Athens

Athens Shore Excursion: Acropolis Walking Tour

Name: Athens Shore Excursion: Acropolis Walking Tour
Brand: Athens Walking Tours
SKU: 2906PRTATHACRO1
Price: 97.83 USD
Rating: 4.5 (123 reviews)

Badge of ExcellenceAthens, Greece

From $97.83

Select Date and Travelers

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Pickup offered
Offered in: English

Explore our promoted experiences

Athens, Greece

Athens: Guided Tour of Acropolis and Parthenon Tickets Included

from $75.85

Athens, Greece

Sunset and Moonlight Private Night Tour of Athens

from $158.16

Price varies by group size

Athens, Greece

Athens Full Day Tour

from $989.30

Per group

Viator earns higher commissions on experiences featured here

Overview

When your cruise ship docks in Piraeus, witness Athens’ classical highlights on a 4-hour guided shore excursion. Travel by air-conditioned vehicle to Syntagma Metro Station to see its fascinating archaeological museum, and walk up the pedestrianized Dionysiou Areopagitou past sites including the Herodian Theatre and Mars Hill. At the Acropolis, inspect the Parthenon, the temple that epitomized Athenian power in the 5th century BC, as your guide details its design. Behold the stellar city views from here and enjoy free time to explore Athens independently before your return to Piraeus.

4-hour Acropolis and central Athens walking shore excursion, with an expert guide
View the archaeological relics on display at Syntagma Metro Station
See the Greek Parliament House, Temple of Zeus, Herodian Theatre and other highlights
Visit the majestic Parthenon and soak up the views over Athens' rooftops
Enjoy some free time to explore Athens’ historical center independently
Learn about the Parthenon and Athens’ classical history from an informed guide
Covered by Viator's worry-free policy: guaranteed on-time return to your ship

What's Included

Round trip transfer from the Port of Piraeus and back
Acropolis guided tour
Local licensed guide
Skip-the-ticket line service
Free time in Plaka
Athens guide magazine
Athens map

Food and drinks, unless specified
Gratuities
Entrance fees - payable in cash directly on the day of the tour

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Start time

08:45 AM

Pickup details

Pick up from the cruise ship terminal

What To Expect

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Infant seats available
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT BABY STROLLERS: baby strollers are not allowed on the Acropolis archaeological site and that there is no cloakroom at the side entrance we use to enter. For your own convenience, it is recommended to use a baby pouch instead of a baby stroller
Comfortable walking shoes, sun-screen and a hat are recommended
Dress according to weather
Bring a bottle of water

You need to pay cash for your admission ticket at our check-in location just before the tour (approx. 20 euros per person). We've secured tickets for your specified time.
Opting for an independent ticket purchase (discouraged) requires 24-hour advance notice. Failing that, you will also have to pay also the tickets we buy for you at the meeting point.
Strict Acropolis entry times mean we can't wait for latecomers. No refunds will be given.
All visitors undergo airport-style security; expect peak season waits of up to 30+ minutes.
Cutoff times sync with Athens local time.
Tours run rain or shine.
Accurately select EU or NON-EU citizenship during booking. Incorrect choice may mean paying the price difference or tour forfeiture. A valid passport is required for verification.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 24 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.5

123 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 123 reviews

Great Day at the Acropolis

Clifford_W, Apr 2024

Pickup at the cruise terminal in Piraeus went smoothly. We were driven in a taxi, arranged by the tour company, by Mr. G, who was very entertaining. The walk from the Syntagma metro station took us past the Parliament, where we saw the changing of the guard, some gardens, Hadrian's Arch, the Olympus Temple, and through some streets of the Plaka shopping district. We had a brief lunch, then onto the Acropolis. Our guide, Tina (?) was very, very knowledgeable, and great at getting us through the crowds. Since we skipped the Museum, we had plenty of time to explore the winding streets of the Plaka. The taxi ride back to the cruise terminal again went smoothly. A great day.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Dear Clifford, thank you for your fantastic review! We're touched that you had a great day. From the entertaining pick-up to Tina's informative tour, it's wonderful to hear everything went smoothly. We'll be sure to pass on your compliments! Exploring landmarks like the Parliament, Hadrian's Arch, and Plaka district was enjoyable, and Tina's expertise made navigating the Acropolis crowds a breeze. We're happy that you had time to soak in the local culture in Plaka. Thank you for choosing to spend your day with Athens Walking Tours!

