8 Best Tours and Day Trips from Athens

The Acropolis is probably the highlight of Athens, but the city has many more corners to explore and behind each of them are mythological stories that fascinate travellers and locals alike. I tell you all about the best tours to discover them:

The use of bicycles is very widespread in Athens, which is why there are many tours that use this means of transport to get around the city. The price of these tours, in addition to the guide's guidance throughout the tour, includes the rental of the bicycles. This option allows you to cover a larger area of the city in less time and avoiding crowds, which is why it is one of the most popular among guided tours.

In the two tours I propose, the bicycles used are electric and easy to handle, to avoid excessive fatigue on the part of the traveller. Even so, I recommend that you come to the tour with comfortable shoes (a helmet is included in the bike rental). When you make your reservation you can choose between the different dates and times available.

What this tour consists of

The three-hour bike tour of Athens is available in English, Spanish, Italian, French and Dutch and costs £25. Before you start your guide will give you safety instructions and bottled water for the tour. This is the itinerary for this option:

• Acropolis Hill (site where democracy was founded).
• The Herod Atticus Odeon Theatre
• The Acropolis Museum
• The Theatre of Dionysus (the first in the world)
• The Temple of Zeus
• Hadrian's Arch
• The Zappeion Conference & Exhibition Center
• The Presidential Mansion
• The National Garden
• The Plaka district (an Athens must-see)
• The Tower of the Winds and the first water clock
• The Agora or Athenian Square
• The Agora or Roman Square

The city of Delphi was called "the centre of the world" in Ancient Greece and today its ruins are one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece. If you travel to Athens you have the opportunity to visit these ruins, which are located just two hours' drive from the Greek capital. Delphi is home to key historical sites such as the Temple of Apollo, the Athenian Treasury, the Sanctuary of Athena and the Delphi Museum itself.

There are many tours to Delphi from Athens, but I recommend you choose between these two: the same-day round trip or the two-day tour that also includes a visit to the Byzantine monasteries of Meteora. Here's what you need to know about each:

Delphi Day Trip

It costs £60 and includes entrance to the ruins, transfer to and from your hotel in Athens and the services of a specialised guide who will accompany you during the tour and give you a guided tour of the most important sites of Delphi including the archaeological museum and the temple of Athena Pronaia (the most photographed site in Deplfos). This day trip to Delphi from Athens is available in English, Spanish, Italian and French.

Delphi and Meteora two-day tour

If you have enough time during your trip, you can opt for this tour which combines a visit to the ruins of Delphi with a visit to the Byzantine temples of Meteora. You will spend the night in a 4-star hotel in Kalabaka with dinner and breakfast included. You can do this tour in English, French, Spanish or Italian.

This two-day tour to Delphi and Meteora from Athens includes: accommodation, meals with dinner and breakfast, transport between the points of interest, pick-up and drop-off directly from the hotel in Athens, entrance fees to the monuments included in the tour and the services of a specialized guide.

If you want to discover the beauty of the Greek islands without straying too far from Athens, this boat trip is a great option. During the tour, you will travel through the Saronic Gulf, stopping at Agistri, Aegina and Moni, three islands with crystal clear waters and paradisiacal landscapes. In addition to transport, the tour includes food and drinks, so you can enjoy a relaxing sailing experience.

Throughout the day, you can swim at idyllic beaches, explore the islands' charming villages and, if you wish, take part in activities such as paddle surfing or snorkelling. You will also have the opportunity to sample the famous Aegina pistachios, known throughout Greece. When you book your tour, you can choose from a range of available dates and times.

What this tour consists of

The boat tour to Agistri, Aegina and Moni is a complete experience that combines sailing, culture and relaxation. This is what it includes:

• Transportation on a traditional Greek boat with live music.
• Stops in Agistri, Aegina and Moni, with free time to explore each island
• Mediterranean lunch on board with local options
• Possibility to snorkel and paddle surf in crystal clear waters
• Tasting of Aegina's famous pistachio nuts
• Crew and guide on board to provide information about the islands

If you dream of seeing iconic Mykonos, with its whitewashed houses and turquoise waters, this day trip is the best way to do it worry-free. From Athens, you'll travel by high-speed ferry to the island, where you'll have free time to wander its streets, enjoy its beaches and discover its vibrant atmosphere.

The tour price includes return ferry tickets, allowing you to make the most of your time on the island without worrying about the logistics. You can stroll around Little Venice, visit the famous windmills and enjoy exquisite Greek cuisine in a seaside taverna. When you book, you can choose the date that best suits your itinerary.

What is this tour all about?

The Mykonos day tour from Athens allows you to discover one of Greece's most famous islands in a comfortable and stress-free way. Here's what's included:

• Round-triphigh-speed ferry tickets between Athens and Mykonos.
• Free time to explore the island at your own pace
• Opportunity to visit iconic sights such as Little Venice and the windmills
• Opportunity to relax on one of the famous beaches of Mykonos
• Recommendations on what to see and do on the island

If you want to explore Athens at your own pace and in total comfort, this private tour is the ideal choice. Accompanied by an expert guide, you will tour the city in a luxury air-conditioned vehicle, combining driving with walking tours of the most emblematic sites.

