Meet and greet at the Statue of Theseus, opposite the Thiseion metro station. You will be met by our tour leader who will welcome you to the tour, explain the itinerary and answer any questions. You will also learn about Theseus, the mythical founder of Athens, whose adventures inspired and awed ancient Athenians.
Walk in the footsteps of Socrates as we explore the area around the Ancient Agora where traders sold their wares and philosophers debated questions of ethics, politics and the good life.
See the magnificent Gate of Athena and learn about the Stoics, who boasted both a slave (Epictetus) and an emperor (Marcus Aurelius) among their ranks, and preached virtue, resilience, will power and gender equality. At this point, we will also see another well-known landmark, the Tower of the Winds, with its beautiful architecture and reliefs.
Stroll through the picturesque neighbourhood of Plaka with its labyrinthine streets and vibrant vibes! An attraction for tourists and locals alike, Plaka is one of the oldest districts of Athens and a must-see during your visit.
Another must-see, the Monastiraki Flea Market is bold and colourful, with its stalls and stores selling everything from antiques and bric-a-brac to vinyl records and traditional Greek sandals.
We are now heading back to Thiseion and the Hill of Pnyx where popular assembles took place. Considered to be the birthplace of democracy, Pnyx also offers magnificent views of the Acropolis and plenty of photo opportunities.
You will see the prison where Socrates was reportedly held and learn how he challenged the received wisdom, how he was put on trial on questionable charges and why he refused to flee Athens, preferring a dignified death to a humiliating escape.
We are wrapping up our tour with a visit to the top of the Muses Hill. You will see the Philopappos Monument and learn about Plato, perhaps the single, most influential figure in the whole of the history of philosophy. We will discuss his views on politics, the nature of justice, truth and the good life before we head down to the Hill entrance, allowing you to either continue your walk to the Acropolis or return to Thiseion for a well-earned coffee!
Our tour guide, Vicki, was outstanding. She customized the route based on our interests and emailed a synopsis at the end. We learned about history, philosophy, religion, and politics- connecting the past with current day. Highly recommend!
9 okt kl 9.00 was our tour. We had the best guide ever. Her name was Vicky. Thank you Vicky for a fantastic walk.
Had an amazing time on the tour! The tour route was perfect, we saw a huge amount in such a small amount of time without feeling like we walked too far. Vicky was a fantastic tour guide. She made sure everybody on the tour felt welcome - and even asked what our personal interests were so she could personalise the tour later on. She was so knowledgeable about Athens as an area as well as the Philosophy/Mythology/History etc that surrounds it. At each stop, we knew which philosophers had walked there or which myths about the city surrounded us. The energy on the tour was so much fun because of Vicky! Highly recommend this tour for anybody - especially those looking to learn from an expert!
Our tour was an amazing experience. Our guide Vicki was very knowledgeable and courteous. Her presentation was very informative, approachable and engaging. It was a seamless mix of Greek history, mythology, and philosophical ideas. And every time it sounded naturally like a tale about yet another wonderful place we stopped by. Highly recommended.
We had two days in Athens before island hopping our way down to Crete. This was a great tour that provided so much insight into history, politics, and of course mythology. Vicky was an excellent guide. She was very knowledgeable and generous by extending her time with us. I only wish we could have brought her with us to guide us through Heraklion and the rest of Crete.
Very comprehensive overview of the major sites in Athens, with great historical information! My guide was very knowledgeable and informative and customized to my interests. She took me to excellent spots for views and pics! Great tour for in-depth view of ancient Athens!
What a tremendous and in-depth overview to kick off our visit just as we stepped off the plane in Athens. It was nice to have our own personal professor who is a native and has tremendous intimacy and passion for the area and its rich history. From mythology to philosophy, democracy, etc. Vicki is exceptionally talented and able to tailor the tour to your interests.
Vicky is incredibly knowledgable and takes the time to personalize the tour to all group members, regardless of their interests or backgrounds. With instructive examples and thought-provoking prompts that still concern us today, take a step back and think about all of the connections between organized religions, starting with Greek mythology. See the most important ruins and end with a beautiful sunset and one of the best views of the whole city and the Acropolis. Pack your walking shoes and get the context you need for your journey and some food for thought!
This was a fantastic way of seeing Athens. Vicky was informative and genuine. It was lovely to just chat with her as a family. She interacted with each of us at our level of knowledge and interest. She made it a very enjoyable experience for us as a family. I would highly recommend this as an experience while in Athens.
