Questions about DIYing the Acropolis and Shopping in Athens

While I'm looking forward to visiting Athens on my cruise in October, I don't want to overdo it as the following day we'll be in Ephesus which is what I'm most looking forward to on the cruise! I have severe arthritis in one of my knees, so I'm concerned doing too much walking on the uneven surfaces will make the following day difficult, so I'm prioritizing...

I definitely want to see the Parthenon and do some shopping and have a leisurely lunch. I contacted PK Travel due to the good reviews I've read, but their shared tours are full day and in order to do a half-day tour with them, they require I pull the group together. That's usually doable because of Cruise Critic, but my roll call is very quiet and no one is responding to inquiries about doing group excursions. So, it looks like I'll DIY Athens.

I would love advice from those familiar with Athens. Following is my tentative plan; please let me know if there are better ways to get from place to place or a better order in which to do the activities.

1. Get off the ship as early as possible (we're scheduled to arrive in port at 7 a.m.). I don't know how early that will be as this is my first time sailing on this cruise line and I'm not in a suite, so will debark with the masses. ;) Catch a cab directly to the Acropolis (hoping to beat the heaviest crowds of the day). How much time would you expect to spend there? I'm cruising solo so won't be held up waiting for anyone else.

2. After exploring, grab a cab to the Plaka for some shopping, lunch, and more shopping. Where would you recommend I ask the driver to drop me off in the Plaka?

3. Cab it back to the ship.

Any idea on how much these cabs will run me? Is it easy to find cabs in the Plaka (I'm assuming it'll be easy to find one at the port and at the Acropolis)? Is there a better or different transportation plan I should consider? A HOHO perhaps?

Thanks in advance!

:D

. . . my roll call is very quiet and no one is responding to inquiries about doing group excursions. So, it looks like I'll DIY Athens. :D

My husband and I are taking a food tour in October with Athens Walking Tours.

http://www.athenswalkingtours.gr/Shore-excursion

Despina is the owner and she offers three different shore excursions that include round-trip transportation from the port of Piraeus. You could book one of these and be part of a group without having to form the group yourself. You must pay in advance, but the cancellation policy states that "we offer 100% money back guarantee in case:

• A client has booked a shore excursion with us and the ship doesn't dock in Piraeus.

• The shore excursion or the city walking tour does not take place and is canceled by us."

I don't know how much walking you are able to do, but one of these might be a better option than spending the day on your own in an unfamiliar city. Send an email to Despina if you have questions. She was very responsive to my numerous email inquiries, and eventually I felt comfortable enough to book our reservations with a credit card payment.

I think your plan is a good one if you want to have an easy day. The cab to the Acropolis should not be more than 20 euro. You don't need a cab to get from the Acropolis to the Plaka -- the Plaka is at the base of the Acropolis! Be sure to look at some maps.

I've found taxis hang around the fringes of the Plaka regularly.

There is a new express bus (X80) that picks up at the port and takes you directly into Athens. There have been a couple of threads on it. But to get to the Acropolis at the earliest, a taxi is well worth it. You'll be very happy to see it without the crowds, which tend to arrive by 10:00 at the latest.

I've been up to the Acropolis three times and each time I spend quite a long time. But I'm very interested in history and archaeology, so I'm probably an outlier. Have a look at a Rick Steves self-guided tour of the Acropolis and see how long he says to allow. (Speaking of which, having such a self-guided tour or podcast will be really useful if you're doing it on your own....)

My husband and I are taking a food tour in October with Athens Walking Tours.

 

http://www.athenswalkingtours.gr/Shore-excursion

 

Despina is the owner and she offers three different shore excursions that include round-trip transportation from the port of Piraeus. You could book one of these and be part of a group without having to form the group yourself. You must pay in advance, but the cancellation policy states that "we offer 100% money back guarantee in case:

 

• A client has booked a shore excursion with us and the ship doesn't dock in Piraeus.

• The shore excursion or the city walking tour does not take place and is canceled by us."

I don't know how much walking you are able to do, but one of these might be a better option than spending the day on your own in an unfamiliar city. Send an email to Despina if you have questions. She was very responsive to my numerous email inquiries, and eventually I felt comfortable enough to book our reservations with a credit card payment.

Thank you for the suggestion. I'll definitely consider it--will need to decide if I want to commit to tours two days in a row. I have no problem spending the day on my own in an unfamiliar city. I do prefer to travel with my DD, but I've done significant travel on my own as well and there's a lot to be said for the solitude of touring by myself. :o

Thank you!

