Greece Athens Tour with Corinth

A great honor to see you in Athens! Our local driver will wait for you at the airport on time, and then escort you to the well-picked hotel. After check-in, take your time to either wander in the city on your own or recharge your batteries in the hotel room the rest of the day.

➤ SIM & eSIM Card
1. Places of purchasing: Airport convenience stores and telecom operator counters are the most convenient and fast, but in a slightly higher price. Mobile phone shops, convenience stores and telecom business halls in urban areas are with a wider range of options, more favorable prices and can be consulted face to face.
2. Carrier: Cosmote is the local mobile network operator in Greece with the best coverage. The €18 for 15-day 2G data plan works great. Besides, Vodafone is the universal carrier in Europe, with perfect signal especially in some remote islands and excellent in customer service. The €20 for 15 days unlimited data plan is good. There’s no need for a European tourist to purchase a local SIM card if your home network provider offers roaming services in Greece.

➤ Free Time Recommendation
Take a 15-minute walk southwest from your hotel to visit the Ancient Agora of Athens, once the center of administrative, commercial, political and social activities, and where Socrates expounded his philosophical views and discussed issues with citizens. Inside the agora, admire the Tholos, the Stoa of Attalus and the well-preserved Temple of Hephaestus. Explore the museum, located inside the Stoa of Attalus, displaying ancient Greek daily necessities like pottery and pots unearthed from the site. Imagine a bazaar full of life, with merchants, politicians and citizens discussing public issues.

➤ Local Delicacies in Athens
1. Karamanidika, 5 minutes’ walk southwest from the hotel, is very popular with locals. You will be served with some delicious snacks like ham and cheese before the meal and some really good yogurt when you finish eating. Pastrami Moussaka, potato beef, saganaki and Kavourmas are all worth trying. Vacuum-packed sausages and cheese are available, too. It costs €10-15 per person.
2. The kebabs in Delicious Souvlaki, opposite your hotel, are fleshy and cheap, about €5 per person. Don't take too much when ordering, as the pita and chips are on the house. The Gyros burritos are delicious, and there's a wide selection of canned beers.
3. Street Souvlaki, a Greek barbecue restaurant 10 more minutes’ walk southeast from the hotel, is frequented by locals and tourists alike. It costs €5-10 per person. The kebabs are small but varied. Souvlaki Pita, lamb kebabs, halloumi cheese and goat cheese are recommended.

Accommodation: Brown Acropol, Athens (4 stars) or similar

In the morning, our experienced local guide will accompany you to the Acropolis to visit the Parthenon and Erechtheion as well as other relics in Acropolis. And then walk to Areopagus Hill (Mars Hill) from whose top you can enjoy the magnificent views of Athens. During the classical period of Greece, the hill was served as the High Court of Appeal for criminal and civil cases in Athens. Greek mythology has it that Alirrothio, the son of Poseidon, kidnapped the daughter of Ares, the god of war, and then Ares killed Alirrothio. Furious Poseidon then took Ares to the hill to face the judgment of the gods. Ares narrated the whole truth and was finally found innocent. The stones on the hill are slippery and uneven due to the weathering of the years, so wear comfortable and steady shoes.

After lunch, admire the views of the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the horseshoe-shaped Panathenaic Stadium, the only major stadium in the world built out of marble. Due to its robustness, it was re-used as the finish site of the Marathon at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. The marathon has an admirable historical origin: During the Greek-Persian Wars, when Athenians won the Battle of Marathon, the soldier Phidippides returned to Athens to report the victory. He actually ran the long distance of more than 42 km and shouted to the Athenians: "Athens has won!", and then fell directly to the ground and died. After that, a marathon was set up to commemorate the hero.