Great tour! Vickie tries to ensure the content matches your interest. Very knowledgeable! Thank you!
Loads of information! Vicky was exceptionally knowledgeable in all facets of this tour. She started by asking all of our expectations and particular interests in the philosophy, history and politics of the region and catered the tour for us- She was patient with our questions and very engaging throughout the entire tour, not to mention the generosity of time provided. We were all very impressed as this tour was above and beyond our expectations- thank you, Vicky
Wonderful tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable in the politics and philosophy of ancient Greece. Highly recommended.
Vicky was charming, knowledgeable and tailored the tour to each individual’s interests. It was a joy to spend 3 hours with her. Many thanks.
Our tour guide Vicky was incredible! Our tour group was small with just two other participants and we spent 3-4 hours walking around the main historic areas talking about the history through the perspective of mythology and philosophy. Vicky has a PhD in Philosophy and is super super knowledgeable and able to engage well in questions about the topics we cover. She curates the tour to match the interests and backgrounds of the guests. Highly recommend if you are looking to understand the historic areas of Athens!
This was one of the best tours we have ever taken! She was fantastic - so knowledgeable and entertaining. We would highly recommend this tour!
For those wanting a deeper dive into Greek history of early political and philosophical belief systems, this was very well curated! It was an intimate 6 person group, so we had lots of opportunities for deep conversation and questions. Our guide was very hospitable and a joy to listen to!
As a philosophy professor myself I had to do a philosophy tour when I came to Athens. Vicki was marvelous. She knows both the philosophy and how it integrates with the history of the stops on the tour. As a local it’s also clearly personally meaningful to her. She engages attendees regularly for the whole duration of the tour, not in a pedantic but in a friendly and accessible way. Highly recommended.
Great tour for when you first arrive in Athens. Vicky provided a highly personalized experience. It was like traveling with a very knowledgeable friend who was able to answer all of your questions with a unique philosophical perspective that added a great dimension to the tour. The tour provided a great orientation for the rest of our trip. Highly recommend! Thank you so much Vicki. We really enjoyed it.
The tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable and tailored the morning accordingly to the interests and questions of the group. We enjoyed our time with her thoroughly and felt that we walked away with a great deal of information and insight into the classical period of Athens.
Vicky’s tour was outstanding. After visiting the Acropolis the previous day, we felt we hadn’t really gotten a sense of the people and stories that animated Athens’ history so we signed up for her walking tour. Her insights about figures like Theseus, Pericles, and Socrates were enlightening and interesting. We liked that she asked about our interests and made the tour quite interactive. She’s a teacher at heart. The tour was well curated and full of information, but not overwhelming with too many details. A perfect balance. She is really good at this and we wish all tours we went on this trip could be as high quality as this one!
Vicki was an excellent tour guide. We met at the statue of Theseus, which was very convenient and easy for us to connect. Vicki provided wonderful insights into the philosophy, politics, and history of Athens from the ancient up to modern times. We walked at a relaxed pace to the places on the tour. This was our first tour after arriving in Athens, and Vicki provided an excellent introduction for us and provided recommendations for further exploration.
An Absolutely incredible experience!!! Vicky is an inspirational guide. The groups are small. She engages personally with each person to make the tour relevant. She is passionate, dynamic, and extremely personable. Vicky makes the tour exciting and fun, while giving context to the ancient names who shaped Athens place in the world. This should be the very first tour of your trip.
Vicky’s tour is one of the best we have taken anywhere. With her PhD in philosophy, she was able to take the conversation as deep as our interest led. We took her tour on our first day in Athens. It gave us the perfect overview of Greek history, notable figures, and important locations — and also introduced us to the modern Greek neighbourhood that will be home for the next few days. Thanks, Vicky!!
Vicky was incredible! Super knowledgeable and great tour experience. She takes your personal interests into consideration and provides a wonderful day.
Had the most amazing day, this tour was absolutely incredible. Vicky is so knowledgeable and really made the experience so interesting. We can’t thank her enough for the best day and couldn’t recommend this tour enough.
Great experience with very knowledgeable guide who explained very well the links to Ancient Greeks and history and philosophy Enjoyable afternoon
This tour was wonderful! Vicky is very knowledgeable on history in her home town of Athens. Her knowledge of the Greek philosophers was extensive and her lovely warm manner made this tour so delightful! A must do expedience when in Athens.
