Athens Highlights: Explore Acropolis, Temple of Poseidon & Greek Cuisine

On your arrival at Athens Airport (or Piraeus port) you will be met and transferred to the selected hotel. Athens has an array of amazing hotels, and this package has the cream of the crop. In the afternoon, depart for a half-day trip full of images and breathtaking views. Begin your Sounio tour with a wonderful drive along the scenic coastal road with a splendid view of the Saronic Gulf, passing through some of Athens most beautiful suburbs (Glyfada, Vouliagmeni and Varkiza) and idyllic beaches. As you approach Cape Sounion, one of Greece’s most photographed monuments, it rises like a sheer cliff out of the sea. At  Cape Sounio you will visit the 5th century B.C. Temple of Poseidon with one of the most breathtaking panoramic views in the world. Discover Greece beyond Athens, enjoy stunning views and world-famous Greek ruins before returning to your hotel.Overnight in Athens.

After breakfast you check out (you can leave your luggage at the hotel). And then your tour begins. From the Acropolis to Omonia Square, with the half-day sightseeing and Acropolis museum tour you'll see all the famous sites of ancient and modern Athens. Begin the tour with a photo stop at Panathinaiko Stadium where the first Olympic Games took place in 1896. It is the only stadium built out of white marble. Proceed, passing by Zappeion and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. You will then pass the Athens Trilogy which includes the University of Athens, the Academy of Athens, and the National Library. Continue passing by National Garden, Hadrian’s Arc, St. Paul’s Church, Parliament, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Schliemann’s House (Numismatic Museum), Catholic Cathedral,  Old Parliament, Constitution Square, Russian Orthodox Church, and finally Acropolis (visit Propylae the gateway, Temple of Athena Nike, Parthenon, Erechtheion with its Porch of Maidens). Stroll up to the UNESCO-listed site that served as the ancient citadel, and tour the buildings as you hear how they reflected Athens’ prosperity in the 5th century BC. Continue the expert-guided Athens tour with a pleasant short walk passing by Herodion and Dionysos Theater, in order to visit the  Acropolis Museum. Avoid and skip the lines of the new museum. Main attractions such as votives, artefacts of everyday life, statues from the archaic period, Caryatids, and of course the Parthenon Hall with the metopes, the pediments and the frieze will impress you. In the afternoon transfer to Athens airport and flight back. Approx. arrival time at the airport is 16:00 pm. Book your travel arrangements accordingly, or book an additional night in Athens (not included).