cool shore excursions®
Top activities
Top landmarks
Trip ideas
Nearby places
  • Tours by category
  • Tours by accessibility
  • Tours by feature
  • Tours by time
  • Tours by the numbers
  • Top attractions
  • Athens travel guides
  • Athens travel calendar
  • Tours in nearby places
  • Explore Greece tours
Language $Currency
Login / Sign up
Bookings
Bookings
Wallet
$0.00
Wishlists
Wishlists
Cool Rewards Rewards
Gift cards
Profile
Help Center
Language
Log out
Start your search
Change your search
Place or activity
Select Dates
You booked this experience
You're departing on
Google Calendar
Apple Calendar
Microsoft Outlook
Make your trip unforgettable

Best of Athens Half Day Private Tour

576 Reviews 4.93 out of 5 stars Based on 576 traveler reviews collected by Cool Shore Excursions and TripAdvisor |
Recommended by 98% of reviewers
98% of reviewers gave this experience a rating of 4 or higher.
|
Badge of Excellence |Badge of Excellence This experience is highly rated by travelers and has met our top quality standards. Athens, Greece
Book online or call us

from $57.40 per person

Lowest Price Guarantee
Best of Athens Half Day Private Tour Image 1
Best of Athens Half Day Private Tour Image 2
Best of Athens Half Day Private Tour Image 3
Best of Athens Half Day Private Tour Image 4
Best of Athens Half Day Private Tour Image 5
Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 18 (0) days in advance.
4 to 5 hours (approx.)
Hotel pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English
Instant confirmation

Overview

Whether you are on vacation or traveling for business, our Athens tour will give you plenty of opportunities to see the sights while you enjoy a comfortable ride through this ancient city. Depart from your hotel, apartment or Piraeus port in a luxury private vehicle and start exploring one of the world’s oldest cities!

What's Included

  • Bottled water
  • Private transportation
  • WiFi on board
  • Acropolis and Slopes (available upon request or book on your own - links on the ticket/ voucher)
  • Acropolis museum (available upon request or book on your own - links on the ticket/ voucher)
  • Ancient Agora (available upon request or book on your own - links on the ticket/ voucher)
See 3 moreSee 5 more

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup point
Pickup details

In case of pick up from a hotel, your driver will be waiting for you at the hotel lobby. In case of pick up from an apartment, your driver will be waiting for you at the entrance of the building. In case of pick up from Piraeus Port, your driver will be waiting for you at the gate, just as you disembark, holding a sign with your name on it to spot him upon arrival.

What To Expect

Book Online

Our secure website provides real-time availability, instant confirmation, and free, no-hassle cancellations up to 24 hours before your tour begins.
Read more

Safe & secure Easy breezy Hassle‑free

Athens

You will get picked up from your hotel, appartement or Piraeus Port and we will start our Athens Tour.
Read more

15 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Acropolis

The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel located on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens and contains the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historical significance, the most famous being the Parthenon. The word acropolis is from the Greek words ἄκρον (akron, "highest point, extremity") and πόλις (polis, "city"). The term acropolis is generic and there are many other acropoleis in Greece. While there is evidence that the hill was inhabited as far back as the fourth millennium BC, it was Pericles (c. 495–429 BC) in the fifth century BC who coordinated the construction of the buildings whose present remains are the site's most important ones, including the Parthenon, the Propylaea, the Erechtheion and the Temple of Athena Nike. The Parthenon and the other buildings were seriously damaged during the 1687 siege by the Venetians during the Morean War when gunpowder being stored in the Parthenon by the Ottomans was hit by a cannonball and exploded.
Read more

30 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Parthenon

On the top of this sacred hill, proudly stands the Parthenon, which is the epitome of ancient Greek architecture, where you will experience the greatness of ancient Greece captured on every piece of marble. An architectural jewel that hosts the best of what the human spirit and genius has ever conceived, an open embrace that awaits its famed sister marbles to welcome them home again.
Read more

30 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Old Temple of Athena

The Temple of Athena Nike is a temple on the Acropolis of Athens, dedicated to the goddesses Athena and Nike. Built around 420 BC, the temple is the earliest fully Ionic temple on the Acropolis. It has a prominent position on a steep bastion at the southwest corner of the Acropolis to the right of the entrance, the Propylaea. In contrast to the Acropolis proper, a walled sanctuary entered through the Propylaea, the Victory Sanctuary was open, entered from the Propylaea's southwest wing and from a narrow stair on the north. The sheer walls of its bastion were protected on the north, west, and south by the Nike Parapet, named for its frieze of Nikai celebrating victory and sacrificing to their patroness, Athena and Nike.
Read more

