Athens Highlights & Temple of Poseidon -Cape Sounio Full Day Private Tour

Meeting point

Departure

08:00, 08:30, 09:00, 09:30, 10:00 daily; scheduled year-round (operator schedule, seats confirmed at checkout)

Pickup

Hotel pickup included

Operator

H.P.Tours - Hellenic Private Tours; booking and payment are completed on Viator

1. 1
   Acropolis

   At Acropolis where you will see the Parthenon, the temple on the top of the sacred rock devoted to Goddess Athena, the Goddess of wisdom, the Propylaea, the entrance to the sacred rock, the Temple of Wingless Victory which was devoted to Goddess Athena-Nike, the Erechtheum, the most sacred and mythical of all the temples of Athens with its famous Caryatides (female featured statues), the 5000-seat Odeon of Herodes Atticus which was carved into the rock and is still used for music festivals, the 3000-seat theater of Dionysus where the Athenians listened to the immortal works of Sophocles, Aeschylus, Euripides and Aristophanes.

   1h 30m · Admission not included
2. The Temple of Olympian Zeus is a former colossal temple at the center of 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. During the Roman period the temple, which 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 temple's glory was short-lived, as it fell into disuse after being pillaged during a barbarian invasion in 267 AD, just about a century after its completion. It was probably never repaired and was reduced to ruins thereafter. In the centuries after the fall of the Roman Empire, it was extensively quarried for building materials to supply building projects elsewhere in the city.

   Pass by, no stop
3. 3
   Panathenaic Stadium

   The Panathenaic Stadium or Kallimarmaro "beautiful marble" is a multi-purpose stadium in Athens, Greece. It's of the main historic attractions of Athens and 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 Lycurgus at 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 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.

   30 min · Admission not included
4. 4
   Hellenic Parliament

   The Hellenic Parliament is the parliament of Greece, located in the Old Royal Palace, overlooking Syntagma Square in Athens. The Parliament is the supreme democratic institution that represents the citizens through an elected body of Members of Parliament.

   15 min
5. 5
   Changing of the Guard Ceremony

   The Presidential Guard is a ceremonial infantry unit that guards the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Presidential Mansion in Athens, Greece. The unit is distinguished as the last unit of Evzones in the Hellenic Army, and is closely associated with the traditional Evzone's uniform, which evolved from the clothes worn by the Greeks in the Greek War of Independence. The most visible item of this uniform is the fustanella, a kilt-like garment.

   15 min
6. Avenue of Poseidon (Poseidornos)

   Departing Athens, you will have the potentiality to absorb the southern suburbs of Athens, such as Old Faliron, Alimos and Glyfada. It is an undeniable fact that these areas are considered to be the most up-scaled ones of Attica. Moreover, the traveler is given the opportunity to observe coastline of Attica full of private and public marines, shops and cafes.

   Pass by, no stop
7. 7
   Limni Vouliagmenis

   A short stop for pictures will be made at Vouliagmeni Lake. The lagoon formed about 2,000 years ago. It was once a large cavern that collapsed following an earthquake. The outline of the collapsed cavern roof can be clearly discerned from a distance. The lake has quite unique environmental conditions: it is supplied with warm seawater (28-35ºCelsius) via an underground channel spreading through a network of flooded caves, so its temperature never drops below 18 °C (usually ranges around 21-24 °C), whereas a freshwater spring reduces its salinity to brackish levels (14.5-18 psu). Because of its constant warm water temperature and its rich content in hydrogen sulphide, the lake functions as a spa since the end of the 19th century.

   20 min
8. 8
   Varkiza

   Varkiza is a picturesque sea-side village in the middle of the way to Cape Sounion. The area is very popular to Athenians for short excursions due to its beaches, shops and clubs.

   20 min
9. 9
   Temple of Poseidon

   The Temple of Poseidon is built on top of the hill, exactly at the meeting point of the Saronic Sea with the Aegean Sea. The temple was dedicated to God Poseidon, the lord of the Sea and it was there where all the sailors offered a last sacrifice to appease God Poseidon before leaving the safety of the Saronic Golf. According to Greek mythology, the Cape Sounion was the point from which Greek King Aegeus flung himself off the cliff to his death, upon the mistaken belief that his son had died. This ancient tragic tale involves a theme that is still used in modern story-telling today.

   1h · Admission not included
10. 10
    Lagonisi

    On the way back to Athens, the visitor will enjoy the Greek traditional cuisine at a local tavern with a view to the sea.

    45 min

About this tour, from the operator