I think your plan is a good one if you want to have an easy day. The cab to the Acropolis should not be more than 20 euro. You don't need a cab to get from the Acropolis to the Plaka -- the Plaka is at the base of the Acropolis! Be sure to look at some maps.

 

I've found taxis hang around the fringes of the Plaka regularly.

 

There is a new express bus (X80) that picks up at the port and takes you directly into Athens. There have been a couple of threads on it. But to get to the Acropolis at the earliest, a taxi is well worth it. You'll be very happy to see it without the crowds, which tend to arrive by 10:00 at the latest.

 

I've been up to the Acropolis three times and each time I spend quite a long time. But I'm very interested in history and archaeology, so I'm probably an outlier. Have a look at a Rick Steves self-guided tour of the Acropolis and see how long he says to allow. (Speaking of which, having such a self-guided tour or podcast will be really useful if you're doing it on your own....)

I've ordered a map but, clearly, it hasn't yet arrived! Thanks for clarifying that the Plaka is so close to the Acropolis. That makes it even better! Thank you for the suggestion of downloading Rick Steves' audio tour. I'll be sure to do that if I do decided to DIY Athens.

I agree that the E20 for a cab to get there before the worst of the crowds would be well worth it.

Thanks so much for your help; I really appreciate it.

I was going to respond,but I am glad I waited as you have been given some great info.When you walk down to the Plaka you will not have a problem,but just take it easy and rest when you need to.I did and it was easy. I have severe arthritis in both legs and sometimes walking is not that easy for me...I will suggest if you have a problem you may want to take a fold up cane with you especially when you get to the top or just climbing up there. The Plaka is easy to get around and I enjoed shopping there. We were in Athens for about 5 days and I found more stuff there at good prices than anywhere else. Never felt ripped off. Some great places to eat as well just check the posted menu in front.Enjoy. Oh, take said cane to Ephesus as well.

I was going to respond,but I am glad I waited as you have been given some great info.When you walk down to the Plaka you will not have a problem,but just take it easy and rest when you need to.I did and it was easy. I have severe arthritis in both legs and sometimes walking is not that easy for me...I will suggest if you have a problem you may want to take a fold up cane with you especially when you get to the top or just climbing up there. The Plaka is easy to get around and I enjoed shopping there. We were in Athens for about 5 days and I found more stuff there at good prices than anywhere else. Never felt ripped off. Some great places to eat as well just check the posted menu in front.Enjoy. Oh, take said cane to Ephesus as well.

Karen, thank you for sharing your experience. I have good days and bad days (fortunately more good than bad!) and this week I scheduled some extra acupuncture treatments to get my knee ready. That said, DD has already informed me that I have no choice but to take my fold-up cane with me. :o It should come in handy on the inclines, whether I'm going up or down.

I'm thrilled to hear the shopping and restaurants are great in the Plaka. That confirms what I've been reading. Do you bargain there or are the prices set?

Thanks!

Shopping in the Plaka re bargaining is up to you...when you are looking ask if this is the best they can do and see what happens.I felt that where I shopped the prices were very good,and I did get a nice discount in one shop as I bought a few things.If a price is higher than I think it should be,and I am not in love with it I will say thank you,and look elsewhere.If they offer a lower price then I make a choice then and there only if I can't live without it.If it is more or less one of a kind I will buy it after asking if this is the best price,but some shops I felt were not the places to do this. After buying some jewelry there I was more than please as I found similar items on Mykonos for far more than what I paid.As in any place some shops are better than other re merchandise and friendly service.

In my experience, it's not really the kind of place where you "bargain" (like in Turkey, where your first offer should be less than half of what they give as an opening price....)

But depending on what you are purchasing, you might, as cberge suggests, ask if they can do any better or -- if you are buying several things, ask for a little better deal and see what is offered.

Shopping in the Plaka re bargaining is up to you...when you are looking ask if this is the best they can do and see what happens.I felt that where I shopped the prices were very good,and I did get a nice discount in one shop as I bought a few things.If a price is higher than I think it should be,and I am not in love with it I will say thank you,and look elsewhere.If they offer a lower price then I make a choice then and there only if I can't live without it.If it is more or less one of a kind I will buy it after asking if this is the best price,but some shops I felt were not the places to do this. After buying some jewelry there I was more than please as I found similar items on Mykonos for far more than what I paid.As in any place some shops are better than other re merchandise and friendly service.

