Athens Best and Cape Sounion, Poseidon's Temple Private Day Tour
Description
This tour is a perfect combination of Athens’s most important sites and the most popular excursion to the so called "Greek Riviera", Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon. During the tour you will have the opportunity to enjoy lunch, a chilled “ouzo” and “meze” in a traditional Greek taverna, overlooking the Aegean Sea. This tour is the ideal way to avoid noisy crowds and the bustle of the city. Travel in safety and comfort in your own luxurious private vehicle. Your dedicated private driver will ensure a comfortable personalized experience throughout the day!
Tour Options
Itinerary
We start the tour by visiting the so called “sacred rock”, The Acropolis. Here you will see: - Parthenon that was dedicated to goddess Athena (Parthenos) - Propylea, the monumental entrance to the sacred area - The Temple of Athena Nike which was dedicated to Athena-Nike - The Erechtheion with its famous female figures-statues - The Caryatides or Maidens dedicated to both goddess Athena and god Poseidon - The Odeum of Herodus Atticus - The the Theatre of Dionysus, the first theatre in the whole world - The Areopagus (Mars Hill)
The temple of Olympian Zeus (124-132 AD) had three rows of eight columns (tripteral octastyle) on the two narrow sides and two rows of twenty columns (dipteral eikosastyle) on the long sides. It once housed the chryselephantine (gold and ivory) statue of Zeus and the statue of the emperor. Sixteen of the temple's columns survive today, thirteen of them, on the east side, intact. Of the remaining three on the west side, one collapsed in 1852.
It was originally a natural hollow part of the ground between the two hills of Agra and Ardettos, over Ilissos river. It was transformed into a stadium by Lykourgos in 330-329 BC for the athletic competitions of the Great Panathinaea Festivities. Between 140 and 144 AD, Herodes Atticus restored the Stadium, giving it the form that was found at the 1870 excavation: the horseshoe construction with a track 204,07 meters long and 33,35 meters wide. It is believed that the Stadium had a seating capacity of 50.000 people. Separating scales were built between the tiers and on the base of the sphendone there was a portico with Doric-style columns; another portico was placed in the stadium's facade. At Roman times, the Stadium was used as an arena, with the addition of a semi-circular wall on the north that was corresponding to the splendor of the southern side.
The triumphal arch lies on an ancient street that led from the old city of Athens to the new, Roman section, built by Hadrian. It was constructed by the Athenians in A.D. 131, in honor of their benefactor emperor. Two inscriptions are carved on the architrave, one on each side: the first, on the side towards the Acropolis reads "This is Athens, the ancient city of Theseus"; the second, on the other side, facing the new city reads "This is the city of Hadrian and not of Theseus".
Lycabettus Hill (Lykavitos) is the highest point of Athens, 277m above sea level. From Lycabettus Hill you will enjoy the best panoramic view of the Acropolis, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Panathenaic Stadium, the Ancient Agora and the whole metropolis! You will also be reminded that Athens is surrounded by sea with spectacular views across the Aegean. On the top of the hill, you will find the Greek Orthodox church of Agios Georgios (St. George).
Also known as Constitution Square, Syntagma Square (Plateia Syntagmatos) is a huge public plaza stretching out in front of Athens’ parliament building. Gleaming with white marble and beautiful statues, it’s a great place for people to watch. Many of the city's most important streets begin here, including Ermou Street and Vassilissis Sofias Avenue.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a war memorial located in Syntagma Square in Athens, in front of the House of the Greek Parliament. 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 24-7 by the Evzones (Presidential Guards)
The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, usually referred to simply as the University of Athens, is a public university in Athens, Greece
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.
We will pass by the National Library of Greece.
Glyfada is an upscale suburb of Athens by the seaside!
Vouliagmeni is a beautifull and upscale suburb of Athens by the sea side!
Varkiza is a beautiful suburb of Athens by the seaside!
Lagonisi is a beautiful and upscale resort area by the sea side, on the way to Cape Sounio!
The doric temple seen today was built of local marble from the Agrileza quarries on top of the destroyed archaic temple. Palmette antefixes crowned the gable roof. At least the east pediment (on the entrance side) was decorated with statues. On the same side a relief frieze was running on the top of the interior of the colonnade. On the Parian marble frieze slabs, scenes of the Centaur battle and the deeds of Theseus are sculpted, an allegory for the victory of the Greeks led by the Athenians against the Persians and for the superiority of the Athenian democracy over the eastern monarchy. The temple is attributed to the same architect with the ones of Hephaistos (Theseion) at the Athenian agora, Ares at Akharnes, and Nemesis at Ramnous.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Traveler pickup is offered Pick up time can be scheduled according to your preferences. Please make your request at the special requirement’s section & we will contact you after your booking. Travelers can be picked up from all Athens centre & Piraeus Hotels and Piraeus Cruise Port. View the hotel list on our checkout page to see if yours is included among the pickup points. For pickup from Airbnb or any other location/apartment, please provide the exact address. Please note that in case the requested pickup location is in a pedestrian zone or it is not accessible by cars/vehicles, we will notify you, upon booking, of the best alternative pick up location. Please be at the meeting point 5-10min before your scheduled pickup time, in case parking or waiting time for your driver is limited.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Our company complies with all the health instructions of the World Health Organization about COVID-19.
