I will be in Athens July 9 with husband and granddaughter (age 13) and we would like to find a reasonably priced, knowlegeable, fun guide for the morning covering the main sites. We will be staying in Plaka neighborhood.

Try here for starters.

http://www.athensprivatetours.com/at...vate_tours.htm

Hiring a guide has a set price in Greece.
You can hire a guide for 4 hours, the cost should be around 160 Euro , or for 8 hours 240 Euros. ( all guides in Greece are official licensed guides, that have studied to become guides)
Above rates include all local taxes and other official charges.
However it is possible to find a guide at lower rates without a receipt.... which i wouldn't recommend.... ( it's the reason why Greece is facing financial problems).
July is high season, and if many cruise ships are arriving in Piraeus on that day, it could be difficult to find one if you decide to search on a short term.

brotherlee

The rates that i saw are quite salty.. and they don't even include a guide.... adding the cost of a guide would make the end price extremely high.....

to the OP

To visit the main sites of Athens, you don't really need a car, it is doable on foot, as everything is in walking distance.
Stay away from taxi drivers, or private vehicles, as no driver can substitute the knowledge of a licensed guide.
Besides only licensed guides have access to archaeological sites and museums.

All I can say is insure you are hiring a licensed guide, not a taxi driver. Taxi drivers can't legally accompany you to the sites and museums, and as clausar wrote most of the main sites are in a pedestrianised zone anyway. I have no personal experience with this tour company, but have heard good reports: http://www.athenswalkingtours.gr/The...FRIjfAodTjhLug

gardngrl

There are also organized tours that you can book on the spot, through your hotel or at any agency in the Plaka, or Syntagma Square.

Key Tours, G.O Tours and Chat Tours offer great guided tours to the sites of Athens.

We used the above link for Athens Walking Tours when we visited Athens. It is an awesome walking tour and I would highly recommend it. We had Despina as our guide and she gave us a wonderful tour ending up at the Acropolis. We met at the designated spot as noted on her website, the metro station. It was amazing to see what was underground. It is a walk of approx. one mile and Despina goes at a leisurely pace, stopping every so often to take a break. I think your granddaughter would really enjoy this tour and you would also.

George The Taxi Driver is excellent!! You can see reviews for him and his company on Trip Advisor.

LuLu
have a look at what we said in the posts above...
A taxi driver is just a driver.... he is not a guide and has no knowledge nor the license to guide you in museums and archaeological sites......
OP asked for a guide