Introduction

This is a tailor made (which means that you can change the itinerary how you wish)cultural holiday: an opportunity to visit some of the most important historical and architectural delights of Athens.
The enchanting capital of Greece is the birthplace of western civilization; where democracy, the sciences, philosophy and the arts of theatre, sculpture and architecture were developed. Aspects of these can still be seen in some of the world's most impressive edifices. We will walk in the footsteps of the great wise men, like Socrates, Plato and St. Paul. The city is dominated by the Acropolis, a hilltop citadel topped with 5th-century BC buildings like the colonnaded Parthenon temple. Below the Northern side of the Acropolis is the picturesque area of Plaka, with quaint streets, old houses and boutique shops. It has many cafes and tavernas from which to choose from.

A special feature of the holiday will be evening dinners in local tavernas where you can expect lots of atmosphere and lovely Greek dishes accompanied by local wine and (if you want) by live Greek music.

You will be staying in the city center or in the old city of Plaka and close to the museums and ancient sites.

Dates, Prices and Accommodation

• The holiday can start on whatever date you like from the beginning of November to the end of April.
• The price depends on the season and the type of accommodation you choose. Prices start from 1100 Euros. Payments can be made either in Euros or in GBP.
• Accommodation can be in a 3 or 4 or 5 star hotel according to your choice; we will offer the best hotel to meet your needs at the time of your request.

Please contact us at [email protected] or [email protected] for a quote.

Athens City Break Programme (Example)

Day 1 - Arrival - Dinner in the old city

Arrival at Athens airport. Transfer by arranged taxi from the airport to the hotel. Walk around the old city of Athens (Plaka). Dinner in a taverna in the old city.

One of the most popular tourist attractions in Athens, Plaka was built around the northern slopes of the Acropolis. It is almost like an island within the city, and is the perfect way to experience authentic Greek culture. The area is well-known for its charming streets, boutique shops and cafes.

Day 2 - Acropolis - Acropolis Museum

• 09:00 : Meet at the hotel and go to the Acropolis. The Acropolis (upper city) is probably the most famous ancient site in the world, and is the main attraction in Athens. Its history goes back to Neolithic times and is the place of myth, legend, reason and measurement. Situated on the hill are some of the major buildings of classical Greece; the Propylaia (entrance to the main area) the Parthenon (dedicated to the goddess Athena), the temple of Athena Nike, and the Erechtheion, named after King Erechtheus whose tomb it contains. The buildings on the Holy Rock of Acropolis date back to the 5th BC, the famous Golden Age of Periklis, when they were rebuilt after being razed by the Persians.
• 09:30 - 11:30 : Guided tour of the Acropolis by an officially licensed guide.
• 11:30 - 13:30 : We visit the Acropolis Museum after a break in their cafe with amazing views. The Acropolis Museum, along with the National Archaeological Museum, preserves sculptures, vases, jewellery and more from Ancient Greece. It also has a place ready for the contentious Elgin Marbles, now in the British Museum. You are indeed in for a great experience.
• 13:30 - 14:30 : Lunch (in the museum or nearby Plaka).
• 14:30 - 17:00 : Free time to relax in the hotel or …
• 17:00 –19:00 : We go to the Athenian coast and walk along the front.
  We take the tram (built for the 2004 Olympic Games) and travel to the coast where Athenians like to stroll. There is a wide promenade that runs along the shoreline with beaches, fishing, tavernas, gardens and a marina. Here we can stroll along the promenade or enjoy a drink at one of the cafes.
• 19:00 - ….. : Dinner in a taverna at the coast or return to the hotel before going out to eat.

Day 3 - NA Museum - Panathenian Stadium- Temple of Zeus

• 09:00 : Meet at the hotel.
• 09:30 - 13:00 : We visit the Archaeological Museum (and cafe). The National Archaeological Museum has a fascinating collection of ancient artefacts dating back to antiquity and beyond to the Neolithic Age. The collections include golden death masks, jewellery, ceramics, wall paintings from Santorini and objects that are some of the oldest archaeological finds dating back to the 7th millennium, providing glimpses to the earliest dawn of European civilization and then walk back through the city center to Constitution (Syntagma) square.
• 13:00 - 14:00 : Lunch in a traditional restaurant in the centre of the city
• 14:00 - 15:00 : Walk to the National Gardens and old palace (past the Parliament).
  The Royal Garden was a private garden created for 19th century German monarchs unused to the landscape of Greece. It surrounds the Royal Palace, which is now the Parliament Building. The Royal Garden was established as a public garden in 1923. This is a quiet and peaceful place away from the bustling city with a gorgeous green canopy of trees and vibrant plant life. Statues decorate the gardens as well as flowerbeds and small ruins of antiquity. The gardens of Zappeion which can also be found here, surround the neo-classical congress hall built in the 19th century. Then we go to Panathenian Stadium (in this ancient stadium the first modern Olympic games took place in 1896.) and  the Temple of Zeus (Olympion).
  The Olympion is a colossal ruined temple dedicated to Zeus, king of the Olympian gods. Construction began in the 6th century BC during the rule of the Athenian tyrants, who envisaged building the greatest temple in the ancient world, but it was not completed until the reign of the Roman Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century AD some 638 years after the project had begun. During the Roman periods it was renowned as the largest temple in Greece and housed one of the largest cult statues in the ancient world.
  
• 15:00 - 17:00 : Free time to relax in the hotel and/or explore
• 17:00 - 18:30 : Optional walk on Philopappou hill opposite the Acropolis.
  The Philopappos Monument that gives its name to the hill on which it is situated has amazing views to the Acropolis. It is the tomb of Caius Julius Antiochos Philopappo who was sent into exile from Syria. Philopappos became an Athenian citizen but was also a Roman citizen and held several very important offices during the reign of the emperor Trajan between 114 and 116 A.D. On the hill, winding through the trees are the famous paths created by 20th Century architect Pikionis, from pieces of ancient stone that were littering the hillside.

Day 4 - Ancient Agora - Ancient Cemetery

• 09:00 : Meet at the hotel and go to the Ancient Agora.
  The central area of civic life for the people of ancient Greece was the agora. It's often translated as 'market place', but it was much more than that. It was the centre for administrative buildings, temples and shops which were inside long porticoes called stoas. It has been extensively excavated by the American Archaeological School at Athens. They also built a replica of a stoa, called the Stoa of Attalos. To walk in its shade on a hot day makes you respect the design capabilities and aesthetic sense of the citizens of ancient Athens. There is a small museum within the Stoa with artefacts that give surprising insights into the daily lives of the ancient Greeks.
• 09:30 - 11:00 : Walking and sightseeing in the ancient market place. Coffee break
• 11:00 - 13:00 : We visit the Ancient cemetery and its museum.
• 13:00 - 14:00 : Lunch in Psiri or Monastiraki (flea markets/souvenirs/cafes)
• 14:00 - 17:00 : Free time to relax
• 17:00 - 20:00 : We visit the Museum of Cycladic Art.
  Showing ancient artefacts which are precursors and prototypes of Modern Art minimalism, it has striking examples of  culture, trade and communications between stone age peoples.
• 21:00 - …. : Dinner at a traditional taverna with live Greek music (Plaka).

Day 5 - Departure

Departure day. Transfer to the airport.