Best of Athens and Cape Sounio Private Tour from Athens

What's included

What you'll see and do

1. Athens

   Pickup from your hotel, airbnb appartment or Piraeus port.

   15 minutes here

2. Acropolis

   The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel located on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens and contains the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historical significance, the most famous being the Parthenon. The word acropolis is from the Greek words ἄκρον (akron, "highest point, extremity") and πόλις (polis, "city"). The term acropolis is generic and there are many other acropoleis in Greece. While there is evidence that the hill was inhabited as far back as the fourth millennium BC, it was Pericles (c. 495–429 BC) in the fifth century BC who coordinated the construction of the buildings whose present remains are the site's most important ones, including the Parthenon, the Propylaea, the Erechtheion and the Temple of Athena Nike. The Parthenon and the other buildings were seriously damaged during the 1687 siege by the Venetians during the Morean War when gunpowder being stored in the Parthenon by the Ottomans was hit by a cannonball and exploded.

   30 minutes here · Admission not included

3. Parthenon

   On the top of this sacred hill, proudly stands the Parthenon, which is the epitome of ancient Greek architecture, where you will experience the greatness of ancient Greece captured on every piece of marble. An architectural jewel that hosts the best of what the human spirit and genius has ever conceived, an open embrace that awaits its famed sister marbles to welcome them home again.

   30 minutes here · Admission not included

4. Temple of Athena Nike

   The Temple of Athena Nike is a temple on the Acropolis of Athens, dedicated to the goddesses Athena and Nike. Built around 420 BC, the temple is the earliest fully Ionic temple on the Acropolis. It has a prominent position on a steep bastion at the southwest corner of the Acropolis to the right of the entrance, the Propylaea. In contrast to the Acropolis proper, a walled sanctuary entered through the Propylaea, the Victory Sanctuary was open, entered from the Propylaea's southwest wing and from a narrow stair on the north. The sheer walls of its bastion were protected on the north, west, and south by the Nike Parapet, named for its frieze of Nikai celebrating victory and sacrificing to their patroness, Athena and Nike.

   15 minutes here · Admission not included

5. Erectheion

   The Erechtheion is an ancient Greek temple on the north side of the Acropolis of Athens in Greece which was dedicated to both Athena and Poseidon.

   15 minutes here · Admission not included

6. Theatre of Dionysus

   The Theater of Dionysus is an ancient Greek theatre in Athens. It is built on the south slope of the Acropolis hill, originally part of the sanctuary of Dionysus Eleuthereus. The first orchestra terrace was constructed on the site around the mid- to late-sixth century BC, where it hosted the City Dionysia. The theatre reached its fullest extent in the fourth century BC under the epistates of Lycurgus when it would have had a capacity of up to 17,000, and was in continuous use down to the Roman period. The theatre then fell into decay in the Byzantine era and was not identified, excavated, and restored to its current condition until the nineteenth century.

   15 minutes here · Admission not included

7. Panathenaic Stadium

   Continuing with the stunning Calimarmaro or as it is called today, the Panathenaic Stadium, the house of the first modern Olympic games, made of Pentelic marble in which the Olympic ideals are still reflected today.

   15 minutes here

8. Mount Lycabettus

   After leaving the beautiful Calimarmaro behind us, we will drive up to Lycabettus hill where you will enjoy the beautiful panoramic view of the city and admire the combination of ancient and modern Athens from above.

   15 minutes here

9. Hellenic Parliament

   Traveling thousands of years ahead, to the Hellenic Parliament building that houses the Greek Parliament in an impressive building in downtown Athens overseeing Syntagma Square, protected by the presidential guard that consists of two soldiers dressed in the traditional Greek combat uniform, standing stationary and guarding beside the tomb of the unknown soldier. The two guards perform the guard change ceremony every hour with impressive accuracy and agility.

