Seeing Athens On Your Own From The Pireaus Cruise Terminal
There is a new bus that leaves from Akti Xaveriou which is the main road that is in front of the cruise terminal. The X80 connects Pireaus with the Acropolis and Syntagma Square and it is an express route which means it should get you there and back pretty quickly. It includes stops at some of the most important sites includingThe Acropolis Museum , the Archaeological Museum of Pireaus, the Planetarium and the National Museum of Contemporary Art. It ends in Syntagma Square and takes about 30 minutes to get there from the cruise terminal.
Hotels in Athens
Most people doing cruises will need a hotel in Athens for at least one night. If you have booked a cruise with one of the Greek travel agents then this is probably taken care of. if not you can find a list of suggested hotels and reviews on my Athens Hotels Page. You can also use my Athens Hotel Search and my AthensApartment Page. If you would prefer to stay in Pireaus close to the ship see my Recommended Pireaus Hotels Page. You can see my suggestions for the best hotels all over Greece at www.hotelsofgreece.com
The Thrill Of The Climb
Another great thing to do while in Greece are the daily tours of the volcano Nea Kameni, which is located on an uninhabited island close to Santorini, begin with a short boat ride, followed by a climb up to the volcanic craters that takes just over an hour. The tour then takes in hot springs and mud baths, where you can recharge your batteries.
Top Things To Do In Athens
Hike the Acropolis
Youll break a sweat getting there, but the view of these famed, ancient ruins including the Parthenon is well worth the climb. An unmissable activity for anyone visiting Athens. Treat yourself to Greek sweets in the Plaka District once youre done taking in the sights.
Go Museum Hopping
While on your cruise from Athens, you cant miss the chance to museum hop from one Greek masterwork to the next. Beyond the incredible ruins and sites available in Athens, their exhibits are unmatched. Take, for example, the Numismatic Museum of Athens, which has the largest collection of modern ancient coins in the world. Or see the National Archaeological Museum, which is home to antiquitys greatest artifacts and a true display of the lasting effects of Greek civilization.
Run the Famous Olympic Stadium
The Olympic Stadium is an iconic excursion for sports lovers and Olympic Game fans. Named for the 1896 Olympic marathon gold medalist Spyros Louis, the Olympic Stadium opened in 1982.
Walk Along the National Garden
The National Garden is a large public park and is conveniently located near the Olympic Stadium. After your stop at the Stadium, take a long walk through the National Garden for a glimpse of Greeces natural environment and plant life both native and exotic. The Garden is home to 7,000 trees, a getaway from the city even in the middle of Athens.
See As Many Historic Ruins As You Possibly Can
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Greek Island Day Cruises From Athens: Top Picks For 2021
If youve had your eye on Greece as your next destination but were deterred by the general uncertainty of the previous year, then now is your time to sail through 2021 with our Greek island day cruises from Athens. This way you can combine visiting the Greek capital with sea excursions to a number of island destinations. With our Greek island day cruises from Athens you get to cruise around safely, with your chosen group of people. Our cruises allow a passenger capacity of up to 8 guests.
The new year of 2021 fills our hearts with hope for the better things to come. And although 2020 changed many things on a personal and global level, we can still take back control of our lives, provided we make clever decisions. Sailing and cruising in Greece is the best way to discover the countrys astonishing coastal treasures as well as being an incredible holiday experience that will fill your mind with visuals you will never forget. Get yours with Spiridakos Sailing Cruises and prepare for the voyage of a lifetime!
Tours From Cruise Ships
Many cruise companies discourage the use of taxi and limo companies for private tours in destinations like Rhodes, Athens, Crete, Santorini and places in Turkey. Whether this is to protect the passenger or because the cruise ships themselves offer tours I dont know . I do know that you can get excellent service from taxi companies which offer personalized tours, many of whom charge by the trip and not by the person. These tours are like having a local host show you around the islands, towns and cities that they know. Instead of eating in some giant tourist trap that accommodates the dozens of people who take the bus tours, you can go to small tavernas where the locals eat, on quietstreets or on the sea.
These are some drivers I recommend:
In Athens of course there isGeorge the Famous Taxi Driver who is now something of an international hero for his tours of Athens, the mainland and his ability to get customers from the boats to the airport or hotels comfortably and quickly. George, like the other drivers listed here is non-smoking, English-speaking, knowlegable and drives a very comfortable air-conditioned Mercedes.For groups of more than 4 there is his son Dennis, in the photo above, with his beautiful luxury Mercedes limo that seats 7 plus the driver. For even larger groups there is son Billy with their Mercedes Bus able to seat 12 people. You can e-mail them at
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Culture & History Of The Athens Cruise Port
Clues point to settlement in Athens dating as far back as the Neolithic period. In the 6th century BCE, Athens saw both geographic and cultural growth, where new structures and sculptures were built to replace more rudimentary, earlier works on the Acropolis. The Acropolis quickly became a symbol of the city. In the 5th century BC, Athens became the first democratic city-state, or polis, to be brought into existence, and its effects on history rippled well into the modern era.
