Athens Shore Excursion: Private City Tour and Cape Sounion Trip

Combine city sights, Greek history and sublime coastal scenery on this full-day Athens shore excursion led by a private guide. After your cruise ship docks at Piraeus Port, set off by luxury minivan on a city sightseeing tour, seeing top Athens attractions like the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Syntagma Square. While hearing Ancient Greek history from your guide, travel to Cape Sounion on the southernmost tip of the Attic Peninsula to see the Temple of Poseidon.

The Temple of Olympian Zeus, also known as the Olympieion or Columns of the Olympian Zeus, is a former colossal temple at the center of the Greece capital Athens. It was dedicated to “Olympian” Zeus, a name originating from his position as head of the Olympian gods. Construction began in the 6th century BC during the rule of the Athenian tyrants, who envisaged building the greatest temple in the ancient world, but it was not completed until the reign of the Roman Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century AD, some 638 years after the project had begun. During the Roman period the temple -that included 104 colossal columns- was renowned as the largest temple in Greece and housed one of the largest cult statues in the ancient world.

The Academy of Athens is Greece’s national academy, and the highest research establishment in the country. It was established in 1926, and operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Education. The Academy’s main building is one of the major landmarks of Athens.

The University of Athens was founded on May 3, 1837, by King Otto of Greece (in Greek, Othon) and was named in his honour Othonian University. It was the first university in the liberated Greek state and in the surrounding area of Southeast Europe as well. It was also the second academic institution after the Ionian Academy. This fledgling university consisted of four faculties; Theology, Law, Medicine and Arts (which included applied sciences and mathematics). During its first year of operation, the institution was staffed by 33 professors, while courses were attended by 52 students and 75 non-matriculated “auditors”.

It was first housed in the residence of architects Stamatios Kleanthis and Eduard Schaubert, on the north slope of the Acropolis, in Plaka, which now houses the Museum of the University. In November 1841 the university relocated on the Central Building of the University of Athens, a building designed by Danish architect Christian Hansen. He followed a neoclassical approach, “combining the monument’s magnificence with a human scale simplicity” and gave the building its H-shape. The building was decorated by painter Carl Rahl, forming the famous “architectural trilogy of Athens”, together with the building of the National Library of Greece (left of the university) and the building of the Athens Academy (right of the university). Construction began in 1839 in a location to the north of the Acropolis. Its front wing, also known as the Propylaea, was completed in 1842–1843. The rest of the wings’ construction, that was supervised at first by Greek architect Lysandros Kaftantzoglou and later by his colleague Anastasios Theofilas, was completed in 1864. The building is nowadays part of what is called the “Athenian Neoclassical Trilogy”

The Arch of Hadrian, most commonly known in Greek as Hadrian’s Gate, is a monumental gateway resembling – in some respects – a Roman triumphal arch. It spanned an ancient road from the center of Athens, Greece, to the complex of structures on the eastern side of the city that included the Temple of Olympian Zeus. It has been proposed that the arch was built to celebrate the adventus (arrival) of the Roman Emperor Hadrian and to honor him for his many benefactions to the city, on the occasion of the dedication of the nearby temple complex in 131 or 132 AD.[1] It is not certain who commissioned the arch, although it is probable that the citizens of Athens or another Greek group were responsible for its construction and design. There were two inscriptions on the arch, facing in opposite directions, naming both Theseus and Hadrian as founders of Athens. While it is clear that the inscriptions honor Hadrian, it is uncertain whether they refer to the city as a whole or to the city in two parts: one old and one new. The early idea, however, that the arch marked the line of the ancient city wall, and thus the division between the old and the new regions of the city, has been shown to be false by further excavation.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a war memorial located in Syntagma Square in Athens, in front of the Old Royal Palace. It is a cenotaph dedicated to the Greek soldiers killed during war. It was sculpted between 1930 and 1932 by sculptor Fokion Rok.

