2 Days in Athens before our tour

The site of the Acropolis includes all those other "sites" you mentioned and are not separate. They are located on the Acropolis Hill.

The Temple of Olympian Zeus is a few blocks away. I've never noticed it from the Acropolis before. I have gone to that site.

A lot of people buy a multi-site ticket which includes the The Acropolis, the Agora, Kerameikos Cemetery, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Roman Agora, the Tower of the Winds and Hadrian’s Library for 30 euros and do the "tour" themselves. Most of the sites are near each other and is very do-able on your own.

Either of the museums are worthwhile with the Archeological Museum out of the main tourist zone. The Acropolis Museum is right across the road from the Acropolis.

There is a lot to do in Athens: the Central Markets on Athinas St. plus all the shops & markets off Athinas St., Anafiotika on the north side of the Acropolis, the Plaka, Psiri District, Changing of the Guards at the Parliament Building and just wandering around. There are numerous other smaller, less-known ancient sites also.

Check out the Athens Guide for more info:
http://www.athensguide.com/

Thank you for the information and the link. So much to think about before we go. I think the site you posted and Rick's book will be a big help.

We found the Agora to be more interesting than the Acropolis. We also thought the Archaelogical Museum was a great place to start our visit to Greece. It gave us a better understanding of when and where things happened so we could put the places we saw in context. But if you are not getting to Delphi on your scheduled itinerary, I'd encourage you to do a day trip to the temples. It was my favorite part of our 3 weeks in Greece and we got to some pretty amazing places.

How hard was it to get to Delphi?

Everyone enjoys different things. I would not shlep out to Delphi instead of spending a full day in Athens. The Ancient Agora was one of my very favorites. The Archaeology Museum is a wow. You could definitely do the Ancient Agora Tour and the City Walk tour in one day. The best part of the Acropolis Museum is the view from the restaurant. I believe you can access it without entering the museum sections of the building.

I agree with Chani, Delphi is wonderful but with just a couple of days I'd stay in Athens. Your guided tour may take you there anyway.

The Ancient Agora would be very worthwhile. So would the National Archaeological Museum and/or the Acropolis Museum. If I had to choose just one of the museums, I'd choose the Acropolis Museum because it displays the sculptures that used to be on and near the Parthenon, where you'll be going. Also it's easier to reach and closer to other sights than the NAM. But the NAM is big and comprehensive, with a lot more art from more historical periods.

The RS city walk is a good introduction but you'll get a lot of that just walking around on your own.