Jewish and Classical tour of Athens Acropolis,Old & New Synagogue, Jewish Museum

Make a start with a visit of Greece’s most significant ancient site, the Acropolis hill in Athens. Located in the middle of the modern city, the beautifully shaped ‘sacred rock’ proudly displays a set of marble monuments that express their endless, universal value. With a history spanning 25 centuries, these outstanding monuments have been traditionally associated with the ideals of democracy, the development of philosophy and architecture and the practice of ancient religion. Enjoy a well-paced guided walk uphill to admire the elegance of the temple of Athena Nike and the grand scale of the Propylaea marble entrance, as you contemplate in the adjacent picturesque hills of Philoppapos, Pnyx and the Areopagus. Reach the top of the hill to discover the astonishing size and architecture of the Parthenon, the most reputed temple of the Greek antiquity, dedicated to goddess Athena. Admire the Erechtheion with its graceful statues, the Caryatids, and its refined ionic pillars. Gaze at the infinite modern city from the hilltop, stretching between low mountains and the Aegean Sea. Explore all sides for panoramic views of the historical quarters of Plaka and Monastiraki, the highest hill of Athens (Lycabettus) as well as the ancient Theater of Dionysus, the imposing pillars of the temple of Zeus and the world-famous Odeon of Herodes Atticus (Herodion) at the foot of the Acropolis hill.

Continue on to the spectacular Acropolis museum, the most modern museum of Athens. Made of concrete, steel and glass, it houses a wide collection of original sculptures from the Acropolis and its slopes. The ground glass-made floor reveals to visitors the ruins of ancient buildings underneath, while it displays a pottery collection of high artistic value. The marble masterpieces that have been transferred here from the Acropolis for protection and preservation are waiting to be discovered in the first floor and the top Parthenon Gallery floor with its impressive view of the Acropolis hill, the Lycabettus hill and the rest of the city.

Continue the tour with a visit of the Jewish Museum of Greece, housed in a beautiful neoclassical building since 1998, in the area of Plaka. Enjoy a guided tour of the museum’s collections, comprising of interesting material from all the Jewish communities in Greece and personal objects salvaged from the Second World War.

Continue with the visit of the two synagogues in Athens. The Sephardic Beth Shalom Synagogue, serving as the newest and principal synagogue, was built in 1935 and was renovated in the 1970s, with a white marble facade and neoclassical influences. The Etz Hayyim Synagogue is a Romaniote Synagogue built in 1904. Jewish communities that were formed in Greece as far back as the 3rd century BC became known as the Romaniote Jews, their center becoming the Greek city of Ioannina. Thus, the Etz Hayyim is also often called ‘the Ioannina Synagogue’.
At a small distance from the two synagogues you may visit the Holocaust memorial, erected in memory of the Jewish Greeks who died in German concentration camps during the Second World War.

Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

The Roman temple of Zeus with its imposing pillars

Venue of the first modern Olympic Games of 1896

Take a lunch break at a restaurant in the picturesque district of Psirri. After lunch enjoy a stroll around the vibrant streets of this historical neighborhood and head towards the famous district of Monastiraki, where a popular flea market and the city’s oldest open-air, second-hand market are near the central homonymous Square. Find out more about the commercial activities of the Greek Jews and their significant role in Greek society and history.

Free time