The tomb is guarded by the Evzones of the Presidential Guard.

The Panathenaic Stadium or Kallimarmaro ( [kaliˈmarmaro], meaning “beautiful marble”) is a multi-purpose stadium in Athens, Greece. One of the main historic attractions of Athens,it is the only stadium in the world built entirely of marble.

A stadium was built on the site of a simple racecourse by the Athenian statesman Lykourgos (Lycurgus) c. 330 BC, primarily for the Panathenaic Games. It was rebuilt in marble by Herodes Atticus, an Athenian Roman senator, by 144 AD and had a capacity of 50,000 seats. After the rise of Christianity in the 4th century it was largely abandoned. The stadium was excavated in 1869 and hosted the Zappas Olympics in 1870 and 1875. After being refurbished, it hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the first modern Olympics in 1896 and was the venue for 4 of the 9 contested sports. It was used for various purposes in the 20th century and was once again used as an Olympic venue in 2004. It is the finishing point for the annual Athens Classic Marathon.It is also the last venue in Greece from where the Olympic flame handover ceremony to the host nation takes place.

The temple of Poseidon is the main attraction of this tour.The original, Archaic-period temple of Poseidon on the site, which was built of tufa, was probably destroyed in 480 BC by Persian troops during Xerxes I’s invasion of Greece. Although there is no direct evidence for Sounion, Xerxes certainly had the temple of Athena and everything else on the Acropolis of Athens, razed as punishment for the Athenians’ defiance.After they defeated Xerxes in the naval Battle of Salamis, the Athenians placed an entire captured enemy trireme (warship with three banks of oars) at Sounion as a trophy dedicated to Poseidon.

The temple of Poseidon at Sounion was constructed in 444–440 BC. This was during the ascendancy of the Athenian statesman Pericles, who also rebuilt the Parthenon in Athens. It was built on the ruins of a temple dating from the Archaic period.

In close distance to the temple there is a coffee and snacks place where you can buy your refreshments and snacks after the tour.

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
• At time of booking, cruise ship passengers must provide the following details under Special Requirements: Ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time
• Please also enter your preferred pickup time in the Special Requirements box at the time of booking, and reconfirm 48 hours prior to the tour’s departure time
• Children who do not occupy a seat are free of charge. Children who occupy a seat and are up to 11 years old, benefit from a discount

• Option 1
  Add
  Pickup included

• Transport by private vehicle and professional driver
• Professional guide
• Worry-Free Shore Excursion Guarantee
• Port pickup and drop-off

• Food and drinks
• Entrance fees to the Temple of Poseidon (8 euros)

Trending Athens Nearby Tours Likely To Sell Out

• If your Cruise details have changed from the original details advised please contact Achtypis Tours either:
• Email: info@achtypistours.gr
• Locally on 26 210 26 301
• Internationally on +30 26 210 26 301
• If you have not already specified, you MUST advise supplier your Ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and departure time within 3 days of booking if possible, so that appropriate arrangements can be made:
• Email: info@achtypistours.gr
• Locally on 26 210 26 301
• Internationally on +30 26 210 26 301

If you do not contact the local supplier in due time before your activity to arrange a departure time, your guide and transportation will be waiting at specified meeting point half an hour after the indicated by you (in the booking form) disembarkation time. In this case guide/vehicle in service will be standing-by at meeting point, no longer than 1 hr 15min after your disembarkation time (after this time frame client will be considered as “non show” and staff will leave).

Opening hours are:

09:00 – 14:00 Monday to Friday

This operator requires you to contact them directly prior to this tour/activity.

Please be advised..

• This Tour is Provided by Achtypis Tours.
• Tour Timezone & Starts at Europe/Athens.
• Mobile or paper ticket accepted.
• All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
• This Tour is Rated 5 Stars based on 4 valid reviews on VIATOR.
• Minimum 1 Travelers is required to book.
• Maximum 15 Travelers is accepted for booking.