Athens Shore Excursions

The Aegean Sea stretches out and embraces you while the bright sun lights with its rays your trip so that you can reach the port of Piraeus. An experienced guide will be waiting for you there to start an unforgettable experience by going from the old town to the Athenian Riviera. You are the Guest Star of the day and you will be filled with unique emotions as the tour has begun from the Athenian Riviera towards the center of the town that hosts famous admirable monuments.

Athens, whose history starts around 3200 BC., is one of the most ancient cities of the world. It has been the capital of Greece since 1834 and it is the biggest city. Throughout the centuries, the city was besieged by Romans, Francs, Venetians and Ottomans, who wanted to conquer its fame and glory.

Ancient Athens was originally a settlement on the hill of Acropolis before developing into a powerful city-state which progressed parallel to its port during the 6^th century BC. Although in Modern Greek the name is used in singular “Athena”, the name in foreign languages follows the Ancient Greek name of the city which was in plural ‘Athenae’ as it constituted a settlement of scattered boroughs of Attica, which according to the legend were unified by the mythical king Theseus.

During the classical era, Athens was the center of arts, knowledge and philosophy.  It is referred as the birthplace of Democracy and it is characterized as the cradle of Western civilization.  The heritage of the classical era is still evident in the city, represented by ancient monuments and works of art. The most famous of all, the Parthenon, is considered an exquisite monument of the ancient Western civilization. The Mars Hill (Areios Pagos) is the place where the virtue of Justice was born. The theater of Dionysus, considered the oldest in the world, is a cultural jewel. There is also a number of exceptional Roman and Byzantine monuments.

The New Acropolis Museum and the National Archeological Museum, considered the best in the world having the widest collection of Greek antiquities, are regarded as worldwide known museums. The old town of Plaka with its narrow alleys and the Ancient Market, which was the center of the town, offers superb sightseeing. Also, the Flee Market in Monastiraki, where people wander, is quite interesting. The hill of Lycabettus offers a panoramic view of the city and a beautiful sunset with a view of the Aegean Sea.

Sites of the more recent era, dating back to the establishment of Athens as capital of the independent Greek state in 1834, include the Greek Parliament (19^th century) and a trilogy of adjacent monuments: The National Academy of Arts, the Library, the University.

The gastronomical delights of the traditional cuisine, which have travelled through time and raised generations, will offer you savor and aroma of Greece. The city having indescribable pictures of the locals, neoclassical houses and the local market remained unforgettable to photography lovers.

Contemporary Athens is the center of economic, industrial, political and cultural life of Greece. It hosted the first modern Olympics in 1896 and 108 years later organized the Summer Olympics in 2004. The city feels proud of its contribution to civilization since it features UNESCO Monuments of World Heritage such as the Acropolis and the Mediaeval Monastery of Dafni.

If you like, we will drive along Athens Riviera viewing the deep blue of the Aegean Sea and the fishing boats that bounce off the waves. Some skerries a bit further invite us to admire them and in no time we reach Cape Sounion. You will visit the temple of Poseidon that stands high and mighty on the rock beaten by the gods of the wind and the saltiness of the sea. A wonderful moment is when the sun disappears embracing the sea and the light of the Attica sky comes from the stars. At the end of the day, our return has started but the memories will bring you back because the experience is really unique and unforgettable.