Need help planning Athens, please.

[LDL1220]

Hi all:

 

I will be in Athens May 2, 2024 for a port stop.  There are 4 of us, all physically fit, enjoy walking etc.  To my knowledge, there will be one other ship in port that day and we will be there from 7a-6p.  We do want to see the Acropolis and Parthenon.  Beyond that, I am not sure and we are open to anything.  I would love suggestions for an itinerary within that time frame that will be easy to accomplish.  I am not interested in a ship's tour but am open to independent operators.  

 

Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

 

Lisa 

[indexcards]

Hi Lisa,

I am also planning one day in Athens from the ship which is in port Nov 26th for the same time frame.

 

I am planning to get HOHO from cruise terminal to Athens Acropolis Museum.  Tour that , then walk on pathway to 

acropolis Hill. ( we will not be climbing the hill to Parthenon but that is where it is.}   Then getting on Athens route of HOHO  for a round trip back to Acropolis/ acropolis museum area for HO HO back to ship.

Hoping to make time to get off and see changing of guard , then back on to get back to acropolis area for next to last HOHO back to ship.  If time gets away from us we will taxi back to ship.

I will check in on this forum and tell how this worked out.

 

I would also like to see what others have planned or have already done. ( Specially if a good location is suggested.)

 

Gretchen

 

[VMax1700]

52 minutes ago, indexcards said:

I am planning to get HOHO from cruise terminal to Athens Acropolis Museum.

I don't think the HoHo bus goes from the cruise terminal to the Acropolis.  There is a HoHo bus around Piraeus (the port where you dock) and there is a HoHo in Athens which covers the Acropolis.  There is also the X80 bus which goes from the cruise terminal to the Acropolis and then to Syntagma Square.  

Don't forget that you now need to book admission tickets for the Acropolis!

 

[cruisemom42]

My suggestions, for what they are worth:

 

-- Get off the ship early and get a taxi to the Acropolis entrance. If you can get there when the gates open you'll have about 90 minutes before it gets overcrowded. You can purchase advance tickets here.

 

-- After the Acropolis, walk back down the slope (making sure to see the Theatre of Dionysus) and then along the short path to the Greek Agora. It's not as visited but is well worth it. There is a Greek temple there (you can see it from the top of the Acropolis) that is far more complete than the Parthenon and is well worth seeing up close. Also there is a small museum inside the reconstructed stoa (Stoa of Attalos) that's fascinating. It includes actual ostraka (broken pottery pieces) that Athenians used to vote out or "ostracize" citizens who they felt were abusing power -- you'll see actual written names of famous "classical" Greeks such as Themistocles and Xanthippus.  (Rick Steves has a good audiotour or self-guided walk in his guidebook if you prefer written).

 

-- After this, you can continue on foot to the nearby Monastiraki area and have a gyro platter or some souvlaki for a quick lunch. (This area is known for its casual restaurants, easy to find one. They range from basic hole-in-the-wall takeout with tables on the sidewalk to real cafes.)

 

-- Now you're close to the Roman Forum, which includes an actual paced space (forum) as well as remains of several Roman buildings, including a library built by Hadrian.  At the bottom of the Roman Forum is the wonderful Tower of the Winds, a beautiful but rather enigmatic octagonal building built entirely of marble.

 

-- From here it's up to you. You could walk back through the Plaka, with a quick stop to look at the Arch of Hadrian and the Temple of Olympian Zeus (unless really interested, a quick outside view is fine).  End at the Acropolis Museum, where you can learn more about the current and previous buildings on the acropolis, as well as see bits of sculpture from excavations there. You should be able to catch a taxi from here or, slightly backtrack to the area in front of Hadrian's arch where the X80 express bus stops.

 

-- Alternatively you could walk to Syntagma Square from the Roman Forum to see the old Royal Palace and Changing of the Guard. The X80 bus also has a stop here, and there are always taxis in this area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 15, 2023 by cruisemom42

[LDL1220]

6 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

My suggestions, for what they are worth:

 

-- Get off the ship early and get a taxi to the Acropolis entrance. If you can get there when the gates open you'll have about 90 minutes before it gets overcrowded. You can purchase advance tickets here.

