Essential Athens and Cape Sounion, Poseidon's Temple, Private Day Tour

5.0
(134 reviews)

8 to 9 hours (approximately)
Pickup offered
Offered in: English

This tour is a perfect combination of Athens’s most important sites and the most popular excursion to the so called "Greek Riviera", Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon.

During the tour you will have the opportunity to enjoy lunch, a chilled “ouzo” and “meze” in a traditional Greek taverna, overlooking the Aegean Sea.

This tour is the ideal way to avoid noisy crowds and the bustle of the city. Travel in safety and comfort in your own luxurious private vehicle.

Your dedicated private driver will ensure a comfortable personalized experience throughout the day!

What's Included

Experienced, knowledgeable, professional English speaking driver.
Skip the line service to purchase the appropriate entrance tickets in advance.
VAT and all state taxes
Service animals allowed
FAMILY FRIENDLY For family groups our tours can be modified to cater to the needs of the children
Private tour. Personalized service adjusted to your needs and wishes.
All vehicles are fully A/C non-smoking, insured & certified for tourist use by the state authorities
Athens & Piraeus Hotels / residence or Piraeus cruise port pickup & return
Flexible pick up time on request
Luxurious transportation vehicle suitable for the size of your group: taxi, sedan, suv, van, minibus
Child seats available upon request
Parking Fees
Chiled bottled water
Entrance fee to the Acropolis and the other sites
Licensed tour guide for guiding inside the sites, upon request/availability (Additional cost 350€)
Food and drinks unless specified
to visit the Acropolis
to visit the Temple of Zeus (optional visit)
to visit the Temple of Poseidon

Meeting and pickup

Pickup points
You can choose a pickup location at checkout (multiple pickup locations are available).
Pickup details:

Traveler pickup is offered Pick up time can be scheduled according to your preferences. Please make your request at the special requirement’s section & we will contact you after your booking. Travelers can be picked up from all Athens centre & Piraeus Hotels and Piraeus Cruise Port. View the hotel list on our checkout page to see if yours is included among the pickup points. For pickup from Airbnb or any other location/apartment, please provide the exact address. Please note that in case the requested pickup location is in a pedestrian zone or it is not accessible by cars/vehicles, we will notify you, upon booking, of the best alternative pick up location. Please be at the meeting point 5-10min before your scheduled pickup time, in case parking or waiting time for your driver is limited.

Itinerary

Duration: 8 to 9 hours (approximately)
  • 1

    We start the tour by visiting the so called “sacred rock”, The Acropolis. Here you will see: - Parthenon that was dedicated to goddess Athena (Parthenos) - Propylea, the monumental entrance to the sacred area - The Temple of Athena Nike which was dedicated to Athena-Nike - The Erechtheion with its famous female figures-statues - The Caryatides or Maidens dedicated to both goddess Athena and god Poseidon - The Odeum of Herodus Atticus - The the Theatre of Dionysus, the first theatre in the whole world - The Areopagus (Mars Hill)

    1 hour 30 minutes Admission ticket not included
  • 2

    The temple of Olympian Zeus (124-132 AD) had three rows of eight columns (tripteral octastyle) on the two narrow sides and two rows of twenty columns (dipteral eikosastyle) on the long sides. It once housed the chryselephantine (gold and ivory) statue of Zeus and the statue of the emperor. Sixteen of the temple's columns survive today, thirteen of them, on the east side, intact. Of the remaining three on the west side, one collapsed in 1852.

    30 minutes Admission ticket not included
  • 3

    It was originally a natural hollow part of the ground between the two hills of Agra and Ardettos, over Ilissos river. It was transformed into a stadium by Lykourgos in 330-329 BC for the athletic competitions of the Great Panathinaea Festivities. Between 140 and 144 AD, Herodes Atticus restored the Stadium, giving it the form that was found at the 1870 excavation: the horseshoe construction with a track 204,07 meters long and 33,35 meters wide. It is believed that the Stadium had a seating capacity of 50.000 people. Separating scales were built between the tiers and on the base of the sphendone there was a portico with Doric-style columns; another portico was placed in the stadium's facade. At Roman times, the Stadium was used as an arena, with the addition of a semi-circular wall on the north that was corresponding to the splendor of the southern side.

