cougal

Hi there,

I'd like to book a guided tour for two of the Acropolis for late September.

I'd really like to know your recommendations of a good tour guide/company to use. There are so many available, it would be great to get some feedback.

Hoping for a reasonable price for around a half day tour. Not bothered if we have to join in with others.

Thanks in advance!!

travelerjan

An outfit that has received good "reviews" from online travel forums is ATHENS WALKING TOURS
http://www.athenswalkingtours.gr/

I think a 4-hour tour costs 29€... the groups used to be maximum 12, but now the website says 18... but I'll bet in late September there would be fewer. One danger in any group tour is that the guide is full of wisecracks but not really authentic information, whereas comments on this organization is that it hires graduates in Greek history, art history, archeology etc who give you substantive info.

taller_is_better

I booked several tours through Fantasy Travel and was quite please with all three tours. We toured Soujourn one day, the Acropolis and did a wonderful tour which I would highly recommend of Delphi with this travel agency.
http://www.fantasy.gr/

travelerjan

Taller, I am a little confused. Do you mean that Fantasy booked you with a group called Sojourn for a tour of the Acropolis?? THank you for telling us of your good experience with. Now can you be evn more help; tell us what was the duration of this tour (how many hours), did they pick you up an deliver you back to a hotel, what was the tour price in Euros, and how many people were on the tour??

I would appreciate it very much for comparison purposes, since people so often ask about this, and are worried about the costs.

jeanemay

I don't have an answer, rather a question on this topic, since this is my first visit to Athens also. What hotels do you suggest that would be closest to the entrances to the Acropolis? Am thinking about O&B, Electra Palace... Where are the entrances located? Is there a lift to the Parthenon or museum? Is there a source online or in print with this nuts-and-bolts sort of information? Thanks.

travelerjan

Jean, there's a lift to the Acropolis but I think you have to be in a wheelchair or on crutches to get the service --- i.e., disabled, rather than just infirm.

taller_is_better

Fantasy travel booked the tour(s)for me. Sounion I believe was the name of the trip to the Temple of Poseiden. They had a 1/2 day tour of Athens that included the Acropolis and a few other local sites. They did pick us up from our hotel and then returned us.

ATHENS SIGHTSEEING
(Daily Service)

Your expert guide takes you to Constitution Square, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Acropolis (visit), the Theatre of Dionyssos, Hadrian's Arch, the Temple of Olympian Zeus (visit), the Olympic Stadium, the Royal Palace, the Academy, the University, and the National Library.

PRICE: € 52 PER PERSON

Another amazing tour we took with them was to Delphi - I can't tell you how amazing it was.

DELPHI

ONE DAY (Daily Service)

Drive through the towns of Thebes, Levadia and Arakhova famous for its colorful rugs. Arrive at Delphi, the center of the ancient world. Visit the Treasury of the Athenians, the Temple of Apollo and the museum. Lunch in the village of Delphi. Return to Athens early this evening. (L)

PRICE: € 96 PER PERSON

cindyj

I checked the Fantasy Travel site and do not see any day or half-day tours in Athens. I did check Athens Walking Tours and this looks more like what we need but I would like options for an afternoon tour. Does anyone else have suggestions for walking tours of the Acropolis?

travelerjan

cindyj---

You would not find tours on Fantasy Travel because they are an AGENCY, and they would book you with a tour agency -- probably the same ones that do 1-day (pricey) excursion tours for the cruise crowd; the woman that praised the tour Fantasy arranged said it cost 96E per person.

Did you read the Athens Walking Tour website carefully? It says they can also customize tours -- you might e-mail them and see whether they can do an afternoon tour, or if there is an upcoming afternoon tour with another group that you can "piggback" onto?

The fact is, Cindy, you cannot have both personal convenience AND low price ... you either adapt to the existing schedules or you shell out more money. I used to live in NYC and it was no different there. Best of luck!

Whatever you do, a walking tour will be more satisfying than one of those package BUS tours the hotels all push -- they are mainly drive-by and being stuck in traffic... NOT the more satisfying experience you might get, say, in London. Beware.

cindyj

jan - you always have such strong opinions and I feel like you are awfully hard on me for simply asking a question! I DO understand the price/convenience thing and also never said anything about needing a cheap price. I only asked if there were ANY OTHER COMPANIES that did WALKING tours of the Acropolis. And no, I'm not interested in an all-day bus tour with the cruise passengers. I also thought that by asking for advice here I wouldn't get caught up in a poor tour pushed by the hotel.

travelerjan

Cindy, I didn't mean to land on you, I did see you wanted a "reasonable price", just as I would... just wanted to emphasize that sometimes people who say they had such a wonnnnderful time turn out to have paid an awful lot for it. As you said on your other post, you could do the morning tour on day #2. I think MOrning is better for the Acropolis anyway because it gets right HOT in earlly afternoon!