15 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Erectheion

The Erechtheion is an ancient Greek temple on the north side of the Acropolis of Athens in Greece which was dedicated to both Athena and Poseidon.
Read more

15 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Theatre of Dionysus

The Theater of Dionysus is an ancient Greek theatre in Athens. It is built on the south slope of the Acropolis hill, originally part of the sanctuary of Dionysus Eleuthereus. The first orchestra terrace was constructed on the site around the mid- to late-sixth century BC, where it hosted the City Dionysia. The theatre reached its fullest extent in the fourth century BC under the epistates of Lycurgus when it would have had a capacity of up to 17,000, and was in continuous use down to the Roman period. The theatre then fell into decay in the Byzantine era and was not identified, excavated, and restored to its current condition until the nineteenth century.
Read more

15 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Herod Atticus Odeon

The Odeon of Herodes Atticus is a stone Roman theatre structure located on the southwest slope of the Acropolis of Athens. The building was completed in AD 161 and then renovated in 1950.
Read more

15 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Arch of Hadrian (Hadrian's Gate) (pass by)

The Arch of Hadrian, most commonly known in Greek as Hadrian's Gate, is a monumental gateway resembling a Roman triumphal arch. It spanned an ancient road from the center of Athens, Greece, to the complex of structures on the eastern side of the city that included the Temple of Olympian Zeus.
Read more

Panathenaic Stadium

Continuing with the stunning Calimarmaro or as it is called today, the Panathenaic Stadium, the house of the first modern Olympic games, made of Pentelic marble in which the Olympic ideals are still reflected today.
Read more

10 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Mount Lycabettus

After leaving the beautiful Calimarmaro behind us, we will drive up to Lycabettus hill where you will enjoy the beautiful panoramic view of the city and admire the combination of ancient and modern Athens from above.
Read more

15 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Hellenic Parliament

Traveling thousands of years ahead, to the Hellenic Parliament building that houses the Greek Parliament in an impressive building in downtown Athens overseeing Syntagma Square, protected by the presidential guard that consists of two soldiers dressed in the traditional Greek combat uniform, standing stationary and guarding beside the tomb of the unknown soldier. The two guards perform the guard change ceremony every hour with impressive accuracy and agility.
Read more

10 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Monument to the Unknown Soldier

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a war memorial located in Syntagma Square in Athens, in front of the Old Royal Palace. It is a cenotaph dedicated to the Greek soldiers killed during war. It was sculpted between 1930 and 1932 by sculptor Fokion Rok. The tomb is guarded by the Evzones of the Presidential Guard.
Read more

10 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Syntagma (pass by)

Syntagma Square (Constitution Square) is the central square of Athens. The square is named after the Constitution that Otto, the first King of Greece, was obliged to grant after a popular and military uprising on 3 September 1843. It is located in front of the 19th century Old Royal Palace, housing the Greek Parliament since 1934. Syntagma Square is the most important square of modern Athens from both a historical and social point of view, at the heart of commercial activity and Greek politics. The name Syntagma alone also refers to the neighbourhood surrounding the square.
Read more

The Academy of Athens (pass by)

The Academy of Athens is Greece's national academy and the highest research establishment in the country. It was established in 1926 and operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Education. The Academy's main building is one of the major landmarks of Athens.
Read more

National Library of Greece (pass by)

The National Library of Greece is situated near the center of the city of Athens. It was designed by the Danish architect Theophil Freiherr von Hansen, as part of his famous Trilogy of neo-classical buildings including the Academy of Athens and the original building of the Athens University. It was founded by Ioannis Kapodistrias.
Read more

Acropolis Museum

Optional visit for 1 hour by selecting the "Best of + Acropolis Museum 5H" option of this tour. The total duration of the tour by selecting this option is about 5 hours. The entrance tickets are not included. The Acropolis Museum is an archaeological museum focused on the findings of the archaeological site of the Acropolis of Athens. The museum was built to house every artifact found on the rock and on the surrounding slopes, from the Greek Bronze Age to Roman and Byzantine Greece. It also lies over the ruins of part of Roman and early Byzantine Athens.The museum was founded in 2003 while the Organization of the Museum was established in 2008. It opened to the public on 20 June 2009. More than 4,250 objects are exhibited over an area of 14,000 square metres.
Read more

