Greece - Korina Miller [87]
CitySightseeing Athens (Map; 210 922 0604; www.city-sightseeing.com; adult/concession €18/8; every 30min 9am-6pm; ) has open-top double-decker buses cruising around town on a 90-minute circuit. You can get on and off at 15 stops on a 24-hour ticket.
Athens Happy Train (Map; 210 725 5400; adult/concession €6/4; 9am-midnight) runs minitrain tours, with stops at Monastiraki and the Acropolis. The tours take one hour if you don’t get off – or you can get on and off over five hours. Trains leave from the top of Ermou every 30 minutes and go as far as the Panathenaic Stadium.
Four main companies run almost identical and pricey air-conditioned city coach tours around Athens, as well as excursions to nearby sights:
CHAT (Map; 210 323 0827; www.chatours.gr; Xenofontos 9, Syntagma)
GO Tours (Map; 210 921 9555; www.gotours.gr; Athanasiou Diakou 20, Makrygianni)
Hop In Sightseeing (Map; 210 428 5500; www.hopin.com; Syngrou 19, Makrygianni) Offers a hop-on/hop-off city tour option.
Key Tours (Map; 210 923 3166/266; www.keytours.com; Kaliroïs 4, Makrygianni)
Tours include a half-day sightseeing tour of Athens (from €52), usually doing little more than pointing out all the major sights and stopping at the Acropolis; and an ‘Athens by Night’ tour (€60), which includes a taverna dinner in Plaka with a folk-dancing show. They also run half-day trips to Ancient Corinth (€56) and Cape Sounion (€40); day tours to Delphi (including lunch €96), the Corinth Canal, Mycenae, Nafplio and Epidavros (similar prices); and pricey cruises to Aegina, Poros and Hydra (including lunch €98). Hotels act as booking agents for at least one company and often offer substantial discounts.
Trekking Hellas (Map; 210 331 0323; www.trekking.gr; Rethymnou 12, Exarhia) runs activities ranging from Athens walking tours (€22) to two-hour bike tours (€35).
If you’re game, you can hire a bike (though even experienced riders might find the roads a challenge) or join a bike tour with Acropolis Bikes (Map; 210 324 5793; www.acropolis-bikes.gr; Aristidou 10-12, Omonia; €10, per 4hr/day €10/15).
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FESTIVALS & EVENTS
Hellenic Festival
Greece’s premier cultural festivals, held annually under the auspices of the Hellenic Festival (www.greekfestival.gr) from late May to October, feature a top line-up of local and international music, dance and theatre.
Major shows in the Athens Festival take place at the superb Odeon of Herodes Atticus, one of the world’s most historic venues, with the floodlit Acropolis as a backdrop. Patrons sit on cushions on the worn marble seats that Athenians have been entertained on for centuries. The festival, which has been going strong for more than 50 years, presents a diverse program of international standing, ranging from ancient theatre and classical music to contemporary dance. Events are also held in various modern theatres and venues around town.
The Epidavros Festival presents local and international productions of ancient Greek drama at the famous Epidavros ancient theatre Click here in the Peloponnese, about two hours west of Athens. Performances are held every Friday and Saturday night during July and August.
The Musical July festival takes place at the lovely 3rd-century-BC Ancient Epidavros Little Theatre, set among the olive groves and pine trees in the seaside village of Epidavros. Performances are held on Friday and Saturday and range from Greek music to classical offerings. The theatre is a 15-minute walk from the port.
The festival program should be available from the beginning of February on the festival website and at the festival box office (Map; 210 327 2000; arcade, Panepistimiou 39, Syntagma; 8.30am-4pm Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm Sat). Tickets can be booked online or by phone and can also be purchased on the day of the performance at the theatre box offices, but queues can be very long. There are half-price student discounts