Athens - sightseeing tour of the city

Excursion to Athens is one of those trips that will not leave indifferent any traveler. And it’s not just the spirit of a modern European metropolis, the atmosphere of a capital city or the sequence of facilities you visit. The bottom line is that you again touch the pages of school textbooks and books on ancient Greek history and mythology, and at the same time discover a lot of new things for yourself.

Not only history and gods with heroes will fill your acquaintance with the city of democracy with special content, but also Athens will discover a number of pleasant surprises and surprises. And first of all for you it will be an acquaintance with the uniqueness and originality of the city, which combines the history of five thousand years with the life of the metropolis of the 21st century. This amazing symbiosis in Athens implies not only the neighborhood of the majestic ruins of the 5th century BC with modern shopping centers and buildings of the 19th century, built in the neoclassical style, but also a special atmosphere in which antiquity meets the era of technological progress.

During the sightseeing tour of Athens you will get acquainted with the main attractions of the center of the capital of Greece. Your path will run along the river Kyphisos, which, according to one version, is the legendary Eridan, where the son of the sun god Helios Phaeton fell, struck by lightning Zeus for inability to cope with his father's chariot. You will see Cape Piraeus, on which the main port of Athens appeared, which retains such importance today. Be amazed at the size of the columns of the temple of Olympian Zeus, which can still surprise you. Follow the steps of Evzones - soldiers of the National Guard, carrying a guard at the Parliament building in the heart of the city; take a selfie against the background of the Olympic stadium Kallimarmaro, where the first modern Olympic Games were held. The paths of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle will pass along the agora of ancient Athens and the path “Peripatos” around the hill of the Acropolis, after which the Peripatetic school of philosophers was named. Immerse yourself in the hustle and bustle and amazing atmosphere of the Plaka district - one of the old areas of Athens, conveying the mood of the second half of the 19th century. And, of course, climb the Athenian Acropolis - one of the most outstanding and popular monuments of world culture in the world, touch a particle of eternity - as this rose marble from time is eternity, embodied in reality.

On the way back, there is a stop in Thermopyla Gorge, where King Leonids and 300 Spartans performed a feat that is not forgotten even today not only by the Greeks, but also by the whole world.

Interesting facts:
Quote from an ancient comedy: “Yes, you are a churban, if Athens has not seen;” The donkey, when he saw it, was not delighted; the camel, when he left them without complaining.
According to the research of Victor Davis Hanson, when recalculated to today’s rate, the construction of the Parthenon alone cost 206 million euros;
The second highest density in the EU was recorded in Central Athens with a population of 10,436 people per sq km (Eurostat data for 2019);
Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world, continuously inhabited for at least 5,000 years.
The phrase “draconian measures” dates back to the first legislator of ancient Athens – Draco; the code of laws was distinguished by extreme severity (for any theft, even minor, the death penalty was allowed);
According to unofficial data, about 6 million people live in Greater Athens, which is about 50% of the population of the country;
The Acropolis of Athens is not only listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987; the temple on the organization’s flag is often associated with the Parthenon.
The Acropolis is visited annually by about 7 million tourists.
The Temple of Olympian Zeus was the largest temple of antiquity.
The first ruler of ancient Athens was Cecrops, a half-human half-suspension born of Gaia-Earth.
Ancient Cecropiah was renamed Athens after the goddess Athena (giving the inhabitants an olive) won a dispute with Poseidon for the right to be the patron of Attica;
56 original Parthenon frieze plates are in the British Museum and 44 in the Acropolis Museum. Bring them back (bring them back) – under this slogan for several years, activists, art historians and various organizations have been holding various events aimed at returning marble masterpieces stolen 200 years ago to their homeland.

Useful information:

total mileage of the excursion (with departure from Thessaloniki) - about 1050 km;
For your comfort and safety, wear comfortable shoes; do not forget to bring headgear with you;
The route program can be changed for reasons beyond the control of the company (force majeure); weather conditions and at the discretion of the guide, if necessary;
* Due to the distance of the trip - departure night.

All transfers under the program on comfortable transport Mercedes Vito.
services of a Russian-speaking driver (700 – the cost of a tour with a Russian-speaking guide);
* the cost is indicated for leaving Thessaloniki / when leaving the other region changes are possible;

Separately paid:

* Breakfast/lunch;
Entrance tickets to museums and archaeological parks.