Unknown Athens Tour

6 nights starting from
£1895

• Picturesque archaeological sites of Amphiareion and Brauron

• Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art and the Piraeus Archaeological Museum

• The island of Aegina with its majestic Temple of Aphaia

• Fascinating site  of Eleusis and the Eleusian Mysteries.

• Cape Sounion – the great Temple of Poseidon

• Led by experienced historian, Rita Roussos PhD

Athens is world famous for its major sights such as the Acropolis, the Agora, and the exceptional Acropolis museum, but there are a wealth of sites waiting to be discovered that are little known to the outside world. This brilliant tour, based in central Athens, takes us to some of the city’s undiscovered gems as well as some treasures in and around the city and the greater area of Attica, including the island of Aegina with it's impressive temple, and the superb but little known museum at Piraeus.

The location of the hotel for the tour provides ease of access to a number of other sites not included on the tour, some of which can be visited in your free time, such as the Acropolis Museum, which also has a top floor restaurant with panoramic views of the Acropolis (the restaurant can be visited without visiting the museum). The hotel is also easy walking distance of Syntagma Square (20 minutes on foot), the heart of the city, where the long tradition of the ceremonial guard, dressed in traditional costume, are stationed 24 hours a day in front of the Hellenic Parliament.

Available Departures

From

16 - November - 2025 £ 1895.00 Travel Info Book Now

Provisional Timings

London Heathrow

Departing: 16th November 2025 at 10:10

Returning: 22nd November 2025 at 14:15

ITINERARY

Day 1: Fly from London Heathrow to Athens 
Transfer to central Athens for a six-night stay at the well-located Hera Hotel. Welcome drink and short introduction. 

Day 2: Piraeus Museum, Aristotle’s Lyceum and Goulandris Cycladic Art Museum,
Mysteriously, the Piraeus Museum is usually left out of tour itineraries, which is a great loss since it has an exquisite collection of original ancient Greek bronzes. Tucked away and very quiet, the museum allows the visitor to experience the artefacts in a serene atmosphere. Heading back into the city, we visit the Lyceum, a relatively recently discovered site, where Aristotle taught. Once a gymnasium, it is now nestled within a public park, amidst lavender, oregano, thyme, and olive trees, right in the heart of Athens. Then it's on to superb Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art, founded in 1986 to house the private collection of Nicholas and Dolly Goulandris with a special emphasis on Cycladic Art of the 3rd millennium BC. Evening lecture.

Day 3: Amphiareion, Temple of Zeus Olympia and the Panathenaic Stadium 
Today's visits take us to one of the least visited sites on the tour, also one of the most picturesque, the healing Sanctuary of Amphiareion, which includes a 4th century BC temple and a well preserved theatre, all set amidst a lovely nature.
Later we see what remains of the largest Greek Temple dedicated to Zeus Olympia and the beautiful marble Panathenaic stadium where, in ancient times, athletes raced, boxed and wrestled naked in honour of the goddess Athena. The stadium was rebuilt in 1896 to host the first modern Olympic Games and was used again in the 2004 Olympic Games. Evening lecture.

Day 4: The island of Aegina
Very peaceful during our out-of-season visit, the Island of Aegina, famed for its beautifully preserved 6th-century BC temple, dedicated to the mysterious goddess Aphaia, which is majestically set high on the pine-clad hills overlooking the sea. Here we will examine the secrets of ancient temple-building, including how cranes lifted stone blocks into place with ropes fitted in U-shaped incisions. Later there will be time for a leisurely seaside lunch and stroll along the picturesque waterfront, and perhaps purchase some pistachios, as the island is famous as having the best in Greece.

Day 5: Eleusis
A morning visit to the ancient sanctuary and temples of Eleusis. Thought to have been in use for more than 2,000 years during the Ancient Greek period, this area staged the fascinating Eleusinian Mysteries - religious initiation ceremonies which took place yearly for the cult of Demeter, the Goddess of harvest, and her daughter Persephone, Goddess of the spring. Afternoon at leisure.

Day 6: Brauron, the Silver mines of Thorikos and Cape Sounion
A day out of the city discovering sites in the greater area of Attica. We begin at the remote site of the Sanctuary of Artemis at Brauron, which, like Amphiareion, has a lovely site surrounded by nature. Then its on to the ancient silver mines at Thorikos, which also has a well preserved theatre. Finally its Sounion and its grand Temple of Poseidon perched high above the sea with stunning views. 

Day 7: Return flight to London Heathrow.

NB: Exact order of excursions may vary according to local conditions and tour manager's discretion.

Please note the maximum group size on this tour is 25 passengers.

INCLUDED

  • Return flights from London Heathrow to Athens 
  • Six nights’ accommodation at the four-star Hera Hotel, Athens, on bed and breakfast basis, based on shared occupancy of a twin/double room
  • Two lectures by Rita Roussos
  • Welcome drink
  • All transfers, tours and entrance fees as detailed in the itinerary
  • Rita Roussos PhD, local guide and tour manager throughout

NOT INCLUDED

  • Double room for sole use supplement - £320
  • Holiday insurance 
  • Meals other than those stated 
  • Items of a personal nature such as drinks, laundry, telephone calls 
  • Porterage and gratuities

HOTELS

Hera Hotel, Central Athens

Hera Hotel is very well-located close to the foot of the Acropolis hill, only a five-minute walk from the exceptional Acropolis Museum, and within walking distance of many of Athens archaeological sites. The hotel has a total of 38 rooms, situated on 5 levels. The rooms booked for this tour are standard twin/double rooms all of which feature comfortable and modern furnishings, ensuite bathrooms with bath or shower, tea/coffee making facilities, hair dryer, safety deposit box, TV and fridge. Acropolis View rooms are available at a supplement, these are on request. All rooms are non-smoking rooms. Other facilities at the hotel include free wifi, a hotel lobby cafe (morning hours only), and the Peacock Roof Garden restaurant with views to the Acropolis where you can enjoy dinner, cocktails, and drinks.

