Acropolis & National Archaeological Museum or Athens & Temple of Poseidon

My wife and I will be in Athens for a day port of call in May and was wondering if we could get some input on a excursion in Athens. This is our first time visiting Athens and want to choose from the Athens, Acropolis & Archaeological Museum or Athens & Temple of Poseidon excursion. We would love to get some input and advice on which to take. Thanks for any help.

Definitely the first one - Athens and the Acropolis.

The temple of Poseidon is in Sounion, 1.5 hours from Athens. It is a small temple in a beautiful setting, but it does not compare, not even close, to the Acropolis. Save it for another trip and spend the 3 hours driving time of the excursion in Athens.

Thanks for the help, my wife was favoring the Athens, Acropolis & Archaeological Museum and I was favoring Athens & Temple of Poseidon excursion. But after reading your post, I think I've changed my mind.

I agree with marazul (as usual). Stay in Athens and you'll end up seeing more of Athens. The Acropolis and the National Archaeological Museum are hands down my two top favorite things in Athens, so you'll get the best!

Sounion, while lovely, is something best saved for a re-visit to Athens.

We took that exact tour when we in Athens in 2015. The drive to Poseidon's Temple was pretty long but it gave you and idea of the country side around Athens. We are also going back this year with friends but are skipping Poseidon's Temple that we may spend some additional time in Athens.

Actually, the countryside around Athens is not that exciting, especially if the bus takes the toll road to Sounion. The shore road is better and quite enjoyable if you stop at one of the beach tavernas.

It is best to spend those three hours in Athens, especially if it is your first time.

We were in Athens for multiple days so actually had time to do both and can compare them for you. While the ride to the Temple of Poseidon was interesting and the site beautiful, staying in Athens and visiting not only the Acropolis but the Agora and the new Acropolis Museum would be a much better use of your time. I would actually DIY for this and not feel the need for a ships excursion.

Save Poseidon for another trip. Spend as much time as you can in Athens on your first visit.

Don't confuse the National Archaeological Museum (NAM) with the new Acropolis Museum. The Acropolis Museum is beautiful and it contains the artifacts that used to be in a small museum tucked in the back of the Acropolis. It is well worth visiting, mostly because it shows the layout of the Parthenon with spaces for all the metopes now in the British Museum.

The NAM is where the treasures of Greece are. Go visit Poseidon (the statue, not the temple) there. ;)

I think cruisemom might second this.

 

The NAM is where the treasures of Greece are. Go visit Poseidon (the statue, not the temple) there. ;)

 

I think cruisemom might second this.

Ab-so-lute-ly!

The NAM holds many of the archaeological treasures collected from all around Greece. (Including places you might visit on your cruise -- for example, frescoes from Akrotiri on Santorini, etc.) They have the best of the best in Greek sculpture, gorgeous painted pottery, etc.

Their collection of gold from Mycenae (unearthed by Heinrich Schliemann) is a wonder.

If you are into the really unusual, one-of-a-kind, you can see the Antikythera mechanism (aka the 'world's first computer): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/decoding-antikythera-mechanism-first-computer-180953979/

Or, one of my favorites, the small-scale replica of the statue of Athena that was created for the Parthenon. (One of the few replicas known...)

The Acropolis Museum is interesting in its own way -- especially since it is modern and very well laid out. But the NAM is a real walk through Greek history and art.