Private Athens Walk: Ruins, Markets & Local Stories

We had a great private tour with Babis who is so knowledgeable about his home town of Athens. We started in the markets then walked through old Athens and Plaka finishing at the Acropolis museum. All the time Babis talked about the history of Athens, showed us old ruins, explained their timeline and pointed out the different architecture throughout the city. We even had a coffee stop at a rooftop restaurant with an incredible view over old Athens towards the Acropolis. I can definitely recommend this tour as part of your Athens experience

We had a fantastic tour last Tuesday 15th September with Babis. We thoroughly enjoyed learning/experiencing some of the old history, religious buildings, architecture, neighbourhoods and ruins of the city and experiencing the sights and smells of the many markets on offer. All brought to life by Babis, who’s knowledge was remarkable and really went the extra mile to show us more for his beautiful city. It was also a great tour to do on our first day, to find our bearings and gain a geography of all the landmarks. A welcome coffee break was included halfway through on a rooftop cafe overlooking Monastiraki Square, with great views of the Acropolis - a very nice touch. Thank you urban adventures and thank you Babis.

Our guide was very friendly and knowledgable. Babis taught us all about various kinds of architecture and really made history come alive for us. We ended up spending a few days with him on a bunch of different trips - he was really incredible!

Having George as our local guide was fantastic! Getting to a hidden away rooftop cafe to enjoy some Greek coffee and an incredible view was a highlight.

Had a great time with Babis strolling through Athens on a crisp Saturday morning! Friendly and full of great information and tidbits that really added to my experience. I was in town for a full 5 more days and always knew where I was thanks to this tour. Would highly recommend!

What an incredible way to experience Athens then AND now! Layers upon layers of culture to learn, and Babis made all the difference...with all his knowledge coupled with his personality & passion...what a GREAT experience never to be forgotten!!! P.S. Be sure to bring you best walking shoes ;) Thank you Urban Adventures and thank you, Babis!

The tour was fabulous. Babis was very knowledgeable and happy to answer all our questions. The pace was great and very varied. I loved the back streets and would never have found them without this tour. Thanks so much for a great introduction to Athens

I had an amazing morning in Athens. On this tour you will see Athens from a different and more local perspective. First we strolled through the beautiful markets in the city center. There you find amazing herbs and spices, a lot of nuts, handmade soaps, olives, olive oils and so much more. All local products of Greece where you can find unique gifts and souvenirs for a good price. Later we did a walk through the center and stopped on a view very beautiful churches and chapels. So much history in downtown that is easy to miss when you walk on your own. Then you stop for a greek coffee in the most beautiful rooftop with an amazing view of the city center and acropolis. Best.stop.ever! The tour continues through very small and hidden pathes with island flair. You pass beautiful old houses (the first houses in Athens) and street art. Our Guide George was super friendly and knowledgeable. He really likes to share the passion about his country. George is also very helpful with information what to do after the tour and were to go next. He also answers every question you have. Thank you so much for a great morning in Athens. Its the perfect way to start your visit in Athens.

We had a wonderful tour with Babis! He was so knowledgeable and friendly. We saw many different sites, streets, neighborhoods and markets. It was the perfect way to introduce us to Athens!

Great way to see the city and the markets babies was excellent have nothing but praise for him . We are a challenging group we had 3 adults a one year old and three year old

We spent a fantastic few hours walking with Babis and George through streets that were probably off the beaten track for most tourists. Babis’ knowledge of architecture, archaeology and Greek culture is phenomenal! He was very keen on our learning as much as possible while viewing ruins, open air markets and happily seeing a very historic Byzantine church. We enjoyed his company very much and would recommend this tour for all who like to learn and walk. George bought us a local pastry which was amazing, and the tour included a drink at a rooftop bar from which we could see the Acropolis. Babis took us to the museum but we had to make a choice in order to reach our ship on time, so we climbed to the Acropolis rather than go in the museum.

Had an amazing time exploring the backstreets and markets of Athens with Babis. He's passionate about his city and it really felt like we were wandering about with an old friend.

My friend and I had just a short time in Athens and joining this guided walking tour was a great choice for us. We saw many charming and interesting sites that we would never have discovered on our own. The highlight, however, was our wonderful guide Babis. He was incredibly knowledgable and is clearly passionate about helping visitors enjoy his city. He was even kind enough to give us some great advice on things to do and places to see which helped us enormously in planning how to spend our remaining time in Athens. Thanks, Babis!

