Athens

[coyR24]

where do coach tour/buses from cruise ships  drop off/pick up at the Acropolis and Planka

[klfrodo]

I'm not sure the exact answer you're looking for. I can tell you that it's at the bottom of a steep freakin hill.

But, if you go to google earth or google maps you can see the circular drive way next to the ticket office. And then a little bit further away you can see the parking lot where the busses park after dropping off the passengers.

[Gwendy]

Use Plaka in your Google search.  Busses sometimes drop off at bottom of Plaka near Hadrians Gate and sometimes at the side road of the museum of the Acropolis.  From the dining area in the museum there is a great view of Acropolis and Parthenon.

The hill is not too bad, just go slowly and have a rest half way.

[CruiserBruce]

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

Expect that this will be moved to the Greece board, here:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/463-greece-ports/

[cruisemom42]

Are you asking about a "transportation only" bus tour offered by your ship? Or are you asking about a guided shore excursion with several stops including the Acropolis and Plaka?

 

Different answers for each.

 

[coyR24]

hi

bus tour offered by ship

thanks

[cruisemom42]

16 hours ago, coyR24 said:

hi

bus tour offered by ship

thanks

 

On my tour the drop-off point for the Acropolis was very near the ticket office. As others have said, there is a bit of a climb to the top. I wouldn't call it a hike but there are a lot of steps of unequal height, made of marble, and can be slippery. 

 

For the Plaka area, we were dropped off on a main road at Hadrian's Gate. From there it is a walk of a few blocks to the actual Plaka. Walking is fairly flat, on sidewalks, and much of the Plaka area is pedestrian-only.

 

 

[DarrenM]

On 3/17/2024 at 3:32 PM, klfrodo said:

I'm not sure the exact answer you're looking for. I can tell you that it's at the bottom of a steep freakin hill.

But, if you go to google earth or google maps you can see the circular drive way next to the ticket office. And then a little bit further away you can see the parking lot where the busses park after dropping off the passengers.

I must have paid more, our tour bus took us right to the top of the acropolis last year.

 

We didn't need to leave the bus.

 

OK sorry. That was a joke.

 

There's a drive way and car park at the bottom of the entrance. You get dropped off there.

 

It's quite the climb and queue after that.

 

 

[Markanddonna]

We had a private tour with about 12 others. We were dropped off near the ticket office. Unless you were royalty, I doubt there is a way to get to the top without walking. Be careful! Even in dry weather, some stones have been so worn down that they are like ice. My DH, who has COPD, paced himself and was successful.

[carolinetodd]

On 3/19/2024 at 6:55 AM, Markanddonna said:

 Unless you were royalty, I doubt there is a way to get to the top without walking. 

In fact, there is an elevator, only available to those with some disability.  My cane was apparently enough - two asthmatic women in our group had to argue a bit.

[Gwendy]

1 minute ago, carolinetodd said:

In fact, there is an elevator, only available to those with some disability.  My cane was apparently enough - two asthmatic women in our group had to argue a bit.

Use their website to check when elevator is operating, you can book a time.   Has some odd hours sometimes and is often closed completely.  I had a letter from my doctor stating difficulty in walking, but couldn’t use elevator as it was out of action in the two days I was there.