Pick up from your accommodation in Athens, or your cruise ship pier at Piraeus port. We will drive along the coastal road of Saronic Gulf to enjoy the Piraeus and Athens riviera.
The greatest and finest sanctuary of ancient Athens, dedicated primarily to its patron, the goddess Athena, dominates the centre of the modern city from the rocky crag known as the Acropolis. The most celebrated myths of ancient Athens, its greatest religious festivals, earliest cults and several decisive events in the city's history are all connected to this sacred precinct. The monuments of the Acropolis stand in harmony with their natural setting. These unique masterpieces of ancient architecture combine different orders and styles of Classical art in a most innovative manner and have influenced art and culture for many centuries. The Acropolis of the fifth century BC is the most accurate reflection of the splendor, power and wealth of Athens at its greatest peak, the golden age of Pericles.
It is located just to the right of the exit of the Acropolis. Also known as the “Hill of Ares”. In classical times, this was the site of the Council of Nobles and the Judicial Court, which mainly dealt with homicide. It is said that Ares was tried here by the Gods for the murder of Alirrothios, one of the sons of Poseidon. Another trial said to have taken place here was that of Orestes who was alleged to have killed his mother Clytemnestra, and her lover. In preclassical times, the Areopagus was where the council of the elders of the city would meet. The members were actually those who were held in high regard in public office. In 480 BC, the hill was used as a campsite by the Persians, when they were undertaking their siege of the Acropolis. It was also at the Areopagus that Saint Paul preached the famous “Sermon on an Unknown God”, apparently after seeing an altar to the “Unknown God”. This speech is commemorated with a bronze plaque that you can see at the foot of the rock.
The Propylaea of the Athenian Acropolis were built on the west side of the hill, where the gate of the Mycenaean fortification once stood. The first propylon, or gate, was constructed in the age of Peisistratos (mid-sixth century BC), after the Acropolis had become a sanctuary dedicated to Athena. A new propylon, built in 510-480 BC, was destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC and repaired after the end of the Persian Wars, during the fortification of the Acropolis by Themistokles and Kimon. The monumental Propylaia admired by modern visitors were part of the great Periklean building program. They were erected in 437-432 BC, after the completion of the Parthenon, by architect Mnesikles. The original building plan was particularly daring both in architectural and artistic terms, but was never completed.
The temple of Athena Nike, designed by the architect Kallikrates, was built between 426 and 421 BC on a bastion at the southwestern edge of the Acropolis. The small Ionic temple had a relief-carved frieze with different thematic representations on each side. On the east was shown a gathering of gods around the enthroned Zeus, while the other sides presented scenes of war between Greeks and Persians or Greeks with other Greeks. The south side depicted the victorious battle of the Greeks against the Persians at Marathon in 490 BC, led by the Athenians. Few sculptural remains are preserved from the temple’s pediments. It is believed the west pediment depicted the victory of the Olympian gods against the Giants (Gigantomachy), while the east depicted the victory of the Athenians against the Amazons (Amazonomachy). Around 410 BC, a marble parapet, adorned with carved reliefs, was installed around the dangerous edge of the temple’s bastion for the protection of visitors.
Parthenon; Temple that dominates the hill of the Acropolis at Athens. Built in the mid-5th century BCE and dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena Parthenos. The temple is generally considered to be the culmination of the development of the Doric order, the simplest of the three Classical Greek architectural orders. It was part of a magnificent rebuilding program directed by the Athenian statesman Pericles, following the sack of the Acropolis during the Greco-Persian Wars (492–449 BCE). The project was to include, among other things, the Propylaea, the gateway to the sacred precinct; the Erechtheum, a shrine to the agricultural deities, especially Erichthonius; and the Temple of Athena Nike, an architectural symbol of the harmony with which the Dorian and Ionian peoples lived under the government of Athens.The Parthenon was to be the chief shrine to Athena and also the treasury of the Delian League, a confederacy of ancient Greek states under the leadership of Athens, founded in 478 BCE.