This tour was what we needed! The walk was “easy” and we still saw several sites. Our group was small so we didn’t have anyone get too far ahead or too far behind. It was casual and fun and conversational throughout, with lots of discussion and sharing about each site. We got to talk about mythology as well as real political and historical figures/events, and all the ways Athens/Greeks blend and weave these things into an amazing tapestry! The stories were all fun, and we got some new book referrals that we downloaded to listen to throughout the rest of our trip (Heroes by Fry). It did start to rain, so we did split off a little early, but it was a lovely way to spend the morning!
Our philosophy walking tour with Vicky was absolutely excellent. The tour was not only very informative, but also engaging and exciting from start to finish. You could really tell how knowledgeable and passionate Vicky is about the city and its history. What we appreciated most was how personal and individual the tour felt. Vicky took the time to answer all of our questions in detail and adapted the tour to our interests, which created a very friendly and welcoming atmosphere. It really felt like exploring the city with someone who genuinely enjoys sharing their knowledge. Highly recommended!
This was the best tour we’ve ever had. Our tour leader’s knowledge of the history, politics and philosophy of ancient was better than that of any I’ve encountered. She was patient and thorough. The group size was perfect—we could hear her as we walked throughout ancient agora and Roma.
Vicky was a fantastic and very knowledgeable guide. Her stories brought the ancient sites to life, from the agora where Socrates and Plato discussed the good life to the cemetery where Pericles gave his famous speech. I would recommend to anyone with an interest in mythology/philosophy/ancient history!
The guide was great with a lot of interesting information and discussion on Ancient Athens. View of the acropolis at the end was spectacular
What a brilliant tour! So conversational and interesting. Brought Athens alive for us. Recommend!
We went on a wonderful walk with Vicky. She is an empathetic and wonderful person. You can really feel her enthusiasm for philosophy, and her knowledge has no end! She is considerate and wants to personalize the trip. We are very pleased
This was an exceptional guided tour. Our guide, Vicki, was amazing. She was so personable and knowledgeable. It was such a lovely tour. Peaceful stroll. Great conversation. Amazing facts. Knowledge transfer accomplished. I highly recommend! My husband and I really enjoyed this walking tour.
Our guide, Vicky, was very informative. It was nice to go on a tour about something different like philosophy as it relates to Greece.
This was an excellent tour. The guide was highly engaging, informative and great company. A first class experience
Thank you! Very knowledgable and engageing guide. She took the time with us to explain things we didnt understand and fill in the gaps. Grrat pace. Overal felt v.personal which was lovely. Thanks!
Individual Tour with lots of interesting informations taylored to our needs. Before and during the tour our tourguide Vicky gave us the oppurtunity to shape the topics and the specific route acoording to our needs. In our tour experience Vicky talked more about philosophs. She talked abot and discussed theories of the first philosphs like Heroklit and Demokrit as well as Sokrates, Platos and Aristoteles ideas, theories and opinions in democracies. Tank you Vicky for the insightful tour and the pleasant conversations
Friendly, passionate and very experienced in philosophy.
It is a wonderful tour. Vicky is a super attentive, pleasant, enthusiastic guide... we explored Athens for 3 hours, getting to know the most interesting places while reflecting on philosophy, politics, Greek mythology, and current society... Totally recommendable. Do not hesitate to hire her if you want to know the city of Athens from its deepest roots. It should be an essential requirement on any visit to Athens.
We spent wonderful and rich 3 hours together with Vicky: from Greek myth, gods, history to architecture, Socrates activity and the prison where he spent his last days - everything was in the tour of Athens!
Our guide Vicky was an extremely competent and very friendly tour guide. She responded to all our wishes and needs, answered all our questions competently and managed to tell interesting stories and bring history and philosophy to life. The tour is highly recommended to get background information on the historic cities.
The Ancient Athens Tour on Philosophy, History and Politics with Vicky is a three-hour, very dense tour in English that is perfectly understandable even without in-depth knowledge of Greek antiquity. Vicky combines impressive expertise with empathy and a fine sense of humor, and manages to not only explain history, but also bring it to life noticeably. Particularly pleasant is her clear, easy-to-understand language as well as her sense of atmosphere and context. In addition to historical insights, you will also receive valuable tips for your stay in Athens. In short: If in Athens, one should start with this tour, ideally with Vicky. Thanks for a very nice experience on this Boxing Day!
Monday through Friday 9 am to 7 pm EST
Reach us by phone
Reach us by email