It was a nice introduction to the city, it's history and an overview to help explore it further. I'd especially recommend it for people interested in history and architecture.

Lovely Tour! Our tour guide, Babis was lovely and gave us great insight throughout the whole tour around Athens. Would definitely recommend, it was a great way to spend a day in Athens!!

This was a wonderful introduction to Athens. Babis Pavlopoulos was special. His English was excellent. He was very personable, friendly and knowledgeable. Most of all, however, he really loves Athens and loves showing it. This tour is a must.

This was a lovely introduction to Athens. Babis was enthusiastic and knowledgeable and showed us fabulous historical sites and neighborhoods leading up to the Acropolis. We had a coffee break on a roof top overlooking the Acropolis.

Best Ending to Our Greece Trip! Our last day was a flex day, stay on one of the islands or come back to Athens. Our first chapter was in Athens and we saw so much potential we wanted to go back. Babis provided us with a Magical, goosbumb filled tour of Athens. His follow up in writing is such an addition to our Greece Story! Thank you Babis, all the best to you too!

This tour was a great introduction to Athens when you don't have a lot of time. The tour covered off the main attractions and less known areas of interest. Babis the tour director had an extensive knowledge of the history of Athens, its buildings, areas of interest and people which made the tour very interesting and informative. Thank you Babis.

During our Greek cruise, we scheduled the Ancient Athens Walking Tour. When we arrived at the meeting place, Babis was waiting for us. He was so kind and so informative. The tour was a mix of downtown markets, architectual history, new sections of Athens, residential beauty and a break at a rooftop coffee shop with spectacular views. We enjoyed every moment! We highly recommend this tour...you won't be disappointed!

My friend and I recently did the Ancient Athens Ruins and Markets tour and thought is was fabulous. Our tour guide, Babis, was exceptional. He is an Athens native and is so passionate about sharing his city with visitors, and he is incredibly knowledgeable about Athen's history and the current vibe of the city. This tour took us to places we never would have found on our own and we learned about Athens in an authentic way. I highly recommend this tour and I plan to keep Urban Adventures in mind when I am traveling in the future.

Excellent tour - guide was fantastic! Took us around at the right pace and gave us the relevant history! Would recommend for families with young children like us !

This was a fascinating walk around Athens. I got to see places I wouldn’t have come across on my own. Babis Pavlopoulos is an excellent tour guide. His knowledge and passion for Athens is obvious. He has a deep understanding of the history and culture of Greece. His trip was delivered clearly and with humor. He’s an excellent guide. I would happily go on another trip with Babis. Julie

I cannot imagine anyone but Nicoleta conducting this tour. She brought Athens alive with her little stories and anecdotes. Taking us through the markets and bylanes of the city, detailing out the culture & history, and giving us tips on where to eat and drink like the locals do, we would happily do this one again. Easy and comfortable pace. Highly recommend as an entry tour to familiarize oneself with the city

A very interesting and informative tour! We explored both ancient and modern Athens, seeing many constructions, from the ancient city walls to temples, alongside modern marketplaces, seeing the fresh produce, herbs and spices. We were told many interesting facts and were taught about the Athenian way of life by our tour guide Kalliopi, who was very friendly and well-informed.

In September, I went on an Urban Adventures walking tour around Athens. It was serendipitous that I would get found by (I got lost at the initial meeting place) and be the only one of the tour with the great but humble guide, Babis! Despite being the only one on a group tour Urban Adventures did not cancel! Babis was informative and patient in showing and explaining the ancient architecture and layered history while we walked all around Athens. My favourites was the seafood markets, antique market and the Agora forum on the way up to the Acropolis. Leisurely paced, Babis even waited for me while I got a hat as a souvenir in the flea market. Highly recommended tour if you’re going to visit Athens!

Fantastic tour around Athens with Theo who shared his great knowledge and wit. The tour gave you a taste of Athens in 3hours. Easy pace, and a stop half way for a drink. Theo had some great insights and knowledge of the history. Well worth and would recommend to do the tour early in your stay in Athens.

We were a small group of two but thoroughly enjoyed this tour! Our guide Kalliopi was well informed and very helpful! Great tour to get some local knowledge and historical background. She also took the time to recommend places of interest to us and local cuisine. Would highly recommend.

