Athens Trip Overview
This tour is especially designed to combine the Jewish religion with the classical antiquity. It is tailored for the Jewish people who seek to get acquainted with the local Jewish community and it’s activity in Greece,but at the same time admire the most well known archaeological sites of the city.
Additional Info
Duration: 8 hours
Starts: Athens, Greece
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Historical & Heritage Tours
Explore Athens Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Athens, Attica, Greece
This tour is especially designed to combine the Jewish religion with the classical antiquity. It is tailored for the Jewish people who seek to get acquainted with the local Jewish community and it’s activity in Greece,but at the same time admire the most well known archaeological sites of the city.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Acropolis, Via Dionysiou Areopagitou Str., Athens 105 58 Greece
Make a start with a visit of Greece’s most significant ancient site, the Acropolis hill in Athens. Located in the middle of the modern city, the beautifully shaped ‘sacred rock’ proudly displays a set of marble monuments that express their endless, universal value. With a history spanning 25 centuries, these outstanding monuments have been traditionally associated with the ideals of democracy, the development of philosophy and architecture and the practice of ancient religion. Enjoy a well-paced guided walk uphill to admire the elegance of the temple of Athena Nike and the grand scale of the Propylaea marble entrance, as you contemplate in the adjacent picturesque hills of Philoppapos, Pnyx and the Areopagus. Reach the top of the hill to discover the astonishing size and architecture of the Parthenon, the most reputed temple of the Greek antiquity, dedicated to goddess Athena. Admire the Erechtheion with its graceful statues, the Caryatids, and its refined ionic pillars. Gaze at the infinite modern city from the hilltop, stretching between low mountains and the Aegean Sea. Explore all sides for panoramic views of the historical quarters of Plaka and Monastiraki, the highest hill of Athens (Lycabettus) as well as the ancient Theater of Dionysus, the imposing pillars of the temple of Zeus and the world-famous Odeon of Herodes Atticus (Herodion) at the foot of the Acropolis hill.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Stop At: The Jewish Museum of Greece, 39 Nikis str., Athens 105 57 Greece
Continue the tour with a visit of the Jewish Museum of Greece, housed in a beautiful neoclassical building since 1998, in the area of Plaka. Enjoy a guided tour of the museum’s collections, comprising of interesting material from all the Jewish communities in Greece and personal objects salvaged from the Second World War.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: The Holocaust Memorial, Evvoulou, Athens 10553 Greece
Continue with the visit of the two synagogues in Athens. The Sephardic Beth Shalom Synagogue, serving as the newest and principal synagogue, was built in 1935 and was renovated in the 1970s, with a white marble facade and neoclassical influences. The Etz Hayyim Synagogue is a Romaniote Synagogue built in 1904. Jewish communities that were formed in Greece as far back as the 3rd century BC became known as the Romaniote Jews, their center becoming the Greek city of Ioannina. Thus, the Etz Hayyim is also often called ‘the Ioannina Synagogue’.
At a small distance from the two synagogues you may visit the Holocaust memorial, erected in memory of the Jewish Greeks who died in German concentration camps during the Second World War.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Monastiraki, Athens Greece
Take a lunch break at a restaurant in the picturesque district of Psirri. After lunch enjoy a stroll around the vibrant streets of this historical neighborhood and head towards the famous district of Monastiraki, where a popular flea market and the city’s oldest open-air, second-hand market are near the central homonymous Square. Find out more about the commercial activities of the Greek Jews and their significant role in Greek society and history.
Duration: 40 minutes
Stop At: Ancient Agora of Athens, Adrianou 24, Athens 105 55 Greece
Visit the ancient site of the Agora, which served as the commercial, administrative, religious and cultural center of ancient Athens. Take a walk around the ruins of significant ancient buildings, including the well-preserved temple of god Hephaestus. Discover more about the existence of an old Jewish Synagogue in the Agora and the contribution of the Greek Jews to early Christianity. Complete the tour by taking a look at the Agora museum, housed in the famous Stoa of Attalus. Explore its unique collection that includes a vast range of finds, from funerary jewelry and weapons to hand-painted pottery, ancient Greek jury ballots and ancient Greek coins.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