During the Roman and Hellenistic periods, Athens saw an increase in its importance in trade and commerce, producing and shipping more oils and goods to Italy. As the Roman Empire saw its zenith, Athens was a particular favorite of Emperor Hadrian, who built Hadrians Library on the north side of the Acropolis in 132 AD. However, as the Roman Empire fell into decline, Greeces global prominence sharply withdrew. Like many parts of Greece, Athens switched hands frequently throughout the centuries. In the 19th century, the Turks possessed the Acropolis until 1833, when Athens was selected as the capital of the kingdom of Greece. During World War II, Athens was thankfully spared of major destruction.
Athens Port Facilities & Location
You have two options to get to Athens from the terminals: take a taxi, available from every terminal gate, for a 20-30 minute ride to Athens, or you can take a subway train from Piraeus.
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What About The Smaller Boats That Do Greek Island Cruises
In my opinion this is a great way to go. Yes it is a cruise except there are only from 5 to 25 cabins meaning there are only 10 to 40 people on your boat instead of hundreds or thousands. They are mostly old style wooden sailboats though they mostly travel using the engines. And unlike a cruise where you wait in lineto get on and off the ships and sometimes have to use smaller boats to get to shore because they are too big for the harbor, these boats pull up to the dock and you get on and off as you like. They also stop in quiet coves and beaches for swimming, fishing and lunch. The famous Captain Alexander Matsakis does cruises of the Cyclades, Sporades and the Ionian Islands and is something of a legend. Besides his weekly scheduled cruises his boats can be chartered as well. See Greece Sail Cruises and Charters.
Another option is the Jewels of the Cyclades Cruise on the motor-yacht Gallileo which has 25 cabins or the Classical Greece Cruise on the 21 cabin mega-yacht Harmony.
Greek Island Cruise Video
This video was made by filmaker Andy Emery during his honeymoon. It gives you a pretty good idea of what a cruise of the Greek Islands and Turkey is like even though Easy Cruise no longer exists.
You can get discounted rates for cruises by going to Fantasy Travels Cruise for inexpensive packages that includes a 4 day cruise, 3 nights in Athens and Delphi.
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Best Time Of Year To Cruise In Greece
The main cruising season in Greece runs from May to October each year. The months of May and October are cooler, mostly sunny and ideal if you are looking to see Greece crowd free. June and September are very popular months for cruising in Greece driven by warm pleasant weather. July and August are great months if you are after hot weather, plenty of sunshine and seeing the islands in full swing. We also do cruises in the off season months of November and April, which are perfect for exploring the historic Peloponnese region home to Nafplion, Corinthia and Mycenae.
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Athens Greece Port Guide
As the capital of Greece and one of Europes most bustling cities, Athens is powered by 5,000 years of history. At night, the city of Athens glows from afar, light reflecting off the ancient ruins. Today travelers flock from around the world to experience its history while on cruises from Athens. After all, the art, theatre, architecture, and philosophy of Athens had ripple effects through the fabric of entire civilizations.
Take in thousands of years of history through timeless excursions while on taking a cruise from Athens. The departure port of Piraeus is one of the busiest commercial ports in the world, servicing many Mediterranean cruises, and sits on a natural, sandy bay where local Athenians often relax on summer weekends. Piraeus offers travelers stopping through on their Greek island cruises from Athens opportunity to explore, shop, and eat traditional Greek dishes.
A Greek island cruise from Athens wouldnt be complete without seeing the metropolis major sitesthe unforgettable Acropolis, the Parthenon, a hike up Mount Lycabettus, or tours of museums containing antiquitys greatest treasures dating back to the 5th century BC. Though Athens is a city of ruins, its the very essence of modern Greece.
Cruises to Athens , Greece
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Walking Tour Of Nafplion
Follow our expert guide for a walking tour through one of the most photogenic towns on the Peloponnese Peninsula. Discover the many historic buildings in a mix of architectural styles, including Venetian, Ottoman, and Byzantine, including the Venetian fortress that overlooks another fort in the heart of the harbor.
Yacht And Sailboat Charters And Smaller Sail
For Yacht and Sailboat Charters see www.greecetravel.com/sailingwhere you will find information on chartering boats with or without a skipper as well as cruises on sailing ships with twenty or thirty cabins that go on weekly itineraries to the islands, . You don’t have to book the whole boat. You just book by the person.
Santorini Sailing: Several companies do charters around the island catamarans which includes gourmet meals, swimming in isolated coves, and a spectacular view of the island. You can take half-day, full day and overnight trips.
For those who are visiting Mykonos try the 1 Day Yachting Cruise from Mykonos to Rinia & Delos offered by Fantasy Travel. Rinia is a small island accessable only by sailboat or motoryacht.