In my experience, it's not really the kind of place where you "bargain" (like in Turkey, where your first offer should be less than half of what they give as an opening price....)

 

But depending on what you are purchasing, you might, as cberge suggests, ask if they can do any better or -- if you are buying several things, ask for a little better deal and see what is offered.

Thank you, both, for the advice. I appreciate it! :D

If you'll have a cane and would prefer to spare yourself the inclines, you might be able to use the lift at the Acropolis. I understand that the staff can be a little touchy about who they'll allow to use it, but my daughter also had a cane for knee problems when she was in Athens, and it was always offered to her as an option. (Though she, being stubborn, preferred to make the climb.)

We spent about 2 hours on the Acropolis, including the walk up and down. If you're also interested in the Acropolis Museum, that would take another hour or so.

Sounds like an amazing vacation you're going to have! :) We enjoyed Athens and are also really looking forward to Ephesus on our next cruise.

If you'll have a cane and would prefer to spare yourself the inclines, you might be able to use the lift at the Acropolis. I understand that the staff can be a little touchy about who they'll allow to use it, but my daughter also had a cane for knee problems when she was in Athens, and it was always offered to her as an option. (Though she, being stubborn, preferred to make the climb.)

 

We spent about 2 hours on the Acropolis, including the walk up and down. If you're also interested in the Acropolis Museum, that would take another hour or so.

 

Sounds like an amazing vacation you're going to have! :) We enjoyed Athens and are also really looking forward to Ephesus on our next cruise.

I'm very pleased to hear that's an option! No stubbornness here. ;) Thanks for letting me know the amount of time you spent there and at the museum.

I agree that you should bargain for best price in Turkey. That's part of the culture. However, it's not the practice in Greece. When a couple in front of me presented items for purchase and were told the price they responded "will you take ....". The clerk politely informed them "We don't play that game here."

I agree that you should bargain for best price in Turkey. That's part of the culture. However, it's not the practice in Greece. When a couple in front of me presented items for purchase and were told the price they responded "will you take ....". The clerk politely informed them "We don't play that game here."

Thank you. I wouldn't want to be an ugly American! I appreciate the insight.

When we were there in June, we spent 4 Euros each for a transportation pass - taking the X80 bus from the dock to the Acropolis, and returning via the Metro.

Two things that no one else here has mentioned. First, go to TomsPortGuides dot com and download his PDF for Athens. It has great maps that include the port area (it's huge!), as well as links to other maps (such as the Metro).

Second, for both Athens and Ephesus, wear shoes with good soles. I wore my hiking boots in Athens, and should have worn them in Ephesus. Both places have marble walkways and stairs, and the marble is extremely slippery due to being polished smooth by thousands of years of foot traffic.

When we left the Acropolis, we went down on the north side (near Hadrian's Library) and shopped around there before catching the Metro back to the port.

When we were there in June, we spent 4 Euros each for a transportation pass - taking the X80 bus from the dock to the Acropolis, and returning via the Metro.

 

Two things that no one else here has mentioned. First, go to TomsPortGuides dot com and download his PDF for Athens. It has great maps that include the port area (it's huge!), as well as links to other maps (such as the Metro).

 

Second, for both Athens and Ephesus, wear shoes with good soles. I wore my hiking boots in Athens, and should have worn them in Ephesus. Both places have marble walkways and stairs, and the marble is extremely slippery due to being polished smooth by thousands of years of foot traffic.

 

When we left the Acropolis, we went down on the north side (near Hadrian's Library) and shopped around there before catching the Metro back to the port.

Thank you!

When we left the Acropolis, we went down on the north side (near Hadrian's Library) and shopped around there before catching the Metro back to the port.

I highly recommend heading in this direction if you're interested in shopping. The area around Hadrian's Library is technically Monastiraki, not Plaka, but we preferred that area. The shops there carry some really interesting things (certain streets are also known for good antiquing). We found more unique goods there than in the heart of Plaka, where the merchandise tends toward standard souvenirs.

I highly recommend heading in this direction if you're interested in shopping. The area around Hadrian's Library is technically Monastiraki, not Plaka, but we preferred that area. The shops there carry some really interesting things (certain streets are also known for good antiquing). We found more unique goods there than in the heart of Plaka, where the merchandise tends toward standard souvenirs.

Ooooo. Now you're speaking my language. :D

We were there last month and had a great day!

