Small Group Athens Shore Excursion: Semi-Private Day Tour from Piraeus

Join fellow passengers from your ship and see the best of Athens together

Small group: minimum 8, maximum 19 guests · 90€ per person

The Parthenon on a small group Athens shore excursion

Monastiraki Square and Plaka rooftops below the Acropolis

Evzones at the Changing of the Guard in Athens

The Panathenaic Stadium, home of the first modern Olympics

The Odeon of Herodes Atticus below the Acropolis

Itinerary

Semi-Private Athens Tour: Your Day, Stop by Stop

Sharing the day with fellow passengers from your ship is a wonderful way to see the best of Athens with an expert by your side. On this small group Athens shore excursion, an English-speaking licensed guide shows your group of 8 to 19 guests the city’s greatest highlights, at a friendly per-person price.

The Acropolis and the Parthenon

Our Athens sightseeing begins on the Acropolis hill, home to the architectural masterpieces of the Golden Age of Athens: the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike and the Erechtheion with its Caryatids, the marble maidens of the temple dedicated to Athena and Poseidon. Then comes the Parthenon, a monument whose perfect harmony still amazes visitors almost 2,500 years after it was built. From the top of the hill you’ll look down on the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Theatre of Dionysus and the Areopagus (Mars Hill).

Classical and modern Athens

Next, we head to the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Hadrian’s Arch, and on to the marble Panathenaic Stadium, where the first Olympic Games of the modern era were held in 1896. In front of the Parliament (the Old Palace) on Syntagma (Constitution) Square, you’ll see the Evzones in their majestic traditional uniforms at the Changing of the Guard by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We’ll also pass the Athens Trilogy of culture (the National Library of Greece, the University of Athens and the Academy), enjoy a spectacular panorama of the city from Lycabettus Hill, and notice along the way the fascinating contrasts that make Athens such a special city.

Plaka, Ermou Street and lunch

We drive through modern Athens and stop at Ermou Street and the old town of Plaka, with the Monastiraki Flea Market nearby. It’s the perfect place for traditional Greek food, a cool drink and a relaxed shopping walk with your family and friends.

The Acropolis Museum

After lunch, visit the New Acropolis Museum or the National Archaeological Museum, one of the world’s best museums, before heading back to Piraeus. By the end of this semi-private Athens tour, you’ll have had a real taste of Athens.

Travelling as a family or with your own group of friends? We can also arrange a fully private tour, just for you. Ask us for a free quote and our local team will be happy to help.

Entrance Fees

Museums & Archaeological Sites in Athens	Ticket	Winter Hours	Summer Hours
Acropolis of Athens	30 €	08:00 – 17:00	08:00 – 20:00 (closing time varies)
Acropolis Museum	20 €	Mon–Thu 09:00 – 17:00, Fri until 22:00, Sat–Sun until 20:00	Mon 09:00 – 17:00, Tue–Sun 09:00 – 20:00, Fri until 22:00
National Archaeological Museum	20 €	Please check before your visit	Please check before your visit
Temple of Olympian Zeus	20 €	08:00 – 15:00	08:00 – sunset
Ancient Agora of Athens	20 €	08:00 – 17:00	08:00 – 20:00
Roman Agora of Athens	10 €	08:00 – 17:00	08:00 – 20:00
Hadrian’s Library	10 €	08:30 – 15:00	08:00 – 20:00

Prices and opening hours can change, so please check the official ticket site, hhticket.gr, before your visit.
Entrance for minors, under 18-years-old, is free to all the archaeological sites and museums in Greece.