Must see

Tcatarina2, Jul 2023

Apollo our tour was great at sharing the Greek myths and history about the Acropolis. He also adjusted and helped deal with the heat so that we could enjoy our trip. Thank you for a great day!

Great Day in Athens Greece

Judy_B, May 2023

Our guide, Apollon was excellent. He had great knowledge of history and mythology of Greece and was also an archaeologist. He was also considerate of all ages on the tour stopping frequently as we climbed to the top of the Acropolis. Thanks for a great experience!

Unorganized and a waste - You could do better on your own.

ShirellAnita, Jun 2022

First offf, this tour seemed to be pieced together meaning that it was far from smooth sailing. To start, we were driven from the port by multiple cabs. I've never seen that before. From there we met up with other groups in a train station (a crowded loud one) that had some relics inside. She walked us through the free relics stating what we could read on the plaques, which was good because none of us could hear the tour guide, Daphne. It would have been helpful if they had radios, but they didn't. We then watched the changing of the guards and even outside I could not hear her. So, I learned nothing about it. Then we walked to the Temple of Zeus and Hadrian's Gate- and the process to get us all tickets was unorganized and long causing a lot of waiting around in the heat. Then on to Acropolis- more waiting around for them to figure everything out. We gave up and went to Acropolis on our own and thank goodness we did otherwise we would have had little time on our own and no time to shop or eat. Tour guide Daphne - she was kind and seemed to be knowledgeable but none of us could hear her, even when standing right next to her. I asked her to speak up several times but there was no charge. In addition, I don't think I have had a tour guide with less excitement. It's also important to note that although we booked with the tour, this doesn't include a speed pass, when you arrive you you have to wait in line with everyone else. There was really no need to book with the tour. I could have done this on my own- I wish I had just done the Hop On/Off bus and gone directly to the Temple of Zeus.

Response from Host, Jun 2022

Hello Shirel and thank you for your comments. We welcome even negative feedback because it is an opportunity for improvement. First of all, the reason we send cabs and not i.e. a minivan is for extra flexibility, speed, and comfort (a taxi is much more agile in heavy traffic than a bulky vehicle). Secondly, we understand that part of the tour (i.e.the relics of the Syntagma metro station) may not be equally interesting for all guests, but it is actually a matter of taste and interest in history. Perhaps you chose the wrong tour category. The metro stations of Athens feature casts of the Parthenon sculptures, ancient amphorae, and other monuments, as well as some of the finest works of public art created by important Greek artists. They are underground museums (especially the Syntagma and Acropolis metro stations), and have been ranked among the top 10 subways worldwide because of their archaeological exhibitions and art installations. Thirdly, we are proud to offer all our guests a skip-the-line-service. In other words, as member of our group tour, you enter the sites without any queue waiting. If the particular day there was some amount of waiting because of heavy crowds, we do apologize even though we are not responsible. Last but not least, we are terribly sorry you could not hear your guide well. Our guides are highly trained professionals and they are usually very accommodating to all guests' needs. We are also sorry you did not like Daphne's style, even though she is one of our guides that constantly receive exceptional feedback.‍ We have an excellent reputation in the local community and welcome further discussion to hopefully resolve the situation. If you'd like, please feel free to contact us asap by sms or email. Have a lovely day!

Should have gone first to the Acropolis.