   10 minutes here

10. Syntagma

    Syntagma Square (Constitution Square) is the central square of Athens. The square is named after the Constitution that Otto, the first King of Greece, was obliged to grant after a popular and military uprising on 3 September 1843. It is located in front of the 19th century Old Royal Palace, housing the Greek Parliament since 1934. Syntagma Square is the most important square of modern Athens from both a historical and social point of view, at the heart of commercial activity and Greek politics. The name Syntagma alone also refers to the neighbourhood surrounding the square.

    10 minutes here

11. Monument to the Unknown Soldier

    The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a war memorial located in Syntagma Square in Athens, in front of the Old Royal Palace. 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 by the Evzones of the Presidential Guard.

    10 minutes here

12. National Library of Greece

    The National Library of Greece is situated near the center of the city of Athens. It was designed by the Danish architect Theophil Freiherr von Hansen, as part of his famous Trilogy of neo-classical buildings including the Academy of Athens and the original building of the Athens University. It was founded by Ioannis Kapodistrias.

    Pass by without stopping

13. Academy of Athens

    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.

    Pass by without stopping

14. Plaka

    The old historical neighborhood of Athens, clustered around the northern and eastern slopes of the Acropolis, and incorporating labyrinthine streets and neoclassical architecture. Plaka is built on top of the residential areas of the ancient town of Athens. It is known as the "Neighborhood of the Gods" due to its proximity to the Acropolis and its many archaeological sites. Free time for walking around and shopping.

    60 minutes here

15. Arch of Hadrian

    The Arch of Hadrian, most commonly known in Greek as Hadrian's Gate, is a monumental gateway resembling a Roman triumphal arch. It spanned an ancient road from the center of Athens, Greece, to the complex of structures on the eastern side of the city that included the Temple of Olympian Zeus.

    Pass by without stopping

16. Glyfada

    Glyfada is a suburb in South Athens located in the Athens Riviera along the Athens coast. It is situated in the southern parts of the Athens' Urban Area.

    Pass by without stopping

17. Voula

    Voula is a southern suburb of Athens and former municipality in East Attica, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit.

    Pass by without stopping

18. Lake Vouliagmeni

    On our way to Sounio, we will stop at one of the most idyllic places. Vouliagmeni Lake, in the heart of the Athenian Riviera, is the hidden treasure of Attica's nature. Lake Vouliagmeni ("Sunken Lake") is a small brackish-water lake fed by underground currents seeping through the mass of Mount Hymettus located to the south of Vouliagmeni.

    15 minutes here

19. Varkiza

    Varkiza has a widely known beach, which has tennis courts, parkland and fields, restaurants, taverns, complexes and other amenities.

    Pass by without stopping

20. Paralia Anavissos

    Anavyssos is a town and a former municipality in East Attica. Free time for having lunch at a local tavern by the beach.

    60 minutes here

21. Temple of Poseidon

    Cape Sounion is the promontory at the southernmost tip of the Attic peninsula, 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) south of the town of Lavrio and 70 kilometres (43 mi) southeast of Athens. The ancient Greek temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, built during 444–440 BC, is one of the major monuments of the Golden Age of Athens. A Doric temple, overlooks the sea at the end of Cape Sounion, at a height of almost 60 meters (200 ft). The ancient Greek temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, built during 444–440 BC, is one of the major monuments of the Golden Age of Athens. A Doric temple, it overlooks the sea at the end of Cape Sounion, at an elevation of almost 60 metres (200 ft).

    120 minutes here · Admission not included

22. Athens

    We start our way back to Athens.

    60 minutes here

Where it starts and ends

Before you book

Cancellation

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

Languages

en

Ticket

Mobile Only

Runs on

Every day

Group size

Up to 10 travelers per booking

Operated by

LS Tours

Know before you go

• Specialized infant seats are available
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• Our drivers are not official tour guides, but they are knowledgeable and can provide fascinating commentary in fluent English. Although they will not enter the archaeological sites with you, they can answer all of your questions about the places you visit with this tour.

Photos

Traveler reviews

13 verified traveler reviews for Best of Athens and Cape Sounio Private Tour from Athens. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.