from us. We were fortunate enough to have a one on one and it was amazing. Thoroughly recommend it. Saw so much and learnt even more. Best thing I have discovered this year is viator.
Jennifer B, Jun 2014
Despina was full of information! She tailored the content for my children and they are citing information throughout our stay in Athens based on what she told us!
Donavan B, Jun 2014
The absolute highlight of our trip! Nic or Nicos was an amazing tour guide. We learnt so much about not only the acropolis but also Athens and Greece. It truly was a great experience and would highly recommend it!
Jennifer_E, Jun 2014
This was the perfect way to start our stay in Athens. Our guide, Marianna, was friendly, knowledgeable and very willing to tailor our tour according to our interests and pacing. It was helpful to visit these incredibly important sites with someone who could help us understand what we were seeing and put them in a historical context. Marianna was also willing and able to talk with us about current events and the more recent history of Athens. This was particularly helpful since we encountered several political demonstrations during out stay. In addition to that, this tour helped us orient ourselves in the city so that we could find our way around more easily as we explored more on our own in subsequent days. For us, this tour was well worth the time and the expense and we would recommend it to anyone planning to visit Athens.
dale_j, Jun 2014
Enjoyed the tour guide, he had a pretty good command of the English language, however it could have been a little better. This tour requires some serious walking up to the Acropolis. The only thing I thought was wrong, was that it should have included the price of the admission to the Acropolis. Other tours we have taken, included everything. Otherwise a great tour and a must see on anyone's bucket list.
Perry Y, Jun 2014
Knowledgeable guide who adjusted her delivery to her audience.
Timothy K, Jul 2013
Our guide Nicos was wonderful, smart,excellent English, knowledgable
Sushma P, Aug 2012
Overall a great experience. We reqested an early start as it gets very hot later.
Darwin F, Apr 2012
Personal guide was nice, weather was crappy. Not worth the price paid.
ELIZABETH V, Jul 2011
We cannot thank the supplier enough for their exceptional service to us in Athens. We landed the day before the general strike and were told that the Acropolis might be closed the day of our tour. Despina arranged for our guide Vicki to meet us in our hotel within an hour that day so that we could see the Acropolis the day before our scheduled tour. Vicki is an excellent guide with a deep and thorough knowledge of the subject. We absolutely loved her! We would have been extremely disappointed if we missed seeing the Acropolis. Despina and Vicki made it possible. Despina went out of her way to check on us during the following days to make sure we were okay.
Meeche, Jun 2011
This tour was great. Learned lots of wonderful information!
GERRARD G, Apr 2011
Brilliant! Fantastic guide, very knowledgeable, great English, superb with people.
Mabbu S, Jan 2011
We thoroughly enjoyed the walking private walking tour given by Mr.Aristotle Cristos who richly deserves his name in his intellect,patience and knowledge about the Acrapolis and the historical sites in Athens.The tour will be treasured in our memories for a long time.He was very kind and patient in answering our numrous questions about the Acrapolis
The Prasad family
Patricia W, Jul 2010
Excellent! Our guide was great, very knowledgeable and friendly. We really enjoyed this excursion.
Ronald M, Nov 2008
One of the best guides ever! Very knowledgeable, educated and experienced. It was a great tour and we got more out of it than we expected. Worth it!
From $321.52
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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