Socrates in Athens Tour

Learn about the history of Greek philosophy and its impact on Athenian society
From US$466 privately
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Tour Details
Duration
2 hours
Product Type
Tour
Venues
  • Platonic Academy
  • Church of St. Trifonos
  • Akadimia Platonos Neighborhood
Photos & Highlights
  • Socrates in Athens tour led by a trained classicist or philosophy scholar
  • Discuss philosophy in the same spot as Socrates
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Tour Description
It is hard to overstate the profound influence Socrates cast over western thought and history. Revered by the Greeks and canonized during the Renaissance, his philosophy—and that of his pupil, Plato—offers a unique lens through which to understand Athenian and Greek history. In this 2-hour Socrates in Athens Tour, we'll join a local philosophy scholar to discover key sites in the history of Greek philosophy, including the ruins of Plato's Academy, and delve into the life of Socrates, the state of thought before and after the introduction of his philosophy, and how that has impacted the world in which we live today.

Socrates in Athens

We'll begin at the Church of St. Trifonos, located in the neighborhood of Akadimia Platonos, named for Plato's Academy, which is also located in the vicinity. Together, navigating this area of Greece—loaded with sites of historical significance but not particularly frequented by tourists—we'll discuss the life of Socrates (as we know it) and his impact on the lives of his contemporaries. Naturally, a significant portion of our discourse will center on the circumstances that led to his imprisonment and death. Why we'll ask, didn't Socrates defend himself more vigorously? What was the value (or threat) of philosophy to Athenian society, and does that situation have parallels today? In fitting with the theme of the walk, our discussion will reflect the Socratic method; together, we'll weigh the value of the philosopher's ideas, circumstances, and their relevance in today's society.

Plato’s Academy

We’ll also delve deeply into the role of philosophy and the school founded by Socrates' star pupil Plato. We'll explore the history of this site, the life of Plato and his writings. In the course of our walk, we will explore a number of Plato’s ethical, political, and metaphysical views and place them in the context of ancient Athens, delving not only into the reception these ideas received during the time of their introduction, but reflecting on how they continue to influence today's society. We'll compare on contrast Socrates and Plato, sharpening our understanding of the unique contributions each has made to western thought.


Take-Aways

This walk is a unique opportunity for anyone interested in the history of ideas to see the actual places where fundamental concepts were first postulated and to discuss them with a local scholar.


It makes a lot of sense to couple this tour with our Acropolis Tour or our Ancient Agora of Athens Tour.
Experts
Anastasia Anastasia
Local Guide
Dimitria Dimitria
Local Guide
Filio
Local Guide
Maria Maria
Local Guide
Maria Maria
Local Guide
Marina Marina
Local Guide
Maria Maria
Local Guide
Mara Mara
Archaeologist
Christiana Christiana
Local Guide
Alexia Alexia
Professor
Marili Marili
Local Guide
Anthi Anthi
Archaeologist
Eleftheria Eleftheria
Historian
Effie Effie
Archaeologist
Where You'll Start
(4.53) 27 Reviews

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Anthi was a great guide, very informative and passionate. We would have enjoyed even more time to ask her about her own research, which sounded very interesting! To anyone wanting to visit Plato's Academy because they have a special interest in philosophy or history, I highly recommend this tour. There are almost no signs at the site (those that are there are heavily graffitied) so it was really helpful to have a guide to provide so much additional context. As a side note, the tour should probably be named Plato in Athens instead as that would be more accurate. Thank you Anthi for being such a great guide and really enriching our experience at Plato's Academy!
Anthi is an incredible scholar and guide who made history come alive for us. She was very thoughtful and accommodating to one of us who had mobility issues, which we all appreciated. Thank you, Anthi, for enriching our lives with your amazing tour!
Alexia was well versed and passionate about the subject. She is clearly an educator. She was engaging and professional. The tour started on time, and she helped us find a taxi at the end of the tour. Plato’s Academy park is a lovely, quiet green space, which seems far from the hustle and bustle of the Acropolis but is not. It feels like it is in a village, surrounded by small cafes and shops. This is the second Context tour that we have taken in Athens and both were excellent.