Tour Details
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Product Type
- Tour
- Venues
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- Acropolis
- Parthenon
- Acropolis Museum
Photos & Highlights
- Join an engaging local expert at the top of their field, such as archaeology or history, as you explore the heart of Athens
- Unique, personal tours for the intentional traveler. Choose from private tours for just you and your party, or join a small group tour with up 6 other travelers
Tour Description
Your tour begins near the Acropolis Museum where you’ll have an overview of the sites you’re about to discover at the top of the Acropolis hill, such as the Temple of Athena and the Parthenon. As you make your way up to the Acropolis hill, you’ll discuss the sites’ history. From construction to ruin, rediscovery to reconstruction, you will learn how these sites grew and evolved along with the city of Athens, gaining insight into ancient Greek history and the role of religion in Athenian culture.
At the top, you’ll learn the differences between the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian orders of architecture and together build a vocabulary to discuss and understand the many amazing structures of the archaeological site. The Acropolis offers wonderful views over Athens, and you will also look at how the rock of the Acropolis itself serves as a reference point for the modern development of Athens.
The second part of the tour will be devoted to the stunning Athens Acropolis Museum, designed by Bernard Tschumi and opened in 2009. Designed to echo the topography of the actual Acropolis, the museum is an illuminating companion to the ruins of the original site. You'll look at some of the museum’s treasures, including the beautiful re-creation of the Parthenon frieze. By the end of the tour, you’ll emerge from the Acropolis with a deeper understanding of Athenian society and the central position of this monument within the city.
Experts
- It’s your first time in Athens and you’re seeking to explore these world-famous ruins
- You’re returning to Athens in an effort to make deeper sense of the Acropolis's historic importance and modern incarnation.
- If you’re traveling with children under the age of 12, we recommend our family-oriented Acropolis Tour for Kids.
Acropolis Archaeological Site, including the Parthenon – The Acropolis is an ancient citadel located in Athens, Greece, and is one of the most important historical and archaeological sites in the world. Within the archaeological complex, you will find:
- The Parthenon: A magnificent temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, the patron deity of Athens. The Parthenon is an iconic symbol of ancient Greek architecture and is renowned for its Doric columns and exquisite sculptures.
- Propylaea: The monumental gateway that serves as the entrance to the Acropolis. This impressive structure features intricately designed marble columns and a grand staircase.
- Erechtheion: An elegant temple that houses multiple shrines, including those of Athena and Poseidon. The most notable feature of the Erechtheion is the "Porch of the Maidens," a stunning porch supported by six Caryatid statues.
- Temple of Athena Nike: A small temple dedicated to the goddess Nike, the Winged Victory. This elegant Ionic temple stands at the Acropolis' southwest corner and boasts breathtaking views of Athens and its surroundings.
Athens Acropolis Museum – Situated at the southeastern slope of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, the Athens Acropolis Museum is a modern marvel that houses an extensive collection of artifacts excavated from the Acropolis site. The museum's highlights include:
- Gallery of the Slopes of the Acropolis: This gallery showcases artifacts found on the slopes of the Acropolis, giving visitors insight into daily life and activities in ancient Athens.
- Archaic Gallery: An impressive collection of statues and sculptures dating back to the 6th and 5th centuries BCE, representing the evolution of ancient Greek art and architecture.
- Parthenon Gallery: The crowning glory of the museum, this gallery displays original marble sculptures from the Parthenon, including several metopes, friezes, and the famous Caryatid from the Erechtheion.
- Gallery of the Roman Acropolis: Exhibits in this gallery illustrate the Roman influence on the Acropolis and its transformation during the Roman period.
The Athens Acropolis Museum complements the Acropolis site, providing a deeper understanding of the history, art, and culture of ancient Athens.
Tickets
- Includes tickets to the Acropolis Archaeological Site and the Acropolis Museum
- While your visit includes advance reservations to the museums, you will need to pass through the security checkpoint. Therefore, you may spend some time at the beginning of the tour waiting in the reserved entry line while your guide will provide an overview and contextualization for the tour.
- The Acropolis archaeological site tickets are valid for admission to Acropolis and Slopes, Ancient Agora, Hadrian's Library, Kerameikos, Aristotle's Library [Lykeion], Olympieion, Roman Agora, and can be used for 5 days after the first entrance. Your guide will give the tickets to you at the end of the tour so you can enjoy the rest of the sites on your own.
- The Acropolis archaeological site tickets don't include the Acropolis Museum, that's why we purchase a different ticket for the Acropolis Museum.
Meeting and Ending Point
- We meet near the Acropolis Museum and end inside the Acropolis Museum so you can stay inside and continue to visit on your own if you choose to do so.
- The exact meeting point and map are communicated in your confirmation email.
Start Time
- While visiting the Acropolis in the morning is a popular choice amongst travelers, our experts recommend trying an early evening tour in the summer months. The afternoon heat has died down, the crowds are smaller and you will have a chance to experience the unique charm of sunset over Athens.
Resources
- For more information on planning your tour, take a read through our How to Visit the Acropolis resources page.
- If you are looking to learn more about Athens prior to a visit, check out our online lectures at Context Learning.
Itinerary
- This tour covers a lot of ground and so best suited to those who are ready and able to do a lot of walking.
- The route can be adapted for clients who are less able to walk long distances, but this may involve missing some of the sites. We would advise booking a private tour if this applies to you.
Wheelchair accessibility
- The Acropolis has made certain efforts to allow access to clients of varying levels of mobility. Clients who think they will need elevator access to avoid the numerous stairs should come prepared with a justification of disability-anything from a disability card or placard to a signed doctor's note will suffice.
For more information about Context tours, please visit our FAQs.
If children under 18 qualify for free tickets, why am I required to purchase a ticket for my child?
While children may enter for free, they are required to purchase the reduced ticket only on-site and stand in the general entrance line if they do so. In order to save time and expedite the tour, we purchase tickets in advance so your group may enter as quickly as possible.
Why can’t I book this tour for more than 9 people?
Our Acropolis tours are capped at 9 due to venue restrictions, this also helps your tour experience in order to best navigate the museum and crowds. Should you have a larger group, we suggest splitting into multiple groups.
Book with confidence — see Context's flexible cancellation policy here.
Where You'll Start
561 Reviews
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Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.
Extremely knowledgeable and adapted our tour to accommodate the physical needs of older participants. She did a fantastic job of incorporating the old and new museum pieces to create a vivid picture of life in ancient Athens.
Traci
Sep. 29, 2023
What a lovely young woman and such a knowledgeable tour guide! Eleftheria was particularly attentive to the fact that she was leading two mid-seventy year olds up a pretty challenging path up to the Parthenon. And we really appreciated that. She was just a very caring and appreciated representative of Context Travel. Thank you, Eleftheria, so very much!!!
Judith
Sep. 29, 2023
Lena's academic and applied knowledge and enthusiasm on the topic of period Greek history exceeded our expectations. On a 1-10 scale with 10 being outstanding, we would rate Lena's performance as 10+++
Joyce
Sep. 29, 2023
