Athens is one of the most famous sightseeing destinations in Europe. From ancient sites like the Acropolis to beaches to shopping centres, there's plenty to see here - and many, many choices on offer about the best way to see it!
Athens tours almost always include a visit to some of the famous Ancient Greek monuments and structures. The most popular attractions are the sites in and around the Acropolis, including the Temple of Nike, the Greek Agora and the Roman Agora, and many more. You can visit all of some of these as part of a guided tour taking a day or half day. You can also join an evening sightseeing tour of the Acropolis, which includes dinner and the chance to listen to ancient Greek instruments.
Speaking of dinner, Athens is an excellent destination for gourmands, as well as classicists. You can take a walking tour of Athens which includes the chance to sample Greek specialities and delicacies. There are also Greek wine tasting tours on offer, which are perfect if you're interested in finding out more about the local vineyards.
If you are interested in sightseeing in Athens but are interested in the modern as well as the ancient city, then there are walking tours available round Plaka and Monastiraki, as well as contemporary Greek highlights like the Parliament building and the main shopping areas.
Athens' museums are another of the city's many highlights. The New Acropolis Museum and the Benaki Museum have some of the world's best collections relating to ancient civilizations. They can get very busy at peak times, but it's possible to buy a pass to allow you to jump the queue and maximise your time in the museum.
If you're interested in travelling around at your own pace rather than going on a walking or coach tour, then consider buying a ticket for the hop-on hop-off bus. Tickets include discounts into some sites, and buses stop off at all major tourist sites in Athens. There are two routes available, and this is a very good option if you want to combine sightseeing with leisurely lunches and plenty of pit stops!
There are also plenty of excursions on offer outside the city, at sites both near and far. The cliff top monasteries of Meteorea, one of the highlights of Greece, can be visited on a 2 day excursion. There are cruises to nearby Greek islands, including Hydra, Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes and many more - perfect if you either want to see historical sites in locations that are further out of Athens, or just want to travel to some of the most famous holiday islands in Greece.
However, if you only have a short time in Greece but still want to travel outside the city, then you should consider a trip to the Temple of Poseidon, to Corinth or to Marathon. Going on an organised coach tour is the most efficient way to get around these sites and maximise the use of your time in Athens.
Bus Tours around Athens
Athens and its suburbs are beautiful and dotted with art galleries, museums, exhibitions, parks, gardens, ruins and natural beauty. Guided bus yours are one of the best ways to see Athens and its periphery any day of the year. Zipping through the countryside in an air-conditioned bus with an English (or whatever your language is) tour guide who explains all the sights, the history and the people who created it, one can almost feel how it felt to cruise around Greece a long time ago. Along with Monuments, landmarks and ancient churches, there are so many attractions that compete for our attention, we could spend days touring Greece.