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Greek Island Day Cruises From Athens You Will Love
We have devised a few predefined itineraries for our guests utmost convenience. Our One Day and Three Day Greek island cruises from Athens make the most out of your time and cover between one and three island destinations close to Athens city. For those who are willing to spend more days on board our vessels, we recommend our Multi Day Greek island cruise from Athens, the itinerary for which we can arrange based on your available time and island preferences.
Aegina, Greece -Panoramic view of the port of Aegina with fishing boats and yachts
Shopping Near The Athens Cruise Port
The port of Piraeus has an abundance of shops, making it easy to pick up a quick souvenir along the way. Youll find a variety of shops along Sotiros Dios, which is a pedestrian shopping street lined with name-brand stores and smaller locally owned boutiques, as well as cafes and unfussy restaurants.
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When Is The Best Time To Travel
While winter is taking hold in central Europe, temperatures on the Greek islands are often still around 20 ° C. This will make you feel as if you have arrived in Spring on a cruise to Greece in Winter. Note, however, that there are occasional rainfalls. In Summer, the thermometer rises. And brings almost endless sunny days. Greece has something to offer in all seasons and is therefore always recommended for a cruise.
Local Currency & Tipping Customs
While in Greece, youll use the Euro as your primary form of currency. Smaller shops and businesses frequently dont accept credit cards, so ask before using one. Tipping taxi drivers isnt common, but rounding up to the nearest euro is polite, especially if you had a helpful driver. Leave some a 10% tip behind at a restaurant if there is no service charge included. Dont forget to tip your tour guide! 5-10 is polite when taking a guided tour in Athens.
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Greek Isles Cruises From Venice Italy
If you’re looking for cruises that depart from Venice, Italy, here are a few of Norwegian’s 2021 Greek Isles cruises from Venice:
- 9-Day Greek Isles: This is a similar itinerary as the seven-day cruise, but with stops in Athens and Split .
- 7-Day Mediterranean: This cruise visits Dubrovnik , Corfu in Greece and Italian ports Messina , Naples, Florence/Pisa before disembarking in Rome.
Day Cruises From Athens To The Saronic: Aegina Hydra & Poros
In order to fully appreciate the less-traveled, Saronic wonders, you will need to choose our three day catamaran cruise from Athens to the Saronic islands: Aegina, Hydra and Poros islands. These are the three main islands belonging to the Saronic gulf, often frequented in the past years by Athenians who either had their summer homes there or visited on a weekends basis for a quick island getaway. Apart from the aforementioned Aegina, you will visit the verdant island of Poros as well as the incredibly picturesque Hydra. One of the things you might not know about Poros is that it features a lemon forest while Hydra is considered a cosmopolitan and wealthy seafaring island, home to stunning architecture dotted with mansions and captains manors.
Town of Poros island at night, Greece
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Greek Travel Agencies Specializing In Cruises
For more information on thecruises and to see Itineraries and dates for3, 4, and 7 day cruises to the Greek Islands,Italy, Turkey and Egypt visit the Cruise pages of these two respected travel agencies in Athens:FantasyTravel atwww.fantasytravelofgreece.com orDolphinHellas atwww.greecetravel.com/dolphinhellas
Economical Cruise Packages
Special offers for the 2021 cruise season by Dolphin Hellas:
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Variety Cruises:Special offers on small ship cruises by Variety Cruise 10% discount for select departures in the year 2021. This offer is available for a limited number of cabins and are the next best thing tohaving your own private yacht.
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Celestyal Cruises: Early bird Celestyal Cruises offers for all sailings of Celestyal Cruises in the year 2021 season and for reservations completed by March 31, 2021 a 10% discount.
– Check their Greecetravel special offers page –
New Economical Cruise Packages: Fantasy Travel has put together a number of packages that offer quality accomodation for economical prices. Most packages that seem too good to be true are actually not as good as they seem, often using hotels that are in areas you really don’t want to stay in, to keep the price down. But Fantasy’s economy packages feature hotels in and around the Plaka in Athens and are all goodqualityhotels. I recommend Fantasy Travel’s 8 day package that includes a 4-day cruise plus Athens-Delphi-Meteora which starts at 595 euros per person. For these and more visit Fantasy Travel’s Special Offers Page
Greek Isles Cruise Packages
Anyone you ask will tell you that the absolute best time to visit Greece is in the spring and early summer months , or in the autumn . When visiting at these times you often avoid the summer high season, which comes with crowds of people and inflated prices. While lodging won’t be a concern, Easter weekend can be pretty busy, and many museums and other tourist areas are closed for the entire weekend. You will also find that visiting in the spring and in autumn will provide you with some of the best weather. During the months of July and August, the temperatures can be unbearably hot and you might find yourself enjoying shelter indoors rather than exploring the areas around the ports.
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