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Athens/Piraeus Itinerary Before and After Cruise

First, I want to thank you for reading my post and replying. My husband and I are going on a 10 day cruise (mostly Greek islands), at the end of May and I'm finalizing plans for what to do before and after the cruise. We are 70ish. We enjoy great food and wine, history, learning about other cultures, and the outdoors. This is my second visit to Athens. Last time I was there I was 10, so it's been a while. My husband's first visit.

We are staying at an AirBNB for two nights in Makriyanni. The first day (really a half day), I expect that we will check in, get familiar with the neighborhood, have lunch, maybe have a rest, and go out for dinner close by the apartment. If you have any suggestions of places to eat or visit on this Wednesday afternoon, I welcome your input.

The second day (our only full day in Athens), we have scheduled a golden hour (late afternoon) tour with Athens Walking Tours for the Acropolis museum and the Acropolis. We have nothing else scheduled at this time. I would like to see the Ancient Agora in the morning. Or would you suggest something else? Maybe go to a market. Any suggestions you have for where to eat or what to see would be great. I was thinking of Elaea Dine & Wine for dinner that night. We will be celebrating our 50th anniversary.

Our cruise will begin and conclude in Piraeus. We must check out of the AirBNB by 11 am and cannot board until 2 pm. I was thinking that we might drop our luggage at the ship and then visit Piraeus. Is there a nice walk, maybe see a museum that we could do before boarding the ship? Is there something to see there? Is it walkable from the cruise ship dock or will we need transportation (public or FreeNow)?

Now this is where I need the most help - After our cruise, when we disembark, we will have the rest of the day to get to our hotel near the airport. Based on other forum posts, I have chosen to stay at Hotel Avra in Rafina. We will need to store our luggage. Should we take it to the hotel and then take a car or public transportation to Athens? Or should we stow it in Piraeus (I understand there are luggage storage places?) and walk around the city? Or should we take a car to Avra and then spend a leisurely time in Rafina?

Thanks so much for reading this far and sharing your experience with me and other readers. I so appreciate it!

Posted by
1581 posts

I think you best bet is to take a taxi or the Metro into central Athens and find a baggage storage company. Drop off your bags and explore the highlights of Athens. Pick up your bags and commute to the airport (metro, or taxi) where Avras shuttle picks up guests.
Here are several options for luggage storage in Athens.
https://www.thisisathens.org/useful-tips/luggage-storage

Posted by
42 posts

Thank you, Carol, for your reply. We will be sailing on Virgin Voyages for the first time. We have been told that they usually have later embarkation times and port departure times than other cruise lines. We will find out. We can drop our baggage before our scheduled boarding time, so we will most likely get to the ship before noon.

Posted by
42 posts

Thank you for your suggestion, stanbr. Sounds like a great way to spend our last day in Greece.

Posted by
27 posts

We are going on a cruise early September and will be in Athens for a day and also celebrating our 50th. I saw your post and would love you feedback on your experience in Athens and suggestions on navigating around there, tours and restaurants. thank you

Posted by
42 posts

Hello bhgambill, congratulations on 50 years of marriage! I would be happy to share our experiences with you, after we return. Expect to hear from me mid-June. All the best ...