Post-Cruise Athens Hotel and Must-See Sights

[CruzerDeb]

Our cruise ends in Athens and I’m planning on spending debarkation day touring and will spend one night. Help me make the most of my time there. 

What should I see and where should I stay?

[cruisemom42]

I can highly recommend the Athens Gate hotel. It's very well located -- good dropping off point if coming from Piraeus and also, once you drop off your stuff, it is very close to the Acropolis museum, and (across the street from the museum) the more walkable of the paths to the Acropolis itself. Once you see those, head down and also visit the Greek Agora. Rick Steves has a good self-guided tour of both the Acropolis and the Agora in his guidebook. Newer versions probably also include the museum. 

 

I would say those are the three "must sees" historically. The Athens Gate hotel sits on the edge of the Plaka, so you may want to go back to the hotel, take a breather, then venture out again for a brief walk through the Plaka to find a place for dinner (plenty of nearby options, just find one that looks promising). I think the Plaka is better seen at the end of the day when there are fewer hordes of tourists.

 

The Athens Gate hotel has a rooftop bar/restaurant with fabulous views of the Acropolis on one side and the Temple of Jupiter on the other.  A nightcap there might be nice.  Or if you are not evening people, maybe an aperitif before dinner.  They will also serve breakfast there assuming you don't have to rush out early for your flight.

 

If you're really into classical history, you could consider substituting the Archaeological Museum in Athens, which is outstanding, for the Acropolis museum (which is new and well designed but devoid of the Elgin Marbles, which it was built -- at least in part -- to house).  I would do the Acropolis + Agora first, then get a taxi to the Archaeological Museum and back, it's far to walk and you don't want to waste time figuring out buses or metro if you only have one day...   Again, Rick Steves' Athens guide will walk you through the key points of the museum.  (He also has podcasts for some of the Athens sites, if you prefer to get your info that way.)

 

[cruisemom42]

54 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

and the Temple of Jupiter on the other. 

 

Sorry, mixing up my Greek and Roman names. I should've referred to this temple as the Temple of Olympian Zeus (Roman: Jupiter). I tend to think of it as more Roman than Greek as, while it was started by the Greeks in the 6th c. BC, it wasn't actually finished until the 2nd c. AD by the Roman emperor Hadrian.

[Roger88]

15 hours ago, CruzerDeb said:

Our cruise ends in Athens and I’m planning on spending debarkation day touring and will spend one night. Help me make the most of my time there. 

What should I see and where should I stay?

As far as I am concerned Greece has no restrictions and limitation in regard of Covid. I think its all due to the thing that the entire country depends on the tourist flow. I am sure you will manage to have some good time there

[bennybear]

7 minutes ago, Roger88 said:

As far as I am concerned Greece has no restrictions and limitation in regard of Covid. I think its all due to the thing that the entire country depends on the tourist flow. I am sure you will manage to have some good time there

They are under lockdown currently as the situation has worsened. 

[CruzerDeb]

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Sorry, mixing up my Greek and Roman names. I should've referred to this temple as the Temple of Olympian Zeus (Roman: Jupiter). I tend to think of it as more Roman than Greek as, while it was started by the Greeks in the 6th c. BC, it wasn't actually finished until the 2nd c. AD by the Roman emperor Hadrian.

Thanks so much for all the wonderful information! I really appreciate it!! 

[marazul]

I second the recommendation for the Athens Gate hotel. 

Do follow cruisemom's advice, but if you want to accomplish all of this you must get your tickets for the Acropolis on the internet ahead of time.  The lines can be very long, especially in the morning. 

Edited December 24, 2020 by marazul

[CruzerDeb]

Thanks for letting me know to get the tickets before we go! Taking a look at Athens Gate and I’m really happy with what I see. 

[CruzerDeb]

Acropolis to Become Entirely Accessible to Disabled For First Time

 Patricia Claus

2 months ago

The approach to the Acropolis. Credit: AMNA

For the first time in its long history, stretching back into Greek antiquity, the buildings atop the Acropolis, Athens’ “Holy Mountain,” will become completely accessible to the disabled and those with other mobility and health issues.

Although there has been a type of freight elevator used to help those who were completely disabled to be taken to the top, for the first time, thanks to a complete redesign of the approach to the Acropolis, visitors will soon have a view of the mountain and its monuments that is the same as that seen by the ancient Greeks.

The Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports stated in their announcement today that “Improving the visiting conditions of the monuments at the Acropolis is a priority for the Ministry. With the upgrading works of the services provided in the Acropolis, the Holy Rock becomes — for the first time — completely accessible not only to the disabled, but also to citizens with mobility or other health problems.”

The statement went on to say “The project is expected to be delivered on December 3, 2020, together with the new, safe state-of-the-art slope lift, making he experience of visiting the Acropolis totally different.”

“The work of paving the paths,” the Ministry said, “is not treated as a simple maintenance procedure of the existing network, which was built at least fifty years ago with the construction and scientific criteria of that time.

“It is part of the study for the restoration of the terrain of the ancient sanctuary done by the academic and chairman of the Acropolis Monuments Preservation Committee Manolis Korre, the architect with the most complete knowledge of all the monuments on the Holy Rock.”

The statement concluded “The configurations, horizontally and in terms of elevation, follow the archaeological findings over the years, restoring the ancient route of the Panathinaion Way.

“The visitor will for the first time have the same view that the ancient Athenians had. The Panathinaion road, which starts from the Propylaea and reaches the temple of Rome and Augustus, had been paved with concrete before in 1978 and was paved with the same material several times since then to repair advancing wear.”

Some archaeologists have blasted the decision by the Ministry to undertake the reorientation and paving of the pathways atop the Acropolis.

The Ministry has also released two new videos, showing the paths at the Acropolis throughout the years 1978 – 2020, and the ongoing work which has made the improvements possible.

[ski ww]

This will also give us some food for thought. We are staying in Athens two nights pre cruise and it's a toss up between Piraeus & Athens for our hotel. 

[marazul]

Toss Piraeus and stay in Athens.

😉

[cruisemom42]

17 minutes ago, marazul said:

Toss Piraeus and stay in Athens.

😉

 

Well said!

[irvington]

Thanks for the helpful info in this thread. 

[odie1024]

Great info, I will be cruising on Celestyal at the end of April 2022 so doing some research now to share with the girls I am traveling with. Staying post cruise for 2-3 nights but Athens Gate sounds like exactly where I would like to stay. I know I want to be near Plaka for the evening scene. Just ordered Rick Steves book to help with getting some good planning for post cruise. 

 

[chubbypiggy]

We plan to stay one night in Athens after our Princess cruise in April 2022.  We visited Athens 2 times in the past as a cruise stops, so this time, just plan to stay around Plaka area for eating and shopping.  This will be the first time for my sister's family, so she would like to stay at a hotel closes to Acropolis.  Athens Gate Hotel sounds like a good place.   

 

Any one can suggest a company that offers pickup service from Piraeus port to Athens hotel on debarkation day?  Also, pickup from hotel to Athens airport the next day?  There will be 4-5 of us.

 

Thank you.

[marazul]

5 hours ago, chubbypiggy said:

We plan to stay one  

 

Any one can suggest a company that offers pickup service from Piraeus port to Athens hotel on debarkation day?  Also, pickup from hotel to Athens airport the next day?  There will be 4-5 of us.

 

Thank you.

Yes, George's Taxi.

taxigreece.com 

[chubbypiggy]

1 hour ago, marazul said:

Yes, George's Taxi.

taxigreece.com 

Thank you.

 

I just went to their site.  Although the home page says they will pick you up from your hotel, port...., but when I went to "price quote", that page says "we do NOT accept individual bookings from your accommodation to the airport or the port".  So I only asked for price quote from port to hotel.

[marazul]

Just send them an email.

They have picked us up at the hotel a number of times. 

[cruisemom42]

13 hours ago, chubbypiggy said:

Thank you.

 

I just went to their site.  Although the home page says they will pick you up from your hotel, port...., but when I went to "price quote", that page says "we do NOT accept individual bookings from your accommodation to the airport or the port".  So I only asked for price quote from port to hotel.

 

I wonder if it is some kind of temporary COVID-related measure?  I know in the past they have provided this service. As marazul says, I'd email them and ask.

[chubbypiggy]

When they reply to me on the price quote from the port to Athens hotel, I will ask them if they can pick up from hotel the next morning and drop off at the airport.  I haven't received any reply from them yet.