- Please note that your personal professional driver, will provide commentary in fluent English, en-route but cannot enter the archaeological sites. We can arrange for you to have a private licensed guide to escort you in the sites at an extra cost, depending always on the availability. You may contact us on the phone number or by the email provided by Viator and we will confirm accordingly.
- The proposed itinerary may need to be adjusted in case of emergencies or special circumstances that are out of our control (e.g. extreme weather conditions, police instructions, safety reasons etc).
Reviews(150)
Really great expreince! Thassos was very knowledgeable
We took the Athens Best & Cape Sounio Full Day Tour (Acropolis, Parthenon & Temple of Poseidon) with Private Greece Tours (www.privategreecetours.com), and it was one of the highlights of our trip to Greece. Our driver, Mario, was exceptional—friendly, professional, flexible, and incredibly knowledgeable about Greek history and mythology. His passion for sharing the stories and significance behind the sites made the entire experience even more meaningful. One of the best parts of the day was the Changing of the Guards ceremony. Mario knew exactly where to take us so we could enjoy the entire event with a much smaller crowd. Thanks to his local knowledge, we captured amazing photos and videos that would have been impossible from the typical tourist areas. It felt like a private experience, and we truly appreciated that special touch. On our way to the Temple of Poseidon, Mario chose the scenic route along the breathtaking Athens Riviera, allowing us to enjoy spectacular ocean views. At the temple, he gave us clear instructions on how to explore the site and encouraged us to take our time while he waited patiently. We never felt rushed, which made the visit much more enjoyable. Throughout the day, Mario also stopped at several beautiful locations for photo opportunities, including the historic Panathenaic Stadium, home of the first modern Olympic Games. Another highlight was lunch. Rather than taking us to a crowded tourist restaurant, Mario offered us a choice between a quick tourist option or a hidden, family-owned local restaurant. We chose the local gem and were rewarded with an authentic, freshly prepared Greek meal full of incredible flavors. It was one of the best meals we had during our stay. I highly recommend Private Greece Tours to anyone visiting Athens. If possible, be sure to request Mario as your driver and guide. He is knowledgeable, courteous, professional, and genuinely committed to making your experience memorable. He turned a great tour into an unforgettable one. Five stars without hesitation! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ #PrivateGreeceTours #AthensTours #CapeSounio #TempleOfPoseidon #Acropolis #Parthenon #AthensRiviera #VisitAthens #ExploreGreece #GreekHistory #GreekMythology #TravelGreece #GreeceTravel #BucketListTravel #HiddenGems #AuthenticGreece #FamilyOwnedRestaurant #PanathenaicStadium #TravelReviews #FiveStarExperience #MarioTheDriver #BestTourGuide #HighlyRecommended #MemoriesOfGreece #Wanderlust
Absolutely fantastic! Our driver had a great sense of humor and was very knowledgeable.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 We called him "Yanni the Gyaani"—because he knows absolutely everything! We just finished a 12-person trip through Athens, Sounio, Delphi, Meteora, and Thermopylae with Private Greece Tours, and our driver Yannis was the absolute heartbeat of our vacation. In Hindi, Gyaani means a deeply knowledgeable person, and Yannis earned that title within the first hour of meeting him! He didn’t feel like a driver—he felt like an old friend who happens to be a walking encyclopedia. On the long drives, he kept all 12 of us completely hooked with fascinating history and local myths. He brought places like Thermopylae to life better than any guidebook ever could. His other superpower is food. Yannis protected us from tourist traps and guided us to local secrets. His recommendation to eat at 5FI (Φι) in Athens was the absolute show-stopper of our entire trip. We are still talking about that meal! He looked after our big crew with so much patience, genuine kindness, and humor. Yannis, thank you for sharing your heart and your beautiful country with us. You are an absolute legend!
Lambros is FANTASTIC. And kind, I had an ankle injury and he literally helped carry me. Plus he is knowledgeable and knows just where to go and how to get there. And we had a very interesting conversation. AND the Temple of Poseidon is a singular destination and should not be missed. The drive is beautiful and the sunset incredible. ten stars!!!!
Loved this tour. Tassos was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and chilled all day.
George was a fantastic guide, a lot of knowledge. The tour was good, the best highlights. The lunch place was just delicious. All and all a great experience
This was my 4th visit with friends and family to Athens, a wonderful city and fascinating story and culture! I’ve used Nikos and his colleagues for each of my past visits and have also told friends to use his tour group visiting Athens as they absolutely are reliable, have superb guides and very comfortable vehicles. My tour guide, Apostle, took my group last week, receiving compliments from my entire group of friends - he made all feel welcome, explained each site clearly with a very pleasant demeanor - a great guide - fluent English as well as other languages too. The results are always the same - the best, top-notch professional guide services. You will not be disappointed!
Great service. Hospitality and professionalism was excellent. Saw all the must see sites in Athens and then in same day went to the coast, Cape Sounion. Door to door service. Safe, friendly the best. Marios was our driver guide, he is the best!
Had a WONDERFUL full day tour of Athens and surrounding areas with Toli Nikitas. He is a phenomenal guide. Very knowledgeable, very personable, very pleasant. Speaks perfect English. Knows the history and the background of all the sites. Immediately made us feel comfortable letting us know it was our tour. Was very patient and accommodating during the day. Took us to a fabulous water side restaurant for lunch. Truly made it a very memorable day in Athens for us. We would recommend him and hope he is still around if we return! Thank you Tolis. Gisela & Jorge from Miami
