Classical Athens was a powerful city-state and therefore was a center for the arts, learning and philosophy. Near the Agora was Plato's Academy and Aristotle's Lyceum. Athens was the birthplace of Socrates, Pericles, Sophocles and many other prominent philosophers, writers and politicians of the ancient world. It is considered the cradle of Western Civilization and the birthplace of democracy, largely due to the impact of its cultural and political achievements during the 5th and 4th centuries B.C.

After meeting your professionally trained and licensed guide on the pier, you will depart for the center of Athens, approximately 30 minutes drive from the pier. You will visit the Acropolis of Athens. This monument is recognized as the culmination of Greek architecture, art and sculpture. In the second half of the fifth century B.C., Athens, following the victory against the Persians and the establishment of democracy, took a leading position amongst the other city-states of the ancient world. As thought and art flourished, an exceptional group of artists under the guidance of Athenian statesman Pericles and the sculptor Pheidias, set out on a ambitious plan to transform the rocky hill of the Acropolis into a unique monument to thought and the arts. You will view The Parthenon, constructed between 447-432 B.C. as the focus of the Acropolis building complex. Dedicated to the goddess Athena Pallas or Parthenos (virgin), it’s main function was to shelter the monumental statue of Athena that was made out of gold and ivory. You will see the Erechtheon, started in 420 B.C. as a temple for religious rituals, the Propylaea, the monumental entrance to the Acropolis which blends Doric and Ionic building principles, and the small temple Athena Nike, which stands on a protruding mass of rock, protecting the gate to the citadel.

You will then drive to the new Acropolis Museum located nearby in the shadow of the Acropolis. Among its many important exhibits are the original Caryatids (female sculptures acting as columns of the Erechtheum Temple), the Parthenon Gallery with the inner frieze, outer metopes and pediments of the temple and the statue of Artemis by Praxitelis.

The city also retains a variety of Roman and Byzantine monuments, as well as several Ottoman monuments projecting the city's long history and influences. Landmarks from the establishment of the independent Greek state (1830), include the Hellenic Parliament and the Athen's Trilogy consisting of the National Library of Greece, the Athens University and the Academy of Athens. During your orientation drive, you will also view the Temple of Zeus, see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the former Royal Palace which is now the House of Parliament. Next, you will proceed to the Panathenian Olympic Stadium where the first modern Olympic Games were held in 1896.

After a short photo stop at the Olympic Stadium, you will drive to a one-of-a-kind restaurant which serves food typical of ancient Greece. Taken from recipes found in ancient Greek writings, your meal will consist of dishes based on what was available to the early people from hunting, fishing and agriculture. There are no dishes with potatoes, tomatoes, lemon, rice or sugar, simply because these ingredients did not exist in Ancient Greece. As the first report of the fork as an eating utensil dates back to only the 11th-century A.D., don't be looking for one on this table. Luckily, the ancients did use spoons and knives.

After lunch, visit the National Archaeology Museum of Athens, considered one of the most important archeological museums in the world. The museum is home to antiquities from all around the country with some that date back to 6,800-3,000 B.C. There are famous sculptures and statues as well as an impressive collection of frescoes retrieved from Santorini's Akrotiri site. After the visit to the museum, you will be returned to the port.

?? Please Note: The Acropolis Museum is closed on Mondays. Therefore more time will be spent at the Archeological Museum on Mondays.

In winter months, tour itinerary may be altered due to opening times at the sites and limited daylight. Due to traffic conditions, the order in which sites are seen may be changedTours on Sunday require a supplement for guides and driver.