 

-- After the Acropolis, walk back down the slope (making sure to see the Theatre of Dionysus) and then along the short path to the Greek Agora. It's not as visited but is well worth it. There is a Greek temple there (you can see it from the top of the Acropolis) that is far more complete than the Parthenon and is well worth seeing up close. Also there is a small museum inside the reconstructed stoa (Stoa of Attalos) that's fascinating. It includes actual ostraka (broken pottery pieces) that Athenians used to vote out or "ostracize" citizens who they felt were abusing power -- you'll see actual written names of famous "classical" Greeks such as Themistocles and Xanthippus.  (Rick Steves has a good audiotour or self-guided walk in his guidebook if you prefer written).

 

-- After this, go to the nearby Monastiraki area and have a gyro platter or some souvlaki for a quick lunch.

 

-- Now you're close to the Roman Forum, which includes an actual paced space (forum) as well as remains of several Roman buildings, including a library built by Hadrian.  At the bottom of the Roman Forum is the wonderful Tower of the Winds, a beautiful but rather enigmatic octagonal building built entirely of marble.

 

-- From here it's up to you. You could walk back through the Plaka, with a quick stop to look at the Arch of Hadrian and the Temple of Olympian Zeus (unless really interested, a quick outside view is fine).  End at the Acropolis Museum, where you can learn more about the current and previous buildings on the acropolis, as well as see bits of sculpture from excavations there. You should be able to catch a taxi from here or, slightly backtrack to the area in front of Hadrian's arch where the X80 express bus stops.

 

-- Alternatively you could walk to Syntagma Square from the Roman Forum to see the old Royal Palace and Changing of the Guard. The X80 bus also has a stop here, and there are always taxis in this area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This helps me tremendously. I cannot thank you enough! 

[Anyislandwilldo]

cruisemom42, The advance tickets request that you pick a time slot and need to be there 30 minutes in advance.  Our ship docks at 6 am.  Can you suggest a good time slot for us?  Will we have to stand in line or do we get ready access with our preferred time slot?  TY

[tobyt]

Cruisemom43 you are the best! I thank you for all the insight!

[indexcards]

3 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

I don't think the HoHo bus goes from the cruise terminal to the Acropolis.  There is a HoHo bus around Piraeus (the port where you dock) and there is a HoHo in Athens which covers the Acropolis.  There is also the X80 bus which goes from the cruise terminal to the Acropolis and then to Syntagma Square.  

Don't forget that you now need to book admission tickets for the Acropolis!

 

I have booked with sights of athens , the  .blue hoho bus.  On their site they map the two routes which do intersect for switching from one to the other.  I e-mailed them to make sure it still ran in November, then purchased ticket on viator which allows money back cancellations.   I saw someplace that the X80 does not run at end of november and I am finding very mixed reviews of taxi travel to Athens both for price and surly and/or dishonest drivers.

Very confused.

Thanks for your help.

[cruisemom42]

15 hours ago, Anyislandwilldo said:

cruisemom42, The advance tickets request that you pick a time slot and need to be there 30 minutes in advance.  Our ship docks at 6 am.  Can you suggest a good time slot for us?  Will we have to stand in line or do we get ready access with our preferred time slot?  TY

 

With such an early arrival, I would pick the first time slot available (e.g., when they open).

 

There are no tickets that allow you to skip all lines, but what you WILL skip is the line to purchase your tickets, which is the longest one.

 

[cruisemom42]

13 hours ago, indexcards said:

I have booked with sights of athens , the  .blue hoho bus.  On their site they map the two routes which do intersect for switching from one to the other.  I e-mailed them to make sure it still ran in November, then purchased ticket on viator which allows money back cancellations.   I saw someplace that the X80 does not run at end of november and I am finding very mixed reviews of taxi travel to Athens both for price and surly and/or dishonest drivers.

Very confused.

Thanks for your help.

