SHORE EXCURSIONS

Capture the moment by taking the perfect selfie photo in Athens! Instantly share your experience with family & friends on your favorite social media site as many of the stops will include wi-fi in real time. Professional photographers & selfie experts will teach you how to take the best selfie photo including composition, posing, lighting etc. Capture the spirit of this incredible destination.

Your tour will start with a scenic drive from the ship to Athens. Your walking tour will have designated selfie stops at: • Panathenaic Stadium
• The Olympieion
• The Hadrian Arch
• The Acropolis
• Aeropagus Hill
• Parliament House
• Plaka

To make this experience even more fun, you will be provided with a selfie stick and utilize our Selfie Station in order to help catch the perfect picture. End your picture-perfect day with Souvlaki tasting in Monasteraki and some free time.

This excursion is an ideal introduction to the city’s major highlights. Reach the natural fortress of the Acropolis, and with your guide you’ll walk up the uneven footpath heading to the summit. Sights include the Propylaea, Temple of Apteros Niki, Erectheum and the Architectural Triumph of the Parthenon. Continue with a city drive and see Constitution Square, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Royal Palace, Hadrian’s Gate and the Old Marble Olympic Stadium.

After lunch, drive along the scenic coastal road which affords splendid views of the Saronic Gulf and takes you through some of Athens' most beautiful suburbs. Arrive at Cape Sounion to visit the Temple of Poseidon, standing some 200 feet above the sea at the edge of a cliff. It is one of the most breathtaking and deeply moving sights in all of Greece. Fifteen of the original 34 columns of the Doric order still stand in majestic splendor.

Settle in for a panoramic drive through Athens and the port of Piraeus on a double-decker sightseeing bus, passing key landmarks that tell the story of both cities. Feel free to ride inside the bus or on the second-level, which is open air to provide spectacular 360° views. You will hear commentary about the destinations that explains their historical importance and points out significant architectural features. Highlights include icons such as the Acropolis and Parthenon and sites that may be lesser known such as Omonia Square. Although one of Athens’ oldest square, Omonia had been somewhat forgotten until it was beautifully renovated in 2020. The bus will also drive through several characteristic neighborhoods, including historical Plaka and lively Monasteraki, home to attractions as diverse as flea markets and Roman ruins. Depending on the traffic, stops will be made along the way for photos and to stretch your legs.

HIGHLIGHTS
• See the landmarks in Athens and Piraeus from a double-decker sightseeing bus.
• Drive by must-see ancient icons such as the Acropolis and Parthenon
• Travel through neighborhoods that highlight the diversity of Athens and Piraeus.
• Pause on occasion for photos of the attractions.

Following an enlightening tour of Athens and the spectacular New Acropolis Museum, you will watch an innovative chef prepare your lunch and elaborate on the joys of Greek cuisine.

After departing from the pier, you will enjoy a wonderfully scenic drive to Athens, where you will see the Old Marble Olympic Stadium. In 1896, the first modern Olympics were held here in the white horseshoe-shaped stadium, which is the world’s only arena made entirely of marble. Although the stadium is primarily used for musical performances, it hosted the 2004 Olympics’ archery competition and the finish to the marathon.

Continuing on into Athens, you will pass the 19th-century Royal Palace and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The monument’s main element is a carved bas-relief of a fallen Greek soldier that resembles a sculpture of a hoplite soldier found in a 5th-century B.C. temple.

Before long, you will stop at the New Acropolis Museum, which holds a collection of artefacts excavated from the slopes of the Acropolis and the surrounding foothills. You might see a lengthy section of the Parthenon frieze, various marble sculptures and a detailed balustrade slab from the Temple of Athena Nike.

You will then drive to Aiolou 68, a restaurant renowned for its creative seafood dishes. The chef will present an enlightening cooking demonstration explaining how to prepare classic Greek dishes and offer tips regarding other Mediterranean cuisine. Afterwards, you will enjoy a leisurely meal of the chef’s creations.

Enjoy the city of Athens & Piraeus from the top of our yellow-blue double-decker buses. Get in touch with the architecture and culture of Athens & Piraeus cities and learn all about their history in your own language with commentary on board, available in 12 languages.

Visit and admire spectacular sights of both cities. Take the chance to admire the Acropolis & Parthenon archaeological sites and feel the energy in the whole region. Visit also the new Acropolis museum, the Archaeological museum and the picturesque area of Plaka and Monastiraki, full of neoclassical buildings, archaeological findings and souvenir shops.

Nearby, you can also see a number of private harbors, such as the Mikrolimano and the Zea Marina (Pasalimani) and the architectural beauty of the Municipal Theatre. Join as well our complimentary audio guided walking tours of Athens and enjoy Piraeus city!

View the monuments atop the Acropolis as they stood in antiquity by wearing virtual reality goggles that will bring this architectural complex to life. As you approach the steep rocky hilltop of the Acropolis, you will see the easily recognized ruins of classical buildings such as the Parthenon, the Temple of Athena Nike and the propylaea, the entryway to the Acropolis. Few sights are so iconic. To enhance your understanding of this UNESCO World Heritage site, you will don VR goggles that will present the monuments of the Acropolis as they were when constructed in the 5th century BC. The goggles allow you to visualize the buildings so clearly and in such stunning detail that it will be like traveling back in time. To complement this immersive experience, you will spend free time walking through the narrow, shop-lined streets of the Plaka neighborhood that lies in the shadow of the Acropolis.

