Touring the Greek Mainland with
Sail Greece

We also provide tours to all of the major sights in Athens, and these can be arranged with our expert crew to guide you on a journey through Greece past and present.  Here are some of the places we recommend you see during your stay in Athens.

Acropolis:  This is probably the most frequented site visited by new tourists to Greece, and for good reason.  In the mid-5^th century BC, Perikles persuaded the Athenians to begin a grand program of new building work in Athens that has come to represent the political and cultural achievements of Greece.  This work transformed the Acropolis with three contrasting temples and a monumental gateway.  The Theatre of Dionysos on the south slope was developed further in the 4^th century BC, and the Theatre of Herodes Atticus was added in the 2^nd century AD.  The Parthenon, one of the world's most famous buildings, was originally a magnificent new Doric temple to Athena, the patron goddess of the city.

Plaka:  This represents the historic heart of Athens, and remains the oldest continuously inhabited area in the city.  It features old-fashioned tavernas, antique and icon shops and swarms of tourists taking in the many sights and stores.

Filopappos Hill:  Filopappos Hill is named for an exiled prince who lived in Athens and became one of its greatest citizens. At the summit is a grandiose monument in his honor; Filopappos is depicted on its frieze driving his chariot.

Lykavytos Hill: The majestic peak is an important tourist destination. A small whitewashed chapel of St. George, erected in the 19th century on the site of a Byzantine church of Prophet Elijah crowns the top of Lykavytos.  From the top one can see a panorama of the entire city and the theatre, used for concerts and spectacles.

Monastraki:  This area, named after the monastery church in Plateia Monastirakiou, holds Athens' famous flea market.  It is full of shops selling everything from antiques, leather and silver to tourist trinkets.  Some souvenirs worth investing in are some of the colourful woven and embroidered cloths and also the fine silver jewelry found here.

National Archeological Museum:  With its comprehensive assembly of pottery, sculpture and jewelry, it definitely deserves ranking as one of the finest museums in the world.  You should plan to be selective when visiting the museum, and not attempt to cover everything in one visit, as it contains five main collections:  Neolithic and Cycladic, Mycenaean, Geometric and Archaic, Classical sculpture and the pottery collections.

Syntagma Square:  The Square has a long history. It seems every major event in Greece has either been mourned or celebrated here. It has held some of the biggest political rallies that have ever been seen on the planet.  At the top of Syntagma is the Parliament Building, formerly the King's Palace, built between 1836 and 1840 by King Otto and financed by his father Ludwig I of Bavaria.

Local Beaches:  sight see using the tram along the beaches; a cheap and variety-filled way to see a lot of Athens.

Ancient Agora:  The democratically governed Agora was the political and religious heart of Ancient Athens.  Being the centre of commercial and daily life, it flourished with schools and elegant stoas filled with shops.  Many ruins are now museums, attracting tourists from all over the globe.