Robin_S, May 2022

This was a great tour but it was incredibly hot and there was a lot of walking. We started our on a walking tour of Athens, visited parks, and then climbed the Acropolis. If we had gone first to the Acropolis, we would have been there at a much cooler part of the day, and would have spent enough time at the Acropolis to really see everything. I stead, we were rushed, hot, and uncomfortable. The guide had some interesting stories, but a lot of the facts and stories as we walked around Athens seemed designed to simply fill time until our timed tickets at the Acropolis.

Response from Host, Jun 2022

Dear Robin, we appreciate your honest feedback. We are sorry that you overall felt unsatisfied by your experience. We always work hard and strive for 100% guest satisfaction, and that is why we welcome even disappointing feedback. However, we have to point out the following: The specific tour you booked is structured to be a comprehensive overview of the city's different historical periods and perspectives; guests walk along ancient, roman, and contemporary monuments, a fact that the vast majority finds particularly interesting, and doesn't see it at all as idle, time-filling walking. If you were interested only in the Acropolis, then by all means you should have selected our Acropolis experience (group or private), along with its museum perhaps. Moreover, Athens is a typical mediterranean city with lots of hot days; during late spring, summer and early fall, heat can be omnipresent even from early in the morning. Also, our tours are never rushed. They have been meticulously designed to allow enough time for all included sights and walking distances, along with breaks for rest at shady spots, and of course, photos! We have been successfuly offering walking tours of Athens for more than 15 years, and hope that next time you are in the city, you may perhaps give us the opportunity to prove to you why we steadily receive enthusiastic feedback and top ratings! Enjoy the rest of your holiday!

Very interesting tour.

Elma_A, Oct 2019

Our tour guide was very knowledgeable. He explained the history of the area and the artifacts.Climbing the very steep and slippery steps to the Acropolis could be challenging, but it was worth it. The view was amazing. We did have a very bad experience after the tour concluded. Our guide didn't lead us back down from the Acropolis site. He just abandoned us and said goodbye.. . We had planned on just returning down the same route that we went up. He said not to, and take an alternate route down.. We did and made a wrong turn and ended up completely lost , with narrow roads going in every directions, and no one we asked spoke English. We finally found a taxi and told him that we needed to get to the meeting point to catch our shuttle back to our cruise ship. We knew we were only a few blocks away, but just wanted to get there quickly. The taxi driver started driving down back alleys, and in neighborhoods that we knew we shouldn't be in. We asked him several times why it was taking so long and he just mumbled something about road blocks. We were getting very nervous because it was obvious he was just running up the cab fare. We insisted he take us to our meeting point , he stopped the taxi, opened the door and told us to walk 2 blocks and turn left. He insisted we owed him 30 euros for a ride that should of only cost a fraction of that. Now we are totally lost and panicking because we had to get to our meeting point and didn't know how far away we were. Luckily we met an older, honest taxi driver who showed us how to get there.. We were so upset from the experience, it ruined our whole visit to Athens.This all could of been avoided if the tour guide had just taken us back to our meeting place instead of abandoning us..

Acropolis Tour

Joseph_D, Jul 2019

The people associated with the tour were friendly and knowledgeable. The person leading the tour was especially knowledgeable of the Acropolis history, Greek culture, and Roman and Greek mythology. There were two minor logistic hiccups on the way to the walking portion of the tour. This was handled professionally and did not detract from the quality and enjoyment of the tour. We definitely recommend the tour.

Terrific walking tour

Lee_H, Jul 2019

Adonis was a very well educated and informative guide. He showed us all over Athens and hiked the Acropolis with us.

Excellent Tour!

AMTManhattanBeach_CA, Jun 2019

Vicki, our Guide, was superior. Super knowledgeable, but did not overload us with too much information. Highly recommend this tour! Lots of walking, but at a good pace for all.

