--- title: The Highlights of Athens Private Shore Excursion 8 Hours lang: en type: tour city: Athens country: Greece price: 340 currency: EUR price_unit: per_group availability: bookable rating: 4.88 reviews: 40 duration_minutes: 480 languages: [en] free_cancellation: "true" rank_in_category: 57 of 91 (City Tours & Sightseeing) schedule_checked: 2026-10-22 data_updated: 2026-10-22 canonical: https://guidekin.com/greece/athens/tours/the-highlights-of-athens-private-shore-excursion-8-hours/ --- # The Highlights of Athens Private Shore Excursion 8 Hours In our comparison: #57 of 91 in City Tours & Sightseeing, by rating weighted by review volume (table below). ## Overview Highlights • An 8 hours private shore excursion in Athens • Visit both the Acropolis of Athens with its Parthenon & the new Acropolis museum • Visit the picturesque neighborhood of Plaka and have a free time to enjoy lunch in a Greek restaurant • Highly recommended for cruise passengers visiting Athens for a whole day or for several hours • Professional English speaking tour driver • Travelers can customize the tour within the itinerary! ## Before you book - Hotel pickup: no car needed - Entry ticket not included: buy it separately - 8 start times: between 07:30 and 11:00 - Food not included: bring or buy your own - Strollers OK: infants accepted - Age rule: Specialized infant seats are available **Pickup:** Hotel pickup included ## Key facts - Price: from €340 per group/vehicle for the Sedan up to 3 passengers option; other options up to €610 - Duration: 8h - Rating: 4.88/5 from 40 reviews (collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor) - Free cancellation (see policy below) - Operator: Athens Tours Greece - Group: Private tour, your party only - Guide languages: English - Tickets: Admission not included, pay on site - Start times: 07:30, 08:00, 08:30, 09:00, 09:30, 10:00, 10:30, 11:00 - Booking: Instant confirmation, mobile ticket - Price checked on Viator: 2026-10-22 ## Reviews 4.88 from 40 ratings on Guidekin, Viator & Tripadvisor. 95% of ratings with a star breakdown are 4 or 5 stars: 38 of 40. - 5 stars: 37 (93%) - 4 stars: 1 (3%) - 3 stars: 2 (5%) - 2 stars: 0 (0%) - 1 star: 0 (0%) ## Tour options Prices are the operator's current list price for two travellers (whole euros); options sold only to bigger parties say so; pick the option on the booking page. | Option | Price | Guide languages | Details | |---|---|---|---| | Sedan up to 3 passengers | €340 per group | English | PERSONAL AND PRIVATE: This is a personal shore excursion and private tour just for you, your family, and your friends Duration: 8 hours: Your existing shore excursion starts from Piraeus port ROUTE PLANNER: We will pick you up from Piraeus cruise port where your tour starts and we will drop you off at the same spot TRAVEL WITH STYLE: Groups of 1-3 Mercedes sedan or similar, 4-7 Luxury Mercedes Benz Minivan, 8-15 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter A/C Pickup included | | Minivan up to 7 Passengers | €410 per group | English | PERSONAL AND PRIVATE: This is a personal shore excursion and private tour just for you, your family, and your friends Duration: 8 hours: Your existing shore excursion starts from Piraeus port ROUTE PLANNER: We will pick you up from Piraeus cruise port where your tour starts and we will drop you off at the same spot Travel In Style: Groups of 1-3 Mercedes sedan or similar, 4-7 Luxury Mercedes Benz Minivan, 8-15 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter A/C Pickup included | | Minibus up to 11 Passengers | €540 per group | English | PERSONAL AND PRIVATE: This is a personal shore excursion and private tour just for you, your family and friends Duration: 8 hours: Your existing shore excursion starts from Piraeus port ROUTE PLANNER: We will pick you up from Piraeus cruise port where your tour starts and we will drop you off at the same spot Travel In Style: Groups of 1-3 Mercedes sedan or similar, 4-7 Luxury Mercedes Benz Minivan, 8-15 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter A/C Pickup included | | Group up to 15 Passengers | €610 per group | English | PERSONAL AND PRIVATE: This is a personal shore excursion and private tour just for you, your family, and your friends Duration: 8 hours: Your existing shore excursion starts from Piraeus port ROUTE PLANNER: We will pick you up from Piraeus cruise port where your tour starts and we will drop you off at the same spot TRAVEL WITH STYLE: Groups of 1-3 Mercedes sedan or similar, 4-7 Luxury Mercedes Benz Minivan, 8-15 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter A/C Pickup included | ## What's included - Transportation by air-conditioned vehicle appropriate for the size of your group - A professional English speaking tour driver - Piraeus Port pickup and drop-off - Hotel pickup and drop-off in Athens ## Not included - Entrance fees to the archaeological sites and museum - Gratuities - Food and drinks - English-speaking