Athens Acropolis & Plaka sidecar tour: Ride narrow streets

Buses and taxis can't fit the streets you'll ride through.

A private guided tour of Athens by sidecar motorcycle takes you through Plaka, Anafiotika, Monastiraki and Thiseio on a route that avoids traffic and reaches the narrow lanes of the old city. You ride in a brand new licensed motorcycle with sidecar, and the two passengers can swap seats so each gets a turn at the open-air vantage point. The guide speaks English, Arabic or Greek, and the tour runs one hour.

Step-by-step itinerary

Sidecar tour of Athens highlights

• Ride through Plaka narrow streets
• Drive through Thisseion and Monastiraki
• Enjoy open-air views of Acropolis
• Pass traditional streets for photos
• Stop briefly at Monastiraki square
• Ride through vibrant Thiseio area
• Pass by Temple of Hephaestus
• Visit Anafiotika neighborhood
• Explore Plaka neighborhood streets

The experience

The sidecar is the whole point. You'll move through Plaka's cobblestone streets, Monastiraki's lively square and the pedestrian lanes of Thiseio: passages that buses and taxis simply cannot navigate. The motorcycle cuts through traffic and reaches the neighborhoods where the city actually lives, not the routes that fill with tour groups. Both passengers take turns in the sidecar, so you each get the unobstructed view of the Acropolis rising above the rooftops and the whitewashed houses of Anafiotika tucked into the hillside.

The ride covers four distinct neighborhoods in a single hour. Monastiraki sits at the crossroads of ancient history and modern Athens, ringed by the Roman Agora and Hadrian's Library with the flea market still moving below. Thiseio holds the Temple of Hephaestus and a quieter, more authentic vibe than the main tourist zones. Anafiotika feels like a Cycladic island village: narrow alleys and island-style architecture built by craftsmen from the island of Anafi in the 19th century. Plaka, at the foot of the Acropolis, is the oldest neighborhood, lined with traditional tavernas and hidden courtyards. You'll stop long enough to take photos and feel the pace of each place, not just pass through.

You get a helmet, goggles and a USB phone charger. The motorcycles are brand new and licensed, and the guide handles the route so you focus on the ride itself. This is the kind of tour that works because of what it avoids (the traffic, the crowds, the standard bus stops), and because the sidecar puts you in the street instead of behind glass.

What’s included

• Helmet, goggles and USB mobile phone charger.
• a live guide in English, Arabic or Greek.
• the route through four neighborhoods in a single hour.

Options for this experience

4 options

VIP private tour | one vehicleUp to 2 per booking · Guide in English, Arabic or Greek · 12 departure times: the first at 09:30, the last at 20:30For groups of 1 or 2 people: Choose this option if your group has 1 or 2 travelers. One sidecar vehicle will be available for your tour. Includes pickup.

VIP private tour | two vehiclesUp to 4 per booking · Guide in English, Arabic or Greek · 12 departure times: the first at 09:30, the last at 20:30For groups of 3 or 4 people: Choose this option if your group has 3 or 4 travelers. Two sidecar vehicles will be available for your tour. Includes pickup.

VIP private tour | three vehiclesUp to 6 per booking · Guide in English, Arabic or Greek · 12 departure times: the first at 09:30, the last at 20:30For groups of 5 or 6 people: Choose this option if your group has 5 or 6 persons. Three sidecar vehicles will be available for your tour. Includes pickup.

VIP private tour | four vehiclesUp to 8 per booking · Guide in English, Arabic or Greek · 12 departure times: the first at 09:30, the last at 20:30For groups of 7 or 8 people: Choose this option if your group has 7 or 8 travelers. Four sidecar vehicles will be available for your tour. Includes pickup.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day12 departure times: the first at 09:30, the last at 20:30

Book up to1h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Arabic and Greek

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Hellas Vintage Tours | Motorcycle with Sidecar Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to move through Athens' oldest neighborhoods without sitting in traffic or following a bus route. The sidecar reaches the narrow streets where locals actually live, and swapping seats means you both get the unobstructed Acropolis views instead of one of you watching the other's back the whole time.

Traveler reviews

4.92★★★★★★★★★★

117 verified traveler reviews

5 ★113

4 ★2

3 ★0

2 ★1

1 ★1

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Arabic and Greek.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can I ride in the sidecar the whole time, or do both passengers have to swap?

Both passengers swap seats during the tour so each gets a turn in the sidecar with the open-air view of the Acropolis and the neighborhoods. The other passenger rides on the motorcycle itself.

What neighborhoods do we actually stop in?

The tour covers Plaka, Anafiotika, Monastiraki and Thiseio. You ride through the narrow streets of each and stop long enough to take photos and experience the atmosphere: Monastiraki's flea market energy, Thiseio's Temple of Hephaestus and quieter streets, Anafiotika's island-village feel, and Plaka's cobblestone lanes at the foot of the Acropolis.

How long is the tour?

The tour runs one hour from start to finish.

Do I need to book a private tour for a specific group size, or can I join others?

This is a private tour, and you choose the option that matches your group: one person, two people, three people, or larger groups up to four vehicles. Each option is a separate booking, so you're not sharing the sidecar with strangers.

What's included in the tour?

The tour includes the guide, helmet, goggles and a USB mobile phone charger. Pickup is included in at least one option, so check your booking details for the meeting point.