Very good service

Carioca15001906, Jun 2019

Our guide was fantastic, very knowledgeable and caring ( a person in our group had difficulties in walking that hot day) but he made allowances for that. The only suggestion I can make is that they were too far away from the ship's gate and we could not see their sign. Other guides were just outside the gate with the names of the persons they were meeting). In the end I walked 100metres to find their name in a small card in the bus windscreen. But once our group of 6 were in, we had a very good service.

Acropolis Walking Tour

KAREN_S, Jun 2019

Tour Guide was very professional, well spoken, funny and knowledgeable. He ensured no one was left behind and he was very safety conscious on our behalf particularly when crossing the road and walking around the Parthenon.

After figuring some things out the tour...

lisa.johnson, Sep 2018

After figuring some things out the tour went very well...Thr tour was acually in 3 parts with 3 different guides which we didn't expect and was a bit odd but it turned out to be fine. The last part was the best - the walking tour of the Parthenon with Alexandros - he was OUTSTANDING. He was young, enthusiastic and incredibly knowledgeable. Highly recommend.

We were in Athens in 11/17 and it...

Karen_W, Feb 2018

We were in Athens in 11/17 and it was pouring rain. But, our guide was wonderful and after lunch the sun came out and we were able to see Athens.

This was awesome. We had our guide...

Connie Y, Nov 2017

This was awesome. We had our guide named Sophia, and I hope I had her name right. She was very knowledgeable with the histories and spoke a good English. She made sure to answer any questions if our group had any.

I should have read this tour better...

Jerome M, Nov 2017

I should have read this tour better. I was surprised that the price of the tour didn't include the entrance fees52 euros for the two of us that had to be paid in cash at the start of the tour. The tour guide we had was very good, but once we got to the top of the Acropolis, half of the group had purchased a different tour that also went to Acropolis museum. We didn't have that tour so the guide said goodby to use at the top of the Acropolis and we had to make our own way back to the meeting place to get the cabs back to the ship.

It was rushed tour. Not recommended...

Pamela S, Oct 2017

It was rushed tour. Not recommended for those who cannot walk fast. It was an ok tour. Will l fo it again with this company? No l will not. Maybe it was the particular tour guide we got that day but this tour was too rushed.

Dorina was a fantastic guide...

Carol N, Oct 2017

Dorina was a fantastic guide. Incredible knowledge and passion for Athens and her work as a tour guide. She provided detailed insight into each area we visited beginning with the excavation at the train station. She was thoughtful and took bathroom breaks and paced the climb to the top of the Acropolis with breaks to provide historical context and made it easer for a handicapped person in our group. The majority of our small group did not travel on to the museum of the Acropolis afterwards and instead went to Plaka the nearby town, which I highly recommend. Here you will find narrow winding streets of the old town with shops and plenty of tavernas with excellent, authentic Greek food at excelled prices, and great for sitting outside to people watch. An incredible value for the price. Pick and drop off at the ship was effortless. I would highly recommend this tour rather that transporting and purchasing tickets on your own, which we usually do.

One of the best tours we have taken...

Steve R, Oct 2017

One of the best tours we have taken. Walking from Syntagma Square to the top of the Acropolis is not for those who have mobility issues. On the other hand, if you can walk for short stretches, with plenty of breaks, you can do this. Many of the folks on our tour were 70 in age, and were able to complete the hike up and back. The narratives given by our guide, Dori, were very good and helped us understand the city, its parks and monuments, and the attractions of the Acropolis. Highly recommended.

Tour was great. Guide was very...

Susan_M, Oct 2017

Tour was great. Guide was very knowledgeable and interesting. It was a rather long walk.

The tour guide was so knowledgeable...

Shirley_G, Sep 2017

The tour guide was so knowledgeable, yet paced the information, which was shared effectively and in an interesting way. Despite a very hot day, and quite an elevation to the Acropolis, our family of youngish seniors were easily able to get to the top of the Acropolis due to strategic stopping along the way. We appreciated the efforts to avoid other groups during the information sharing, so that it was easy to hear and gave the best viewing opportunities. An amazing historical experience, and well worth the price of the tour!

...