Self-Guided Photography Tour: Athens from National Garden to Philopappos Hill

(41 reviews)

Athens audio tour: Self-Guided Photography Tour: Athens from National Garden to Philopappos Hill

This is a 1.8mi walking tour

It takes an average of 90 mins to complete.

Athens

Greece

$9.99

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About the Tour

See Athens through a different lens on this walking tour produced by a professional photographer.

Starting in front of the Monument to the Unknown Soldier and ending on Philopappos Hill, I’ll show you some of the best spots in the city to photograph, provide suggestions on how to frame your shots, and reveal lesser-known tidbits about Athens’ past and present. While you stroll through the centre of Athens, I’ll point out famous landmarks and sights like Hadrian’s Arch, the Acropolis Museum, and the Church of Saint Sophia.

Having lived in Athens for the last 25 years, I decided to create this photo tour so I could share interesting angles on the city’s most photographic areas along with its ancient history. As a keen traveller, I understand how rewarding it can be to experience a city with a local guide. On this tour, allow me to show you:

The National Garden, once called ‘the Royal Garden’ in honour of Queen Amelia who, according to local lore, spent three hours a day taking care of it
How to photograph the Zappeion Garden fountain, Zappeion Hall, and Lycabettus Hill – all in a single frame
The statue of Lord Byron, an English poet, the nearby statue of Alexander the Great on his horse, and the Melina Mercouri Monument
One of the most beautiful streets in Athens, Dionysiou Areopagitou
Herodes Atticus Theatre, and the less popular Theatre of Dionysus where you’ll hear why Athenians almost never visit
Holy Church of Saint Demetrius Loumbardiaris, the city’s prettiest church

Whether it’s your first time in Athens or you’re a curious local, this tour is a valuable introduction to some of the city’s most photogenic spots.

Allow at least 1,5 hours for this walk, which will give you lots of time for photography. There are plenty of benches, cafes, restaurants and kiosks all along the route for a quick or lengthy stop.

Please Note: Several new archaeological findings (no surprises there) are affecting a small part of the tour. If you find it difficult to access spots 13, 14, 15 and 16, I would suggest moving from location 12 (“Maybe it’s me”) straight to location 17 (“Statues of Lord Byron and Alexander the Great”) where you can resume the tour.

Tour Producer

Nick Boutsikos

1 tour

My name is Nick (also known as Nidibou) and I am a travel, nature, and people photographer based in Athens. I have been holding a camera since I was 1989.

Photography is my passion and what inspires me whenever I travel, am in nature, meet new people, or simply play with light on a product in the studio. Apart from that, I like walking with my camera, reading books, watching movies, going to concerts, chatting with my friends over beers, playing chess, and closing my eyes under the sun.

I am lucky to have grown up in a magical place like Delphi (the navel of the Earth) and since 1997 I live in a mythical place like Athens. My dream is that one day people will see my work and feel happiness and peace. That is my goal when I take photographs: I want to paint smiles on people's faces.

I hate feta cheese, but God, I love photography!

Preview Location

Location 1

Start of route: Parliament

Thank you very much for downloading this photography tour.

My name is Nick and I'm a photographer living in this city. We're going to visit some of the most iconic landmarks of Athens and have the chance to take many beautiful photos. Our first stop is at one of Athen’s m... Thank you very much for downloading this photography tour.

My name is Nick and I'm a photographer living in this city. We're going to visit some of the most iconic landmarks of Athens and have the chance to take many beautiful photos. Our first stop is at one of Athen’s most iconic landmarks, the Greek Parliament and the monument of the unknown soldier - you should be standing in front of it and facing the building.

Before we get started, I would like to tell you a few things.

First of all, I would strongly suggest wearing light, comfortable clothes and shoes, don't carry too much weight and bring some water with you. Athens is built upon a land of hills, so walking can be quite demanding, especially on hot summer days.

VoiceMap uses GPS to pinpoint your location and trigger the relevant audio. This means you can put your phone away now and relax. There is a map on your screen and if you ever get lost, VoiceMap will let you know. I'll tell you where to go and when to stop for some great photo spots. I'll always tell you where to meet me after a photo, so as long as you listen carefully for directions, you can take your time and shoot at your own pace at any stop.

Also, I just want to remind you to keep an eye on your gear and belongings. This is not to scare you in any way, but just a reminder for everyone that carries photographing gear anywhere in the world. Athens is a safe European city and our tour will be a delight, full of photographic opportunities.

Now back to the Greek Parliament and the monument of the unknown soldier.

This is one of the most photographed locations in Athens, so it can be tricky to find a unique angle. While you're here, try to get to the left or right side of the guards’ little kiosks and you'll find plenty of opportunities to create interesting compositions. Don’t try to photograph everything in a single frame. Keep it simple.

If you're lucky enough to be there at the changing of the guards with not too many people, try to stand in the middle and create symmetrical images while they perform their amazing routines. If not, you can always create isolated, graphic photos with the clothes or the building of the parliament.

When you're ready to get moving, with your back to the monument, walk to the left with the road on your right. I'll meet you after the Metro station sign. Read More

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Major Landmarks

Monument to the Unknown Soldier
Hellenic Parliament
National Garden Walking Route
Zappeion Garden
Estatua de lord Byron
Porte d'hadrien
Melina Mercouri Monument
Acropolis Museum
Dionysiou Areopagitou
Odeon of Herodes Atticus
Holy Church of Saint Sophia
Church of Saint Demetrios Loumbardiaris
Filopappou Viewing Podium

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Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
Leof. Vasilisis Amalias 133, Athina 105 57, Greece
Total distance

3km
Final location
Dionysiou Areopagitou, Athina, Greece
Distance back to start location

1km

Directions to Starting Point

Syntagma square - Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Athens).

Buses & Trolleys: almost every bus that passes through the center of Athens stops at Syntagma square
For example: Trolleys 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 11 & Buses 025, 026, 027, 209, 227, 040, 230, 856, A2, 230, 790 etc.
For more infos, please visit https://www.oasa.gr/en/

Nearest Metro Station:
Syntagma

Nearest Tram Station:
Syntagma

XPGP+4G Athens

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

Monument of the Unknown Soldier, National Garden, Zappeion Hall, Handrian's Gate, Dionisiou Areopagitou street, New Acropolis Museum, Herodes Atticus Theater, Philopappos hill.

Best time of day

All day. Preferably do this tour early in the morning or just 1-2 hour before sunset. Parts of the route could be done at night as well, but it is not advisable, since there is bad lighting (or not at all) in some of the stops, so you won't be able to easily take photos; on the other hand, at night, you have to be extra careful for pickpockets and also in some places you won't be able to enter at all (eg National Garden).

Precautions

It is strongly suggested to carry lot of water with you, especially if you take the walk during the summertime. Temperatures in Athens can be really high in July and August and you have to stay hydrated at all times. Also, consider using sunglasses, sunblock, hat and even an umbrella for the hot Greek sun. Also I would strongly suggest wearing light, comfortable clothes and shoes and not carry too much weight. Athens is built upon a land of hills, so walking can be quite demanding, especially on very hot days, that can occur even during spring or autumn.
Lastly, I just want to remind you to keep an eye on your gear and belongings. This is not to scare you in any way, but just a reminder for everyone that carries photographing gear anywhere in the world. Athens is a safe European city and our tour will be a delight, full of photographic opportunities.
One more thing regarding your gear is to carry lens(-es) between the range of 24mm to 200mm. Ideally, my advice would be to bring a 24mm-70mm and a 70mm-200mm or anything close to these focal lengths. If you want to carry just one lens, I would go for the 24mm-70mm.

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