licensed tour guide (We can arrange for a tour guide for you with an extra cost) ## Itinerary 1. **Piraeus** (40m) - Pick up from your cruise ship pier at Piraeus port. We will drive along the coastal road of Saronic Gulf to enjoy the Piraeus and Athens riviera. The Port of Piraeus is the chief seaport of Athens, Greece, located on the Saronic Gulf on the western coasts of the Aegean Sea.... 2. **Acropolis** (pass by, no stop) - The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel located on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens, and its monuments are universal symbols of the classical spirit and civilization and form the greatest architectural and artistic complex bequeathed by Greek Antiquity to the... 3. **Propylaea** (15m) - The Propylaea of the Athenian Acropolis was built on the west side of the hill, where the gate of the Mycenaean fortification once stood. The first propylon, or gate, was constructed in the age of Peisistratos (mid-sixth century BC), after the Acropolis had become a sanctuary... 4. **Temple of Athena Nike** (15m) - The temple of Athena Nike stands at the southeast edge of the sacred rock atop a bastion, which in Mycenaean times protected the entrance to the Acropolis. The Classical temple, designed by architect Kallikrates and built-in 426-421 BC, succeeded earlier temples also... 5. **Parthenon** (45m) - The Parthenon, dedicated by the Athenians to Athena Parthenos, the patron of their city, is the most magnificent creation of Athenian democracy at the height of its power. It is also the finest monument on the Acropolis in terms of both conception and execution. Built between... 6. **Erectheion** (15m) - The elegant building known as the Erechtheion, on the north side of the sacred rock of the Acropolis, was erected in 421-406 BC as a replacement of an earlier temple dedicated to Athena Polias, the so-called "Old temple". The name Erechtheion, mentioned only by Pausanias (1,... 7. **Changing of the Greek Guards; The Presidential Guard is a ceremonial infantry...** (pass by, no stop) - Changing of the Greek Guards; 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... 8. **Hellenic Parliament** (20m) - The history of the impressive building of the Hellenic Parliament is intimately linked to the history of the Modern Greek state. Initially, the building served as the palace of Kings Otto and George I. It became the Parliament and Senate building a hundred years after it was... 9. **The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a war memorial located in Syntagma Square ...** (5m) - 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... 10. **Change of Guards** (10m) - The Presidential Mansion is the place to be to see a Changing the Guard ceremony in Athens,Greece. Changing of the Guard ceremonies take place at the Presidential Mansion and at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which is off Syntagma Square below the Hellenic Parliament. The... 11. **National Garden** (pass by, no stop) - The National Garden of Athens, located behind the Parliament and Syntagma Square, is a green oasis in the heart of the city. The National Garden of Athens is a large green space of over 160.000 square meters adorned with over 500 types of plants and trees from all over the... 12. **Academy of Athens** (5m) - The Academy of Athens was founded with the Constitutional Decree of March 18th, 1926, as an Academy of Sciences, Humanities, and Fine Arts. The same Decree appointed its first Members, who were all eminent representatives of the scientific, intellectual, and artistic circles... 13. **National and Kapodistrian University of Athens** (5m) - The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) is a public, self-governed Higher Education Institution, under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, Research, and Religious Affairs. Inaugurated in 1837, it has been the oldest higher education institution in the... 14. **National Library of Greece** (5m) - The National Library forms part of the so-called "Neoclassical Trilogy" of the City of Athens: Academy - University - Library. With a history of over two centuries, containing more than one million books and magazines, and a host of handwritten codices dating from the 9th to... 15. **The National Historical Museum is permanently housed in the Old Parliament Bu...** (pass by, no stop) - The National Historical Museum is permanently housed in the Old Parliament Building at Stadiou Street (Kolokotronis square). The Museum narrates the history of Modern Greece: the period of Ottoman and Latin rule, the Greek War of Independence (1821), the liberation struggles,... 16. **Syntagma Square has literally been the very heart of Athens ever since the ci...** (pass by, no stop) - Syntagma Square has literally been the very heart of Athens ever since the city became the capital of the modern Greek state, and it's the perfect central location for sightseeing. It is located in front of the 19th century Old Royal Palace, housing the Greek Parliament since... 