    30 minutes Admission ticket free
  • (Pass by)

    The triumphal arch lies on an ancient street that led from the old city of Athens to the new, Roman section, built by Hadrian. It was constructed by the Athenians in A.D. 131, in honor of their benefactor emperor. Two inscriptions are carved on the architrave, one on each side: the first, on the side towards the Acropolis reads "This is Athens, the ancient city of Theseus"; the second, on the other side, facing the new city reads "This is the city of Hadrian and not of Theseus".

    Admission ticket free
  • 4

    Lycabettus Hill (Lykavitos) is the highest point of Athens, 277m above sea level. From Lycabettus Hill you will enjoy the best panoramic view of the Acropolis, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Panathenaic Stadium, the Ancient Agora and the whole metropolis! You will also be reminded that Athens is surrounded by sea with spectacular views across the Aegean. On the top of the hill, you will find the Greek Orthodox church of Agios Georgios (St. George).

    30 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 5

    Also known as Constitution Square, Syntagma Square (Plateia Syntagmatos) is a huge public plaza stretching out in front of Athens’ parliament building. Gleaming with white marble and beautiful statues, it’s a great place for people to watch. Many of the city's most important streets begin here, including Ermou Street and Vassilissis Sofias Avenue.

    15 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 6

    The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a war memorial located in Syntagma Square in Athens, in front of the House of the Greek Parliament. It is a cenotaph dedicated to the Greek soldiers killed during war. It was sculpted between 1930 and 1932 by sculptor Fokion Rok. The tomb is guarded 24-7 by the Evzones (Presidential Guards)

    15 minutes Admission ticket free
  • (Pass by)

    The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, usually referred to simply as the University of Athens, is a public university in Athens, Greece

    Admission ticket free
  • (Pass by)

    The Academy of Athens is Greece's national academy, and the highest research establishment in the country. It was established in 1926, and operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Education. The Academy's main building is one of the major landmarks of Athens.

    Admission ticket free
  • (Pass by)

    We will pass by the National Library of Greece.

    Admission ticket free
  • (Pass by)

    Glyfada is an upscale suburb of Athens by the seaside!

    Admission ticket free
  • (Pass by)

    Vouliagmeni is a beautifull and upscale suburb of Athens by the sea side!

    Admission ticket free
  • (Pass by)

    Varkiza is a beautiful suburb of Athens by the seaside!

    Admission ticket free
  • (Pass by)

    Lagonisi is a beautiful and upscale resort area by the sea side, on the way to Cape Sounio!

    Admission ticket free
  • 7

    The doric temple seen today was built of local marble from the Agrileza quarries on top of the destroyed archaic temple. Palmette antefixes crowned the gable roof. At least the east pediment (on the entrance side) was decorated with statues. On the same side a relief frieze was running on the top of the interior of the colonnade. On the Parian marble frieze slabs, scenes of the Centaur battle and the deeds of Theseus are sculpted, an allegory for the victory of the Greeks led by the Athenians against the Persians and for the superiority of the Athenian democracy over the eastern monarchy. The temple is attributed to the same architect with the ones of Hephaistos (Theseion) at the Athenian agora, Ares at Akharnes, and Nemesis at Ramnous.

    15 minutes Admission ticket not included

Additional info

  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Specialized infant seats are available
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Our company complies with all the health instructions of the World Health Organization about COVID-19.
Supplied by Private Greece Tours

Show 2 more

Tags

Full-day Tours
Bus Tours
Private Sightseeing Tours
Cultural Tours
Historical Tours
Ports of Call Tours
Car Tours
Luxury Car Tours
Shore Excursions
Excellent Quality
Worry-Free Shore Excursion
Additional fees
Low Supplier Cancellation Rate
Low Last Minute Supplier Cancellation Rate
Port Pickup
Short term availability

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Show more

Rating

5.0 Based on 134 134 reviews
5 stars
132
4 stars
2
3 stars
0
2 stars
0
1 star
0
from per person
Was {{currencySymbol}}{{ summaryFromPriceBeforeDiscount }}