The price of the tour includes pick-up and drop-off at your hotel, as well as entrance fees to the Acropolis and its museum, allowing you to visit this iconic site with a guide rather than on your own. You can also use the rest of the time to explore less accessible areas for a more complete experience.

What this tour consists of

The private tour of Athens and the Acropolis Museum offers you a personalised experience to get to know the city in the best possible way. Here's what it includes:

• Private tour in a luxury air-conditioned vehicle.
• Entrance tickets to the Acropolis and its museum, including guided tour
• Hotel pick-up and drop-off for your convenience
• Flexibility to design your itinerary, with options such as the Temple of Zeus, Syntagma Square or the Dionysus Theatre
• Advice from your guide to optimise your tour and receive gastronomic and cultural recommendations

The Peloponnese is a Greek peninsula linked to Athens by the Corinth Canal and located two hours away by road. Here you will find places of great cultural interest such as Corinth, Mycenae, Nafplio and Epidaurus. On this private tour of the highlights of the Peloponnese from Athens you will get to know them all under the guidance of an expert guide who will be exclusively at your disposal.

The tour is available in English, Spanish and German and lasts one day. If you and your travel group are interested in Ancient History, I assure you that you will get the most out of this private tour. Wear comfortable clothes and don't hesitate to ask your guide for any recommendations that might be useful for the rest of the trip.

What is included in this tour

I admit that I am partial to this tour, and lovers of the ancient world will share my opinion once they have taken it. It's a four-hour walking tour of Athens, available in English and French, with the presence of a specialised guide and a wireless audio system that allows you to comfortably follow his directions. The best part? It focuses on Greek mythology and is for small groups of a maximum of 14 people.

What this tour consists of

The tour includes an in-depth visit to the Acropolis where you will visit its main monuments (Parthenon, Temple of Athena Nike, Erechteion, Propylae, Theatre of Dionysus...) and you will be able to put their history into context thanks to the guide's explanations. If the names of Zeus, Hephaestus or Athena Ergani are familiar to you, prepare a pen and paper so you can take note of everything you will discover about them.

Although the tour is focused on Athenian mythology, it does not leave behind historical explanations about the way of life of the city and its evolution since its foundation. If you have to choose only one tour to do during your visit to Athens, this is one of the most suitable for you in terms of duration and quality of the explanations. Don't hesitate to ask your guide for all kinds of recommendations to complete your visit to the Greek capital; he/she will be happy to give them to you.

Ana's Traveller Tip

The city of Athens has a lot of ancient history behind it, so the explanations of a guide in certain places are essential.

Who doesn't dream of visiting the Greek Islands one day? This day trip to the Greek Islands from Athens makes it possible to see the Greek Islands in one day from Athens, something that would be difficult to do on your own. With this full day Greek Islands cruise you will visit three of the Greek Islands: Poros, Hydra and Aegina.

The tour costs are available in English, Spanish, French and Italian. A car will pick you up from your hotel and take you to the boat. On board you will enjoy a traditional Greek buffet lunch and a folklore show to make the most of the time travelling between islands.

Once you arrive at Poros, Hydra and Aegina you will have free time to enjoy the scenery, do some shopping or join additional guided tours organised by the cruise ship. This activity is ideal if you don't want to be left with the nagging feeling that you missed out on the Greek Islands after your visit to Athens.

If this selection is not enough, there are other places close to Athens that you can visit during your trip to Greece. However, for some of them you'll need more than a day if you want to see them in depth and take advantage of all they have to offer. Here are three more suggestions:

Santorini

An island in the Aegean Sea that you've probably seen in photos. It's the one with the white houses on the slope of a mountain. It's far enough away from Athens to get there and back in a day, but you can plan an inter-island flight and make it one of the stops on your trip. I recommend avoiding the summer months as this is one of the busiest islands in Greece.

Cape Sunio

If you're interested in seeing the Temple of Poseidon, this is another excursion you can do from Athens, this time without spending more than a day.

When preparing a trip to Greece, the first thing that comes to mind is the islands. Athens has an impressive culture and history, but it lacks the clear waters and paradisiacal landscapes of the Greek Islands. That's why there are different cruises that take you to places close to the capital of Greece so that you don't have to give up anything during your trip.

If you want more information about this kind of excursions, I recommend you this article on Boat Tours and Cruises in Athens where you will find recommendations and tips that will be useful during your trip.

If, on the other hand, you prefer to enjoy the city to the fullest and explore every corner of it, the tourist bus is one of the most efficient ways to do so. Get rid of the idea that tour buses tarnish an authentic experience and discover their benefits in my guide to the best way to get around the city. Athens Hop-On Hop-Off Buses.