On the high stylobate of the south porch of the Erechtheion are six maidens, who take the place of columns in supporting the entablature. Now severely weathered and affected by pollution, five of the caryatids were removed to the Acropolis Museum in 1978 and replaced with replicas. The other figure (the second from the left in the first row of four) was appropriated by Lord Elgin, who, between 1801 and 1805, removed about half of the surviving sculptures from the fallen ruins of the Acropolis and from the Parthenon, itself. They were acquired by the British Museum in 1816 and put on public display the following year. Between 1937 and 1938, even the caryatid you can find in the British Museum in London, which certainly is in better condition than its sisters, was damaged when masons abraded the surface (as well as that of some of the Parthenon sculptures) in a misguided and unauthorized attempt to brighten them for the opening of the new gallery in which they were to be displayed.
After our visit at Acropolis ,you will visit the Ancient Agora, 20 min travel. The ancient Agora of Athens is the best-known example of an ancient Greek agora, located to the northwest of the Acropolis and bounded on the south by the hill of the Areopagus and on the west by the hill known as the Agoraios Kolonos, also called Market Hill. The word "agora" applies to an assembly of people and by extension marks the gathering place. In modern Greek, the term means "marketplace". Just about every ancient and modern city includes a place for an agora, and the Agora of Athens is located at the heart of the city, remaining in use either as an assembly, as a commercial, or as a residential area for about 5000 years. Consequently, the area has undergone countless building, destruction, and rebuilding cycles. Today these strata of history have been distilled through excavations to expose the Agora's important functions from Archaic to Greco-Roman and Byzantine times.
Admire the travel along the coastal road of the Saronic golf till we will arrive at the famous Corinth canal in Peloponnese. The Peloponnese is a peninsula and geographic region in southern Greece. It is connected to the central part of the country by the Isthmus of Corinth land bridge which separates the Gulf of Corinth from the Saronic Gulf. Peloponnese grape varieties have a very special place in the treasure of native Greek grape varieties. Τhe Peloponnese Wine Roads take you on a journey to a modern, sometimes rare and definitely unknown to many wine world, full of authenticity and history. Native Peloponnese grape varieties do not only reflect the diversity of Greek and Peloponnesian wine, but also the significance of some very special Greek varieties. Among them are two of the four most renowned varieties of the Greek vineyard in the world’s best markets: the exotic Moschofilero-Mantinia and the captivating Agiorgitiko-Nemea. Moreover, Mavrodafni is known for the popular dessert
The Corinth Canal is a waterway that crosses the narrow isthmus of Corinth to link the Gulf of Corinth to the Saronic Gulf. As such, the canal separates the Greek mainland from the Peloponnese, turning it into an island. It is an important navigational route that once allowed ships to enter the Aegean Sea. Dug through the isthmus at sea level, the canal is 6.4 kilometers long with a width of only 25 meters. The canal, though executed in the late 19th century, has been a 2000-year-old dream. Before that, ships in the Aegean Sea that wanted to cross to the Adriatic or anchor in Corinth, a rich shipping city, had to circle the Peloponnese, which would prolong their journey an extra 185 nautical miles. It is believed that Periander, the tyrant of Corinth (602 BC), was the first to conceive of the idea of digging the Corinth Canal. As the project was too complicated, Periander constructed the diolkós, a stone road that allowed ships to be transferred on wheeled platforms.
It is time now for lunch. Free time for lunch in a traditional restaurant in Ancient Corinth to experience a food tour in the Greek cusine.Not included in the prise.
After our visit at Corinth canal we will be traveling approx 20 min to reach ancient Corinth. Ancient Corinth was first inhabited in the Neolithic period (6500-3250 B.C.) Its fertile soil but mainly its strategic location at the intersection of land routes from the Balkan peninsula of Aimos and mainland Greece on towards the Peloponnese and waterways that connect the western Mediterranean to its Eastern counterpart, to Asia Minor and to Syro-Palestine, offered the region from very early on enormous potential for communication, growth and prosperity. The city, known since the Mycenaean period. The tremendous output of agricultural products, already in earlier historical periods, favored intense expansion in trade activities mainly towards the Western Mediterranean, while in the 8th century BC Corinthian colonies were founded, like Corfu in the Ionian Sea, Syracuse in Sicily, with an important role in the history of the ancient Mediterranean world.