Absolutely amazing! Theo is full of knowledge including the amazing coffee spot mid tour! We had so many questions and Theo has an answer to all of them. He has so much knowledge and was the best tour guide we have had since we started travelling 6 weeks ago! Highly recommend this tour!

This tour was a great way to introduce us to Athens. We visited sites we would not have gone by ourselves, received inside information and had a great time doing so. Our guide Kalliopi was a delight, gave us all the information without feeling overwelmed, was very pleasant and kept us on schedule. This was our first time in Athens and we were so glad we took this tour. Thanks Kalliopi for introducing Athens to us in such a great way!

We first met the wonderful Nikoleta at the Square to start our day. We didn’t have any expectations and we were excited to find out that we were the only ones on the tour that day so we felt it would be more personal and we would not miss anything. I have to say this was one of the best times on our holiday. We felt like a local getting to see Athens with a local. The markets were incredible and to top everything off we loved the personal attention to the detail especially to make sure our daughter felt involved (not just there for the ride) was the best! As a family we felt Nikoleta was one of us, she is so attentive, and was friendly and I loved how she gave us all something to fall in love with in Athens! We look forward to visit again and even though we have done this tour I would do it again in a heartbeat even if it was just to socialize with Nikoleta. Thank you so much for showing us your beautiful city!

This is our first visit to Athens and we could not have had a better introduction to this fascinating city. Kalliopi was the perfect companion to our walking tour, sharing insights, experiences and places we would never have thought to visit without her. It’s the perfect way to see the city at the beginning of your holiday because the tour is so rich and varied that you are inspired to come back and spend more time exploring these otherwise hidden sites at your leisure. Not to be missed! Thank you. Nick and Deborah

Mr. Thodoris was a delight of a guide, he works extremely well with family environments. He was always enthusiastic and passionate about everything he explained throughout the tour. Walking around the National Monuments and sitting down in a cafe trying news foods was very neat, and especially the Changing of the National Gaurds. Mr. Thodoris being able to show us ways around Athens and Downtown Athens was very helpful, giving us many options, places, and restraunts, etc, to go to. Overall this tour was a great start to our adventure in Greece, me and my family enjoyed the tour and cant wait for many more with this company

Today we went on a markets and ruins tour and we had the best time! Nikoleta our guide was very knowledgeable about the history of Athens and Greece and took us to all the cute little markets (including vintage, souvenirs, meat, spices etc!) while explaining the history of the ruins we passed as we walked. She was happy for us to stop at shops or get a drink if needed!

As a regular Urban Adventures user, I looked forward to this tour of Athens and was not disappointed. Nikoleta was an excellent guide, showing us places we would not have found on our own, taking the time to explain things and answer questions and even varying the tour to make sure we saw things we were interested in. It provided a good overview and we could then go back to areas later in our trip that we were more interested in.

Vicki Stergiopoulou was a very friendly and knowledgeable guide. We saw some interesting places around central Athens that we wouldn't have found on our own, such as the fish market and the colourful fruit and vegetable market. Also we visited the fascinating antique and junk stalls. Vicki shared her knowledge as we visited the Ancient Agora and Hadrians library and other historical sights. It was a very colourful and interesting walking tour, taken at a pace suitable for the heat, with a coffee stop included. Vicki also shared her insights of living in Athens today. A highly recommended tour.

We met our lovely guide, Vasiliki Stergiopoulou, on our first morning in Athens. She was charming, knowledgable and great fun. The tour was the perfect way to get a feel for the city in terms of geography, history and cultural context. Very highly recommended!

We had a great morning with our guide Nikoleta! Athens was just another big city until we spent a few hours with her. We walked some of the local neighbourhoods, saw where the best food is sourced and had a great coffee with amazing Acropolis views.

We had a great time walking through the markets, and various locations in Athens. We ended up outside the Acropolis and went in after the tour. Evelina was enthusiastic and knowledgable in both historical and I was specially glad to hear about present topics. Evelina also had a lot of great recommendations and got to we check some out after the tour. Thank you Evelina!

we've been going around Athens for hours, walked (a lot), test food, and learned a lot of news things. I'm thanks-full to our guide, Evelina who have done an incredible job despite our turbulent group, she managed to please to everyone. I highly recommend this tour if you guys wanna know more about Athens, Athenians, the food and the culture etc ...