Highlights & Hidden Gems With Locals: Best of Athens Private Tour
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September 2026
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Adults
Age 13 and over
Children
Age 12 and under
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Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Same price on Viator, Outty earns a commission.
Traveler rating
4.9/5
Based on 58 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Highlights & Hidden Gems With Locals: Best of Athens Private Tour worth booking?
Highlights & Hidden Gems With Locals: Best of Athens Private Tour is a 3-hour experience in Athens, Greece, from $49 per person. It scores 77 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Strongly Recommended”, based on a 4.9/5 rating across 58 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 77 / 100
- Rating
- 4.9/5 (58)
- Duration
- 3 hours
- From
- $49 per person
This is not just another city tour; this is the best of Athens from a unique perspective! Get to know Athens on a city tour that gives you the perfect overview, with city highlights, hidden gems, storytelling, and a loca
What you get
About this experience
This is not just another city tour; this is the best of Athens from a unique perspective! Get to know Athens on a city tour that gives you the perfect overview, with city highlights, hidden gems, storytelling, and a local treat - this tour has it all! Forget about big touristy groups and the crowds; it's time to see Athens at its best but from the eyes of a local. Check out main landmarks like Ancient Agora, Hadrian Library, Areopagus (Mars Hill) and uncover hidden gems and city secrets with the help of a knowledgeable local guide. And the cherry on top, a local treat is included. Withlocals Highlights & Hidden Gems Private City Tour™ is one of Withlocals' signature tours available in major cities worldwide. We work with passionate local guides who earn a fair fee. We support local economies by only offering local produce and prevent over-tourism with only small non-intrusive groups. Our tours are carbon-neutral and away from the standard tourist routes.
What's included
Included
- Private tour
- Local Guide
- 1 local drink/tasting
Not included
- Food and drinks
- Hotel pick-up and drop off
What you'll see and do
Ancient Agora of Athens
The best-known example of an ancient Greek agora where local Athenians used to gather in ancient times.
15 minutes here · Admission not included
Hadrian's Library
This landmark is not just a regular “library,” it provided the people of Athens with a multi-purpose public square and cultural center that contained a garden, works of art, a library, and lecture halls.
15 minutes here · Admission not included
Areopago
This rocky outcrop below the Acropolis has great views over the Ancient Agora and is the place where Ares was tried for murder according to Greek mythology.
15 minutes here · Admission not included
Adrianou Street
Depending on your host and their chosen route for the tour, this stop might also be included in your route.
Pass by without stopping
Monastiraki
Depending on your host and their chosen route for the tour, this stop might also be included in your route.
Pass by without stopping
Roman Agora
Depending on your host and their chosen route for the tour, this stop might also be included in your route.
Pass by without stopping
Plaka
Depending on your host and their chosen route for the tour, this stop might also be included in your route.
Pass by without stopping
Acropolis
Depending on your host and their chosen route for the tour, this stop might also be included in your route.
Pass by without stopping
Arch of Hadrian
Depending on your host and their chosen route for the tour, this stop might also be included in your route.
Pass by without stopping
Zappeion Conference & Exhibition Center
Depending on your host and their chosen route for the tour, this stop might also be included in your route.
Pass by without stopping
Hellenic Parliament
Depending on your host and their chosen route for the tour, this stop might also be included in your route.
Pass by without stopping
Where it starts and ends
Meeting point
Athens
Entrance of the 360 Degrees Hotel at Monasteraki Square
Hotel pickup
No pickup: everyone meets at the start point.
Ends at
Entrance of the 360 Degrees Hotel at Monasteraki Square
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- el, en
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 8 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Withlocals
Know before you go
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Private tour: only you & your local guide
- CO2 Neutral: all tours carbon emissions are offset
- Post Covid-19 regulations are applied to this product with regards to the number of participants, delivery methods of the tour and content of the tour.
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 58 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
Knowledge and storytelling
6 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
The guide
4 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Good for families
2 mentionsReviewers traveling with kids report it landed well with their group.
Small groups
2 mentionsThe group size is repeatedly described as intimate rather than packed.
Traveler reviews
58 verified traveler reviews for Highlights & Hidden Gems With Locals: Best of Athens Private Tour. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Maybe better with a different guide
I set this tour up with Eleni 6 months before our visit to Greece. We wanted to add 2 people to our tour, and she told me she would do it that weekend. After 6 months of going back and forth, to no avail, she showed up 15 minutes late for our tour and asked if I had gotten the email, which she sent on the day we left the US. By that time I had given up. She is knowledgeable about Athens and we got to see a great deal of that beautiful city. She talked while we walked, but since we didn't have headsets, only the people walking right beside her could hear. Anyone walking even a few feet behind missed a major part of the information about the city. Without headsets, she could have stopped and gathered us all together to share info, or could have spoken more loudly. I see that this tour has gotten rave reviews, but it could have been so much better.