Hotel Website

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Overall Impression

I very much enjoyed this trip. Excellent tour manager, Jane Freeman, and above all the immensely knowledgeable archaeologist, Dr Rita Roussos. I learned a lot !

Review by Anonymous who travelled 14-November-2024


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The hotel was very comfortable, and perfectly located for restaurants and places of interest in Athens. Our tour group leader, Jane, did a great job organising us, and our local guide and Rita, the academic who accompanied us,were first rate. The places we were taken were extremely well chosen. Loved it!

Review by Twiselton who travelled 14-November-2024


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The brochure, plus the tour Information pages, urgently need additions. We visited two most wonderful archaeological sites, but there had been no mention of these beforehand. So, there had been no chance to do any pre-tour research. They were the Ancient Silver Mines of Thorikos, plus the Kolona Archaeological Site on Aegina Island. This is only a minor gripe, as we both enjoyed a truly excellent tour, thank you. And are thinking of repeating it in a couple of years.

Review by Bicknell who travelled 14-November-2024

Travel Editions feedback:

We are delighted that you enjoyed the tour. The Kolona site was actually an addition while on tour, the visits at Aegina were always only the Archaeological museum and the temple of Aphaia. The Kolona site is attached to the museum, and Rita encouraged people to visit as it was open. Thorikos Silver Mines is now going to be added to the Tour Information.


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This was my first solo trip since my husband died. I found it both stimulating and challenging sometimes the level of information was difficult to absorb and trips every day were sometimes exhausting. A group meal early on would have helped me connect more quickly with other members of the group. The check in details for our return home were not clear and I was concerned to hear 3 members of our group were unable to get on the flight. Overall I found the trip enjoyable and it has given me confidence to do something similar in the future .

Review by Fowler who travelled 15-November-2023


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We have marked Admin as 'poor' due to the wthdrawal of the 'meal included' on the first day. Whatever the reason, this plays badly with people who have already booked. An inclusive meal together on the first night helps the party to get together. Indeed, for the first time on a tour we found there were some people in the group who we barely even got to speak to during the holiday. It would also help if a list of the participants was provided. Otherwise the trip was fine, the hotel good, and Jane Freeman, as usual, was excellent.

Review by Mitchell who travelled 15-November-2023


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We really enjoyed this tour which enabled us to visit sites which would have been hard for us to reach by ourselves. Rita, Jane and Gemma were most helpful and friendly. Our journey home was awful because we were bumped off our flight, but even so, the BA staff were as helpful and kind. The weather was almost perfect, the ex eption was the visit to Aegina, when a rough sea washed over the pier and we all got our shoes soaked - quite exciting (in a way.

Review by Woodhouse who travelled 15-November-2023


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Not always given sufficient notice of times of tours. Otherwise very flexible on opting out of tours. Tour manager not very familiar with Athens transport but Gemma was knowledgeable

Review by Anonymous who travelled 15-November-2023


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A very interesting tour; an opportunity to revisit some sites after a long while and to visit new ones. Well-organised by Jane Freeman ( as always); choice of hotel was excellent - for situation, for service, for amenities. Drivers and Greek guide helpful and informative. Plus lovely weather.

Review by Anonymous who travelled 15-November-2023


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Please see the separate letter regarding problems with the return flight . The tour was otherwise excellent

Review by Macartney who travelled 15-November-2023


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It was a great holiday and I will certainly choose Travel Editions again. It was hard work though - getting up in the dark and on a bus at 8.00am every single day! It was unfortunate that the tour manager had caught Covid and I was impressed by the way you (Jane Freeman?) managed to find substitutes. Marinela Stavrakaki was superb, particularly when one of our party needed medical attention. It was very sad that she had to return to Crete after 3 days. i would highly recommend her. In the circumstances, Rita certainly had to go beyond the call of duty and even accompanied us to the airport. I would have preferred evening meals to be taken together. The resort did not have many restaurants nor were there any shops nearby.

Review by Burroughes who travelled 19-October-2022


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Review by Anonymous who travelled 19-October-2022


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Rita was excellent and coped with local guide problems like a trouper. It was an excellent programme which lived up to it’s name, the weather was perfect and the group gelled well

Review by Anonymous who travelled 19-October-2022


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Review by Kilpatrick who travelled 19-October-2022


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Review by Anonymous who travelled 19-October-2022


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-impessed with care taken for injured member of group -hotel location req'd VERY early bus departures due to traffic! 8am? this trip is a earning experience but also a 'vacation' -Rita & fill-in guides were HIGHLY knowledgeable and handled dozens of complex or off the cuff questions at various levels of participant expertise on Grk history with clear & detailed replies -great group of travellers - good spirits, kind, smart & funny -learned so much!!!! opens new areas of thirst for study -(trip was a last-minute substitute for a Spain excursion cancelled on me at late date by Newmarket Travel so all a great surprise)

Review by Stewart who travelled 19-October-2022


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Review by Anonymous who travelled 19-October-2022


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