Our tour ends by dropping you off at the same spot we have picked you up in Athens or at Piraeus cruise port.
Mike was knowledgeable and he shared all that with us. The sites of Athens were great. Only knock was traffic caused us much time in car and less sites. Not the guide’s fault but tourists should understand.
Michael did a very nice job driving us around and getting us to where we needed to be as well as staying on schedule. He was very friendly and professional and we had a good time. My only disappointment was that we signed up for the biblical footsteps of Paul and although Michael was knowledgeable and shared a lot with us in the car on the way to each location, however he did not walk us into the site and bring us around the specific locations within each historical site, he dropped us off at the entrance to each location and was not licensed to give us a more specific on-site tour. We would’ve asked about this sooner if we had we had any idea that this was not included.
To follow in the footsteps of Paul, was such an amazing thing to do to deepen our faith. Our tour driver/leader was an expert at maneuvering through Athenian traffic and he was funny, but I wish he was a guide so he could tell us a little more about what we were looking at. Still, we did get to see where a crucial turning point in Paul’s mission took place. That is incredible!
Nikolas was friendly and prompt. He showed us where he would meet us after dropping us off at each location. As we had no physical tour guide, we had to rely on audio tours, which uses a different route than the QR codes at Ancient Corinth. We also took the wrong route while in the Agora than our audio tour. Too bad the drivers cannot also be tour guides at each location. That would make things simpler and another person wouldn’t be needed. As this was already an expensive tour, I didn’t want to spend more for a separate paid Viator tour guide.
We had a fantastic experience with this tour company. From the beginning, their team responded quickly and helpfully to all our emails and questions, which made the whole booking process smooth and stress-free. Our driver was excellent—friendly, professional, and incredibly knowledgeable about both Athens and Corinth. He shared great insights into the historical sites we visited and explained how they fit into the broader story of Greek history, which really brought everything to life. Overall, a very well-organised and informative tour. Highly recommended
Our guide was amazing. She tied in the tour with specific Bible passages. I did not expect to learn so much about the culture at the time of Apostle Paul, in addition to just seeing historical sites that pertained to him. Our driver was also helpful at providing information about modern day Greece. I would highly recommend!
We truly enjoyed our tour. We opted to get a private English speaking tour guide and it was definitely worth it. Our tour guide Danai is an archeologist by profession and her knowledge of Greek and Religious history was impressive and enlightening. She was both friendly and personable, we enjoyed our time with her. Our driver Spyros was also friend and attentive, making sure we had water throughout our day. I would highly recommend this tour and would request Danai and Spyros for an enjoyable experience. The local agency provided excellent customer service and responded quickly to any questions. Overall a very pleasant experience.
Michael was awesome…we had a wonderful day visiting the Acropolis and following the in the footsteps of Paul in Corinth.
Our experience was the best tour we have had so far on our Europe trip through the Mediterranean! Petros was an amazing driver and very kind and knowledgeable. Use this tour company if you can
Our driver, Michael, was wonderful, and the car very comfortable. I understand the comments from people who say it may be worthwhile to spend more to get a guide who can accompany you through the sites, but Micheal did a good job explaining everything before dropping us off at each place. We had a toddler with us, and he was very accommodating and flexible. Also, it was over 100 degrees that day, but he made sure the car was cool every time we got back to it.
The driver was safe and accommodating. The guide was knowledgeable and friendly. The sites were amazing, history felt alive!
Our guide , Yanni, was fantastic. He was a great source of information and we had an awesome time following footsteps of Paul. Yanni was so informative and patient and sprinkled in humor and local lore. We made a new friend in Greece! Highlight of our Greek-Croatia cruise. Highly recommend!!!