1 hour Admission Ticket Free

Ancient Agora of Athens

Optional visit for 30 minutes at the Ancient Agora by selecting the "Best of + Anc. Agora 5H" option of this tour. This option also includes the Temple of Hephaestus. The ancient Agora of Athens (also called the Classical Agora) is an ancient Greek agora. It is located to the northwest of the Acropolis, and bounded on the south by the hill of the Areopagus and on the west by the hill known as the Agoraios Kolonos, also called Market Hill. The Agora's initial use was for a commercial, assembly, or residential gathering place.
Read more

30 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Temple of Hephaestus

Optional visit for 30 minutes at the Temple of Hephaestus by selecting the "Best of + Anc. Agora 5H" option of this tour. This option also includes the Ancient Agora of Athens. The Temple of Hephaestus or Hephaisteion is a well-preserved Greek temple dedicated to Hephaestus; it remains standing largely intact today. It is a Doric peripteral temple, and is located at the north-west side of the Agora of Athens, on top of the Agoraios Kolonos hill.
Read more

30 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Show 17 more stops

Additional Info

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Our drivers are not professional tour guides and will not enter the archaeological sites with you. Nevertheless, they have the necessary historical knowledge and of course the ability to speak english with you and answer your questions during the tour.
  • You can prepurchase Acropolis tickets on their website. Website provided on your tickets/vouchers.
  • You can prepurchase Acropolis museum tickets on their website. Website provided on your tickets/vouchers.
  • Please note that visiting the Acropolis involves walking uphill on uneven and sometimes steep surfaces and may be physically challenging for elderly visitors and individuals with mobility difficulties. If you or any member of your group has mobility limitations, please inform us before booking. This will allow us to discuss your specific needs, explain the accessibility conditions, and advise you on whether visiting the Acropolis would be suitable or whether an alternative itinerary would be more appropriate. Please note that access to the site may also be affected by the availability of accessibility facilities operated by the site authorities.

Frequently Asked Questions (7)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Best of Athens Half Day Private Tour?

A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (EET). Read more Apr 2025

Cancellation Policy

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

Still have questions?

We're here to help.
Activity code: C-323957P16

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.93
576 reviews

Average 4.93 out of 5 stars based on 576 traveler reviews collected by Cool Shore Excursions and partner sites such as Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor

5 stars
552
4 stars
12
3 stars
9
2 stars
0
1 star
3
Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 18 (0) days in advance.
Athens Tours
Attractions
Guides
Calendar
View more

Similar Tours & Activities

Full-Day Experience In Athens & Temple of Poseidon
Likely to Sell Out
Likely to Sell Out
5.0 (5)

Full-Day Experience In Athens & Temple of Poseidon

Discover the essence of Athens in a single day, combining world-famous monuments with coastal beauty. Visit the iconic Acropolis and walk through the heart of...

7 to 8 hours Hotel pickup offered Free Cancellation
5.0 (5)
from
$86
Athens Quest: The Minotaur Code (Greek Mythology Game)
3.9 (8)

Athens Quest: The Minotaur Code (Greek Mythology Game)

Every year, fourteen young Athenians are sent to Crete to face the Minotaur. This year, one of them is the daughter of Demokritos, a desperate...

1 hour 20 minutes Free Cancellation
3.9 (8)
from
$8
Private Tour from Athens to Corinth Canal and Ancient Olympia
Likely to Sell Out
Likely to Sell Out
3.5 (2)

Private Tour from Athens to Corinth Canal and Ancient Olympia

Your private tour will start from Athens and drive you through a scenic and beautiful landscape inside the Peloponnese peninsula. Our first stop is the...

9 hours Free Cancellation
3.5 (2)
from
$790
Private Athens Airport & Port Transfer to Hotels and Airbnb
4.9 (152)

Private Athens Airport & Port Transfer to Hotels and Airbnb

During your transfer, you can relax in our luxury cars and enjoy the ride while being able to stop whenever you need in order to...

45 minutes Hotel pickup offered Free Cancellation
4.9 (152)
from
$27
Full-Day Experience In Athens & Temple of Poseidon

Discover the essence of Athens in a single day, combining world-famous monuments with coastal beauty. Visit the iconic Acropolis and walk through the heart of …More

Likely to Sell Out
Likely to Sell Out
5.0 (5)

Full-Day Experience In Athens & Temple of Poseidon

5.0 (5)

Discover the essence of Athens in a single day, combining world-famous monuments with coastal beauty. Visit the iconic Acropolis and walk through the heart of...

