DIY Piraeus to Acropolis to Plaka

[robbyd]

We plan on taking a taxi from the port to the Acropolis. Does any know how much the taxi fare is. Are there plenty of taxi's or do I need to have one reserved.

Can anyone suggest a good spot to be dropped of and get tickets. Is there a a route I should take. I eventually want to end up in Plaka and take a cab back. Any suggestions for a good resturant in Plaka.

 

Thanks for your help

Rob

[texancruzer]

We were just there in May. We spoke with many of the taxi drivers at the port (yes there are plenty !) and most didnt even want to just take us to the Acropolis and drop us off. They all wanted to do "tours" - 1/2 day or full day for a set price. Those that would wanted 25 euros one way. No haggling either.....they were firm. We walked to the metro and took it in to Monastraki station and walked thru the Plaka and up the rock. Not bad. But we did take a taxi back from the square near the metro station.....20 euros to go back to the ship. Taxis are everywhere. Metro is faster and cheaper tho. There are lots of little cafes in Plaka...... we just picked one and had a nice lunch.

 

Was just on another thread and one poster posted a picture of a price board for taxi fares in Pireus.....but it was 2 years old and out of date.

[MercedMike]

Walking the Antiquities Promenade in Athens gives you a view of much more than just the Acropolis. You can take the Metro to the Akropoli station, or if you can get a taxi to drop you the same place. Get your combination ticket at the Temple of Zeus and walk to the other end at the Ancient Agora. The Plaka is a large area on the other side of the Acropolis, or you can take the metro to Monastriki square for the amazing flea market!

 

Check out our review and pics at http://www.elite.net/~thehalls/athens.html

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[seaproponent]

Re restaurant suggestions:

 

I was in Athens for 6 days last year, and without prior recommendation walked into Scholario for lunch one afternoon. Bottom line -- I went back again and again. As a solo traveler, I was made to feel very welcome, and the food, though simple, was excellent, the prices more than fair. Both the grapeleaves and the meat balls were outstanding! I seem to recall that this is the place that's been in business since the 1930's? For good reason IMO. Perhaps most important, enjoying a quiet lunch on the patio on a warm afternoon made me truly feel I was in Athens. Address: Tripondon 14 Str, Plaka.

[tomko2]

We took a taxi from the Port to the Acropolis (22Euros) and spent a couple hours enjoying the site; then we walked down to the Temple of the Winds and Agora, stopping on the way at a lovely little Taverna which is almost nestled below the Acropolis. From there we walked down to the Plaka, did some shopping and then took a taxi back to the Port (25Euros).

It was perfect and very enjoyable.

(Photos in the link below).

Have a great time.

Kathy:)

[Wendy-Europe]

Hi

 

CruiseCritics has some informations:

here are some informations and "tricks":

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/ports/newport.cfm?ID=110

 

"Otherwise, if you opt for taxi transport, prepare to be fleeced ... unless of course you are, um, prepared. While taxi fares are posted at the port terminal (by destination they range from about eight to 12 euros into various points in Athens), the ever-so-charming drivers will try to convince you that the fares are per person (they're not!). Coming back to Piraeus from Athens (we were in Syntagma Square), the driver tried to tell me the fare was a flat 35 euros (admittedly it was rush hour but I'm not an idiot -- Piraeus is just seven miles away). I protested, cited the price stated at the terminal, and he balked, I picked up my cell phone and told him I'd have to check ... and he "all of a sudden" became more agreeable and proposed a fare of 15 euros. That seemed fair and, believe it or not, he wanted to shake hands on it (and so we did)! Tip: If there's no meter, keep your cell phone handy; my service gave me a number (1404) to call with questions. If there is a meter, make sure that the number one vs. number two is what shows up (#2 is for post-midnight, double-the-fare trips; if you're traveling any other time you should not pay this).