Next, head to the Monument of the Unknown Soldier. There are soldiers on guard taking shifts every hour, which attracts tourists from all over the world. The uniforms of the soldiers are rich in national characteristics and historical significance. They wear tight white pants like ballet dancers and short skirts with 400 creases. Their classic leather shoes with fluffy balls symbolizing the tools used to clean muskets, and tasseled black caps symbolizing the tears of Greek soldiers. To the north of the monument is the Hellenic Parliament, which was once the palace of Otto, the first king of Greece. Hellenic Parliament is not open to the public, so we’ll admire the beautiful building from outside. And then the National Library of Greece will be visited. These spectacular buildings are sure to take your breath away. At last, our guide will escort you back to the hotel.➤ Recommendations after Returning to the Hotel
If you are not tired, explore the Monastiraki Square, a 12-minute walk south of your hotel, to experience the local culture. You may find some interesting gadgets and see interesting street performances on this bustling square, which is packed with local restaurants, ice cream parlors and souvenir shops. Hang around until you get hungry and have a delicious dinner at the Maiandros Restaurant. Pick a table on the rooftop, where the stunning scene of Acropolis in the sunset can be seen. Gemista (Greek stuffed tomatoes and pepper with rice), stefado (Greek beef stew with baby onions), lamb en papillote, and Greek salad are all recommended. A free Greek dessert may be served after the meal. It costs around €20 per person and can be paid by card.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Brown Acropol, Athens (4 stars) or similar

Today's trip will be extended to Corinth. In the morning, our private guide will pick you up from your hotel and then we’ll drive about 1.5 hours to get there. On the way we will pass by the famous Corinth Canal, which separates the Peloponnese from mainland Greece. Corinth Canal now is with no shipping value, but only used for sightseeing.

➤ A Curse on Corinth Canal
In 602 BC, the tyrant of Corinth wanted to dig a canal and he asked the Oracle of Delphi if it’s feasible. He got the answer that if do so, he would be disenthroned, merchants would go bankrupt, and slaves would die. The tyrant was shocked and gave up the idea. In the following centuries, an ancient Roman emperor and two companies at the end of the 19th century restarted the plan one by one and the canal was finally completed, but then the emperor was killed and the company went bankrupt.

After arriving Corinth, we will first visit the Roman Forum of Ancient Corinth, a rectangular building measuring 160 meters long and 70 meters wide and containing a central shop, a small temple and an altar where the apostle Paul once addressed to the crowd. Next, we will go to the Temple of Apollo, where you can see the oldest Corinthian column ever found. The architectural style of these columns is a bold blend of early Greek and Doric styles. After that, get insight into the Odeon of Ancient Corinth and the Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth. Admire the Corinthian style in Greek pottery art which was mostly painted in black and red. You may find the decorations of Corinthian style are generally plant patterns and images of creatures like lions, tigers, cows and birds, as well as Sphinx and Harpy with a bird body. Besides, don’t get scared by the statues of headless Roman generals displayed in the courtyard of the museum. Except for the natural reasons for the loss of the statue's head, history and archaeology experts believe that Romans sometimes deliberately removed the heads from the statues. In some cases, the ancient Romans sculpted statues with a "changeable head", making it easier to replace the head when a new emperor came to power and wanted to erase traces of his predecessors.

Then, the Acrocorinth, the acropolis of ancient Corinth, will be visited. As a protective barrier built on a huge natural monolithic rock, Acrocorinth is one of the most spectacular and major acropolis on the Peloponnese. After today's visit, we will return to Athens.
➤ Tips for Acrocorinth
1. Paved with cobblestones, the paths are slippery, so please wear rugged and non-slip sneakers.
2. It's quite a big open-air historical site so make sure you bring some water and wear sunscreen and a hat.
3. Keep a safe distance to the edge.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Brown Acropol, Athens (4 stars) or similar

Today, your Greece Athens tours come to the end. The driver will wait at the hotel lobby and escort you to Athens International Airport on time. Wish you have had a great time and may you a pleasant trip home! If you are longing to extend your trip, please feel free to let us know and we’ll make you a hassle-free itinerary.

➤ Later Flight Recommendation
Travel to scenic Anafiotika on your own, a 20-more-minute walk south or less than 10 minutes’ drive from the hotel. Built on the slope of the Acropolis, it’s a small building complex overlooking the Plaka district. Take a casual walk along the Mediterranean-styled houses surrounded by beautiful flowers.

➤ Departure Tax Refund Helps You Save More
Non-eu residents who spend more than 120 euros in Greece and with Greece being the last EU country on their trip can get a tax refund at the airport. Be sure to arrive 3-4 hours early to the airport. Show your passport, purchase voucher, tax refund form and the refunded goods to the staff, and get stamped on the left hand side of the No. 61 check-in counter. After that, choose to return money to your card or by cash.

Meal: Breakfast