It was a full day, beginning in Athens for the first half of the day and traveling to Corinth for the second half of the day. George, our driver, was knowledgeable and super friendly. Great day, great tour.
We had an exceptional experience with Athens Tours Greece on November 20, 2024. Our tour guide was a state-licensed guide with a degree in archaeology and was very knowledgeable about ancient Greece and the establishment of the Christian church in Athens and Corinth. We highly recommend an upgrade for a state-licensed guide so they can walk through the sites with you to explain the site as you are experiencing it. The guide and driver provided an interesting and well-organized tour. They ensured the tour stayed on schedule, provided meal breaks and rest stops, and offered great suggestions for avoiding crowds at key sites. Highly recommend!
Athens, Greece,: where the awe-inspiring Acropolis Hill stole the show, closely followed by its stunning sidekick, the Parthenon. Our travels took us from Athens to Corinth, visiting the ruins and the Corinth Canal, retracing the steps of Apostle Paul. Fotus was our tour guide. He did a fantastic job!
OK! So to start I have to say that we booked this tour with a driver only not a guide at the sites. Which if you have the money for both do it! I would have loved an actual tour guide. Most other countries I can hire one on the spot. Not so in Greece they have to be licensed. So book everything ahead of time. Second, we had one day before our tour to explore. We stayed at a hotel in Plaka. Which was cool but because we had a whole day to walk around the coolest part of Athens (other than the archeological sites) we say many of the things on our tour the following day. SOOOOO I say that to say this. I would have 100% wanted a walking guide with me on our day in Athens. To further explore the sites, understand its significance and much more. However don't ditch your drive because he took us all around Athens showed us the city and was a wealth of knowledge. Lunch was awesome and that alone was worth paying for a driver. Corinth was very nice and was awesome. Once again a tour guide would have been ideal. All in all it was great I 100% recommend this company and their tours.
This tour was a lot of fun. We enjoyed seeing the sites were Paul had been especially Corinth. The air conditioned car made things so much easier than places where we've tried to get there on our own. The driver Theodoro was very knowledgeable and helpful. All of us enjoyed this tour very much
We had such an amazing time while visiting Athens / Corinth. We had an amazing driver that shared a lot of information with us. He went way above and beyond, taking us to places that we didn't even realize that we were going to visit. He filled the whole time and was willing to do more than expected. I would highly recommend this tour / company to anyone visiting Athens. They communicated through email and our driver was there at Piraeus port when we got off the ship.
This was the perfect tour for us to experience Athens in the short time we had post cruise. We arranged for pickup at the cruise terminal in Athens. Our driver was prompt and courteous throughout the day. The car was newer, clean and comfortable. We were able to experience all the highlights of Athens as well as see the ancient city of Corinth. We also arranged drop-off at our hotel at the end of the day. We are so glad we chose this tour and would highly recommend Athens Tours Greece.
We took a private tour which was not too expensive. The driver was courteous and very informative. He changed the schedule to meet our requests and was able to make stops for drinks. The driver spoke English very well and was able to explain how culture was different in the various time periods. He took us to a local restaurant and made sure the staff treated us very well. The only negative was there was not enough time to see everything on the list of sites. We spent a lot of time in Corinth in the morning but could not see as many sites in Athens. Fortunately we had an extra day for us to visit places on our own.
It was about the history for us and we learned so much. Peter, our host, was excellent and answered our many questions.
We made a last minute enquiry for a private tour of Athens and Corinth in the Footsteps of Apostle Paul and the the rep who looked into our enquiry, Asimina gave us a prompt and professional response assisting with all our enquiries and was also patient with us in deciding whether to proceed or not. We are glad that we decided to proceed as our tour guide and "geography teacher 😊" Christos, made the tour a billion dollar more pleasant, with the level of knowledge and the tailor made itinerary we worked with. We couldn't have asked for more. Thank you Christos! and thanks to the team at large. Michael & Bisi.
