• Athens - Discover Athens, the historic capital of Europe and the cradle of democracy, arts, science, and philosophy of Western civilization. It is the home of renowned figures like Plato, Socrates, Pericles, Euripides, Sophocles, and Aeschylus. As one of the world’s oldest cities, Athens boasts a recorded history of approximately 3,400 years and has been inhabited since the 11th millennium B.C.E. Today, under the shadow of the Parthenon, the modern urban landscape of this expansive city mirrors its rich history, multicultural modern identity, and advanced infrastructure and amenities.

Enjoy the ideal Mediterranean climate with the legendary Greek sunlight, the unique blend of glorious history with modern urban innovation, the coexistence of rich culture with stunning natural beauty, and the high standard of hotel accommodations…

We will pick you up from your accommodation in Athens. Our tour begins with a direct journey to the Acropolis to avoid traffic and crowds.

• Beit Shalom Synagogue in Athens - The Jewish Community of Athens maintains two active synagogues, both located on the same street facing each other in the Thission area, near the city center.

The older synagogue is the Romaniote one, built in 1904 at 8 Melidoni Street. Known as Etz Hayyim, a common name for Romaniote synagogues, it is still referred to as “the Ioannina Synagogue” by the community’s older members. It is the smaller of the two and is used today only during the High Holidays. The ground floor houses the community’s offices, in rooms originally intended for a Jewish school.

Directly across the street, at number 5, is the newer and larger Beth Shalom Sephardic synagogue, built in 1935 from white Pentelic marble in an austere Greek Revival style. Renovated in 1975, it is the one fully used today. Its exterior is in white marble with neoclassical elements, while the spacious interior bears little resemblance to the Greek tradition regarding synagogue design.

• Acropolis - The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel situated on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens. Its monuments are universal symbols of the classical spirit and civilization, forming the greatest architectural and artistic complex bequeathed by Greek Antiquity to the world. In the second half of the 5th century BC, Athens, following its victory against the Persians and the establishment of democracy, assumed a leading position among the other city-states of the ancient world. In the subsequent age, as thought and art flourished, an exceptional group of artists executed the ambitious plans of Athenian statesman Pericles. Under the inspired guidance of the sculptor Pheidias, they transformed the rocky hill into a unique monument of thought and the arts. The most important monuments were built during this time: the Parthenon, constructed by Ictinus, the Erechtheon, the Propylaea, the monumental entrance to the Acropolis, designed by Mnesicles, and the small temple of Athena Nike.
• Propylaea - The Propylaea of the Athenian Acropolis was constructed on the west side of the hill, where the gate of the Mycenaean fortification once stood. The first propylon, or gate, was built during the age of Peisistratos (mid-sixth century BC), after the Acropolis had become a sanctuary dedicated to Athena.

A new propylon, built between 510-480 BC, was destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC and repaired after the end of the Persian Wars, during the fortification of the Acropolis by Themistokles and Kimon. The monumental Propylaia admired by modern visitors was part of the great Periclean building program. They were erected between 437-432 BC, after the completion of the Parthenon, by architect Mnesikles. The original building plan was particularly daring both in architectural and artistic terms but was never completed. The pie-shaped building of Pentelic marble beautifully frames the entrance to the sacred precinct. The central section, the propylon proper, had an outer (west) and inner (east) facade…

• Temple of Athena Nike - The Propylaea of the Athenian Acropolis was constructed on the west side of the hill, where the gate of the Mycenaean fortification once stood. The first propylon, or gate, was built during the age of Peisistratos (mid-sixth century BC), after the Acropolis had become a sanctuary dedicated to Athena.

A new propylon, built between 510-480 BC, was destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC and repaired after the end of the Persian Wars, during the fortification of the Acropolis by Themistokles and Kimon. The monumental Propylaia admired by modern visitors was part of the great Periclean building program. They were erected between 437-432 BC, after the completion of the Parthenon, by architect Mnesikles. The original building plan was particularly daring both in architectural and artistic terms but was never completed. The pie-shaped building of Pentelic marble beautifully frames the entrance to the sacred precinct. The central section, the propylon proper, had an outer (west) and inner (east) facade…