Spend hours of free time exploring the attractions in Athens that sound most appealing to you. A wonderfully panoramic drive will bring you to the Plaka neighborhood, where you will be dropped off and later picked up. This oldest section of Athens exudes history and its narrow cobblestone streets couldn’t be more atmospheric or pedestrian-friendly. The Plaka is known for its shopping and dining and proximity to the Acropolis, a UNESCO World Heritage site that is home to the Parthenon and many other iconic buildings from antiquity. Feel free to meander through the hilltop ruins at your leisure and browse the Acropolis Museum, a repository of archaeological remains that were unearthed from the surrounding slopes. The Plaka also has its share of archaeological sites, including the octagonal Tower of the Winds, a 1st-century landmark that is considered to be the world’s first meteorological station. If you wish to explore areas beyond the Plaka, be sure to allow time.

Journey back in time to the evolution of Greek Civilization. You’ll visit the Acropolis and its famous landmarks and see the highlights of Athens. Admire the Propylaea, the temple of Apteros Niki, the Erectheum, and stand in awe in front of the Parthenon. Enjoy a traditional lunch in the Plaka, followed by some free time to explore this old and interesting district. Visit the National Archaeological Museum, housing an unrivaled collection of treasures of Cycladic, Minoan, Mycenaean, and Classical Greek Art. A few of the most important exhibits include the bronze statue of Poseidon, Head of Hygeia "Goddess of Health", a bronze statue of the "Jockey Boy" of Artemision, Golden Mask of Agamemnon and brilliant Minoan-style frescoes from Santorini.

Learn hands-on how to prepare a whole lamb roasted on a spit and several side dishes and then dine on this classic meal that has become synonymous with Greece. Your cooking class will take place in Kalyvia, an inland village where many Athenians spend the weekend taking in the natural beauty. The preparation will be explained in detail, including the best wood for the fire, the ingredients in the rub, how to skewer the lamb and the best techniques for basting. You will take part in the entire preparation, an experience that will make the meal that follows all the more memorable. You will also learn to prepare the Greek meze kokkoretsi, a yogurt sauce known as tzatziki and a traditional Greek salad. Once everything is finished, you will dine on your concoctions and a glass of local wine. On the return drive, you will stop for another drink at Lake Vouliagmeni, which natural thermal springs feed.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Take a hands-on cooking class and learn to prepare a whole lamb roasted on a spit.
• Make a classic meze and Greek salad as well, and enjoy your concoctions for lunch.
• Stop to enjoy a frappé coffee along the Athenian Riviera before the cooking class.
• Pause for a drink at Lake Vouliagmeni after the cooking class.

Maximize your time in Athens by visiting the attractions that interest you the most and exploring them at your own pace. Your unlimited pass will cover all the entrances fees so you can see more than a dozen attractions without thinking about the cost. Getting around Athens will be easy because the pass allows you to ride the buses that loop through town from one attraction to another. Hop on a bus whenever you’re ready and hop off at an attraction that sounds intriguing. You might stop at the horseshoe-shaped Panathenaic Stadium, where the first modern Olympics were held. Military history buffs may enjoy browsing the weapons from antiquity in the Athens War Museum. If you wish to delve deeper into history, ride the bus to the Acropolis of Athens, one of the world’s most famous archaeological sites. The New Acropolis Museum there displays artefacts excavated from the surrounding slopes, including items from the Temple of Athena Nike.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Use the Unlimited Attraction Pass to see Athens’ best attractions at no additional cost.
• Ride a bus around town, stopping at the attractions that you find most appealing.
• Stay as long as you like at each attraction to enhance your understanding of it.
• Hop on another bus whenever you please and ride it to another intriguing destination.

Drive through the picturesque marinas of Zea and Microlimano in Piraeus as your tour heads to the centre of Athens. You'll have the opportunity to admire some of the most important sites of Athens such as Constitution Square, the Monument of the Unknown Soldier, Temple of Zeus, Royal Palace, and the Old Marble Olympic Stadium. The Acropolis is one of the most photographed and recognizable hills in the entire world. Sights include the Propylaea, Temple of Apteros Niki, Erectheum and Architectural Triumph of the Parthenon.

Afterwards, you'll have free time to wander around the picturesque streets of Plaka, the old preserved district of Athens with numerous art and craft shops, restaurants and cafes. You'll have plenty of free time for shopping or to independently enjoy Greek specialities at one of the traditional colourful taverns. After your wanderings at the old district of Athens, board your coach from a designated point at a set-up time for your return to the pier.

Commissioned by Pericles and built by Pheidias, the perfectly proportioned Parthenon crowns the Acropolis, representing the Golden Age of Classical Greece. Follow the winding path to 'the upper city' entrance through the Propylaea gateway. Beyond, on the highest part of the hill, stands the crowning glory of the Acropolis, the Parthenon, looking out over the graceful Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion and the Old City below. After the Acropolis, you’ll drive to both the old and new sections of Athens, separated by Hadrian’s Arch.

You’ll pass the statue of Lord Byron, the Corinthian Temple of Olympian Zeus and Constitution Square to the former Royal Palace. Here you’ll have a chance to take a photo of the Presidential Guard or Evzones in traditional uniform, as they stand watch over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Other sights on the drive include the Academy, National Gardens and the Old Marble Olympic Stadium, built in 1895 for the first modern Olympic Games.