Hi there! Four of us (two couples in our 50's) will be in Athens before departing on a cruise (Bar, Corfu, Sicily, Naples, Barcelona). We have never been to Greece so we added some time before the cruise to experience the culture and see the sites. We arrive 8/14 at the airport at 1900 (7PM). We want to make the most of our short time there without exhausting ourselves. Here are the things we would like to include, but open to recommendations and honest feedback.
8/15. 8/16. 8/17 AM
8/14:
Go to accommodations check in, get dinner, sleep (Where to stay? Getting in at 7PM) Should we stay near the airport or venture to Athens or Pireaus?
8/15:
* We would like to visit an island or two, Maybe book an all day excursion (recommendations?)
8/16:
* Acropolis museum/Parthenon/Temple of Zeus
* Strolling the Plaka
* Food tour?
8/17:
* Board cruise ship
Anything else we should try to squeeze in? Our friends are not big on crowds or heat so trying to have a nice balance.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23446 posts
You do not have time for any island visit. Enjoy Athens. I would stay in central Athens and take a taxi to Pireaus. You can take public transportation but you could have a long walk at the end depending on where the cruise ship docks. Just take it easy. You will still be fighting jet lag on the 15th and 16th. Forget about squeezing in any more. It will be hot.
Posted by
France Southwest
1973 posts
8/14 Go to accommodations check in, get dinner, asleep (Where to stay?
Getting in at 7PM)
Since you want to wander around Plaka, find a hotel there. But note that if your flight lands at 7 p.m. you probably won't be at your hotel in Athens before 9 p.m. The good news is that it's about time when the Greeks go to dinner!
8/15: We would like to visit an island or two, Maybe book an all day
excursion.
There aren't many options for visiting islands in a single day.
Some travel agencies offer a tour of two or three islands but you will hardly get off the boat, and it will cost you almost 10 times more than taking a ferry. If you take a ferry the only island accessible in on day is Aegina
You will have to get up early and take the ferry from the port of Piraeus, which, after a long flight the day before and jet lag seems very optimistic to me.
8/16:
*Acropolis museum/Parthenon/Temple of Zeus
The Parthenon and the Temple of Zeus are on the same site: the Acropolis.
To visit the Acropolis, book your tickets on the official website:
https://hhticket.gr/tap_b2c_new/english/tap.exe?PM=P1N
You will need to choose a date and time (time slot) and show up at the entrance on the chosen date and time.
Expect crowds from 9am.
Tickets for the Acropolis Museum can be purchased here (or on site):
https://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/en/gallery-talks/walking-ancient-neighborhood-acropolis-museum-0
Also note that temperatures in Athens already exceed 100°F during the day (110°F last wednesday), so don't try to make ambitious plans, you won't be able to keep them given the crowds and the heat.
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
8550 posts
Heat is very likely to be an issue in August, so you will want to plan your days with that in mind. Outside activities in the morning or evening, inside activities during the afternoon. There are day trips from Athens on Viator that you could check out. This might be one approach that would work for you and your friends. Hats, lots and lots of water.
I'm arriving in Athens from a cruise in October. I have a reservation at the Acropolis View Hotel which was recommended on this forum. I haven't stayed there yet, but it seems well located and reasonably priced.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
We were considering this on 8/15 and Athens 8/16
https://www.viator.com/tours/Athens/Athens-All-Day-Cruise-Saronic-Gulf-With-Lunch/d496-248334P2
Posted by
France Southwest
1973 posts
The tour you found on Viator is from "Athens Day Cruise", you can book it directly here, it's cheaper and it's direct:
https://www.athensdaycruise.gr/
You do what you want, but in my opinion you are making a mistake in thinking that you are going to visit 3 islands in one day.