Athens Trip Overview
Follow the same route that ancient Athenians followed every four years from the Acropolis to Eleusis (the entrance to the underworld) to be initiated to Eleusinian Mysteries, the most famous of the secret religious rites of ancient Greece.
Additional Info
Duration: 8 hours
Starts: Athens, Greece
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
Explore Athens Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Athens, Attica, Greece
Follow the same route that ancient Athenians followed every four years from the Acropolis to Eleusis (the entrance to the underworld) to be initiated to Eleusinian Mysteries, the most famous of the secret religious rites of ancient Greece.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Acropolis, via Dionysiou Areopagitou str., Athens 105 58 Greece
Sightseeing in Athens starts with the hill of Acropolis which will make your day. On the historical hill, you will have the opportunity to see the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Temple of the Athena Nike, the monumental gateway (Propylaea), the Erechtheum and of course the famous Parthenon, the main temple dedicated to the virgin goddess Athena.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Pass By: Propylaea, Acropolis, Athens 105 58 Greece
The Propylaea is the monumental entrances to the sacred area dedicated to Athena, the patron goddess of the city. Built by the architect Mnesicles with Pentelic marble, their design was avant-garde. To the south-west of the Propylaea, on a rampart protecting the main entrance to the Acropolis, is the Ionian temple of Apteros Nike.
Pass By: Parthenon, Acropolis Top of Dionyssiou Areopagitou, Athens 105 58 Greece
Parthenon, the main temple dedicated to the virgin goddess Athena, the eternal symbol of the Athenian democracy and the western civilization.
Pass By: Erechtheion, Acropolis, Athens 10558 Greece
Temple of Poseidon and Athena, the most sacred place in ancient Athens.
Pass By: Temple of Athena Nike, Acropolis, Dionysiou Areopagitou Acropolis, Athens 10558 Greece
Temple dedicated to the goddess Athena Nike or Wingless Victory.
Stop At: Ancient Agora of Athens, Adrianou 24, Athens 105 55 Greece
Ancient Greek Agora which is considered the birthplace of democracy, philosophy and free speech.
Duration: 50 minutes
Stop At: Temple of Hephaestus, 24 Adrianou St. Ancient Agora of Athens, Athens 105 55 Greece
In the ancient Greek Agora, you will visit the Temple of Hephaestus (the best-preserved temple in Greece standing largely as built) devoted to the God of blacksmiths and volcanoes.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Museum of the Ancient Agora, 24 Adrianou, Athens 105 55 Greece
Ancient Greek Agora which is considered the birthplace of democracy, philosophy and free speech, in its small museum you will see findings from their daily life and learn about their constitution.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Kerameikos Cemetery, Ermou 148, Athens 105 53 Greece
Kerameikos was named after the community of the potters (kerameis) who occupied the whole area along the banks of the river Eridanos. The walls of Athens, which were constructed in the 5th century BC by Themistocles, divided the area into two sections, the “inner” and “outer” Kerameikos. The wall had two monumental gates, Dipylon and the Sacred Gate, placed at the outset of the two most important processional roads of Athens, the Panathenaic Way which led to the Acropolis, and the Sacred Way which led to Eleusis.
Nearby is the Dipylon gate which was the main entrance to the city, where the Panathenaic procession began and where the prostitutes congregated so they could make themselves available to weary travelers.
Between the two gates is the Pompeion, where the preparations were made for the Panathenaic procession which was in honor of Athena.
Duration: 1 hour
Pass By: Iera Odos 18-20, Athens 11854 Greece
Iera Odos was the most importan Sacred Way in ancient Greece. It began at the Sacred Gate in the Kerameikos and led from Athens to Eleusis following the same course as modern Iera Odos. The street and adjacent cemetery were revealed during excavations for the extension of Line 3 of the Athens Metro.
Stop At: Archaeological Site and Museum of Eleusis, Perikleous 10, Elefsina 192 00 Greece
Visit the archaeological site of Eleusis with the Great Propylaea, the Sacred Well, the Telesterion, Demeter’s Temple, the entrance to the Underworld and the little church. The mycenean cult of Demeter was introduced, as the worship of a deity connected to nature and the growing of cereals. The continuity of Demeter’s cult is attested until Roman times, by the erection of successive temples on the east side of the hill. Here were celebrated the famous Eleusinian Mysteries in which the participants swore to secrecy. While in the Museum are exhibited findings from the area, most important the huge statue of Kore, a female featured statue that decorated the Propylaea.
Duration: 1 hour
Pass By: Athens, Athens, Attica
We will drive back to Athens, following the same, sacred way like the ancient mystics.