Tip: if you are ending your day in the Monastiraki markets, you may find it easier to return to Piraeus by Metro and then connect with the local bus from the Metro station to the port gate (for port Gate E12, the bus numbers are 827, 828, 831, 843 & 859.) In Piraeus, catch the bus across the street from the Metro entrance, as the stops right out front go in the opposite direction. For us, it was even quicker than the X80 we took that morning & we didn't have to take the time to get back to the X80 bus stop and wait. The local bus stops right outside E12, exactly where the X80 stops.

We were there last month and had a great day!

 

Tip: if you are ending your day in the Monastiraki markets, you may find it easier to return to Piraeus by Metro and then connect with the local bus from the Metro station to the port gate (for port Gate E12, the bus numbers are 827, 828, 831, 843 & 859.) In Piraeus, catch the bus across the street from the Metro entrance, as the stops right out front go in the opposite direction. For us, it was even quicker than the X80 we took that morning & we didn't have to take the time to get back to the X80 bus stop and wait. The local bus stops right outside E12, exactly where the X80 stops.

Thank you very much!

Quilting cruiser, I think you'd have time for the Acropolis museum as well. It is a gorgeous museum - I will be taking it in again in Oct.!

I loved the Plaka for shopping and snacking/eating. No high pressure sales, and lots of helpfulness. In one shop, I had chosen a beautiful peach-colored dress for my daughter, and when I said I wanted sandals to go with it...the sales person pulled me across the street to the sandal shop with the dress so I could look at the options! Everyone entered the discussion, and by the time I had decided, we were all very happy that I had the right things.

Those cotton garments in the Plaka are practical as well as beautiful. You can put them in the washing machine, and then just shake out and hang to dry. Terrific for southern cruises in the winter! And the colors! Buy them on the mainland, not the islands - prices better.

Something just occurred to me re: bargaining. Although we didn't bargain directly in Greece, I did notice that if I looked at something and then walked away, the shopkeepers offered a lower price.

Also, for what it's worth: My daughter lived in Athens for awhile. She can easily pass for native Greek and speaks some of the language. Whenever she spoke Greek to the shopkeepers in Plaka, they would cut their prices, often in half. They didn't do that if she spoke only in English. I don't know if one or two Greek phrases would have the same effect as a full conversation, but it might be worth learning a few words! (Daughter tried to teach us, but you can guess how that worked out...:))

Quilting cruiser, I think you'd have time for the Acropolis museum as well. It is a gorgeous museum - I will be taking it in again in Oct.!

 

I loved the Plaka for shopping and snacking/eating. No high pressure sales, and lots of helpfulness. In one shop, I had chosen a beautiful peach-colored dress for my daughter, and when I said I wanted sandals to go with it...the sales person pulled me across the street to the sandal shop with the dress so I could look at the options! Everyone entered the discussion, and by the time I had decided, we were all very happy that I had the right things.

 

Those cotton garments in the Plaka are practical as well as beautiful. You can put them in the washing machine, and then just shake out and hang to dry. Terrific for southern cruises in the winter! And the colors! Buy them on the mainland, not the islands - prices better.

The Acropolis Museum is definitely on my list! Thank you!

Your shopping experience sounds wonderful! I'll have to do some research and get a sneak peak of what some of my clothing choices might be--I do love to shop! I'm very tall though, so I often can't buy off the rack. Not that I don't look!

Thanks for taking the time to respond. :o

Something just occurred to me re: bargaining. Although we didn't bargain directly in Greece, I did notice that if I looked at something and then walked away, the shopkeepers offered a lower price.

 

Also, for what it's worth: My daughter lived in Athens for awhile. She can easily pass for native Greek and speaks some of the language. Whenever she spoke Greek to the shopkeepers in Plaka, they would cut their prices, often in half. They didn't do that if she spoke only in English. I don't know if one or two Greek phrases would have the same effect as a full conversation, but it might be worth learning a few words! (Daughter tried to teach us, but you can guess how that worked out...:))

Thank you for coming back to comment. I may do better at walking away instead of trying to learn Greek! LOL. That said, I always try to learn at least greetings and please and thank you. I haven't even begun this time and it's four different languages so I'd better get on it!

Thanks!

Our taxi rides from across the street from E11 dock to Acropolis were about 10 EUR each way. The taxi dropped us off closer to the ticket office than busses would be able to.

We used the taxibeat app and had great drivers. It took some walking to get to the E11 terminal and then across the street. After we used the app to hail a taxi, it took about 5 minutes for it to come. Meter only starts when you enter the cab.