A trip to Greece with a stop in Athens has been on my bucket list for years. From the sights to the food, it turned out to be as amazing as I expected.
It was also SO MUCH HOTTER than I expected. I mean we climbed to the top of the Acropolis to see the Parthenon in the morning and it already felt like Helios was going to drive his sun chariot out of the sky and straight into us!
We knew our pace needed to be about as fast as some of the first Olympians if we were going to see all of the sights on our list in one day.
To help us do everything we hoped, we researched and hired a tour guide and driver. We went through a company called George’s Taxi. I had doubts, but the company had rave reviews. Our price ended up being 700€ for 17 people. Admission to sights and lunch was extra. So the tour ended up being around 45€ per person., plus 20€ for admission to the Acropolis, and whatever we spent on lunch. For a day of touring and transportation to and from port. I couldn’t be happier with our time in the city.
The guide met our group at the cruise terminal. We loaded into a mini bus, which was very nice and (thankfully) air conditioned.
As soon as our rather large group loaded up, our driver immediately headed to the Acropolis and the Parthenon. This was first on the list for two reasons. It would be cooler in the morning on top of the Acropolis and the large tour buses and crowds wouldn’t be there yet.
The driver dropped us off as close as possible to the landmark. Then we started walking up the hill. It took much longer than I expected to walk to the top. We walked at a leisurely pace and stopped to rest once or twice for the older members of our group.
We really lucked out with our guide. She works for the tour company in her free time. But she is also a docent at a museum, so she was incredibly knowledgeable.
While the walk was pretty long, it wasn’t difficult … until we reached the steps. Then it was like running uphill at the end of a marathon! The steps weren’t horrible, it was more the heat!
But it was so worth it! If you’re concerned about the walk and steps, just try it and take your time. There are places to stop and rest along the way.
It’s just mind boggling to stand in front of the Parthenon and think how long it’s been there. Construction started on it in 447 BCE!!! That’s almost 2500 years ago! It also blows my mind to think how advanced the Greeks we’re when they designed and built the Parthenon. If you look closely, you can see that the columns are wider at the bottom than at the top to make the Parthenon — and many other buildings — more stable.
After spending about an hour at the Parthenon, we began our descent to the bottom of the Acropolis and on our way to the next stop on our tour.
Travel Tip: There are ways to save money on some of the things you’ll want to do in Athens. Read this for a few examples!
As we drove through the city of Athens, our guide pointed the Temple of Zeus, as well as many other sights. She also explained what makes Athens so unique.
According to our guide, it takes forever to build anything because when crews start digging, workers almost always find something that could be an artifact. She said at that point, the government shuts down the entire project until historians and archaeologists can determine if it’s something that needs to be preserved.
By that time we’d arrived at Panathenaic Olympic Stadium. The first modern Olympic Games in 1896 were held inside. I remember it from watching the 2004 Olympics, but many other events and world competitions have also been held here.
Then we headed to the changing of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown soldier. It took place in front of Parliament. It’s a grand, deliberate ceremony. The guards mirror each other, and it’s impressive to watch!
At this point, everyone in the group was hot, sweaty and ready for a break. We headed to a shopping and restaurant area. After doing a little window shopping, we sat down at an outside table and ordered lunch. It was amazing. We enjoyed souvláki, chicken kebabs, and a plate of sides. It was all fabulous.
After our traditional Greek lunch, we boarded our minibus again. This time we headed to the New Acropolis Museum. Make sure you look down as you’re walking into the building. You’ll be walking over an ancient home in Athens. The museum is designed so you can have an areal view and see exactly what the rooms were like.
We walked through the museum with our guide telling us about the different types of art on display. She also told us stories about life in Greece. I’m sure my jaw dropped when we learned that there is a 60-percent federal income tax there … and that because of the high tax rate, most Greeks can’t afford to visit the museums in their own city!
After we used up our time at the museum, we loaded back into the minibus and waved goodbye to Athens.
I started planning my return trip to the city on the drive back to port!