8 Shore Excursions in Athens, Priced One by One

1.Athens Shore Excursion: Athens and Piraeus Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 617 reviews · 1 hour 50 minutes (approx.) · from $26Our pick

See Athens from an open-top double-decker bus with a 24 or 48-hour pass. Choose the Athens city route, add Piraeus, and in season include the Beach Riviera line. Audio commentary, Wi-Fi, flexible stops, and cruise-port access make it useful for a first look, though traffic, waits, and early final buses can limit sightseeing time.

“Educational and free to take more time at different locations. I enjoyed the sites and ease to catch other buses”

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2.Essential Athens Full Day Private Tour – Best Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 168 reviews · 8 to 9 hours (approx.) · from $229Top rated

Spend 8 to 9 hours exploring Athens by private car or van with an English-speaking driver such as Mario, George, or Makis. Visit the Acropolis, Ancient Agora, Acropolis Museum, Monastiraki, Syntagma, and more. Pickup is available from Athens hotels, residences, or Piraeus port, with a flexible route shaped around your interests.

“George picked us at the port on 23 September, and was waiting with a sign with my name as soon as we collected our luggage. He had a large van that more than accommodate our party of four with a lot of luggage. He gave great explanations as we drove into the city with history. We asked for lunch at a restaurant by the water that was very good. George was a pleasure to be with and did a fantastic job. Nikos provided quick communication with us throughout the booking that we made 10 months ahead and what advance tickets to buy for the sights. They are an excellent provider…”

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3.Athens Shore Excursion: Acropolis Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 131 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $136

Travel from Piraeus to central Athens, then walk past Parliament, the National Gardens, Zappeion, Hadrian’s Arch, and the Temple of Olympian Zeus before climbing the Acropolis. Guides such as Apollon, Dori, Adonis, and Vicki bring Greek myths and ancient history to life. Plan for heat, steep stone paths, and plenty of walking.

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

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4.Athens Shore Excursion: Small-Group Food Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 39 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $133

Start with pickup at Piraeus at 8:45 am, then walk central Athens with a food specialist. Expect koulouri, loukoumades, market stalls, olive oil, Greek snacks, and a gyro, followed by free time in Plaka. Guides such as Eva, Artemis, Theo, and Katerina add local food and city context.

“I am so happy that I found this small food tour. It was amazing. I learned which foods are traditionally Greek and tasted so many good foods. The meat and seafood market was a highlight. But, there were so many others. We tasted camel meat too. You have to take this tour.”

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5.The Highlights of Athens Private Shore Excursion 8 Hours

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 39 reviews · 8 hours (approx.)

Spend eight flexible hours touring Athens from Piraeus or your hotel in a private, air-conditioned vehicle. Your English-speaking driver takes you to the Acropolis, Parthenon, Acropolis Museum, Plaka, Ancient Agora, Syntagma Square, Kallimarmaro, and Lycabettus Hill. Ask about drivers such as George, Yanni, Christos, or Andreas, and consider adding a licensed guide for the archaeological sites.

“Absolutely loved Athens and the Acropolis! Would get the earliest tix possible next time to avoid the large crowds. Breath taking views, wonderful historical perspective. Wear shoes with traction. The marble paths are so smooth from years of wear that slipping is certain. Our driver, Yanni, was a wealth of information on ancient and modern Greece. He entertained us with stories about each place we saw. His car was clean and and smelled fresh. Definitely hire a local to drive you around Athens. They understand the rules of the road and the etiquette it requires to avoid pedestrians and drivers. We asked to go to a local (not tourist) restaurant…”

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6.Embark | Disembark The Highlights Of Athens – 4 H Private Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 35 reviews · 4 hours (approx.)

This four-hour private Athens tour picks you up at Piraeus and visits the Acropolis area, Plaka, Syntagma Square, the Panathenaic Stadium, and Lycabettus Hill. Your English-speaking driver provides commentary outside the sites, while a licensed guide can be added for inside visits. Drivers such as Alexander, Theodore, Christos, and Apostolos have received strong praise.

“Apostolos Was an excellent driver and guide. He showed us the major sights and shared about Greece and Athens, ancient and modern. We highly recommend this experience.”

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7.Shore Excursion: Acropolis, Athens City tour and The New Acropolis Museum

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 30 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $130

This 5.5-hour shore excursion links the changing of the guard, National Gardens, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Acropolis, and Acropolis Museum. You travel from Piraeus with round-trip transfers and walk with a licensed English-speaking guide in a group of up to 24. Guides may include Margarita, Costas, Hermes, or Charoula.

“We saw amazing things but this tour needs a longer break for lunch in the middle. We came on a cruise ship, we met our transport around 8:30 am to meet at the Kolomaki train station around 9:30 am. We began the walking tour through the train station with amazing artifacts, walked to watch the changing of the guard at the Hellenic Parliament (very interesting), and then walked through the National Gardens towards the Acropolis. Prior to heading to the Acropolis, we we stopped for just a 20 minute break at around 11:10 which included a long line for bathroom, thus no time for food nor was it explained that…”

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8.Piraeus Shore Excursion: ALL INCLUSIVE Skip-the-Lines Athens sightseeing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 27 reviews · 4 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $313

From Piraeus, ride an air-conditioned van into Athens with a small group of up to 14 people. Visit the Acropolis, stroll Plaka, see the Panathenaic Stadium, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Parliament, and Changing of the Guards. Guides such as George, Ioanna, Vicki, and Despina provide live commentary, while Acropolis site tickets are included.

“Having a personal guide to show us the city was the best thing we could've done! Our guide, George, had a modern Mercedes all electric car. It was great to be able to keep our bags with him as we just finished a cruise. Can't rate this trip high enough.”

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