SUGGESTED ITINERARY (which can be altered according to your wishes)

Full Day Athens Tour includes a visit to: The Acropolis [where you will see the Masterpieces which were build ''during the Golden Age of Pericles'': The Parhenon, Propylea, The Temple of Athena Nike, Erechthion, The Cariatides], The New Acropolis Museum*, The Temple of Zeus, The Panathenaic Stadium (also known as The Kallimarmaro; the original stadium built in 1863 for the first modern Olympic games in 1896), The Hill of Lycabettous, The Old Palace, The Tomb of The Unknown Soldier and The Changing of The Guards, The Plaka for lunch and finally The Greek Agora, The Roman Agora and The Tower of Winds.

* Please note that The New Acropolis Museum is closed on Mondays so it is replaced by the National Archaeological Museum.

BREAKDOWN OF TOUR TIME (tentative)

From and to the Piraeus port (1h), The Acropolis (about 1h30m), The New Acropolis Museum (about 1h30m), The Temple of Zeus and The Panathenaic Stadium (45m), The Hill of Lycabettous (45m), The Old Palace, The Tomb of The Unknown Soldier and The Changing of The Guards (30m), Plaka for lunch (1h), The Greek Agora, The Roman Agora and The Tower of Winds (2h).

THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES IN ATHENS

- The Acropolis: (Parthenon, Propylea, Temple of Athena Nike, Erechtheion and the Cariatides, Herodion Theater). For thousands of years the Acropolis has been the symbol of Athens, the sacred rock, the link that connects the magnificent ancient civilization with the modern. The Acropolis and its monuments, its history and the myths that are connected with it are rightly the pride and the glory of this city, the envy of all other cities in the world. These is no Greek or foreign visitor who does not want to make the pilgrimage to the sacred rock and absorb its magnificence and beauty. If you have never been to the Acropolis I assure you it is a unique and unforgettable experience.

- The Parthenon: is the unique masterpiece of the world. You will realize it yourself the moment you stand in front of it and learn a little of its history and the secrets of its construction. The beauty, harmony and grace of this monument make a really lasting impression on everyone who sees it. Today admission to the Parthenon is prohibited due to the restoration work that has been taking place there since 1983. This will not prevent you from admiring this unique temple dedicated to the goddess Athena and built of white marble from Penteli. Under the Parthenon of the Classical times there are remains of the monumental Ur-Parthenon, an archaic temple dated in late 6th century B.C. The architects of the classical temple, which was constructed and decorated between 447 and 432 B.C. during the Golden Age of Perikles, were Iktinos and kallicrates. The Parthenon housed the golden-ivory statue of Athena, work of the famous sculptor Pheidias. This statue was the final destination of the Great Panathenaea procession, depicted on the frieze of the temple.

- The Theater of Dionysus: Pass through the entrance to the archaeological site at the southern slope of the Acropolis in Dionysiou Aeropaghitou Street and start climbing. On your left you will see the oldest of all known theatres in the world, the theatre of Dionysus. Here, the four greatest ancient Greek poets, Aeschylos, Aristophanes, Euripides and Sophokles, saw their plays being performed for the first time, in the 5th century B.C. The koilon (cavea) and the proskoinion (stage) were originally of wood. They were reconstructed of marble during the 4th century B.C. Today only parts of the stone koilon have survived. Experts estimate that the theatre could accommodate 17,000 spectators.

- The Areopagus: is the most ancient court of law, a place most respected in ancient times. Here was the seat of the first aristocratic parliament of ancient Athens. In time this parliament started to lose its political power and from the second half of the 5th century B.C. it had only judicial responsibility and particularly that of trying murderers. In this court, as is described in Oresteia, Orestes was judged for the murder of his mother Clytaemnestra and her lover Aegisthos. It was from this spot, as we learn from the bronze tablet at the base of the rock, that Saint Paul delivered his first sermon to the Athenians, in AD 51.

