Downtown Athens with Context: Syntagma Square to the Acropolis Museum

It’s difficult to think of anywhere else in the world where classical antiquity, neoclassicism, and modernism meet, as much as in Athens. On this walking tour with museologist and Context Travel expert, Popi Georgopoulou, you’ll get insights into the city’s architecture and archaeology while you explore its landmarks. You’ll also hear about pivotal historical moments from the last two centuries that shaped the nation.

The tour starts in Athens’ central Syntagma Square, named after a crucial moment in Greek history when Athenians demanded their first written Constitution. You’ll pass the Hellenic Parliament and the Monument to the Unknown Soldier, where Popi will tell you how Greece achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire with the signing of the London Protocol in 1829.

You’ll see the magnificent white-marbled Panathenaic Stadium, the venue for the first modern Olympics and the finishing line for the Athens Marathon. Popi will explain how the Arch of Hadrian marked the boundary between Theseus’ ancient city and Hadrian’s expanded Roman city. The tour finishes with a view of the Acropolis, in front of its museum.

On this 75-minute walk, you’ll have a chance to:

• Identify examples of neoclassical architecture throughout the city
• Get to know Aeschylus, Sofocles and Euripides, as you pass busts commemorating these important tragedians
• Visit a statue dedicated to Melina Merkouri, an actress-turned-politician who campaigned for the return of the Parthenon sculptures from London’s British Museum
• Take a photo at the Equestrian Statue of Alexander the Great and find out about his important role in Greek history
• Learn about the British tradition of the “Grand Tour” – where youth would travel to Greece and other ancient countries for cultural enrichment – and find out how it’s connected to Lord Byron

This tour is an excellent way to prepare for an in-depth visit to the Acropolis and the Acropolis museum. By the end of the tour, you’ll have seen how mythology and true stories from antiquity remain etched on the city, giving you a deeper understanding of Athens’ layers of history.