Athens Itinerary...opinions welcome

[mustcruisemore]

We will be sailing on the ms Nieuw Amsterdam arriving in Athens on September 28, 2010. We have booked an all day tour with Athens By Taxi and shown below is the suggested itinerary. Does anyone have any input as to a "must see/do" that is not listed or a "skip it" of something that is listed?

 

 

SUGGESTED ITINERARY (which can be altered according to your wishes)

 

Full Day Athens Tour

includes a visit to: The Acropolis [where you will see the Masterpieces which were build ''during the Golden Age of Pericles'': The Parthenon, Propylea, The Temple of Athena Nike, Erechthion, The Cariatides], The New Acropolis Museum*, The Temple of Zeus, The Panathenaic Stadium (also known as The Kallimarmaro; the original stadium built in 1863 for the first modern Olympic games in 1896), The Hill of Lycabettous, The Old Palace, The Tomb of The Unknown Soldier and The Changing of The Guards, The Plaka for lunch and finally The Greek Agora, The Roman Agora and The Tower of Winds.

 

* Please note that The New Acropolis Museum is closed on Mondays so it is replaced by the National Archaeological Museum

.

BREAKDOWN OF TOUR TIME (tentative)

 

From and to the Piraeus port (1h), The Acropolis (about 1h30m), The New Acropolis Museum (about 1h30m), The Temple of Zeus and The Panathenaic Stadium (45m), The Hill of Lycabettous (45m), The Old Palace, The Tomb of The Unknown Soldier and The Changing of The Guards (30m), Plaka for lunch (1h), The Greek Agora, The Roman Agora and The Tower of Winds (2h).

[cruisemom42]

It sounds like a very good itinerary to me. I might skip Lykabettus in order to spend more time at some of the other sites, but that's just my own opinion.

 

I think the time allotted to the Acropolis is a little on the short side, and to the Acropolis Museum a little too long; so I might adjust that to 2 hours at the Acropolis and 1 hour at the Acropolis museum.

 

Edited to add: Unless you are planning on hiring a guide, be sure to take some information with you about the Acropolis and about the Greek and Roman agoras, particularly. It's good to have something to refer to while you are there so that you don't miss anything.

[Susan-M]

I agree that it's a good itinerary, and also agree with cruisemom42's suggestions, other than, if it's a clear day I wouldn't skip Lykabettus, since the views are wonderful.

 

For a quick, delicious and inexpensive lunch in the Plaka, we really like Thanassis - in Monastiraki square.

[mustcruisemore]

It sounds like a very good itinerary to me. I might skip Lykabettus in order to spend more time at some of the other sites, but that's just my own opinion.

 

I think the time allotted to the Acropolis is a little on the short side, and to the Acropolis Museum a little too long; so I might adjust that to 2 hours at the Acropolis and 1 hour at the Acropolis museum.

 

Edited to add: Unless you are planning on hiring a guide, be sure to take some information with you about the Acropolis and about the Greek and Roman agoras, particularly. It's good to have something to refer to while you are there so that you don't miss anything.

 

Thanks cruisemom42.....you bring up a good point regarding hiring a guide. We have the option of having a licensed guide accompany us for the entire tour (220 euro). In the past we have not had a licensed guide for the day, only at selected sites. For example when we were in Rome, we used Rome In A Limo as our tour service and met up with a licensed guide at the Vatican. For the rest of Rome, we relied upon our driver (Francesco) for the historical info. We thought that this worked out well but I suppose that you never know what you missed by not having a licensed guide....anyway...your thoughts?

[mustcruisemore]

I agree that it's a good itinerary, and also agree with cruisemom42's suggestions, other than, if it's a clear day I wouldn't skip Lykabettus, since the views are wonderful.

 

For a quick, delicious and inexpensive lunch in the Plaka, we really like Thanassis - in Monastiraki square.

 

 

Fantastic! Thank you for the lunch recommedation. It's always nice to have a referral.

[zqvol]

Fantastic! Thank you for the lunch recommedation. It's always nice to have a referral.

 

There are lots of good places for lunch. Thanasis is good, but not "technically" in the Plaka.

 

A suggestion when on the acropolis, take in and savor the sights. Buy a guide book (in Athens, not in the US) and skim it before you go, and then read about where you have been afterward. Take lots of pictures and it will then all make sense. If you spend a lot of time with a guide, you are going to miss a lot.

 

Same thing with the agora.

 

While the anicent sites are interesting, try to spend some time walking the plaka, and the squares, and not just touring sites.

[mustcruisemore]

Anyone else have any input on whether to have a guide for the day or not?

[Susan-M]

Anyone else have any input on whether to have a guide for the day or not?

 

Here's a recent thread that should be of help with answering that question.

[cruisemom42]

Anyone else have any input on whether to have a guide for the day or not?

 

 

I would not vote for an all-day guide. Depending on your group and your interest level, I'd recommend that either everyone do some reading ahead of time about the Acropolis (there are several important buildings to see) OR you hire a guide just for this spot.

 

Rick Steves' Athens guidebook has good enough information on the other sites, including the Greek agora, which can be a little confusing (much of it in ruins).

[abc2media]

We found the trip up Lycabettus Hill worthwhile. I like the perspective of seeing the whole city at once. Also the view of the Acropolis from there is interesting. Also the drive up through the residential neigborhood is different than what you will see in the other parts of the tour. No more than 30 minutes total time required for that drive and time to stop for photos. A good break after you've been walking for a while!

[mustcruisemore]

I appreciate all the input. I think that we have decided against including a guide for the day. You just saved me $200! Somehow, I think it will still get spent.

