Private Tours in Athens, what not to miss

[newbie2468]

There are 4 of us and we would like to have a private tour in Athens. One of our party has a walking disability so it would be advantageous to get as close as possible. That being said, what should we absolutely NOT miss? (I know it is subjective, but I am assuming most will say the same things.

 

I have contacted several tour companies ... with all types of price ranges. I tried the ever popular Paul, but he is booked.. Is it necessary to have a "guide" or just a driver... One of the companies included the entrance fees in their quote.. One included lunch (but then it is "their choice" is that always good?)

 

There is so much information .. now just to make a decision. I want to reserve the date as we were really wanting to book Paul and in October he was already booked !!

 

 

Thanks for all the help ..

[cberge]

There are 4 of us and we would like to have a private tour in Athens. One of our party has a walking disability so it would be advantageous to get as close as possible. That being said, what should we absolutely NOT miss? (I know it is subjective, but I am assuming most will say the same things.

 

I have contacted several tour companies ... with all types of price ranges. I tried the ever popular Paul, but he is booked.. Is it necessary to have a "guide" or just a driver... One of the companies included the entrance fees in their quote.. One included lunch (but then it is "their choice" is that always good?)

 

There is so much information .. now just to make a decision. I want to reserve the date as we were really wanting to book Paul and in October he was already booked !!

 

 

Thanks for all the help ..

IMHO you could just go with a good driver as they act pretty much like a guide..they just can't go in with you.You can get close to some of the sites,but not them all and they will need to be walked..but you cna be dropped off fairly close..except fot the Acropolis which is high on the hill and may not be the best for the person who has walking issues..however,there is an elevator and it was written about last year on this board so maybe someone will have the link.I would not do the entrance fees as you may want to bypass one or two of the sites and lunch you all can really do on your own in the Plaka and you could ask the driver if he wanted to join you.I would do some homework on what you all may want to see and I am sure you will get the usual replies on the board..then you could work wiht a company to see if they can meet your needs.I would stick to Athens and not go outside the city.I would try Paul again and ask if he has a good driver for you.

[Susan-M]

We had a driver who gets very good reviews here on CC and we really enjoyed our day with him. We did a tour of the Peloponnese Peninsula (from Piraeus) but he also frequently does tours of Athens. He provided interesting & entertaining detail along the way, but not to the extent that a guide would, and drivers do not accompany you into the sites. We were OK on our own as we had guidebook material with us and had done some advance reading.

 

The "Do Not Miss Sites" on my list for Athens would be:

 

• The Acropolis
  
• The Old Olympic Stadium
  
• The Temple of Zeus/Hadrian's Arch
  
• Ancient Agora
  

 

In addition, lunch in the Plaka along with time for shopping (if interested) ... and if time permits, a drive up to the top of Lycabettus Hill (fantastic views on a clear day!)

 

I would also highly recommend a quick visit to the new Acropolis Museum, even if you just go to the entrance and lobby area to see the ruins below the glass floors ... very interesting construction!

 

The driver will be able to get you fairly close to the entrance of the Acropolis, although there will still be some climbing (steps included). If this proves too difficult for the person with the disability, he/she may want to wait with the driver while the other 3 go inside.

 

Re the elevator to the top of the Acropolis - I feel that it's a good option for someone in a wheelchair, but not for someone who is walking with difficulty, since it's a fair distance along a walkway to reach the elevator (we saw the elevator access as we walked around the lower part of the Acropolis on our visit in October.)

 

I would not choose a tour that includes entrance fees for the same reason that Cberge mentions above. 'Lunch included' is a difficult one to advise on because it's hard to know what to expect. I prefer not to have it included and let the driver know that day what type of lunch we would like.

 

Good luck with your plans!

[brandybold]

Will you provide contact info on the driver you used in Athens, please?

[Susan-M]

Will you provide contact info on the driver you used in Athens, please?

 

It was Jordan Daioglou http://www.athens-tours.gr/

 

If you do a search here, you'll find additional comments, and if you do a google search, you'll find reviews on him on Tripadvisor.

[newbie2468]

Jordan was booked for the date we needed... he said his "associates" could take us on the same tour... any comments? Would they be just as good?