Athens Monuments and the Acropolis Excursion

This Athens Acropolis excursion takes you deep into the history of Western Civilization and its magnificent monuments. Athens Monuments and the Acropolis is like a tour of Athens during its "Golden Age" of arts, democracy, discourse, reason and science. We'll show you Athens as it was in the 5th Century B.C., when it was the cultural and artistic capital of the ancient world, and the Athens of today, a vibrant, cosmopolitan, bustling 21st century European capital. It's a treasure trove for sightseers, with rewards at every turn.

Our first stop, after arriving by air conditioned coach in the center of Athens, is the Acropolis. This historic hill, which carries the Parthenon atop its broad shoulders, is dedicated to the goddess Athena, the city's protector. The Parthenon was inaugurated in 438 B.C. It is one of the only Doric order temples built entirely of marble, and the only one with relief decoration on all of its decorative marble panels (metopes). Your tour guide will discuss the colorful history of the Acropolis with you and your fellow passengers, and will explain to you the architectural significance of the Parthenon and of the famed entrance to the hill, the Propylaea. Beside the Propylaea stands the temple of Athena Nike ("Wingless Nike"), which housed the wooden statue (xoanon) of wingless Athena, which signified she would never leave Athens. Alongside the Parthenon you'll find the Erechtheion, a marble edifice of the Ionic order: the eastern section of the temple was dedicated to Athena Polias, the western section to Poseidon-Erechtheus. From the Acropolis you can look down toward the glorious Odeon of Herodes Atticus, an ancient theater with exceptional acoustics that is still in use, particularly during the long Attic summer. This is one of the many places where ancient Athens and the 21st century city intersect.

We leave the Acropolis to visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in front of the Greek Parliament Building, followed by a stop at Panathenian Stadium, where the first modern Olympic Games were held in 1896. After the stadium we tour the stylish "Trilogy of Athens," three beautiful 19th century buildings: the "old building" of the University of Athens, the National Library and the Academy of Athens. Our excursion concludes with visits to Omonoia Square and Syntagma Square, the busy heart of modern Athens.