Study Architecture in Athens

Today you will arrive in the classical city of Athens, Greece. This city is one of the oldest and most remarkably preserved in the world. It was first recorded as a city more than 3,000 years ago. Artifacts and sites have been found here dating back to the 11th century B.C. 

Your guide for the week will meet you at the airport and escort you to your hotel. You’ll have a brief period to settle in before hitting the streets of Athens for a quick orientation. Your guide will offer a few dinner suggestions for your first evening here before leaving you to explore the neighborhoods just around your hotel for the evening.

The group starts early this morning for tours of three of the oldest sites in the city. You’ll start at the Acropolis, perhaps one of the most famous ancient sites in the world. The Acropolis is a very important historical site, and records show that it’s been inhabited since the 5th century B.C. It was once home to a Mycenaean palace,  ancient temples, and served as a focal gathering point in the region. The Parthenon is one of the most notable structures on the Acropolis and served as a temple to Athena, the goddess and protector of the city. You can see the Acropolis campus from almost every vantage point in the city. You’ll have the entire morning to explore this area at your own pace.

After lunch, the group will tour the Theatre of Dionysus. These ruins were a major theatre in the city for thousands of years. Its design offers exemplary acoustics and seating accommodated 17,000 attendees. The Herodes Atticus theatre is more modern, built in the 1st century A.D., and today visitors can still attend musical concerts, plays, festivals, and more. After a full day of exploring the Acropolis, the group will enjoy a traditional Greek feast together before turning in for the night.

After a full day of exploring some of the city’s most ancient and famous sites, the group will tour two prominent museums today – the National Archaeological Museum and the Benaki Museum. The National Archaeological Museum is one of the most significant of its kind in the world. There are almost 12,000 exhibits covering Western Civilization here, dating back to many centuries before Christ. You’ll explore this large museum throughout the morning before stopping for a quick lunch and moving on to the Benaki Museum. This museum has exhibits on culture, art and history in the ancient world. There are also exhibits about life in modern Greece too. 

After your museum tours, you’ll have the evening to yourself for more exploring, and for dinner at a neighborhood cafe.

You’ll head back up near the Acropolis this morning to explore the Temple of Athena, the Temple of Poseidon and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. After a leisurely lunch, the group will head to the National Garden. This area is a 38-acre public park near the Greek parliament buildings in Athens. You’ll find more ruins here in the garden, art installations, mosaics, sculptures and more.

This morning the group will embark on explorations of Plaka, the oldest neighborhood in the city. There are shops, churches, ruins, cafes, galleries and restaurants to explore here, at your leisure. After lunch, the group will head to another famous neighborhood, Psiri, where you’ll spend the rest of the afternoon and evening. The area is lively with plenty of entertainment and places to explore.

This morning the group will board a bus for a three-hour ride to Delphi. Once you arrive, you’ll explore many ruins here, including the Temple of Apollo, the Hippodrome, the Polygonal wall, and so much more. This area has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site and is one of the most historically significant sites in the region.

Your week in the ancient city of Athens has come to a close. You’ll pack up your things, and your guide will deliver you to the airport in time to catch your flight home.