 

Editor's strong hint: Keep your cell phone handy and do not hesitate to call the numbers we've provided if you feel something is amiss. Better yet, do it in front of the taxi driver.... Also, taxis operate unofficially on the jitney system, indicating willingness to pick up others by blinking their headlights or simply slowing down. You'll need to shout out your destination as the driver cruises by (or others may shout out a direct destination and you will wind up sharing a cab). And one more thing: Locals don't tip drivers, but do round up to the next convenient euro. Once you're in Athens, you'll find it a wonderfully walk-able city."

 

So my impression about maybe "not so correct drivers" is true...

 

And this is an information from online port information Piraeus, information provided by Piraeus port authority 2009:

 

http://www.piraeus-greece.org/piraeus-taxi.html

 

"Always make sure, that the taxi meter is running and is not showing 2, thats the double fare during the night"

 

I am sure it is helpful for pricing-information

 

Wendy

[Joyce and Tim]

We found a taxi to the Acropolis easily last month at the port and another couple to share it with. It was €20 total--we got the price ahead of time. Returning, we got the Metro for €1 or 2, but it was a fairly long walk back from the Metro station to the port. The new beautiful archeological museum was closed due to being Monday, :-( but we found an alternative in the Benaki, a smallish private museum. It had 6000 years of Greek history in 36 rooms in a mansion, with a lovely veranda cafe, where they brought us big glasses of water without being asked, along with very reasonable other beverages.

[CintiPam]

( but we found an alternative in the Benaki, a smallish private museum. It had 6000 years of Greek history in 36 rooms in a mansion, with a lovely veranda cafe, where they brought us big glasses of water without being asked, along with very reasonable other beverages.

 

We also were in Athens last month and had a lovely afternoon visiting the Benkaki. The New Acropolis Museum was not yet open in early June:(, and because we had spent a day at the National Archaelogical Museum last September, this trip we visited the Benaki and the Museum of Cycladic Art just up the street from the Benaki. Note that the Benaki is free on Thursdays and open until midnight that day as well.

[Dante22]

We were in Athens several weeks ago on RCL's Navigator. My recommendation as far as the best compromise between cost and amount of hassle involved is to take a taxi from the cruise ship to the metro station and then take the metro to the Acropolis. From the Acropolis it's a easy downhill walk to the Plaka area where there is lot's of shopping and restaurants. Easy trip back to Port on the Metro where you can grab a taxi to return to the ship. On our cruise we made the mistake of walking from the metro to the port terminal (20-25 minute walk), waiting 10 minutes for the cruise ship bus to fill up with passengers and the another 5 minutes to the ship. It turns out we could of taken a taxi from the metro back to where the ship was docked and avoided both the walk and the bus.

[texancruzer]

My recommendation as far as the best compromise between cost and amount of hassle involved is to take a taxi from the cruise ship to the metro station and then take the metro to the Acropolis.

 

In May - we couldnt get a taxi to take us just to the metro station. Period. They refused. We couldnt even get one to take us to the Acropolis and drop us off.

 

Know they are not supposed to deny a ride - but they did. Know we were supposed to "call" the tourist police......but what happens if you don't have a cell phone that works in Europe ? I had a bad head cold by this point in our cruise (along with 1/2 the other passengers on our ship) and would have gladly paid 20-25 euros for a taxi to the Acropolis.

 

They all wanted to do tours. 1/2 day or full day ones. DH even got upset with me when I argued with one that they were not supposed to turn down fares......

 

so - in our experience - do not assume that a taxi will be available. We did find no problem in getting one to bring us back to the ship for 20 euros. He did stop and pick up an elderly lady standing along the harborfront who rode in the front seat. She was a neighbor of his. Then we couldnt find our ship (lot of other ships and buildings in the way) and he wanted to drop us off at one point...... I said I was not getting out of the taxi until I saw my ship so we kept going finally getting dropped off near the security point.

[Fafos]

Tourist Police office at Pireaus port is before main exit... if someone of these taxi drivers don't want go there who you want or if the taxi station don't have any taxi just go there and in 5 minutes coming 100 taxi in station...