• Parthenon - The Parthenon, dedicated by the Athenians to Athena Parthenos, the patron of their city, is the most magnificent creation of Athenian democracy at the height of its power. It is also the finest monument on the Acropolis in terms of both conception and execution. Built between 447 and 438 BC, as part of the greater Periklean building project, this so-called Periklean Parthenon (Parthenon III) replaced an earlier marble temple (Parthenon II), begun after the victory at the battle of Marathon around 490 BC and destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC. This temple replaced the very first Parthenon (Parthenon I) of c. 570 BC from Periklis. The Parthenon was designed by architects Iktinos and Kallikrates, while the sculptor Pheidias supervised the entire building program and conceived the temple’s sculptural decoration and a chryselephantine statue of Athena. The Parthenon is a double peripteral Doric temple with several unique and innovative architectural features.
• Erechtheion - The elegant building known as the Erechtheion, on the north side of the sacred rock of the Acropolis, was erected between 421-406 BC as a replacement for an earlier temple dedicated to Athena Polias, the so-called “Old temple.” The name Erechtheion, mentioned only by Pausanias (1, 26, 5), derives from Erechtheus, the mythical king of Athens, who was worshipped there. The sanctuary also contained the grave of Kekrops and the traces of the dispute between Athena and Poseidon for the possession of the city of Athens.
  Another door on the south facade of the western temple opened onto the porch of the Karyatides, a pi-shaped structure with six female statues instead of columns to support the roof. Created by Alkamemes or Kallimachos, the statues were later named Karyatides after the young women from Karyes of Laconia who danced in honor of the goddess Artemis. Five of them are in the Acropolis Museum and another in the British Museum; those on the building are casts.
• Hellenic Parliament - The history of the impressive building of the Hellenic Parliament is intimately linked to the history of the Modern Greek state. Initially, the building served as the palace of Kings Otto and George I. It became the Parliament and Senate building a hundred years after it was constructed and still houses the Hellenic Parliament today. Over the years, the building has undergone a series of changes and has been modernized.

From 1836 to 1862; After the selection of Otto, Prince of Bavaria, as King of Greece, and the relocation of the Greek capital to Athens, it was decided to erect the palace on Boubounistra Hill. It proved an inspired choice. The chosen location was in the center of the new capital, easily defendable and cool.

On February 6th, 1836, the founding stone was laid at the highest eastern point of the city. The ancient quarry of Pentele was the source of marble. King and queen Otto, and Amalia, took up residence on July 25th, 1843.

• 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.
• Change of Guards - The Parthenon, dedicated by the Athenians to Athena Parthenos, the patron of their city, is the most magnificent creation of Athenian democracy at the height of its power. It is also the finest monument on the Acropolis in terms of both conception and execution. Built between 447 and 438 BC, as part of the greater Periklean building project, this so-called Periklean Parthenon (Parthenon III) replaced an earlier marble temple (Parthenon II), begun after the victory at the battle of Marathon around 490 BC and destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC. This temple replaced the very first Parthenon (Parthenon I) of c. 570 BC from Periklis. The Parthenon was designed by architects Iktinos and Kallikrates, while the sculptor Pheidias supervised the entire building program and conceived the temple’s sculptural decoration and a chryselephantine statue of Athena. The Parthenon is a double peripteral Doric temple with several unique and innovative architectural features.
• The Academy of Athens - The Academy of Athens was founded with the Constitutional Decree of March 18th, 1926, as an Academy of Sciences, Humanities, and Fine Arts. The same Decree appointed its first Members, who were all eminent representatives of the scientific, intellectual, and artistic circles of that era.
• National and Kapodistrian University of Athens - The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) is a public, self-governed Higher Education Institution, under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, Research, and Religious Affairs. Inaugurated in 1837, it has been the oldest higher education institution in the Modern Greek state and the first university in the Balkan and Eastern Mediterranean area. Since then, it has been an internationally competitive, globally-focused, research-led university.
• National Library of Greece - The National Library forms part of the so-called “Neoclassical Trilogy” of the City of Athens: Academy - University - Library.

With a history of over two centuries, containing more than one million books and magazines, and a host of handwritten codices dating from the 9th to the 19th centuries, the National Library of Greece is the custodian of the Greek literary heritage, bridging the past, the present, and the future.

It was built between 1887 and 1902, based on a study by the Danish architect, Theophile Hansen - brother of Cristian Hansen. Hernest Ziller was the supervising architect who also studied the entrance stairways and the main bookstands. As early as 1858, King Otho had ordered Hansen to make a study for the construction of a Library next to the University, which had already started being built.

• National History Museum (Old Parliament) - The National Historical Museum is permanently housed in the Old Parliament Building at Stadiou Street (Kolokotronis square). The Museum narrates the history of Modern Greece: the period of Ottoman and Latin rule, the Greek War of Independence (1821), the liberation struggles, the creation of an independent state, and the political, social, and spiritual development of the Greeks up to the present day.

The Old Parliament House is directly connected with Greek history: it was the first permanent base of the Greek National Assembly.

The Old Parliament was founded in 1858 by Queen Amalia, upon a design by French architect François Boulanger, in order to house the Parliament and Senate.

For 60 years, the building on Stadiou Street housed the country’s turbulent political life. In 1935, Parliament moved to the Former Palace on Syntagma Square, where it is still housed today.

Today, the Old Parliament is an architectural jewel in the center of Athens.

• Syntagma - Syntagma Square has literally been the very heart of Athens ever since the city became the capital of the modern Greek state, and it’s the perfect central location for sightseeing.

It is located in front of the 19th-century Old Royal Palace, housing the Greek Parliament since 1934. With the Greek Parliament building and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier looming over it, it is rich with history and is the place where most major events of the last two centuries have taken place.

Its name in Greek means “Constitution Square,” a name granted by Greece’s first modern royal, King Otto, on September 3, 1843, after an uprising of the people. This was a smart political move since the royal palace overlooked the square.