 

You are correct -- unfortunately the X80 tends to shut down during the low tourist season. It usually runs until somewhere between mid- and late October. 

 

With taxi drivers, it's a mixed bag. However, I do recommend them for the morning into town IF your priority is to get to the Acropolis ASAP.  It helps if you know about how much the ride should be and I would add that often it is best to negotiate a fixed fare in advance. If they try to charge you extra once you arrive, be firm and hand them only the agreed-upon amount. 

 

 

[marazul]

On 9/15/2023 at 7:18 PM, Anyislandwilldo said:

cruisemom42, The advance tickets request that you pick a time slot and need to be there 30 minutes in advance.  Our ship docks at 6 am.  Can you suggest a good time slot for us?  Will we have to stand in line or do we get ready access with our preferred time slot?  TY

If you follow @cruisemom42's advice, buy the "Combined Ticket" to give you access to the Greek Agora and other sites.

[cruisemom42]

23 hours ago, marazul said:

If you follow @cruisemom42's advice, buy the "Combined Ticket" to give you access to the Greek Agora and other sites.

 

Thanks, I wasn't sure whether they still sold that combo ticket but it's very useful. Even if you plan to visit only one additional site, I seem to remember it was worth it.

[indexcards]

On 9/16/2023 at 10:39 AM, cruisemom42 said:

 

You are correct -- unfortunately the X80 tends to shut down during the low tourist season. It usually runs until somewhere between mid- and late October. 

 

With taxi drivers, it's a mixed bag. However, I do recommend them for the morning into town IF your priority is to get to the Acropolis ASAP.  It helps if you know about how much the ride should be and I would add that often it is best to negotiate a fixed fare in advance. If they try to charge you extra once you arrive, be firm and hand them only the agreed-upon amount. 

 

 

thank you

[FLCruiser97]

@cruisemom42 I took all your suggestions on our Rome trip and it was spot on. So, I think your suggestions for Athens would be spot on as well. We are staying at Athens Gate (another cruisemom42 suggestion) and wondering if your suggestions in post #4 are walkable from the hotel. It looks like a pretty good afternoon itinerary. 

 

Edited September 20, 2023 by FLCruiser97

[dickinson]

7 hours ago, FLCruiser97 said:

@cruisemom42 I took all your suggestions on our Rome trip and it was spot on. So, I think your suggestions for Athens would be spot on as well. We are staying at Athens Gate (another cruisemom42 suggestion) and wondering if your suggestions in post #4 are walkable from the hotel. It looks like a pretty good afternoon itinerary. 

 

We got home less than two weeks ago.  We stayed at the Athens Gate.  Great hotel and great location.  You will be about 2 blocks from Hadrian's Arch and the Temple of Zeus (currently it has scaffolding around it).  The New Acropolis Museum is very close too.  Cruisemom42's suggestions are spot on!

 

BTW - the restaurant at The Athen's Gate is on the 7th floor and overlooks the Acropolis.  Breakfast is served here every morning.  If you want dinner there one night, we did, you have to make a reservation.  We stayed three nights and on the first night we made our reservation for the next day. 

[cruisemom42]

9 hours ago, FLCruiser97 said:

@cruisemom42 I took all your suggestions on our Rome trip and it was spot on. So, I think your suggestions for Athens would be spot on as well. We are staying at Athens Gate (another cruisemom42 suggestion) and wondering if your suggestions in post #4 are walkable from the hotel. It looks like a pretty good afternoon itinerary. 

 

 

Absolutely. It's a short walk from the hotel to the Acropolis ticket office/entrance. There is a path leading up to it right across from the Acropolis Museum, which is only a couple of blocks from the hotel. (That path is a longer ramble, but less steep than the other one I know of...)

 

If you decide to end up in Syntagma Square, it's lovely to have a drink on the rooftop of the Grande Bretagne hotel. Of course, the Athens Gate has a rooftop hotel as well that is less expensive but without the history, lol. And if you get tired you can always take the metro (Line 2) from Syntagma Square one stop to the Akropoli station, which is .... you guessed it....right next to the Athens Gate Hotel.