 

Thanks again.

[cruisertwo2]

Thanks for the info. We will be staying at the Intercontinental - do you know if we can walk to Platka?

[FLNewsCenter.com]

I'll be on Athens on Oct 2. How much is the Athens By Taxi tour? I went on their website and there are no prices listed.

 

Thanks!

[cruisemom42]

Thanks for the info. We will be staying at the Intercontinental - do you know if we can walk to Platka?

 

According to the hotel's website, it is about 1.24 miles to the Plaka from the hotel. Up to you as to whether that is walking distance or not.

[cruisertwo2]

thank you for your answer.

[4774Papa]

Your tour in Athens sounds good. However, you can to Athens on your own, by buying a good guidebook and taking the Metro. The Metro is about a 20 minute walk from the Port. I found that both NCL's excursions and the local excursions in Athens were outrageously expensive. A Metro day pass is 3 Euros. I you don't want to walk to the Metro, take a taxi there (negotiatate a price first).

One thing, we ported in Athens on the Norwegian Gem on 7/13 and the Acropolis workers (government employees!!) went on strike until noon. By the time the acropolis opened the crouds were massive, and it took more than an hour to make it to the top. Then, the crouds were so large, that it seriously diminished our enjoyment of this wonderful site.

Also, the same workers struck the day we ported in Nafphlion, so we missed the Mycene excursion.

Makes a lot of sense to punish the tourists that spend thousands to come to Greece. I loved Greece, especially the islands like Corfu, Crete, Santorini and Mykonos, but I may not plan on a trip to Athens any time soon.

Also, what is it with all the graffiti we saw in Italy and Greece!!?

[Susan-M]

Papa4774,

 

Some good points about doing Athens on your own.

 

Re the strikes.... they are a result of the economic crisis and the cuts in jobs, wages and benefits faced by the workers. As much as we would like it to be, it's not "all about the tourists" wherever we travel to. There are incidents worldwide (the U.S. included) that disrupt traveler's plans...it's not exclusive to Greece. I can understand your disappointment though at having two days disrupted.

 

Re the graffiti...again, it's not exclusive to Italy and Greece. It's a problem in many countries. If I have to look at it, I try to do it in a positive way and see the artistic talent that many graffiti artists have. But usually I ignore it and focus on what I came to Europe to see.

[zqvol]

. . .

Also, what is it with all the graffiti we saw in Italy and Greece!!?

 

Guess you haven't been to many large cities in the US either.

[4774Papa]

zqvol,

I have been to several US major cities, such as DC, Philly, Baltimore, Richmond, Atlanta, Nashville, Jacksonville, Houston, Phoenix, the list goes on.

I have seen some grafitti in all these cities, but nothing like what I saw in Venice. What I saw in Venice reminded me of NYC prior to Guiliani.

 

As for viewing it as art. That is bunk. It simply is another example of a decline in respect for others, by punks.

[Susan-M]

 

As for viewing it as art. That is bunk. It simply is another example of a decline in respect for others, by punks.

 

My point was that I'm not going to focus on the negative and let something like graffiti, which I have no control over, bother me.

[hubofhockey]

This is Paul's tour which we tried to do with 15 people and could not do the whole thing in a day. I think that itinerary is a bit optimistic. Part of that relates to having a licensed guide for the day and not just doing drive by touring. He walked with us everywhere and spoke thouroughly at each site and answered many questions. Part of it also related to going with so many people. We did not make it to the tour of winds.

 

On September 28, you may be able to see more than we did (during the summer tourist season). I might devote more time to the Acropolis though and I would recommend a licensed guide there as well. If you want to see more, you don't have to do a sit down lunch at the Plaka. Between our lunch (he will bring you to the Tabernas area, which we loved) and walking around the Plaka for souvenirs, we took 90 minutes. It's always a trade off between experiencing an area and seeing more sites. No matter what, you will have a great time with Paul or his team.

 

We will be sailing on the ms Nieuw Amsterdam arriving in Athens on September 28, 2010. We have booked an all day tour with Athens By Taxi and shown below is the suggested itinerary. Does anyone have any input as to a "must see/do" that is not listed or a "skip it" of something that is listed?

 

 

SUGGESTED ITINERARY (which can be altered according to your wishes)

Full Day Athens Tour

includes a visit to: The Acropolis [where you will see the Masterpieces which were build ''during the Golden Age of Pericles'': The Parthenon, Propylea, The Temple of Athena Nike, Erechthion, The Cariatides], The New Acropolis Museum*, The Temple of Zeus, The Panathenaic Stadium (also known as The Kallimarmaro; the original stadium built in 1863 for the first modern Olympic games in 1896), The Hill of Lycabettous, The Old Palace, The Tomb of The Unknown Soldier and The Changing of The Guards, The Plaka for lunch and finally The Greek Agora, The Roman Agora and The Tower of Winds.

 

* Please note that The New Acropolis Museum is closed on Mondays so it is replaced by the National Archaeological Museum

.

BREAKDOWN OF TOUR TIME (tentative)

From and to the Piraeus port (1h), The Acropolis (about 1h30m), The New Acropolis Museum (about 1h30m), The Temple of Zeus and The Panathenaic Stadium (45m), The Hill of Lycabettous (45m), The Old Palace, The Tomb of The Unknown Soldier and The Changing of The Guards (30m), Plaka for lunch (1h), The Greek Agora, The Roman Agora and The Tower of Winds (2h).

[dileep]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=12458236&postcount=6