• Athens - Taxi service from Piraeus port to Athens.
  Athens, the capital of Greece, was central to Ancient Greece, a formidable civilization and empire. The city is still dominated by 5th-century BC landmarks, including the Acropolis, a hilltop citadel featuring ancient structures like the colonnaded Parthenon temple. The Acropolis Museum and the National Archaeological Museum house sculptures, vases, jewelry, and more from Ancient Greece. In approximately 25 minutes, depending on traffic, we will reach the Acropolis.
• Athens - Welcome to Athens, the historical capital of Europe and the birthplace of democracy, arts, science, and philosophy of Western civilization. Home to Plato, Socrates, Pericles, Euripides, Sophocles, and Aeschylus, Athens is one of the world’s oldest cities, with a recorded history spanning around 3,400 years and habitation since the 11th millennium B.C.E. Today, under the shadow of the Parthenon, the modern urban landscape of this sprawling city reflects its rich history, multicultural modern identity, and excellent infrastructure and facilities.

The perfect Mediterranean climate, legendary Greek sunlight, unique blend of glorious history with modern urban innovation, the coexistence of great culture with stunning natural beauty, and high-standard hotel accommodations make Athens a remarkable destination.

• Acropolis of Athens - The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel situated on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens, containing the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historical significance, the most famous being the Parthenon. The word acropolis is derived from the Greek words ἄκρον and πόλις.
• Propylaia - The Propylaea of the Athenian Acropolis were constructed on the west side of the hill, where the gate of the Mycenaean fortification once stood. The first propylon, or gate, was built in the age of Peisistratos (mid-sixth century BC), after the Acropolis became a sanctuary dedicated to Athena.

A new propylon, built in 510-480 BC, was destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC and repaired after the Persian Wars, during the fortification of the Acropolis by Themistokles and Kimon. The monumental Propylaia admired by modern visitors were part of the great Periklean building program. They were erected in 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.

• Temple of Athena Nike - The Temple of Athena Nike stands at the southeast edge of the sacred rock atop a bastion, which in Mycenaean times protected the entrance to the Acropolis. The Classical temple, designed by architect Kallikrates and built in 426-421 BC, succeeded earlier temples also dedicated to Athena Nike. The first of these, a mid-sixth century BC wooden temple, was destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC. The eschara, the altar believed to have supported the cult statue of the goddess, dates to this period. Under Kimon, around 468 BC, a small temple of tufa was erected around the base of the statue and a new altar was built outside the temple. The foundations of these early temples and altars are preserved inside the bastion under the floor of the Classical structure. Pausanias (1, 22, 4) refers to this temple as that of the Apteros Nike, or Wingless Victory, and mentions that the cult statue of the goddess had no wings so that she would never leave Athens.
• 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 at approximately 490 BC and destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC. This temple had replaced the very first Parthenon (Parthenon I) of around 570 BC. The Periklean 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 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 in 421-406 BC as a replacement of 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.
  Other texts refer to the building simply as “temple” or “old temple”. The building owes its unusual shape to the irregularity of the terrain - there is a three-metre difference in height between the eastern and western parts - and the multiple cults it was designed to accommodate. The eastern part of the building was dedicated to Athena Polias, while the western part served the cult of Poseidon-Erechtheus and held the altars of Hephaistus and Voutos, brother of Erechtheus. This is where, according to the myth, Athena’s sacred snake lived.
• Panathenaic Stadium - 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, specifically Pentelic marble, which is special because it changes color according to the daylight. Cool in the morning, it transforms 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.
• Temple of Olympian Zeus - Located in southern Athens, between the Acropolis and the Ilissos river, the Olympeion was the sanctuary of Olympian Zeus. Here stands one of the greatest ancient temples of Zeus and, according to Vitruvius, one of the most famous marble buildings ever constructed. The sanctuary’s foundation is attributed to the mythical Deukalion. The site also comprises the temple of Apollo Delphinios - the sanctuary of Apollo Delphinios was traditionally associated with Theseus - and a tripartite building with a south courtyard of around 500 BC. The latter has been identified as the Delphinion Court, which was allegedly founded by Aegeas.
• 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.

Formerly 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.

• Hellenic Parliament - The construction of this building lasted from 1836 till 1842 and it was designed by the German architect Friedrich von Gartner. Originally, it served as the Royal Palace for the Greek kings. It was inhabited by King Otto and his queen Amalia and later by King George I and his family. However, in 1909, a fire caused great damage to the building and restoration works started. When the monarchy was abolished from Greece in 1924 after a referendum, the building was used as a museum and a hospital.
  In November 1929, the government decided to move the Parliament House to this building. Until then, the Parliament was housed in the current Old Parliament House in Stadiou Street, where today is the Historical Museum. Although in the same year, the monarchy was restored in Greece, the Parliament has ever since been housed there and the royal family moved to the current Presidential House. The main Chamber of Parliament is housed on the ground floor, in the once Ball Room. It is amphitheatrical in…
• Tomb of 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 Rock. The tomb is guarded by the Evzones of the Presidential Guard.
• Syntagma Square - 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 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 of 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.