7 to 8 hours Hotel pickup offered Free Cancellation
5.0 (5)
from
$86
Athens Quest: The Minotaur Code (Greek Mythology Game)

Every year, fourteen young Athenians are sent to Crete to face the Minotaur. This year, one of them is the daughter of Demokritos, a desperate …More

3.9 (8)

Athens Quest: The Minotaur Code (Greek Mythology Game)

3.9 (8)

Every year, fourteen young Athenians are sent to Crete to face the Minotaur. This year, one of them is the daughter of Demokritos, a desperate...

1 hour 20 minutes Free Cancellation
3.9 (8)
from
$8
Private Tour from Athens to Corinth Canal and Ancient Olympia

Your private tour will start from Athens and drive you through a scenic and beautiful landscape inside the Peloponnese peninsula. Our first stop is the …More

Likely to Sell Out
Likely to Sell Out
3.5 (2)

Private Tour from Athens to Corinth Canal and Ancient Olympia

3.5 (2)

Your private tour will start from Athens and drive you through a scenic and beautiful landscape inside the Peloponnese peninsula. Our first stop is the...

9 hours Free Cancellation
3.5 (2)
from
$790
Private Athens Airport & Port Transfer to Hotels and Airbnb

During your transfer, you can relax in our luxury cars and enjoy the ride while being able to stop whenever you need in order to …More

4.9 (152)

Private Athens Airport & Port Transfer to Hotels and Airbnb

4.9 (152)

During your transfer, you can relax in our luxury cars and enjoy the ride while being able to stop whenever you need in order to...

45 minutes Hotel pickup offered Free Cancellation
4.9 (152)
from
$27

Travelers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought

Athens Scenic Bike Tour with Regular or Electric Bike + Acropolis
Likely to Sell Out
Likely to Sell Out
5.0 (3,503)

Athens Scenic Bike Tour with Regular or Electric Bike + Acropolis

See the sights of Athens in this fun and easy 9km journey by regular or electric bike. During this 2.5 hour relaxed pace tour on...

2 hours 30 minutes Free Cancellation
5.0 (3,503)
from
$40
Athens Acropolis and Parthenon Walking Tour
Likely to Sell Out
Likely to Sell Out
4.7 (1,362)

Athens Acropolis and Parthenon Walking Tour

Please note that there are several options available for this tour. You can upgrade your experience by selecting an option that includes the entrance fees,...

2 hours Free Cancellation
4.7 (1,362)
from
$39
Cape Sounion and Temple of Poseidon Half-Day Small-Group Tour from Athens
4.7 (3,568)

Cape Sounion and Temple of Poseidon Half-Day Small-Group Tour from Athens

Experience the beauty of Greece with our Cape Sounion and Temple of Poseidon tour, available in both morning and sunset options. Each tour offers a...

5 to 6 hours Hotel pickup offered Free Cancellation
4.7 (3,568)
from
$41
Acropolis of Athens and Acropolis Museum Tour
4.8 (911)

Acropolis of Athens and Acropolis Museum Tour

Delve into the fascinating world of Ancient Greece on a 3-hour walking tour of the Acropolis of Athens and the New Acropolis Museum. With an...

3 hours 30 minutes Free Cancellation
4.8 (911)
from
$54
Athens Scenic Bike Tour with Regular or Electric Bike + Acropolis

See the sights of Athens in this fun and easy 9km journey by regular or electric bike. During this 2.5 hour relaxed pace tour on …More

Likely to Sell Out
Likely to Sell Out
5.0 (3,503)

Athens Scenic Bike Tour with Regular or Electric Bike + Acropolis

5.0 (3,503)

See the sights of Athens in this fun and easy 9km journey by regular or electric bike. During this 2.5 hour relaxed pace tour on...

2 hours 30 minutes Free Cancellation
5.0 (3,503)
from
$40
Athens Acropolis and Parthenon Walking Tour

Please note that there are several options available for this tour. You can upgrade your experience by selecting an option that includes the entrance fees, …More

Likely to Sell Out
Likely to Sell Out
4.7 (1,362)

Athens Acropolis and Parthenon Walking Tour

4.7 (1,362)

Please note that there are several options available for this tour. You can upgrade your experience by selecting an option that includes the entrance fees,...

2 hours Free Cancellation
4.7 (1,362)
from
$39
Cape Sounion and Temple of Poseidon Half-Day Small-Group Tour from Athens

Experience the beauty of Greece with our Cape Sounion and Temple of Poseidon tour, available in both morning and sunset options. Each tour offers a …More

4.7 (3,568)

Cape Sounion and Temple of Poseidon Half-Day Small-Group Tour from Athens

4.7 (3,568)

Experience the beauty of Greece with our Cape Sounion and Temple of Poseidon tour, available in both morning and sunset options. Each tour offers a...

