8 Hour Private tour in Athens and Sounion

The Acropolis of Athens is a rocky hill 156 meters above sea level and approximately 70 meters above the level of the city of Athens. The Parthenon is a temple built in honor of the goddess Athena, patroness of the city of Athens. Τhe architects who worked were Iktinos, Kallikratis, and possibly Phidias (5th century BC). Finally, we will see the Erechtheion with the famous Karyatidis and the Propylaea.

The Acropolis of Athens is a rocky hill 156 meters above sea level and approximately 70 meters above the level of the city of Athens. The Parthenon is a temple built in honor of the goddess Athena, patroness of the city of Athens. Τhe architects who worked were Iktinos, Kallikratis, and possibly Phidias (5th century BC). Finally, we will see the Erechtheion with the famous Karyatidis and the Propylaea.

The Greek Parliament, the old Palace of king Othon which is located in Syntagma Square and the Unknown Soldier Monument which is guarded 24 hours a day by the Presidential Guard

Like the Acropolis, the temple of Olympian Zeus has been a distinctive Athenian landmark since time immemorial. The Pillars of Olympian Zeus, the outdoor ancient temple of Athena. The Temple of Olympian Zeus is a half-complete temple dedicated to Zeus, chief of Olympian Gods. It’s impressive history and destruction make the site interesting to study and its size a popular tourist attraction. It’s surrounded by other monuments, such as the Kallimarmaro stadium, the Hadrian’s Arch, and Zappeion Megaron. It’s within walking distance from the Athens center, 500 m east of the Acropolis and south from the Syntagma Square.

Panathenaic Stadium or else known as Kallimarmaro stadium – the oldest in operation stadium of the world, where the Olympics Games have been held three times. It is the only major stadium in the world built entirely of white marble.

We will see the changing of the guard (Euzones) in front of the old palace, which is today Parliament House, above the central square of Athens.

The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) is an integral part of the modern Greek intellectual tradition, life, and international presence. It successfully combines an old established name and authority with dynamic development and creative participation in modern letters and science. It is the oldest University in the country, founded by the Royal Decree of 22 April 1837 under the name “Othonian University”, as the first king of modern Greece, Otto of Bavaria, was its founder. Initially, it consisted of four Schools (of Theology, Law, Medicine, and Philosophy, the latter still comprising at that time Mathematics and Applied Sciences) with a total of 52 students. Its first seat was a neo-classical house on the north slope of the Akropolis hill, originally the home of the architect Stamatis Kleanthis (today the Museum of the University’s History is housed there).

The Academy of Athens is Greece's national academy, and the highest research establishment in the country. It was established in 1926, with its founding principle traces back to the historical Academy of Plato, and operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Education. The Academy's main building is one of the major landmarks of Athens.

National Library (Vallianeion) This glorious neoclassical reading room once housed over 2 million books and manuscripts, among them 5.200 manuscripts that include over 300 Greek New Testament manuscripts and hand-written renditions of works by Aristotle, Plato and Homer.

On your way towards the Temple of Poseidon, you will have the potentiality to absorb the southern suburbs of Athens, such as Old Faliron, Alimos and Glyfada. It is an undeniable fact that these areas are considered to be the most up-scaled ones of Attica. Moreover, the traveler is given the opportunity to observe coastline of Attica full of private and public marines, shops and cafes.

A short stop for pictures will be made at Vouliagmeni Lake. The lagoon formed about 2,000 years ago. It was once a large cavern that collapsed following an earthquake. The outline of the collapsed cavern roof can be clearly discerned from a distance. The lake has quite unique environmental conditions: it is supplied with warm seawater (28-35ºCelsius) via an underground channel spreading through a network of flooded caves, so its temperature never drops below 18 °C (usually ranges around 21-24 °C), whereas a freshwater spring reduces its salinity to brackish levels (14.5-18 psu). Because of its constant warm water temperature and its rich content in hydrogen sulphide, the lake functions as a spa since the end of the 19th century.

The Temple of Poseidon is built on top of the hill, exactly at the meeting point of the Saronic Sea with the Aegean Sea. The temple was dedicated to God Poseidon, the lord of the Sea and it was there where all the sailors offered a last sacrifice to appease God Poseidon before leaving the safety of the Saronic Golf. According to Greek mythology, the Cape Sounion was the point from which Greek King Aegeus flung himself off the cliff to his death, upon the mistaken belief that his son had died. This ancient tragic tale involves a theme that is still used in modern story-telling today.

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