Excursion in Athens and Sounio

In this excursion, which will last approximately 8 hours, we will combine the historic centre of Athens with the coastal Sounio.

It is an enriched version of our tour: Sightseeing in Athens - Half a Day. Once we have seen the city of Athens we will continue up to the Lycabettus Hill to experience a panoramic, uninterrupted 360 degree view of Attica. Following this, we will make our way towards the coast, passing through the Athens Riviera to our final destination, the Temple of Poseidon in Sounio. Here you will be able to experience one of the most breathtaking sunsets you have ever seen through the columns of the ancient temple.

Our program in detail:
We will of course begin with the most important monument of Greece and one of the most well-known landmarks worldwide the Parthenon, The Parthenon has stood proudly on the holy rock of the Acropolis of Athens for 2,500 years. You will have the opportunity to go up onto the Acropolis and admire the world heritage site, as well as the other architectural masterpieces on the rock including, the the Propylaea, the temple of Athena the Erechtheion with the famous Caryatids and much more.

Following this, we will head to the country’s most central square, Syntagma Square, and the Hellenic Parliament,where we will find the Evzones of the Presidential Guard (selected soldiers dressed in a traditional uniform). The Evzones guard Tomb of the Unknown Soldier twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. You will have the opportunity to witness the change of the guard in front of the tomb and also take a photograph next to the Evzones.

Next, we will go through the Old Parliament House where the parliament was housed until 1935. It is an impressive neoclassical building which forms one of the most historic buildings of the city and today houses the National Historical Museum.The statue of the Commander in Chief of the Greek Revolution of 1821, Theodoros Kolokotronis, is found on the square in front of the Old Parliament House.

We will also visit the Presidential Palace,which was built in 1897 and in the past was occasionally used as a Royal Palace. Today, it is home to the President of the Hellenic Republic and the Maximos Mansion, which houses the office of the Prime Minister of Greece.

Following this we will visit one of the most important buildings in Athens, the Presidential Palace,, which was built in 1897 and in the past was occasionally used as a Royal Palace. Today, it is home to the President of the Hellenic Republic and the National garden, which consists of 285,000 square metres of greenery in the heart of the city.

Of course, we can’t miss out on seeing the Arch of Hadrian & the Columns of Olympian Zeus. The Temple of Olympian Zeus was considered to be the largest temple in Greece during the Greek and Roman eras. Despite the fact that the construction of the temple began in the 6th century B.C., it was not completed until the 2nd Century B.C. under the rule of Roman Emperor Adrian. It was for this reason that the Athenians later built the Arch of Hadrian in his honor.

On our route we will also see important buildings and points of interest such as the Academy of Athens, which is the highest research establishment of Greece, the Numismatic Museum of Athens which is considered around the world to be one of its kind, the National Library and much more.

This part of the tour will conclude at the Panathenaic Stadium , also known as Kallimarmaro, a beautiful ancient stadium which began its construction in the 6th Century B.C. In the years to follow, the stadium was dressed completely in marble, taking the form that is maintained until today.

It was built before the existence of standardised measurement of athletic spaces and for this reason the layout of the stadium follows the ancient hair pin model.

The stadium used to seat 80,000 spectators on the 50 rows of marble stairs, however this has been reduced to 45,000.
This world-renowned stadium has been restored many times over the centuries and is in perfect condition. It was home to the first contemporary Olympic games games in 1896 and continues to be used for special athletic and art events. It also marks the end of the Authentic Athens Marathon.

This historic and unique site will be our final stop, and you will have the opportunity to wonder around and admire this authentic ancient stadium up close.

Before we leave the city centre for Sounio, we will head up to Lycabettus Hill . Here, we will have a 360-degree view of Attica and have the chance to see the places we would have just visited, from the top of the hill.

After the flood of images, information and noise of the city, the relaxing part of the tour will begin. We will make our way towards the coastal road next to the sea, escaping the traffic and the hustle and bustle of the city centre.

Our final destination will be the Temple of Poseidon in Sounio.
The first written account of Sounio was made by Homer in the Odyssey where he referred to it as the “sacred cape of the Athenians”. The construction of the current temple of Poseidon dates back to the 5th Century B.C.
We will visit the archaeological site of the temple, where you will have the opportunity to experience one of the country’s most famous sunsets, in between the columns, bidding farewell to the day in the most ideal way.

Finally, you may dine in one of the seaside traditional restaurants should you wish to do so.

Our goal by the end of this tour is for you to have gained a better knowledge of our city and its history, whilst having enjoyed your day creating everlasting memories.

* The program is flexible and may change depending on the interests of the group (for example which locations we will dedicate more time to)

** Our vehicles are always in the best condition and have leather seats, air conditioning, tinted windows, wifi, charging ports, bottled water etc., so as to make sure you are comfortable throughout the whole duration of your trip.

*** The price includes: the transfer by your selected vehicle, the services of the driver and all taxes. The price does not include: tour guide, tickets for museums and archaeological sites or personal expenses.