Athens on Your Own

Description

Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.

Board your motorcoach for a scenic driving tour into the heart of Athens. Your narrated tour orients you to the city and passes a host of major sites, including Hadrian's Arch, the statue of Lord Byron, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Constitution Square, the former Royal Palace, the National Gardens, the Academy and the University Library.

Your six-hour, independent exploration begins in central Athens as you will be dropped off near the traditional shopping district of the Plaka.

The metro station is located at Syntagna Sauare (Constitution) and is probably the most beautiful station you will ever see, with an underground archeological museum right next to the trains. Across the street are the National Gardens, where you can hop a trolley bus to the National Archaeological Museum, unless you'd prefer to take a pleasant 30-minute walk there.

A short walk away is the Plaka, the city's historic shopping district, located just under the Acropolis. The Plaka is the oldest section of Athens. Most of its streets have been closed to automobile traffic and walking the cobblestone pedestrian lanes will make you feel as though you have been transported to a small village. The streets are lined with boutiques, souvenir stands, jewelry stores, and colorful flea market stalls. Street musicians entertain as you browse the shops and flower peddlers offer fragrant bouquets as you pass by.

When you've worked up an appetite you can choose from a myriad of cafés and tavernas offering traditional Greek fare. The seafood is exceptional, the salads fresh and flavorful, and the house wines a delight. Take a seat at an outdoor café and savor Greek coffee and traditional pastries, a wonderful way to soak up the local color and relaxed tempo.

Discover the many small museums in Plaka, including the beautiful collections in the Museum of Greek Folk Art, the charming Greek Musical Instrument Museum, and the Jewish Museum of Greece.

At the completion of your independent tour, return to the designated motorcoach area and meet your fellow travelers for a return trip back to port.

Special Notes:

This tour is not available to passengers beginning or ending their voyage in Piraeus (Athens).

Euros are required for entrance fees; Euros and/or credit cards are recommended in retail and dining venues; change your money onboard the ship or at a currency exchange in Athens.

***For voyage 2019 this tour will run at 5.5 hours to accomodate the shorter time in port***