The history, the myths...if you like growing your mind then look no further than Athens, Greece! There's culture and history galore in this ancient town. We only stayed a few days but in that time we took many different tours that expanded our minds and hurt our feet! (Haha) This video above and blog article below shares our experience on a tour of the Acropolis which is home to some of the oldest buildings in the world. Keep reading to learn a little bit about the past of Greece and some tips for going on a tour yourself.
Where to Book
We pre-planned and pre-booked every tour on our trip to Athens. My husband did the Google searching and booking for this area of our European adventure. I have to say he did a great job! There are many tours to choose from. Unlike my blog article about Sintra, Portugal, I do suggest taking a tour of this area. You could technically do it yourself but you'll be waiting in long lines of people and once you get inside you won't know where to navigate and how to learn while you're there. A tour guide will help in both of these arenas. Here is the tour we took and a tour that's a lower-cost option below. But do your own research and book one that best meets your needs. Most of the tours however are A LOT of walking with no wheelchair access, so keep that in mind as you browse options.
What to Bring
Funny story is that I forgot my pair of sunglasses when we left the hotel for this trip! The weather was so beautiful and the sun was so bright that I knew I needed to shield my eyes somehow if I was going to enjoy this 3-hour tour! Since we got there early I decided to snag a pair before the start of the tour. Cedric stayed to alert the staff that I'd be back in a minute while I booked it! I ran alone around the streets of downtown Athens, popping my head in quickly to peruse each store's options - did they have glasses, were they cute? I was having no luck and I knew I would probably only have 10 minutes total for this impossible task.
Then my prayers were answered! This cute pair of white rectangular sunnies caught my eye and $15 USD later I was armed and ready for the day! I ended up actually loving this pair and wore them for the majority of our Europe trip! Moral of the story is always bring your sunglasses and wear arch support shoes! Click this link to see my full Amazon idea list for your Acropolis tour day. Also apparently you can get my exact sunglasses for cheaper online! (See in my Amazon list.) That's the cost of shopping quickly in a touristy area! LOL
This idea list will help you plan your trip in Athens, Greece!
(Click here to view items suggested for What to Bring on an Acropolis tour)
What You'll Learn
Every tour of the Acropolis will include these three main monuments: Theatre of Dionysus, Temple of Athena Nike and the Parthenon. Here are some fun facts we learned on our tour, but you should prepare ahead of time with your own questions to ask the tour guides - they are very knowledgable and can go more in depth for you on all the sites.
Theatre of Dionysus: Built in the 6th century BC this was the world's first theatre. It was named after the Greek deity of wine and theatre: Dionysus.
Temple of Athena Nike: The smallest of the Acropolis monuments is adorned with reliefs of the goddess Athena and winged Nike in various poses, capturing the essence of victory and sacrifice. These were recreated in the temple's latest restoration in 2010, originals of the statues can be seen in the Acropolis Museum.
Parthenon: There are no straight lines in the parthenon! The architects of the Parthenon gave subtle curves in the lines of the temple to achieve a visual effect known as "entasis." This technique was used to counteract optical illusions that could make straight lines appear to sag or dip.
Final Thoughts
You'll have a great time learning and exploring during a tour of the Acropolis in Athens! Be prepared, come ready to learn and walk! Leave a comment on my video about which site was your favorite. Find more videos of Athens in this Greece playlist. Subscribe to this blog for more useful European, Southeast Asia and more travel tips & Tricks!
