Athens advice

[AnnetteSC]

We booked an extended stay (one day only) in Athens in order to be able to see a few sites before flying home. We are staying at the Herodion, after I read several recommendations for it.

 

I have a few questions:

 

1) Our ship disembarks early when it arrives in Athens. Will we be able to go directly to hotel that early? I know for us in the US, check in is mid-afternoon, not sure how it works in Greece.

 

2) We'll need to get from port to hotel. Should we just hire a taxi or is there another method you'd recommend? We'll also need transport to the airport the next day.

 

3) We're thinking of booking a tour for Acropolis and city highlights. Since the Herodion is near the Acropolis, as I understand, would you recommend we do it on our own instead?

 

I guess, if we book a tour, we may ask them to include pick up at the port and drop off at the airport the next day.

 

DH and I have only visited Athens once, almost 20 years ago and we were with a tour at the time. We'd have no idea where we'd need to go so maybe a tour would be best. We also have our DD15 and she's probably get more out of a guided tour than with us getting lost! :loudcry:

 

Thanks in advance for your help and suggestions.

[4cats4me]

PK Travel Greece [emoji1112] will be able to pick you up at the port and also take you to the airport as well as arrange transportation to go to the Acropolis, as well as a guide, if you wish. We were extremely pleased with how easy it was to deal with them. They were very responsive to our requests and extremely flexible [emoji846]

 

 

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[Flatbush Flyer]

PK Travel Greece [emoji1112] will be able to pick you up at the port and also take you to the airport as well as arrange transportation to go to the Acropolis, as well as a guide, if you wish. We were extremely pleased with how easy it was to deal with them. They were very responsive to our requests and extremely flexible [emoji846]

 

 

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This. However, we used Hellenic Private Tours - driver plus licensed guide for ship pickup and full day tour then dropped at hotel. Next day we used one of their drivers to take us to Corinth; and two days later he did our transfer to the airport. Great package deal.

 

 

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[wheezedr]

We stayed 2 nights at the Herodion post cruise,you made a good choice. Nice hotel, wonderful location. Others may suggest tours but this is a great place to DIY. Catch a cab at the port, they were lined up. Drop your luggage at the hotel. They will have a lobby full of luggage as people coming in crisscross with who have checked out but want to leave luggage until later as they tour before heading to the port. You are at the base of the Acropolis, just walk up to the entrance. If you got off the ship fairly early you will beat the biggest crowds and the heat. I had both a guide book and the R Steves audio guide. As you leave walk down into the Agora to continue your touring. Then come out into the Plaka for lunch. The afternoon can be other touring or the new Acropolis museum which puts you back at the hotel. Find a rooftop restaurant for a late dinner so you can watch sunset across the Acropolis. Later you can visit the rooftop of the hotel which has a nice bar but not a full service restaurant. For the AM have the desk arrange a cab to the airport.

[Got2Cruise]

We used PK travel Greece for a half day tour by taxi. No guide. The benefit is that you get right off the ship and driven straight to Acropolis and you are there before the crowds. We saw so much in that half day. Then we went to hotel, checked in and walked around and had lunch ourselves.

 

 

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[thephillykid]

We are doing the opposite. Flying onto Athens the afternoon before our cruise. Someone told us that the metro(subway) was very easy to use to get to the hotel......we get there around evening rush hour. Anyone have experience using it?

We plan on staying near the Acropolis for 1 night as the cruise leaves the following afternoon.

Thanks,

Howard

[AnnetteSC]

Thanks for all the great advice.

If we do it on our own, are there guides ready to show you around at the Acropolis, for a price obviously?

I looked at the tours and most of them are a full day...not sure if we'll be excited about that after several full days of long tours from our ship excursions! Lol :)

We're really only interested in the Acropolis (with guide) and city highlights.

[cruisemom42]

Thanks for all the great advice.

If we do it on our own, are there guides ready to show you around at the Acropolis, for a price obviously?

I looked at the tours and most of them are a full day...not sure if we'll be excited about that after several full days of long tours from our ship excursions! Lol :)

We're really only interested in the Acropolis (with guide) and city highlights.

 

If it were me, I'd just get a taxi to your hotel, where you can leave your luggage even if your room isn't ready for check-in. It sounds like your hotel is very central, and the historic area of Athens is fairly small and very pedestrian friendly, so I'd just do it on my own, mainly via walking.

 

There are usually guides waiting around the ticket area for the Acropolis who will be willing to give you a tour. You can either get them to take you as a private tour or wait and try to get a small group together to reduce the cost per person. (The tour is a fixed price but can be divided among 2 or 10, if you see what I mean.) I'd try to get there as quickly as you can -- at this time of year it gets very hot and VERY crowded.

 

I also would recommend you see the Acropolis museum (close by), and the Greek Agora as well as the Plaka (shopping and eating).

[AnnetteSC]

If it were me, I'd just get a taxi to your hotel, where you can leave your luggage even if your room isn't ready for check-in. It sounds like your hotel is very central, and the historic area of Athens is fairly small and very pedestrian friendly, so I'd just do it on my own, mainly via walking.

 

There are usually guides waiting around the ticket area for the Acropolis who will be willing to give you a tour. You can either get them to take you as a private tour or wait and try to get a small group together to reduce the cost per person. (The tour is a fixed price but can be divided among 2 or 10, if you see what I mean.) I'd try to get there as quickly as you can -- at this time of year it gets very hot and VERY crowded.

 

I also would recommend you see the Acropolis museum (close by), and the Greek Agora as well as the Plaka (shopping and eating).

 

Thanks, cruisemom! :)