Private Half Day Tour of Athens: Acropolis & Ancient Landmarks

Walk the Acropolis and five ancient landmarks in five hours, with the lines handled for you.

A private half-day tour of Athens with an English-speaking driver and skip-the-line service covering the Acropolis, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Olympic Stadium, Mount Lycabettus, Hadrian's Arch and the Acropolis Museum. The driver meets you at pickup and handles entry logistics so you spend the morning on the sites themselves, not queuing outside them. Entrance fees are bookable separately. A licensed tour guide is available on request.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Acropolis2h
2. Temple of Olympian Zeus15m
3. Olympic Stadium10m
4. Mount Lycabettus10m
5. Hadrian’s Arch5m
6. Acropolis Museum1h

Explore Athens' historic landmarks

• Visit the Acropolis and see Propylaea
• Explore the Parthenon and Erechtheion
• See the Temple of Athena Nike
• View the Theater of Dionysus and Odeon of Herod Atticus
• Visit the Temple of Olympian Zeus
• Tour the Panathenaic Stadium
• Ascend Lycabettus Hill
• Watch the changing of the guards at Hellenic Parliament
• See Hadrian’s Arch
• Visit the New Acropolis Museum

The experience

The Acropolis takes up the first two hours of the tour. You'll see the Propylaea, the Parthenon, the Erechtheion and the Temple of Athena Nike from the summit, then look down at the Theater of Dionysus (built in the 5th century BC and the oldest Greek theater), and the Odeon of Herod Atticus, which still hosts performances for the summer Athens Festival. The skip-the-line service means you move past the entrance crowds and spend that time on the platform itself.

From there the route moves through the city's other must-sees: the Temple of Olympian Zeus, a colossal structure that took 638 years to complete and once held 104 columns; the Panathenaic Stadium, the only stadium in the world built entirely of marble and the finishing point for the annual Athens Classic Marathon; and Mount Lycabettus, where you can see across the city from 300 meters up. Hadrian's Arch, the monumental gateway built to honor the Roman Emperor, sits between stops. The Acropolis Museum closes out the morning: opened in 2009, it holds the archaeological treasures of the Acropolis itself.

An English-speaking driver navigates you between sites in an air-conditioned Mercedes, with WiFi and cold water on board. The itinerary adjusts to skip long lines at each stop, so the five hours stay focused on what you came to see. Entrance fees are booked separately at additional cost. A licensed tour guide who can walk you through the sites is available if you request it when booking.

What’s included

• English-speaking driver in an air-conditioned Mercedes.
• skip-the-line service and itinerary adjustments to avoid entrance queues.
• WiFi on board and complimentary mineral water.
• pickup included. Entrance fees are bookable separately at additional cost.
• a licensed tour guide is available on request.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day21 departure times: the first at 06:00, the last at 16:00

Book up to12h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcome

Operated by Athens Limo

Is this one for you?Five hours is enough to see the Acropolis, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Olympic Stadium, Mount Lycabettus, Hadrian's Arch and the Acropolis Museum without rushing any one stop. The skip-the-line logistics mean you're not trading one site for another to fit the schedule.

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Top questions

What exactly do I see during the two hours on the Acropolis?

The Acropolis visit covers the Propylaea, the Parthenon, the Erechtheion and the Temple of Athena Nike at the summit. From there you look down at the Theater of Dionysus, the oldest Greek theater built in the 5th century BC, and the Odeon of Herod Atticus, which hosts the summer Athens Festival performances.

Does the skip-the-line service mean I don't wait at the entrance?

The skip-the-line service adjusts the itinerary to move you past entrance queues at each site, so the five hours stay on the landmarks themselves rather than the pavement outside them. Entrance fees are bookable separately.

Is a guide included to explain what I'm seeing at each stop?

An English-speaking driver is included with the tour. A licensed tour guide who can walk you through the sites and explain them is available on request. Contact the operator by phone at booking to add one.

How does the Panathenaic Stadium fit into a half-day tour?

The Panathenaic Stadium, the only stadium in the world built entirely of marble, is one of the stops on the route. It hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the first modern Olympics in 1896 and the 2004 Games, and serves as the finish line for the annual Athens Classic Marathon.

Can I customize which sites we visit if I've seen some before?

The itinerary adjusts to skip long lines, and you can customize it to suit your interests: the driver works with you to make the most of the five hours based on what you want to see.