Essential Athens and Cape Sounion, Poseidon's Temple, Private Day Tour

We start the tour by visiting the so called “sacred rock”, The Acropolis. Here you will see:
- Parthenon that was dedicated to goddess Athena (Parthenos)
- Propylea, the monumental entrance to the sacred area
- The Temple of Athena Nike which was dedicated to Athena-Nike
- The Erechtheion with its famous female figures-statues
- The Caryatides or Maidens dedicated to both goddess Athena and god Poseidon
- The Odeum of Herodus Atticus
- The the Theatre of Dionysus, the first theatre in the whole world
- The Areopagus (Mars Hill)

The temple of Olympian Zeus (124-132 AD) had three rows of eight columns (tripteral octastyle) on the two narrow sides and two rows of twenty columns (dipteral eikosastyle) on the long sides. It once housed the chryselephantine (gold and ivory) statue of Zeus and the statue of the emperor. Sixteen of the temple's columns survive today, thirteen of them, on the east side, intact. Of the remaining three on the west side, one collapsed in 1852.

It was originally a natural hollow part of the ground between the two hills of Agra and Ardettos, over Ilissos river. It was transformed into a stadium by Lykourgos in 330-329 BC for the athletic competitions of the Great Panathinaea Festivities. Between 140 and 144 AD, Herodes Atticus restored the Stadium, giving it the form that was found at the 1870 excavation: the horseshoe construction with a track 204,07 meters long and 33,35 meters wide. It is believed that the Stadium had a seating capacity of 50.000 people. Separating scales were built between the tiers and on the base of the sphendone there was a portico with Doric-style columns; another portico was placed in the stadium's facade. At Roman times, the Stadium was used as an arena, with the addition of a semi-circular wall on the north that was corresponding to the splendor of the southern side.

The triumphal arch lies on an ancient street that led from the old city of Athens to the new, Roman section, built by Hadrian. It was constructed by the Athenians in A.D. 131, in honor of their benefactor emperor. Two inscriptions are carved on the architrave, one on each side: the first, on the side towards the Acropolis reads "This is Athens, the ancient city of Theseus"; the second, on the other side, facing the new city reads "This is the city of Hadrian and not of Theseus".

Lycabettus Hill (Lykavitos) is the highest point of Athens, 277m above sea level.

From Lycabettus Hill you will enjoy the best panoramic view of the Acropolis, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Panathenaic Stadium, the Ancient Agora and the whole metropolis! You will also be reminded that Athens is surrounded by sea with spectacular views across the Aegean.

On the top of the hill, you will find the Greek Orthodox church of Agios Georgios (St. George).

Also known as Constitution Square, Syntagma Square (Plateia Syntagmatos) is a huge public plaza stretching out in front of Athens’ parliament building. Gleaming with white marble and beautiful statues, it’s a great place for people to watch. Many of the city's most important streets begin here, including Ermou Street and Vassilissis Sofias Avenue.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a war memorial located in Syntagma Square in Athens, in front of the House of the Greek Parliament. It is a cenotaph dedicated to the Greek soldiers killed during war. It was sculpted between 1930 and 1932 by sculptor Fokion Rok. The tomb is guarded 24-7 by the Evzones (Presidential Guards)

The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, usually referred to simply as the University of Athens, is a public university in Athens, Greece

The Academy of Athens is Greece's national academy, and the highest research establishment in the country. It was established in 1926, and operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Education. The Academy's main building is one of the major landmarks of Athens.

We will pass by the National Library of Greece.

Glyfada is an upscale suburb of Athens by the seaside!

Vouliagmeni is a beautifull and upscale suburb of Athens by the sea side!

Varkiza is a beautiful suburb of Athens by the seaside!

Lagonisi is a beautiful and upscale resort area by the sea side, on the way to Cape Sounio!

The doric temple seen today was built of local marble from the Agrileza quarries on top of the destroyed archaic temple. Palmette antefixes crowned the gable roof. At least the east pediment (on the entrance side) was decorated with statues. On the same side a relief frieze was running on the top of the interior of the colonnade. On the Parian marble frieze slabs, scenes of the Centaur battle and the deeds of Theseus are sculpted, an allegory for the victory of the Greeks led by the Athenians against the Persians and for the superiority of the Athenian democracy over the eastern monarchy. The temple is attributed to the same architect with the ones of Hephaistos (Theseion) at the Athenian agora, Ares at Akharnes, and Nemesis at Ramnous.