 

Have fun!

 

 

[FLCruiser97]

16 hours ago, dickinson said:

We got home less than two weeks ago.  We stayed at the Athens Gate.  Great hotel and great location.  You will be about 2 blocks from Hadrian's Arch and the Temple of Zeus (currently it has scaffolding around it).  The New Acropolis Museum is very close too.  Cruisemom42's suggestions are spot on!

 

BTW - the restaurant at The Athen's Gate is on the 7th floor and overlooks the Acropolis.  Breakfast is served here every morning.  If you want dinner there one night, we did, you have to make a reservation.  We stayed three nights and on the first night we made our reservation for the next day. 

Thanks for this info. Hopefully by next April the scaffolding will be gone.

[FLCruiser97]

14 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Absolutely. It's a short walk from the hotel to the Acropolis ticket office/entrance. There is a path leading up to it right across from the Acropolis Museum, which is only a couple of blocks from the hotel. (That path is a longer ramble, but less steep than the other one I know of...)

 

If you decide to end up in Syntagma Square, it's lovely to have a drink on the rooftop of the Grande Bretagne hotel. Of course, the Athens Gate has a rooftop hotel as well that is less expensive but without the history, lol. And if you get tired you can always take the metro (Line 2) from Syntagma Square one stop to the Akropoli station, which is .... you guessed it....right next to the Athens Gate Hotel.

 

Have fun!

 

 

Thanks again @cruisemom42. 

[Hydro ergo]

On 9/16/2023 at 10:39 AM, cruisemom42 said:

 

You are correct -- unfortunately the X80 tends to shut down during the low tourist season. It usually runs until somewhere between mid- and late October. 

 

With taxi drivers, it's a mixed bag. However, I do recommend them for the morning into town IF your priority is to get to the Acropolis ASAP.  It helps if you know about how much the ride should be and I would add that often it is best to negotiate a fixed fare in advance. If they try to charge you extra once you arrive, be firm and hand them only the agreed-upon amount. 

 

 

Any experience with the metro vs. the busses?  It looks like a pretty straight shot from Port to downtown, say the Theseio station?  We have the same time slot in late October, 7am-6pm.  Would love to start the day at the Acropolis before it gets too crazy.

[cruisemom42]

23 minutes ago, Hydro ergo said:

Any experience with the metro vs. the busses?  It looks like a pretty straight shot from Port to downtown, say the Theseio station?  We have the same time slot in late October, 7am-6pm.  Would love to start the day at the Acropolis before it gets too crazy.

 

If you're considering taking the metro from the port to the acropolis, bear in mind that the Athens port is huge and the metro/light rail station (which is technically what the green line is) is located a lot closer to the ferries than to where the cruise ships dock. Depending on which part of the port you dock in, you can have from a 20- to a 40+ minute walk to reach the station.

 

That said, there are regular city busses that run by the port and stops at the station. I haven't done that in a long time (not since my first visit to Athens), but the bus numbers are 843 and 859, as validated by the recent info in the link given below, which also gives details on purchasing your ticket, etc.

 

https://cruisepanda.com/cruise-tips/how-to-get-from-piraeus-cruise-port-to-athens-and-the-airport

 

The stop you mention Theseio, will get you close to the Acropolis but not as close as the Akropoli station on the red line. However, to get to Akropoli station would mean 2 transfers, so probably not worth it. If you get off at Theseio, you will have to walk past the length of the Greek Agora, and then you should see signs pointing you to the Acropolis entrance.

 

[Hydro ergo]

21 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

If you're considering taking the metro from the port to the acropolis, bear in mind that the Athens port is huge and the metro/light rail station (which is technically what the green line is) is located a lot closer to the ferries than to where the cruise ships dock. Depending on which part of the port you dock in, you can have from a 20- to a 40+ minute walk to reach the station.