• Athens - We will be traveling through Athens and its suburbs until we reach the famous Corinth canal, traveling along the picturesque coastal road of the Saronic Gulf!
• Corinth Canal - The Corinth Canal is an artificial canal in Greece, connecting the Gulf of Corinth in the Ionian Sea with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. It cuts through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth and separates the Peloponnese from the Greek mainland, arguably making the peninsula an island.
  The Corinth Canal is an important navigational route that once allowed ships to enter the Aegean Sea. Dug through the isthmus at sea level, the canal is 6.4 kilometers long with a width of only 25 meters. Although modern ships cannot pass through, the canal has now lost any significant economic importance it once had.

The canal, though executed in the late 19th century, has been a 2000-year-old dream. Before its construction, ships in the Aegean Sea that wanted to cross to the Adriatic or anchor in Corinth, a rich shipping city, had to circle the Peloponnese, which would prolong their journey an extra 185 nautical miles.

• Peloponnese - After admiring the impressive Corinth canal, we will travel through the picturesque and fertile soil of the Peloponnese. Enjoy the ride along the olive fields, citrus fruits, vineyards, and all the goods the Peloponnesian land has to offer!
  Escape to the Peloponnese, where myth meets history. Monuments from every period of the eventful history, great archaeological sites; ancient Olympia, Epidaurus, Mycenae, and Nemea, the Temple of Apollo Epicurius, Byzantine churches, and monasteries.
  Enjoy sightseeing and sports; explore unique villages and alluring castles amidst stunning natural beauty, mountains, forests, vineyards, rivers, and caves. Not to mention that the Peloponnese is surrounded by the Greek sea, with lovely beaches, and sandy smooth coasts on the western part – rocky and lacy on its easternmost side. It is no coincidence that the tour of the Peloponnese is very popular among travelers.
• Ancient Nemea - Nemea is arguably Greece’s most important red-wine appellation, located in the northeast corner of the Peloponnese peninsula. The mountains and valleys surrounding the small village of Nemea have been producing wine for centuries, mostly from the native Agiorgitiko grape, and the appellation that surrounds the village is geographically the largest in Greece. A wide range of styles is made from this red grape variety, from rich, age-worthy dry wines to lighter, sweeter examples.
  Wine growing in Nemea dates back to at least the 5th Century BC, although the exact date is hard to pinpoint. Wine is a part of the Greek mythology surrounding the half-god Heracles, who was sent to Nemea to slay the Nemean lion. Around 40 wineries are located within Nemea’s boundaries. Agiorgitiko is Nemea’s native grape variety, and is named for the St George’s Church found within the boundaries of the appellation: Agiorgitiko translates as “St George’s grape”. Visit 2 wineries depending on how fast you are!
• Piraeus - After our visit to the last winery in Nemea, we will head back to Piraeus where our tour concludes.
  Thank you for choosing us for your tour of Athens!

• All taxes, fees, and handling charges included
• Private vehicle transport, Mercedes-Benz or equivalent
• Professional English-speaking driver knowledgeable in history
• Fuel surcharge included

• Food and drinks
• Gratuities
• Wine tasting fee
• Entrance fee to archaeological sites and museums
• A licensed by the state tour guide. (We can arrange it for you with an additional cost)

This shore excursion in Athens and Nemea is designed specifically for cruise passengers to enjoy the highlights of Athens through a private tour showcasing its key attractions. Discover the Parthenon and explore the ancient ruins of the Acropolis, as well as the historic site of Nemea. Marvel at the Greek antiquities. Take a leisurely walk and enjoy free time to browse the vibrant shops and cafes of the Plaka. Visit the renowned Corinth Canal, offering stunning views. Journey through the wine roads of the Nemea wine region and savor some of the most celebrated wines, including the award-winning local variety “Agiorgitiko.”

You’ll see: The Acropolis – the Parthenon – Erechthion – Temple of Athena Nike – Temple of Zeus – Hadrian’s Arch – the Parliament – Monument of the Unknown Soldier – Panathenaic Stadium – former royal palace – Kolonaki – Lycabettus Hill

Visits include: The Acropolis – the Parthenon – Erechthion – Temple of Athena Nike – Lycabettus Hill – Corinth Canal – Nemea

• Infant seats are available on an extra cost!
• At time of booking, Cruise ship passengers must provide the following information at time of booking: ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time
• Dress code is formal
• Driver/Guide: 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!
• Athens International Airport transfers can be arranged on request
• IMPORTANT NOTE: You will visit at least one winery and depending on you making time, you can visit a second one having in mind that this tour lasts for 9 hours.
• 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.