I read many recommendations for renting a car and driving ourselves on excursions in Greece and I’m so glad that we did NOT do that! Having a local driver was essential for us. However, I did not realize that I needed to hire an additional guide if I wanted someone to educate me at each stop. Our driver was very nice, polite, and friendly. He did share some limited information at each stop, but we had to go online for the bulk of it. That being said, I’m very happy to have had a driver to navigate the area for us!
This was a very fun and informative day! Our tour guide picked us up at the Athens port, and we were off. We saw the major sites in Athens (Acropolis, Mars Hill, Parthenon, Diana’s temple, etc) with plenty of time to wander through each. Then we were off to Corinth - we saw the Corinth Canal and our driver told us the history of the canal. After that we hit ancient Corinth. First stop was Aquila and Pricilla’s homesite which is now home to a church, and then the the ancient city. They have a lot of ruins, and a really nice museum. After that we checked out the castle on the hill overlooking Corinth. It was a good, full day and well worth the price
Logistics of the PT Footsteps of Paul tour were well organized: hotel, transportation including air conditioned bus, cruise ship, and taxi to the airport. Less than 1/2 of the daily tour guides spoke openly about faith-only gave historical information. Of the two guides identifying as believers, one was well versed in, and taught helpful Biblical context and cultural insights. A vacationing pastor in the group fortunately filled in some gaps but relayed he “came to learn and not be the ‘expert’”. Considering 1% of the population of Greece are born again believers, it is understandable biblically educated tour guides must be a rarity, however, PT might want to provide written material for tour groups to compensate for the expectation of biblical context in addition to historical. Would recommend PT but suggest you do your biblical research prior to arrival.
Panos was wonderful! On time, easy going, friendly, and very informative. I asked to stop at the Corinth Canal and bungee jump and he was so great! He took photos and cheered me on. The tour was fantastic and seeing where Paul began was wonderful. Athens was a fun and cool car ride.
Worth the price! I couldn't have imagined being able to see all the sites in Athens in the amount of time we had without using Athens Tours. We had 2 1/2 days in Athens before we visited some islands and this tour was phenomenal! Our specialist was Giorgos, and he was so knowledgeable about all of the areas we visited. He made sure that we hit all of the areas in Athens as well as Corinth, I feel like he went above and beyond giving us a better view of Athens as a city and Greece as a country. He also recommended some amazing places for the Greek islands we were visiting! We were 3 ladies traveling alone in a foreign country, and on our first night walking in the city we got lost. Once we told him this the latter part of our tour he made sure we knew how to walk back to our hotel from various parts of town. He pointed out landmarks and streets so we knew how to get back, Google walking maps aren't great here, so this was SO beneficial to us! I would HIGHLY recommend this company to anyone I know traveling to Greece.
George was great. Knowledgeable and was able to cater the tour for our needs and the fact that it was Good Friday and opening hours were different for some of the sites. Would highly recommend this company.
The driver (Chris) and guide (Helen) arrived promptly on schedule for our pick-up. Helen (our guide) was knowledgeable and was able to provide excellent information at each site - answered all our questions and gave great perspectives on the features and history of each location. She was clear in her communication and allowed us time to enjoy the sites and get good photographs. We did not feel rushed in our tour - perhaps the fact that it was off season (February) allowed us more time with fewer other visitors to contend with. I would recommend Athens Tours Greece and Helen to my friends for future tours of Greece.
<p>I was excited and looking forward to this tour to learn more about where Paul walked through Athens and Ancient Corinth, but was disappointed after being dropped off at several locations like the Acropolis, Mars Hill and Corinth Canal, to explore by ourselves. Our tour guide was David and he did an ok job. When I pay for a guided tour I would like to be guided and not just driven around and dropped off. He did give us some informative information while driving to the destination but I expected to hear more information and history while being shown what I am looking at. Overall we enjoyed the tour but felt it could have been a lot more fun and interesting to hear fact and stories of where Paul walked.</p>
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