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Athens Day Tours & Tips

Exploring Athens Greece

Odeon Athens

Athens Day Tours & Tips

Do you only have a couple of days in Athens? Wondering what to see and how to fit it all in? Looking for a guide? Perhaps you are interested to see the Acropolis in Athens?


Top Tips from We Love Crete

"Here are our tips for short tours to take in the Greek capital to familiarise yourself, and get the most out of a short stay in Athens."


  • See our Athens info page with an overview of what to see on a stopover, the port of Pireaus, and festivals.
  • Athens accommodation in the atmospheric centre of the city, close to the Acropolis, with tips on how to choose your hotel, and transfer hotels near the airport.
  • If you are staying longer in Athens, you may want to stay in the leafy, green, quiet suburb of Kifissia in the north of the city.
  • Athens weather - what to expect in each season.



In this article, we’ll explore the best Athens day tours, showcasing the best of what this eclectic capital has to offer. Whether you're looking for a historical and cultural experience, or an island walking tour or culinary adventure, there is a tour for you.

No time to read the whole article? Not a problem! The best tour of Athens is this half-day tour which takes in the essential highlights.



Athens Half-Day Sightseeing Tour

Athens Half-Day Tour

Athens Half Day Touring - the Cariatides Καρυάτιδες on the Acropolis

Athens Day Tours & Tips

Get your bearings with a half day tour of Athens, then walk the rest yourself or take some of the wonderful walking tours below.

This is a 5 hour tour which includes the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in front of the Parliament House on Constitution Square, the Panathenian Stadium, the Presidential Palace, government buildings and elegant homes. The drive along Panepistimiou Avenue takes you past the Catholic cathedral, the Academy, university, National Library and Omonia Square.

After seeing the highlights of modern Athens, you will visit to the Roman Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Acropolis including the Parthenon, the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike and the Erechtheion.

"WOW we fell in love with Athens by doing this tour. Our guide was very passionate and knowledgeable about her city and that reflected on the day that we had". Peter




Athens Day Tours & Tips
Walking Tour

Acropolis Walking Tour

The Evzones guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Athens Day Tours & Tips - this is a 3.5 hour tour, with a knowledgeable guide, that begins with the exhibits inside the Syntagma metro station and continues to the House of the Greek Parliament. Walking through the Syntagma Square, the Kottakis Church and beautiful Byzantine churches.

Continue strolling through the Plaka's paved streets before arriving at the Lysicrates Monument from the 4th century BC and the remnants of an old Christian Church. A ten-minute walk up the beautiful historic pedestrian walkway will bring you to the Acropolis, crowned by the Parthenon, with its spectacular views over the city below.

"Athens has many shortcomings, but this tour redeemed the city in our eyes. Our guide, Kristos, was great. He kept things interesting and kept us in the shade as much as possible. He was a real font of information and made these ancient sites come to life. I would definitely recommend this tour to others coming to Athens". Kevin



Athens Tour Suggestions
Food Tour

Athens Small-Group Food Tour

Central Market dried herbs reds and ochres (image by Jordan Sim)

This is a 3.5 hour culinary journey of taste, color, smell and texture, right below the striking Acropolis in the heart of Athens historic city center. This food walking tour offers an array of colorful and enticing treats.

Visit delicatessens, aromatic bakeries and sweet shops, restaurants, dairies, spice merchants, grocery stores and pie shops where you will sample traditional Greek food, including the ever-popular koulouri, a circular bread with sesame seeds.

Your guide will lead you on a food stroll and introduce you to small, hidden specialty food shops. Listen to commentary about the unique and intricate culinary heritage of Greece, as well as the famous Mediterranean diet, hailed today as a model of healthy living.

Visit the central Varvakeios food market. Its bustling energy and colorful world of fruit and spice stalls and meat and fish vendors truly make for a cultural experience.



Athens Day Tours & Tips

Acropolis Monuments, Parthenon and Plaka, Monastiraki Walking Tour

Athens ancient agora

This is a 3.5 and a half hour tour. We cannot begin to tell you how much we love Plaka and the Ancient Agora (above and below), nestled into the foothills of the Acropolis. This tour takes you walking with an experienced guide to show you those hills and the green spaces at the base of the monument.

Explore the hidden areas around the slopes of the Acropolis and uncover their ancient and recent past. Stroll around Plaka, Athens Old Town and Anafiotika, where the white-washed houses remind us of Cyclades villages. Discover the ancient sites and enjoy a sumptuous Greek picnic and glass of wine as you gaze over Athens laid out below you.

A leisurely pace, a picnic and a glass of wine mean that this is a relaxed and enjoyable tour with personal attention.

Get away from all the hustle bustle of the frenetic city! Enjoy Athens as the ancients did, relax and discuss philosophy - wine in hand, of course!



Plaka and Picnic - a great escape in the green heart of AthensIn the Agora of Athens


Longer Tours From Athens
Greek Mainland


Flights to Athens Greece

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If you are searching for flights, we have some tips for cheap flights to Athens.

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Athens taxis and the option of accommodation at the Athens Airport, which is 27 km from the city centre.



My Athens

Athens moves at a frenetic pace. You just gotta keep up. If you want some sanity amongst all the mayhem, stay in Plaka.

Plaka is a little village with steep streets at the base of the Acropolis. It is about as central as you can get, full of cute little lane ways and cafes, with history at every turn. There are loads of cheap places to stay if you are backpacking, and loads of fun bars and pubs to meet other backpackers.

If you want something a little more private, there are plenty of stylish hotels in Plaka. What I love about it? I can drop my bags and just walk, and be at the centre of it all, yet come back to the serenity of a Greek village. Sound good? Let's dive in!

This was the view from my hotel room to the Acropolis from the balcony where I had my breakfast on my first day in Athens... not bad, hey?This was the view from my hotel room to the Acropolis from the balcony where I had my breakfast on my first day in Athens... not bad, hey?


My Athens tour started at Hotel Adrian, chosen because of its location in Plaka, nice small size, affordable price tag and of course, the Acropolis View.


My Athens Acropolis view for breakfastMy Athens Acropolis view for breakfast


The calming view over terracotta rooftops to the ancient Acropolis and Parthenon - what a great way to start the day!


Walking around the ancient Agora which is a big wide open green space at the base of the Acropolis, just next to Plaka, is the way to start the day...Walking around the ancient Agora which is a big wide open green space at the base of the Acropolis, just next to Plaka, is the way to start the day


My Athens tour includes plenty of space and plenty of time for quiet relaxation, to juxtapose the hustle bustle of the city.









Eviva


We trust you have enjoyed these tips from the We Love Crete team. Evíva!

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