5 to 6 hours Hotel pickup offered Free Cancellation
4.7 (3,568)
from
$41
Acropolis of Athens and Acropolis Museum Tour

Delve into the fascinating world of Ancient Greece on a 3-hour walking tour of the Acropolis of Athens and the New Acropolis Museum. With an …More

4.8 (911)

Acropolis of Athens and Acropolis Museum Tour

4.8 (911)

Delve into the fascinating world of Ancient Greece on a 3-hour walking tour of the Acropolis of Athens and the New Acropolis Museum. With an...

3 hours 30 minutes Free Cancellation
4.8 (911)
from
$54

Frequently Asked Questions (7)

Activity name

The answers provided below were previously given in response to questions from Cool Shore Excursions customers.

Filter by:

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Best of Athens Half Day Private Tour?
A:
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.
  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (EET).
Apr 2025
Q: What's included in the price?
A:
The following is included:
  • Bottled water.
  • Private transportation.
  • WiFi on board.
  • Air-conditioned vehicle.
The following is NOT included:
  • Acropolis and Slopes (available upon request or book on your own - links on the ticket/ voucher).
  • Acropolis museum (available upon request or book on your own - links on the ticket/ voucher).
  • Ancient Agora (available upon request or book on your own - links on the ticket/ voucher).
  • Gratuities.
  • Licensed tour guide (€300 upon request, subject to availability).
Apr 2025
Q: What is the minimum age for this tour?
A:

There is no minimum age for this tour, so bring your wee one along for an adventure..

Apr 2025
Q: My date is not available in the calendar, I am just checking to see if it is available?
A:

If a date or time is not listed on the calendar, it’s sold out or unavailable for another reason. Support cannot assist further if a date or time is not on the calendar.

If you find a date and time that works for you, book it NOW because things always sell out at this time of year.

Apr 2025
Q: Is this an accessible tour?
A:

Accessibility information for the Best of Athens Half Day Private Tour is as follows:

  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Apr 2025
Q: Where is the meeting point for this activity?
A:

Detailed check-in instructions – including meeting point address, Google map, and parking information – for Best of Athens Half Day Private Tour will be included in your confirmation email from Cool Shore Excursions. Please be sure to double and triple check your email address is correct at checkout so this important email makes its way to you!

 

 

Mar 2024
Q: How long does a refund take to reach my card, and can I get it faster?
A:

Once your refund is processed, it usually shows on your card statement within 5–10 business days. The exact timing depends on your bank or card issuer.

Want it sooner? When you cancel, choose Receive a refund to my wallet instead. The credit is in your Wallet straight away and is applied automatically at checkout on your next booking when you’re signed in with the same email. You can see your balance any time in My Wallet.

If you paid part of your booking with Wallet credit, that part always goes back to your Wallet. Trip protection isn’t refundable.

Oct 2026

What's Included

Activity name

  • Bottled water
  • Private transportation
  • WiFi on board
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • Acropolis and Slopes (available upon request or book on your own - links on the ticket/ voucher)
  • Acropolis museum (available upon request or book on your own - links on the ticket/ voucher)
  • Ancient Agora (available upon request or book on your own - links on the ticket/ voucher)
  • Gratuities
  • Licensed tour guide (€300 upon request, subject to availability)

Additional Info

Activity name

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Our drivers are not professional tour guides and will not enter the archaeological sites with you. Nevertheless, they have the necessary historical knowledge and of course the ability to speak english with you and answer your questions during the tour.
  • Additional charge for pick up/drop off at the airport
  • You can prepurchase Acropolis tickets on their website. Website provided on your tickets/vouchers.
  • You can prepurchase Acropolis museum tickets on their website. Website provided on your tickets/vouchers.
  • Please note that visiting the Acropolis involves walking uphill on uneven and sometimes steep surfaces and may be physically challenging for elderly visitors and individuals with mobility difficulties. If you or any member of your group has mobility limitations, please inform us before booking. This will allow us to discuss your specific needs, explain the accessibility conditions, and advise you on whether visiting the Acropolis would be suitable or whether an alternative itinerary would be more appropriate. Please note that access to the site may also be affected by the availability of accessibility facilities operated by the site authorities.

Report Product Issue

Activity name