[robbyd]

Thanks everyone for your wonderfull responses. I have a reservation with Georges taxi to pick up my family of 4 at the Port. His fare is 40 Euros and I thought that was excesive. If I could grab a cab at the port to the Acroplis for 20-25 Euros that seems the easiest way to go. I was concerned about not being able to get a cab at the port.

Thanks again to everyone.

 

Rob

[MercedMike]

Thanks everyone for your wonderfull responses. I have a reservation with Georges taxi to pick up my family of 4 at the Port. His fare is 40 Euros and I thought that was excesive. If I could grab a cab at the port to the Acroplis for 20-25 Euros that seems the easiest way to go. I was concerned about not being able to get a cab at the port.

Thanks again to everyone.

 

Rob

 

You know, it is sometimes hard for me to understand how people can spend thousands on a cruise to one of the world's premier sites and then worry about 15 Euros -- $20 or so. To me it is really worth it to have a driver waiting to meet me at the pier. The memories of the Acropolis are worth a whole lot more than 15 Euros to me!

[texancruzer]

You know, it is sometimes hard for me to understand how people can spend thousands on a cruise to one of the world's premier sites and then worry about 15 Euros -- $20 or so. To me it is really worth it to have a driver waiting to meet me at the pier. The memories of the Acropolis are worth a whole lot more than 15 Euros to me!

 

 

I wholeheartedly agree. But when you read that taxis are readily available at the pier and then can't get one to just take you there and drop you off...... it changes the whole plan you had in place. We did not want to do a "tour" as they offered and so they just refused our fare. Never experienced anything like it before. And since we had never been there before we did not know that there was a tourist police office at the port. We just decided to follow some others walking to the metro. I would have loved to have just gotten in a taxi and been taken right there...... we did take one back and had no problem paying 20 euros for the ride :o In defense of the metro.....it was fast. Lots faster than the taxi coming back !!!!

 

On the other hand - we used the tram in Istanbul and it was planned and wonderful !!!! We heard horror stories from our cruisemates at dinner about them taking the tour bus or a taxi and it took them an hour to get from the ship to the old town area. It took us 8 minutes on the tram. And we loved the experience. 70 cents each ride per person. When you can see the place you want to go from your ship (Blue Mosque/Aya Sofia)...... it makes it less challenging to go it on your own.

[robbyd]

You know, it is sometimes hard for me to understand how people can spend thousands on a cruise to one of the world's premier sites and then worry about 15 Euros -- $20 or so. To me it is really worth it to have a driver waiting to meet me at the pier. The memories of the Acropolis are worth a whole lot more than 15 Euros to me!

 

Great advice, why get frustrated just trying to save 15 euros. Start the day right.

 

Rob

[sandykam]

Hi -- Looking to see if anyone can post a map from Pireaus Port to the metro station (we will be on the Ruby Princess). There is a group of us and we will be going to Syntagma Station for a walking tour. I have directions, but would feel better if I also had a map. Having trouble finding a map -- would anyone please help? Thanks!

[Fafos]

Hi -- Looking to see if anyone can post a map from Pireaus Port to the metro station (we will be on the Ruby Princess). There is a group of us and we will be going to Syntagma Station for a walking tour. I have directions, but would feel better if I also had a map. Having trouble finding a map -- would anyone please help? Thanks!

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Unknown+road&daddr=37.948056,23.642621&hl=en&geocode=FSjiQgIduqRoAQ%3B&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=16&sll=37.947599,23.641977&sspn=0.01198,0.01929&ie=UTF8&ll=37.942539,23.638973&spn=0.023962,0.038581&t=h&z=15

[texancruzer]

Great map...... just to note - we were on the Solstice and it was docked in the big cement U area at the very end of the port....right before you go out the entrance. Where the A is on the map is the port exit (security point) not necessarily where the ship will be docked. We had a shuttle bus that would take us to the port exit - did not have to walk that. But from A to B (metro station) it was a good 20 minute BRISK walk.

[sandykam]

Thank you so very much for your quick reply!!