- The Monument of Philopappus: [Filopappou, AD 114-116]. This was erected as a monument to Gaius Julius Antiochus Philopappus, a benefactor of Athens, on a hill opposite to the Acropolis with a splendid view over the entire basin of Attica.

- The Pnyx Hill: The Pnyx is situated between the Hill of the Muses, upon which stands the Monument of Philopappou, and the Hill of the Nymphs, where the tomb of Kimon was found and where the Observatory stands today. This semi-circular area was the place of gathering for all the citizens of ancient Athens. They gathered here in order to hear the famous orators who spoke from the stone-cut tribune in its middle. It is believed that it could accommodate up to 10,000 people at a time.

- The Ancient Greek Agora: was the civic, religious and commercial center of the Athenian life set with appropriate buildings. Among these was the Stoa of Attalus erected by Attalus II, king of Pergamum [159-138 B.C]. Now, since its restoration, is used as a Museum housing interesting finds, especially from the excavations in the area of the Museum housing interesting finds, especially from the excavation in the area of the Agora.

- The Ancient Roman Agora: Located at the beginning of Eolou street. The clock of Andronikos Kyrrhestes; is an octagonal marble tower near the west gate of the Roman Market. Its sides are adorned with reliefs representing the winds [thus Tower of Winds].

- Hadrian’s Library: [2nd century AD] built by the emperor Hadrian.

- Hadrian’s Arch: This marked the boundary between the ancient city of Theseus and the new city built by Hadrian [corner of Vassilissis Olgas and Amalias Avenues].

- The Temple of The Olympian Zeus: [at the junction of Vassilissis Olgas and Amalias Avenues]. It is the largest ancient temple in Greece in the Corinthian order.

- The Panathenaic Stadium (Kallimarmaro): is the original stadium built in the 1800s for the first modern Olympic games in 1896.

- The Tomb of The Unknown Soldier: A monument over which a guard of honor keeps vigil. And The Changing of The Guards which takes place every hour. The 11 a.m. changing of guard on Sundays is a picturesque small ceremony.

- The Greek House of Parliaments (The Old Palace): This is a neoclassical building overlooking the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Formerly used as the residential palace of Greece’s first king, Otto [1832-1862], it houses since 1933 the Greek Parliament. Adjoining the building is the National Garden stretching as far as the Zappeion exhibition and Congress Hall, which stands in its own park.

- The Hill of Lycabettus: Clad in pinewoods and crowned by the picturesque white chapel of st. George the hill provides a fine panoramic view over the entire city. There is a restaurant and pastryshop on the top. Access is by funicular or footpath

- Syntagma Square: Below the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier stretches the most central square in Athens lined by a large number of pastryshops, which are usually filled with a lively crowd of Athenians and foreigners.

- The Plaka: is the oldest and most picturesque quarter in Athens spreading around the Acropolis. Single storey houses set next to elegant mansions flank winding, narrow alleys. There are also several small taverns and nightclubs as well as shops selling popular arts and crafts. Combined, they make Plaka one of the most attractive corners of Athens.

- Monastiraki Square: This is in reality an extension of Plaka. It is the part of the city with the greatest number of antique dealers and gift shops of every kind.

- Iliou Melathron: Formerly the home of the celebrated archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann, it is one of the most beautiful buildings in Athens and stands at the upper end of Panepistimiou st. On the same street a little further down, are the neoclassical buildings of the Academy, the University and the National Library.

THE MUSEUMS IN ATHENS

- The New Acropolis Museum: is located in Athens historic area of Makriyianni. It stands less than a 300m away from the Parthenon which can be viewed from the glass gallery. It opened on June 20th, 2009 after 30 years of planning. It is designed in a way that allows visitors to see all the exhibits in natural light and incorporates a number of on-site excavations including a large urban settlement dated from the Archaic to Early Christian Athens.

Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday: 8:00-20:00, Monday: closed

- The National Archaeological Museum: is the largest museum in Greece and one of the world's greatest museums. Although its original purpose was to secure all the finds from the nineteenth century excavations in and around Athens, it gradually became the central National Archaeological Museum and was enriched with finds from all over Greece. Its abundant collections, with more than 20,000 exhibits, provide a panorama of Greek civilization from the beginnings of Prehistory to Late Antiquity.

The museum is housed in an imposing neoclassical building of the end of the nineteenth century, which was designed by L. Lange and remodelled by Ernst Ziller. The vast exhibition space - numerous galleries on each floor accounting for a total of 8,000 square metres - house five large permanent collections: The Prehistoric Collection, which includes works of the great civilizations that developped in the Aegean from the sixth millennium BC to 1050 BC (Neolithic, Cycladic, Mycenaean), and finds from the prehistoric settlement at Thera. The Sculptures Collection, which shows the development of ancient Greek sculpture from the seventh to the fifth centuries BC with unique masterpieces. The Vase and Minor Objects Collection, which contains representative works of ancient Greek pottery from the eleventh century BC to the Roman period and includes the Stathatos Collection, a corpus of minor objects of all periods. The Metallurgy Collection, with many fundamental statues, figurines and minor objects. And, finally, the only Egyptian and Near Eastern Antiquities Collection in Greece, with works dating from the pre-dynastic period (5000 BC) to the Roman conquest.

The museum possesses a rich photographic archive and a library with many rare publications, the latter of which is constantly enriched to meet the needs of the research staff. There are also modern conservation laboratories for metal, pottery, stone and organic materials, a cast workshop, a photographic laboratory and a chemistry laboratory. The museum has temporary exhibition spaces, a lecture hall for archaeological lectures and one of the largest shops of the Archaeological Receipts Fund.

The National Archaeological Museum welcomes thousands of visitors each year. Besides displaying its own treasures, it organizes temporary exhibitions and lends artefacts to exhibitions both in Greece and abroad. It also functions as a research center for scientists and scholars from around the world and participates in special educational and other programs. An important feature is the availability of guided visits for people with hearing impediments. The Museum functions as a Special Regional Service of the Ministry of Culture and its five permanent collections are administered autonomously.

Opening hours: Tuesday-Friday: 8:00-19:00, Monday: 12:30-19:00 Saturday, Sunday & Holidays: 8:30-15:00 (there is an internet cafe right next door)

- The Benaki Museum: Starting at the bottom floor and going up through the various periods of Greek history, my favorite part is the third floor and the heroes of the Greek Revolution. Just walk up Vass Sophias from Syntagma with the National Gardens on your right. Then you reach the end of the Gardens look to your left and that is it. The Benaki has opened two more branches in the area around Psiri on Agios Asamaton Street and on Piraeus Street.

Opening hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday: 9:00-17:00 Thursday and Sunday it closes early. Tuesday it is closed.

- The Goulandris Museum of Cycladic and Ancient Greek Art: This outstanding collection of ancient Cycladic art is excellently curated.

Opening hours: Open daily except Sundays and Tuesdays 10:00-16:00. Neofytou Douka St 4 Koloniki.

- The Kerameikos Museum: The ancient cemetery of Athens at the bottom of Ermou past the Monastiraki flea market has a nice little museum. Lots of pottery and tombstones.

Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday: 8:30-15:00. Closed Monday

- The Greek Folk Art Museum: Embroideries, wood carvings, jewelery, and other traditional folk art. The museums not-to-be-missed collection of ceramics is housed in a beautifully renovated former mosque at 1 Areos Street on Monastiriki Square.

Opening hours: Open daily except Mondays 10:00-14:00. Kydatheneon St 17 Plaka. Tel. 210-323-1577

- The Jewish Museum: Before the Nazi occupation and the decimation of Greece's Jewish population, many of Greece's Jewish communities traced their roots back to the Spanish Inquisition and before to Classical Greece. Art and artifacts from Jewish communities through the ages, as well as documentation of the Holocaust amkes this museum a cultural treasure. This museum was the creation of Nikos Stavrolakis.