Archaeological sites & museums will be closed at the following dates:

Christmas: December 25 + 26
New Year’s Day: January 1
Greek Independence Day: March 25
Greek Easter Day, floating date, April or May
Labor Day: May 1

Notes

Pickup time: drivers and guides will wait a maximum of 15 minutes after the agreed pickup time. Please be on time, otherwise you’ll be considered a “no-show” and charged accordingly.
Included: an English-speaking professional licensed tour guide, fuel and tolls.
Not included: drinks, entrance fees, meals, accommodation, gratuities (10%–15% of the service cost) and VAT (where applicable).
Entrance fees: your tour guide takes care of all entrance fees to the sites and museums. You pay him or her in cash on the spot.
Confirmation: after booking, you’ll receive an email with all the information you need. Please print it and bring it with you on the tour. Once the group reaches the minimum of 7 guests, we’ll email you to confirm that the tour will go ahead.
Minimum group size: if fewer than 7 guests have booked, we’ll let you know 15 days before the tour, and the tour will be cancelled or, if you prefer, replaced with one of our private tours. If you don’t hear from us, the tour will take place as planned.
All services are subject to weather conditions, traffic regulations and other events beyond the control of the service provider, such as strikes, demonstrations or floods. If such an event prevents the service from being carried out in part or in full, the service provider will make every reasonable effort to deliver it. If those efforts fail, the service provider cannot be held responsible for non-performance.

BOOK YOUR PLACE ON THIS TOUR

Semi-Private Athens Tour from Piraeus

The best highlights of Athens in one day

Picture yourself on the Acropolis with a small group of fellow travellers from your ship, listening to a licensed guide bring the Parthenon to life, then wandering the lanes of Plaka for lunch. That’s the joy of a small group: all the expertise of a guided tour, without the crowds of a big coach excursion.

On this semi-private Athens day tour you’ll discover the highlights of our architecture, mythology, history and culture, in a city that is both ancient and modern and one of the most historical destinations in the world. It’s one of our most popular tours.

This Athens small group tour from Piraeus is limited to 8 to 19 guests, at 90€ per person, with an English-speaking licensed guide included.

Book your place today, or request a free quote for a private tour just for your party.

Highlights/Timeline

Piraeus port to/from the Acropolis (1 hour)
The Acropolis Hill and the Parthenon (2 hours)
The Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Panathenaic Stadium (45 minutes)
Modern Athens and the panorama from Lycabettus Hill (45 minutes)
The Old Palace, Syntagma Square, the Parliament, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Changing of the Guard (30 minutes)
The Catholic Cathedral and the Neoclassical Trilogy of culture (30 minutes)
Plaka for lunch and free time (1 hour 30 minutes)
The New Acropolis Museum (1 hour 30 minutes)

Duration

8 hours 30 minutes · 90€ per person · deposit 50€ per person

Itinerary

Please note that the schedule may change because of time constraints, demonstrations, strikes or other unforeseen issues.

This full-day Athens tour covers the city’s most important sites. On the Acropolis you’ll see the Parthenon, the Erechtheion with the Caryatids, the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the ruins of the Theatre of Dionysus and the Areopagus (Mars Hill). The tour also includes the Temple of Olympian Zeus, one of the largest temples of the ancient world, built in the Corinthian order, and a photo stop at the Panathenaic Stadium (Kallimarmaro), the ancient stadium rebuilt in marble for the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.

Other highlights include the Old Palace, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Changing of the Guard, the Catholic Cathedral, the Neoclassical Trilogy (the Academy, the National Library and the University of Athens) and Plaka, the oldest and most picturesque neighbourhood of Athens, with its stone-paved lanes, gyros shops, tavernas and souvenir shops, where you’ll have time for lunch and a stroll. The tour ends at the Acropolis Museum, with the Gallery of the Slopes of the Acropolis, the Archaic Acropolis Gallery, the Parthenon Gallery and the halls of the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike and the Erechtheion, with finds from the 5th century BC to the 5th century AD.

Good to Know

Wear comfortable clothes and good walking shoes: the path up the Acropolis is uphill and the marble can be slippery.
A hat and sunglasses are a good idea, especially in summer.
Photography is welcome throughout the tour.
Bring some local cash for entrance fees and small expenses (50€ pp).

Tour Feedback

Activity Level 75%

Kids Friendly 85%

Historical 75%

Cultural 75%

Tour Flexibility 90%

At your own pace 90%

Positive Reviews 100%