• The Jewish Museum of Greece - The idea of building a Jewish Museum of Greece was first conceived in the 1970s by members of the Jewish Community of Athens, who offered every kind of assistance towards the realization of this dream. It was first established in 1977 and housed in a small room next to the city’s synagogue. It housed objects salvaged from WWII, whether artifacts, documents, and manuscripts of the 19th and 20th centuries, or the jewelry of the Jews of Thrace that had been seized by the Bulgarians in 1943. The latter had been returned to the Greek government after the abdication of the Bulgarian king and the establishment of a communist regime in the country.

The following years saw a thorough and careful collection of material from all the communities of Greece. The collection expanded with rare books and publications, textiles, jewelry, and domestic and religious artifacts, thanks to the interest of several individuals.

• Plaka - In the shadow of the Acropolis and its ancient temples, hillside Plaka has a village feel, with narrow cobblestone streets lined with tiny shops selling jewelry, clothes, and local ceramics. Sidewalk cafes and family-run tavernas stay open until late. Nearby, the whitewashed homes of the Anafiotika neighborhood give the small enclave a Greek-island vibe.

Visiting the Plaka district in Athens is an experience that stays with travelers for a lifetime. With its colorful neoclassic buildings and ruins waiting to be discovered around every corner, there is so much to be discovered in Plaka.

Plaka is appropriately known as the “Neighborhood of the Gods.” It lies beneath the northeastern slope of the Acropolis and stretches almost all the way to Syntagma Square, in a maze of winding narrow streets laced with shops and dotted with antiquities throughout. Truly, this is one of the most charming and elegant neighborhoods you will encounter anywhere on Earth.

• National Garden - The National Garden of Athens, located behind the Parliament and Syntagma Square, is a green oasis in the heart of the city.

The National Garden of Athens is a large green space of over 160,000 square meters adorned with over 500 types of plants and trees from all over the world.

Former Royal Gardens; The gardens were designed in 1839 by order of Queen Amalia of the Greeks, but were not open to the public until 1923 when they were renamed “National Garden.”

The designer of the gardens, Friedrich Schmidt, traveled all over the world in search of the most beautiful, exotic, and unique flora. This task was also granted to the Hellenic Navy.

• Kallimármaro - Admire the Kallimarmaro stadium, also known as the Panathenaea stadium, where the first modern Olympic games took place in 1896. It is called Kallimarmaro because it is entirely made of marble. A special marble called Pentelic marble, which is unique because it changes color according to the daylight. Cool in the morning, it changes to a bone gold color in the afternoon. The monuments on the Acropolis and the temple of Zeus are made of the same Pentelic marble.
• Lykavittos (Mount Lycabettus) - Mount Lycabettus is the highest point in central Athens, Greece. Known in Greek as Lykavitos Hill, it stands 277 m (909 feet) above sea level, providing spectacular views of the Greek capital and the coastline.

The hill is one of the largest green areas in central Athens, located close to the Kolonaki and Exarchia areas. Many Athenians come here for a stroll and go to the top to enjoy the city from above.

Lycabettus hill is accessible on foot, by funicular railway, and by car. Thousands of tourists visit every year to climb to the top, see the small chapel of Saint George, and enjoy the cityscape from above.

Today, Lycabettus hill is a fantastic place to go if you want to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. The peace and quiet are so different from the Kolonaki and Exarchia areas right below and the crowded market streets of Monastiraki and Psiri. After our visit to Lycabettus Hill, we will drop you off at the same spot we picked you up.

• Hotel pickup and drop-off
• Private tour
• Professional English-speaking driver knowledgeable in Greek history and culture
• Drivers guide till archaeological sites and museums entrance (Note: they do not accompany inside)
• Optional licensed tour guide for sites and museums at extra cost (tour guide availability varies)
• Transport by air-conditioned vehicle suitable for group size

• Entrance fees to the archaeological sites and museum
• Gratuities
• Food and drinks
• Airports and all Ports pickup and drop-off not included in this price
• English-speaking licensed tour guide (We can arrange for a tour guide for you with an extra cost)

Highlights of the half-day Jewish tour in Athens

• Visit the old and new Synagogue of Athens (It’s currently closed for visitors due to the war)
• The Jewish museum of Athens
• Visit the Acropolis and Parthenon
• Enjoy a city tour in Athens with a professional English-speaking driver
• The Jewish tour is also available as a shore excursion from your cruise ship at the Port of Praeus (Athens)
• Travelers can customize the tour within the itinerary!

• Dress: religious and marmoreal sites: shoulders and knee must be covered
• Important note: You will have a professional English-speaking driver with good knowledge of the history and culture of Greece, to guide you till you enter archaeological sites and museums according to the program. Tour drivers are not licensed to companion you inside the archaeological sites and museums. If you’d like to have one, we can arrange it for you at an additional cost. Licensed by the state tour guides are freelance and it is subject to availability on bookings day!
• Caution Restriction: Transfers from airports and ports are not include in this tour
• Pick up /drop off at Piraeus port can be arranged on request at an extra cost !
• Athens International Airport transfers can be arranged on request at an extra cost!
• We suggest that you have your admission tickets pre-purchased as there is a chance not to find availability, please note that we can buy the tickets for you in advance -under a small service fee.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.