Response from the operator: Dear guest, Thank you for sharing your experience. We truly apologize for the communication issues regarding the tour and the delay in adding the extra guests. We understand how frustrating that must have been, especially after months of coordination. We also appreciate your feedback about the headsets and will look into this for future tours to ensure that everyone can hear the guide clearly, no matter where they are in the group. We’re glad you enjoyed the sights of Athens and the guide’s knowledge, but we acknowledge that there were areas where we could have done better. We value your input and will work to improve the overall experience. Best regards, Withlocals team
via Tripadvisor
Alex is a great storyteller and was our favourite Athens guide
Alex took us along the sights and hidden gems of the areas around Monastiraki, Psirri and Plaka, and took us inside the Agora (we paid the entrance fee extra). Alex is a great storyteller and he came well prepared with lots of visuals to bring the different sites to life by helping us imagine what they might have looked like. Alex is a very attentive guide and we felt a genuine connection we him. Out of the 6 tours and experiences we went on in Athens, he was are absolute favourite guide!
via Tripadvisor
Too much shopping, not enough sight seeing
My family did two of these tours with 2 different guides because our 11 person group was too big for 1 guide. Guides were very friendly but there were 2 problems. 1) They pushed shopping, at stores they had a connection with, too much. We spent more time shopping that touring. 2) One guide smoked constantly. We were not a big fan of second hand smoke. I think if they could cut out shopping and have a limited smoke break tour, this could be a very good tour.
Response from the operator: Dear Anup, Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on your family's experience during the Athens tours. We appreciate your valuable insights and apologize for the issues you encountered during the tours with our guides. We sincerely apologize for the excessive focus on shopping during the tours. Our intention is to provide a balanced and immersive experience that showcases the cultural and historical aspects of Athens. We regret that the emphasis on shopping overshadowed the tour itself and caused disappointment. We take your feedback seriously and will review our guides' training to ensure it never happens again. Furthermore, we apologize for the discomfort caused by one of our guides who constantly smoked during the tour. We understand that second-hand smoke can be unpleasant and detract from the overall experience. We will address this issue with your guide to ensure that they are mindful of their behavior and adhere to our policies regarding smoking. Your suggestions regarding limiting the shopping time and incorporating designated smoke breaks are appreciated and we agree with them 100%. We will certainly consider these suggestions in our efforts to improve the tour experience for our customers. Our goal is to provide an enjoyable and enriching tour, and we will take steps to ensure that these issues are addressed and resolved. We value your family's patronage and would like to offer our apologies for any inconvenience caused. Should you decide to visit Athens again in the future, we would be more than happy to provide you with a more satisfactory tour experience. Please do not hesitate to contact our customer service team at info@withlocals.com, who will be glad to assist you in planning your next visit. Once again, we appreciate your feedback and apologize for the shortcomings during your tours. Your insights are invaluable to us as we strive to continually enhance our services and deliver memorable experiences for our guests. Best regards, Withlocals team
via Viator
Unique Walking Tour
Amazing tour!! Very personalized to what we wanted to see and we got a chance to see local spots we never would have found otherwise. As a bonus, Fitouri took us to a great spot for dinner and dessert, which was totally unexpected and delicious! Unforgettable and highly personal to make sure we had a good time in Athens and for the rest of our vacation. Highly recommend!
via Viator
A wonderful introduction to Athens!
With a tour beginning in central Athen's Monasteraki Square and ending at the Acropolis, Markella Yannari provided my wife and I with a wonderful three-hour private tour--sweeping through centuries of history, and including interesting and entertaining archeological, architectural, mythological, sociological and political details along the way. Altogether a wonderful and informative experience!
via Tripadvisor
Good to know
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Price range
- $49 to $333
- Hotel pickup
- No pickup, meet at start point
- Booked in 30 days
- 20
- Verdict
- Strongly Recommended
Why this scores 77
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Highlights & Hidden Gems With Locals: Best of Athens Private Tour: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Athens.
How much does Highlights & Hidden Gems With Locals: Best of Athens Private Tour cost?
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Prices start at $49 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Athens usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Highlights & Hidden Gems With Locals: Best of Athens Private Tour take?
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Plan for about 3 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Athens is not rushed.
Is Highlights & Hidden Gems With Locals: Best of Athens Private Tour worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 77 out of 100, which we label "Strongly Recommended". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.9/5 across 58 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Athens, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Highlights & Hidden Gems With Locals: Best of Athens Private Tour?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Highlights & Hidden Gems With Locals: Best of Athens Private Tour suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 3-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Highlights & Hidden Gems With Locals: Best of Athens Private Tour?
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Around 20 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Athens can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Athens and add a light layer if any part of the 3-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Highlights & Hidden Gems With Locals: Best of Athens Private Tour start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Athens within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Athens?
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On Outty we rank every Athens experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Athens Small Group E-Bike Tour, Small Group Greek Traditional Food Tour in Athens 20+ Tastings, Athens Scenic Bike Tour with Regular or Electric Bike + Acropolis. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Athens?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Athens?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
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