Ancient Athens Αncient
The famous Acropolis, the religious centre of ancient Athens with its famous temples dedicated to goddess Athena. We will visit the Propylaea, the Parthenon and the Erectheion, which were constructed in the 5 th century BCE, a significant period of the ancient city. After its victories against the Persian Empire, Athens became the centre of the Delian League; hundreds of people gathered in the city contributing to a rapid progress in science, philosophy and the arts. Ancient Athens became a melting pot of ideas, philosophical movements and artistic experimentation. This “new way of thinking” was reflected on its monuments and artefacts. Through the exploration of the archaeological site of the Acropolis and the Acropolis museum, we will see the tangible evidence of such changes, evident in its material remains: the marble temples and sculptures, pottery vases and the artefacts of daily life. The tour will continue at the Ancient Agora, the administrative, philosophical, and economical centre of the ancient city. We will see the temples, the ruins of the Council and the Assembly and visit the Agora Museum. We will have the chance to discuss the circumstances that gave birth to the Athenian democracy and see the places where the fruitful philosophical discussions created great ideas.
Archaeological sites and Museum visited: Acropolis Museum, Acropolis site, theatre of Dionysos and Asclepion, Ancient Agora and Agora Museum.
Suggested duration of the tour: 6 hours
Greece through its souvenirs
The tour will start with a short visit of the Benaki Museum followed by a walking tour through the old neighbourhoods of Athens and more specifically Plaka and Monastiraki,
where we will learn about the ancient Classical, Hellenistic and Roman pasts, the Byzantine and Ottoman eras and finally explore the more recent history of Greece. By looking at the various souvenirs available at the shops of Plaka and Monastiraki, we will understand the elements that constructed the cultural identity of the Modern Greeks. By focusing on certain artefacts and their replicas from the Classical and Byzantine era, we will have an insight on the significance of the Classical heritage and the Byzantine legacy as the elements that “forged”the Modern Greek identity.
Archaeological sites and museums visited: Benaki Museum, ancient Roman Agora, Byzantine church of Kapnikarea and Greek Orthodox Cathedral. Suggested duration :7 hours
The Greek islands
More famous islands such as Mykonos and Santorini, or very popular islands like the islands of Paros, Naxos, Tinos and Syros provide the evidence of how humans adapted to the extreme climatic conditions and the historical circumstances. Towns developing architecturally as a maize to protect its human inhabitants from the strong winds and the pirate raids; or flat roofs aiming in collecting the precious water of the winter rainfalls for the dry summer months. This unique vernacular architecture inspired modern architects like Le Corbusier during the Fourth International Congress of Modern architecture in 1933. Apart from the unique architecture the islands are famous for their rich cultural heritage such as the island of Delos, the birth place of Apollo and the prehistoric Akrotiri in Santorini.
Ancient Athens and its port, Piraeus
Starting our day with the visit of the ancient Agora of Athens, the political, administrative, philosophical and commercial centre of the ancient city. We will explore the ruins of the centre of the ancient city, the centre of commercial activity and admire the artefacts that provide evidence for the economy and the daily life of ancient Athens in the museum of the ancient Agora. We will also talk about the administrative system of the city and the way that democracy functioned. We will them move to Piraeus, the ancient port of Athens and Greece’s major port today. We will go on a short walk around the centre of Piraeus where we will have the chance to explore the ruins of the ancient town and talk about the commercial activity of this significant port. We will then continue with a visit at the archaeological museum of Piraeus.
Archaeological sites and museums visited: ancient Agora and its museum,
Archaeological
Museum of Piraeus