Athens Acropolis Tour

Athens Acropolis Tour & Acropolis Museum Tour

An in-depth visit to the most important monument of classical antiquity.

Like a good wine, that tastes better to the one who knows, so a masterpiece of art can be appreciated better after knowing certain things about it. With the historical background that your guide will present to you, you will understand what the Acropolis was, how it functioned, what makes it so special and why it is so admired.

When one starts taking the uphill to the Acropolis, he/she will first pass from the prestigious Odeon of Herod of Attica and the ruins of the Theatre of Dionysus next to it. Soon after that, one faces the Propylaea, the emblematic gate of the sacred space, and the elegant Temple of Athena Nike, standing on its own high spot.

Entering the sacred site, one finds himself in front of the dominant structure of the Parthenon; the huge Doric-order temple built by the Athenian people in the time of their prime in the mid 5^th century BCE. It was dedicated to their patron goddess, Athena but also was, and still remains, a symbol of the highly cultured Athenian society that had no equal in the time. Next to the Parthenon stands an Ionian-order temple, the Erechtheion with its porch of women-shaped columns, holding its ceiling. The famous and very influential Caryatids.

Around the Acropolis many other sites of interest can be found, like Philipapou Hill, where the Venetian army bombed the Acropolis from, back in 1687. Aside this, one finds the Areopagus, the ancient Supreme Court, and the Pnyx, the Assembly of the Athenians during the days of their innovative political system called "Democracy" (demos + cratos = power to the people). On the foot of the hill lies the Ancient Agora, administrative and commercial center of the city. Apart from all that, the view of the city of Athens, both ancient and modern, is beautiful from up there. If weather permits one can see to the port of Piraeus and well beyond it, to the first islands of the Argosaronic Gulf.

Your guide will tell you all you need to know to understand the architectural innovations and hidden details on the buildings.

A better understanding of the Acropolis and its era is achieved through the visit to the New Acropolis Museum. There, one can see numerous votive offerings, “Kouroi” and “Korai” statues standing proud among the various other statues and objects displayed. The original Caryatids, the maiden-like statues attract attention of the visitor as one can admire their beauty from a close distance. The top floor of the museum is the impressive “Parthenon Gallery”. A real-size modern model of the Parthenon, that holds all its remaining “Metopes” as well as the remains of the temple's two original marble Pediments and the inspired 160-meter-long Frieze. All works of the big sculptor Phidias and his workshop. Through the windows of the Parthenon Gallery, one has a close view of the Acropolis hill.

Your guide will answer to the questions that may arise during the tour. By the end, you should be ready to picture Pericles holding forth a speech in the Pnyx or the first theatrical plays of Sophocles, Aeschylus and Euripides performed in Dionysus' theatre. You may picture Socrates wandering in the Agora, meeting with Plato or debating with Protagoras...