Opening hours: Daily 9:00-14:30, except Saturdays and Sundays 10:00-14:00 Nikis street 39 in the Plaka. Tel. 210-323-1577

- The National Gallery: The permanent collection of modern Greek painters and international contempory artists includes large-scale sculptures.

Opening Hours: Daily 9:00-15:00. Open Sunday 10:00-14:00. Closed Tuesday. Vas Konstandinou street 50 (opposite the Hilton). Tel. 210-723-5937

- The National Historical Museum: This museum is perfect for those interested in the Greek War of Independence and it's artifacts.

Opening Hours: Daily 9:00-13:30. Closed Mondays. Free on Sunday. Stadiou street 13 (in the old Parliament Building). Tel. 210-323-7617

- The Museum of Popular Musical Instruments: You can wander around listening to different instruments and styles of music through headphones at each exhibit.

Opening Hours: Daily 10:00-14:00. Wednesday 12:00-18:00. Closed on Mondays. Admission Free. 1-2 Diogenes St Plaka. Tel. 210-325-0198

- The Byzantine Museum: The Museum of Byzantine Culture, one of the most modern museums in Greece, offers an overall impression of Byzantine civilization through a number of original displays and multi-faceted activities. The museum's purpose is to assemble, safeguard, study and promote art and artefacts of the Early Christian, Byzantine, Medieval and Post-byzantine periods. The artefacts in the museum's collection come from Macedonia, in particular from Thessaloniki, the most important centre in the European part of the Byzantine Empire after Constantinople.

Opening Hours: Tuesdays to Sunday 8:30-15:00. Vasilissis Sofias Ave 22 Tel 210-721-1027

-The War Museum: War implements from ancient times to this century including armor, swords, torpedos, and fighter planes. Photographs of various Greek campaigns and battles.

Opening Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 9:00-14:00. Sunday 9:30-14:00. Closed Mondays. Admission free. Rizari Street 2 and Vass. Sofias Avenue (next to the Byzantine Museum. Tel. 210-729-0543

-The Theatrical Museum: Greek theatre History. Photographs, programs, masks, costumes, posters etc.

Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00-14:30. Closed Saturday and Sunday. Admission free. Acadamias st 14. Tel. 210-362-9430

-The Greek Historical Costume Museum

Opening Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 10:00-13:00 Thursday: 17:30-20:30 Entrance Free. Dimokritou st 7n Kolonaki.

SHOPPING

Athens is a city full of pleasant surprises for the shopper who is looking for unique purchases and good bargains. Gold and silver jewellery is a major area of interest, given the world famous unique Greek designs. The numerous jewellery shops, which you will find in the areas of Plaka, Syntagma, and Kolonaki, carry a wide selection of museum reproductions of ancient Greek pieces of jewellery, as well as traditional and fashionable ones. Most of them are handmade by local craftsmen.

I highly recommend you visit the Ilias Lalaounis Jewellery Museum. This Museum houses over 3,000 jewellery designs. Its 45 collections display the history of the Greek jewellery. Jewellery inspired by the art and architecture of eleven different civilizations, by nature, technology and biology. The Museum is located at the foot of the Acropolis.

The place to look for the unique Greek ceramics and pottery is in the Peloponnese (Argolida). A couple of the designer ceramists and potters have shops there and they still make them in the traditional way (2500 years ago).

FREE ADMISSION DAYS

- 6 March (In memory of Melina Mercouri)
- 18 April (International Monument Day)
- 18 May (International Museum Day)
- 5 June (International Enviroment Day)
- 27 September (International Tourism Day)
- Sundays in the period between 1 November and 31 March
- The first Sunday of every month, exept for July, August and September (when the 1st Sunday is Holiday, then the 2nd is the free admission day)
- National Holidays

FREE ENTRANCE

- Persons under 19
- Journalists
- Soldiers carrying out their military service
- Tour guides
- University students from Greece and the E.U