Go to Corinth on tour - come back and do Athens on our own in 1 day in port??

I am hoping someone can help me... I really want to go to Corinth and see the canal and the sites, however, this is my first and probably only time in Athens, so also want to see the main sites in Athens (Acropolis, Parthenon etc).

First off, we will be there the end of October so crowds will hopefully be lighter. NCL offers a 5.5 hr tour to Corinth. It is too early to book, so don't know when it will leave the port (we are there from 7a - 7p) but assuming it will be in the morning. I was hoping to take that tour and then come back and take a tour or somehow go to the sites in Athens. (and what sites would you suggest as time allows?) I know it will be crazy busy, but we'll have the bus ride to rest up. Is this doable and any suggestions??? There are private tours that do both, but too costly for 2 of us.. I could set one up for our roll call, but there doesn't seem to be interest...plus my husband would like to actually ride through the canal too... The private tours only view it, the ship's tour goes through it.

Yes, you can do it provided the tour leaves really early. It will probably take you straight back to the ship along the shore road. If it includes sights of Athens ask to be left off by the Acropolis. If by the ship, take a taxi to the Acropolis. Make sure you buy your tickets ahead of time. After the Acropolis either walk around Plaka or go to the Acropolis museum if you have time. Then taxi back to the port.

Yes, you can do it provided the tour leaves really early. It will probably take you straight back to the ship along the shore road. If it includes sights of Athens ask to be left off by the Acropolis. If by the ship, take a taxi to the Acropolis. Make sure you buy your tickets ahead of time. After the Acropolis either walk around Plaka or go to the Acropolis museum if you have time. Then taxi back to the port.

Great. Thank you for the tip on buying tickets ahead of time too.

I'm not so confident that your Corinth tour will leave early enough from the ship to do this. In my experience, they will get off the really long tours first, then the shorter ones -- you may be looking at a departure time of 8:30 or so.... That wouldn't get you back to the ship until 2:00 pm.

Also traffic from Athens to Piraeus can be pretty heavy in the later afternoon on work days. If you take a taxi, leave yourselves plenty of time -- even though the drive can be done in as little as 20 minutes, it can also be three times that in bad rush hour traffic.

My two cents would be to see the Acropolis and Athens at the expense of Corinth. I've been to Athens numerous times and to Corinth twice, so I can say with confidence you'll be missing much more if you do not visit the Acropolis in Athens and possibly some of the other sites such as the Agora, Acropolis museum, and Temple of Zeus.

I'm not so confident that your Corinth tour will leave early enough from the ship to do this. In my experience, they will get off the really long tours first, then the shorter ones -- you may be looking at a departure time of 8:30 or so.... That wouldn't get you back to the ship until 2:00 pm.

 

Also traffic from Athens to Piraeus can be pretty heavy in the later afternoon on work days. If you take a taxi, leave yourselves plenty of time -- even though the drive can be done in as little as 20 minutes, it can also be three times that in bad rush hour traffic.

 

My two cents would be to see the Acropolis and Athens at the expense of Corinth. I've been to Athens numerous times and to Corinth twice, so I can say with confidence you'll be missing much more if you do not visit the Acropolis in Athens and possibly some of the other sites such as the Agora, Acropolis museum, and Temple of Zeus.

Yes, that's a tough one. I appreciate your advise. Our ship is in port until 7p. Wouldn't that give us enough time? I appreciate the information on traffic.. It's so hard to decide.

Yes, that's a tough one. I appreciate your advise. Our ship is in port until 7p. Wouldn't that give us enough time? I appreciate the information on traffic.. It's so hard to decide.

Well, it's up to you. Does your morning tour include lunch? If not, you'll have to make time to grab some food somewhere. In all likelihood you won't be in Athens much before 2:30; maybe 2:00 pm on the optimistic side. This is about the hottest time of day to see the Acropolis, by the way, but by the end of October it hopefully won't be too bad. However, I was at the Acropolis a few years ago on the last day of September and the temperature was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. :eek:

You will have to be back on board the ship no later than 6:30, I'd imagine. In that scenario I would want to be in a taxi headed back to Piraeus no later than 5:00 pm. (Not looking for a taxi at 5:00 pm, as it may take a while to find one...) If you take a taxi into Athens, perhaps you can make arrangements for them to meet you somewhere a couple of hours later...

Well, it's up to you. Does your morning tour include lunch? If not, you'll have to make time to grab some food somewhere. In all likelihood you won't be in Athens much before 2:30; maybe 2:00 pm on the optimistic side. This is about the hottest time of day to see the Acropolis, by the way, but by the end of October it hopefully won't be too bad. However, I was at the Acropolis a few years ago on the last day of September and the temperature was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. :eek: I sure was not planning on that!!

 

You will have to be back on board the ship no later than 6:30, I'd imagine. In that scenario I would want to be in a taxi headed back to Piraeus no later than 5:00 pm. (Not looking for a taxi at 5:00 pm, as it may take a while to find one...) If you take a taxi into Athens, perhaps you can make arrangements for them to meet you somewhere a couple of hours later...

Ok, I understand. All valid points. I may have to rethink things. :(

Get in touch with the cruise line and find out when the Corinth trip leaves. If it is before 8 am, you can do it as suggested above ("really early" are the key words!). If it is after 8 or they cannot guarantee the time, do what cruisemom says and forget about Corinth in favor of Athens.

Do you recommend taking the Corinth and Canal crossing tour? We are on the Koningsdam in Oct. and do have some mobility problems. Was hoping that tour would be worth the cost and enjoyable.