17. **Plaka** (1h 30m) - In the shadow of the Acropolis and its ancient temples, hillside Plaka has a village feel, with narrow cobblestone streets lined with tiny shops selling jewelry, clothes, and local ceramics. Sidewalk cafes and family-run tavernas stay open until late. Nearby, the whitewashed... 18. **Ancient Agora of Athens** (40m) - The ancient Agora of Athens is the best-known example of an ancient Greek agora, located to the northwest of the Acropolis and bounded on the south by the hill of the Areopagus and on the west by the hill known as the Agoraios Kolonos, also called Market Hill. The word... 19. **Acropolis Museum** (1h 30m) - The Acropolis Museum is an archaeological museum focused on the findings of the archaeological site of the Acropolis of Athens. The museum was built to house every artifact found on the rock and on the surrounding slopes, from the Greek Bronze Age to Roman and Byzantine... 20. **Temple of Olympian Zeus** (pass by, no stop) - Located in southern Athens, between the Acropolis and the Ilissos river, the Olympeion was the sanctuary of Olympian Zeus. Here stands one of the greatest ancient temples of Zeus and, according to Vitruvius, one of the most famous marble buildings ever constructed. The... 21. **Kallimarmaro** (15m) - Admire the Kallimarmaro stadium, else Panathenaea stadium where here the first modern Olympic games took place in 1896. It is called Kallimarmaro because is all made of marble. A special marble called the Pentelic marble. Special because it changes color according to the day... 22. **Mount Lycabettus is the highest point in central Athens, Greece** (1h 10m) - Known in Greek as Lykavitos Hill, it stands 277 m (909 feet) above sea level, providing spectacular views of the Greek capital and the coastline. The hill is one of the largest green areas in central Athens, located close to the Kolonaki and Exarchia areas. Many Athenians... ## Schedule - Runs: daily - Departures: 07:30, 08:00, 08:30, 09:00, 09:30, 10:00, 10:30, 11:00 - Schedule last checked: 2026-10-22 - These are published departures, not a live seat count; availability is confirmed at checkout. ## Cancellation For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. ## Good to know - Specialized infant seats are available - Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness - At time of booking, Cruise ship passengers must provide the following information at time of booking: ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time - Important note: You will have a professional English-speaking driver with good knowledge of the history and culture of Greece, to guide you till you enter archaeological sites and museums according to the program. Tour drivers are not licensed to companion you inside the archaeological sites and museums. If you'd like to have one, we can arrange it for you at an additional cost. Licensed by the state tour guides are freelance and it is subject to availability on bookings day! - Athens International Airport taxi transfers can be arranged on request at an extra cost! - We suggest that you have your admission tickets pre-purchased as there is a chance not to find availability, please note that we can buy the tickets for you in advance -under a small service fee. ## Cost for your party | People | Total | Per person | |---|---|---| | 2 | €340 | €170 | | 4 | €410 | €103 | | 6 | €410 | €68 | Cheapest option for that party size from the operator's current price tiers; the calendar shows the exact figure for your date. Shared tours in City Tours & Sightseeing start at €35 per person. ## Compared with other City Tours & Sightseeing | Tour | Price | Duration | Rating | Group | |---|---|---|---|---| | **This tour · #57 of 91** | €340 per group | 8h | 4.88 (40) | private | | [Athens Full Day Private Tour](/greece/athens/tours/athens-full-day-private-tour-2/?format=md) | €155 | 8h | 4.99 (1266) | private | | [Athens Private Full Day Tour](/greece/athens/tours/athens-private-full-day-tour/?format=md) | €369 per group | 8h | 4.98 (255) | private | | [Best of Athens Full Day Private Tour - Best Shore Excursion](/greece/athens/tours/best-of-athens-full-day-private-tour-best-shore-excursion/?format=md) | €190 | 8h | 4.99 (197) | private | Ranked #57 of 91 in City Tours & Sightseeing by Guidekin score (rating weighted by review volume). Prices here run from €35 to €1308, median €149; typical length 5h. 79 of 91 are private. Figures are live from the tour cards; the rubric is our handpicked set, not the whole market. Full list: https://guidekin.com/greece/athens/athens-city-tours/?format=md ## More in Athens - All Athens tours: https://guidekin.com/greece/athens/?format=md - This page as HTML: https://guidekin.com/greece/athens/tours/the-highlights-of-athens-private-shore-excursion-8-hours/ Filters, the full catalogue and the URL contract for this city: https://guidekin.com/greece/athens/?format=md