Athens Tour

Highlights

Acropolis, Temple of Zeus, Changing of the Guard, Presidential Residence, Old Parliament, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, National Library, University, Academy of Athens, Arch of Hadrian, Zappeion Megaron, Panathenaic Stadium, City View from Lycabettus.

In about six hours, we offer you the opportunity to visit and admire all the historical monuments of Athens as well as the most recognizable buildings and landmarks in the city. You will see centuries of history come to life before your eyes, in a journey from ancient Greece to the present day.”

Of course, we will start from the most important monument in our country and globally recognized, the Parthenon, which has stood on the sacred rock of the Acropolis of Athens for 2500 years. We will ascend to the Acropolis and admire the monument, a world heritage site, along with all the other architectural masterpieces such as the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena, the Erechtheion, and the famous Caryatids. Next, we will visit the central square of the country, Syntagma Square, and the Greek Parliament. (A reference point and meeting place for all Athenians) Here, we will witness the Presidential Guard with the Evzones (elite soldiers in the well-known traditional uniform). Each element of their attire symbolizes something; for example, the pleats in the kilt represent the 400 years of Ottoman rule, the red silk cap symbolizes the tears of Christ during the crucifixion, the black tassel at the end represents the tear of Christ, and the white shirt symbolizes the purity of the national struggles fought day and night. We will then proceed to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where you will have the opportunity to witness the ceremonial Changing of the Guard in front of the monument and take photographs beside them.”

Next, we will pass by the Old Parliament building, which housed the parliament until 1935. It is an impressive structure, one of the most historic in the city, which now houses the National Historical Museum. In front of it stands the famous statue of the chief commander of the 1821 revolution, Theodoros Kolokotronis. We will then visit the Presidential Mansion, a building from 1897 that was occasionally used as royal palaces in the past and now serves as the residence of the President of the Hellenic Republic.

Following that, we will explore the Zappeion Megaron, one of Athens’ significant buildings. Today, it functions as a conference and exhibition center and is located within the National Garden, a green lung in the modern city of Athens spanning 295 acres. Of course, we won’t overlook Hadrian’s Gate and the columns of the Temple of Olympian Zeus. The Temple of Olympian Zeus was the largest temple in Greece during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Construction began in the 6th century BCE and was completed by Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century CE.

The route naturally includes important buildings such as the National Library, the University of Athens, and the Academy of Athens, all designed by Danish architects Theophil and Christian Hansen.

And, of course, we won’t forget the Panathenaic Stadium, also known as Kallimarmaro, a beautiful ancient stadium originally constructed in the 6th century BCE. Over the centuries, it was entirely covered in marble, taking the characteristic form it has today. A notable detail is that it was built long before the standardization of athletic venue dimensions, so its layout follows the ancient model in a horseshoe shape.

This stadium, renowned worldwide, hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and continues to host special sports and artistic events. It also marks the finishing point of the original marathon.

Of course, all that we have seen up close is worth admiring from the top of Mount Lycabettus. We will get a panoramic view of Athens, capturing the essence of the entire city, a breathtaking sight for stunning photos. Rest assured that we have covered the majority of our tour, concluding our exploration.