 

That said, there are regular city busses that run by the port and stops at the station. I haven't done that in a long time (not since my first visit to Athens), but the bus numbers are 843 and 859, as validated by the recent info in the link given below, which also gives details on purchasing your ticket, etc.

 

https://cruisepanda.com/cruise-tips/how-to-get-from-piraeus-cruise-port-to-athens-and-the-airport

 

The stop you mention Theseio, will get you close to the Acropolis but not as close as the Akropoli station on the red line. However, to get to Akropoli station would mean 2 transfers, so probably not worth it. If you get off at Theseio, you will have to walk past the length of the Greek Agora, and then you should see signs pointing you to the Acropolis entrance.

 

Yikes, I'm glad I asked!  I knew the port was big, but I'm ashamed that I didn't quite grasp the scale of walking around all of that area.  I thought I had a great solution, but now it makes sense why people aren't talking about that idea as much as the busses.  Thank you for the cruisepanda link, that is really helpful if we decide to go that route.  We're in port on October 26 and I suspect the X80 will have stopped by then.  I suppose a taxi is always an option; we just really prefer public transit for a lot of reasons.  Thank you!!

Edited September 26, 2023 by Hydro ergo

[marazul]

A taxi is the surest way to arrive at the main entrance for the earliest possible admission. It is worth a little splurge. You can use public transport the rest of the day when you are not pressed for time. 

Edited September 26, 2023 by marazul

[Hydro ergo]

21 minutes ago, marazul said:

A taxi is the surest way to arrive at the main entrance for the earliest possible admission. It is worth a little splurge. You can use public transport the rest of the day when you are not pressed for time. 

Yeah, I think this is the way we will end up going for this part.  It's not so much the cost.  I've had some BAD experiences with taxis (both in US and other countries) and have just found it easier to avoid.  I will hope for the best here!  Seems like it's very common in this port, hopefully that helps some 🤷‍♀️

[cruisemom42]

There are a number of things you can do to minimize the risk of being overcharged, but truthfully the dishonest drivers count on tourists being rather passive and not wanting to cause a fuss. Here is one pretty good list. 

 

https://www.tripsavvy.com/how-to-avoid-taxi-scams-in-greece-4137662

 

It's important to have a very good idea of what the fare should be from where you hail the cab to where they are taking you. Find out from someone onboard ship, on TripAdvisor, or ask someone at the Athens port (there are Info Points at various places). Have a number of small bills with you (not a 50 euro note). You don't want to give him the excuse of saying he can't make change. 

 

Before getting in the taxi, confirm with the driver where you are going and ask him how much it should cost. If he estimates too highly, be very direct about what the usual fare is. Do not pay in advance and tell him you want to use the meter. If he doesn't agree, find another driver.

 

Last thing before getting into the cab, take a photo (on your phone or camera) of the license number and any phone number on the side of the cab. Make sure the driver sees you. He may be more likely to be honest if he thinks you may report him. (Then again.....🙄)

 

In the cab, make sure the meter is set to "Tariff 1" the normal daytime rate, and not "Tariff 2".

 

At the end of the day, if the fare is a bit above what it should be, I usually don't protest. Apparently taxi drivers rip everyone off, even locals, and if I need to get into town quickly, I just count it as a necessary cost. But be sure you tell him exactly how much you are handing over, so you don't fall prey to the "Oh you gave me a 10 not a 20" scam. 

 

On the other hand, the one driver who tried to charge me 70 euro for an easy drive from the Grande Bretagne to the port (apparently he thought I must be flush with cash) found me to be an unexpectedly tough cookie. I had put only 35 euros in my purse wallet. The rest was in my secret pocket under my clothing. I didn't yell or make a scene, I just firmly told him he was cheating me and that in any case I only had 35 euros in cash on me. I even opened my wallet to show him -- empty!  He grumbled but did not complain further.

 

[Hydro ergo]

Thanks @cruisemom42. I do all of these things, but it's always a good reminder to hear again. While I obviously don't want to be overcharged, it's not the money I'm concerned with. It's bad driving and inappropriate behavior that I've experienced in the past and now just try to avoid the possibility entirely.