Summer Plans in Athens? These 11 Private Tours will Show you the Best of the City

Dreaming of a sun-soaked vacation in Athens but overwhelmed by the endless possibilities?

If you’re looking to explore the ancient Greek capital, I’ve compiled a list of 11 incredible Athens private tours that will have you exploring the best of this historic city like a local. Each tour offers a unique itinerary, guaranteeing you’ll see the best of Athens, no matter your interests.

In a rush? Reserve this Athens Full Day Private Tour for a Viator award-winning 5 Star experience covering the best of Athens with over 1450+ reviews.

I spent more than a month in Greece, roaming back and forth among famous cities and islands. And some of my best experiences were through touring all the city neighborhoods. Imagine wandering through archaic ruins in the morning and chowing down a mouth-watering souvlaki by lunchtime. In the evenings, I’d find myself sipping on ouzo while watching the sunset over the Acropolis.

Athens is probably your foray into the rest of your trip, and all the tours below will provide the perfect introduction.

My Top 3 Picks: Best Athens Private Tours

#1 Top Pick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Athens Full-Day Private Tour

✅ Viator Award-Winning Experience

✅ Most Important Ancient Sites

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#2 Pick

Best of Athens Half-Day Private Tour

✅ Top Sites in 5 Hours

✅ 17+ Daily Departures

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#3 Pick

Cape Sounion Private Sunset Tour From Athens With Seaside Dinner

✅ Athens Best & Closest Day Trip

✅ Traditional Greek Dinner at Sunset

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A Bit About Athens

Athens, the ancient city of the Greeks, is one of the oldest cities in the world and is still alive with history and culture. Home to the legendary Parthenon and the Acropolis, Athens is filled with stunning historical monuments, sites of ancient battles, and important archaeological discoveries.

As the birthplace of democracy and Western civilization, Athens is a must-visit destination for history fans. Plus, once you get the hang of the city, get your guide to give you recs to the best clubs, trendy restaurant streets, or the best Greek islands to visit.

Top Private Tours in Athens

Check out these top tours separated into the following categories:

• City of Athens Private Day Tours
• Private Day Tours from Athens, Greece

1. Athens Full-Day Private Tour

Best Overall Full-Day City Tour

⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 8 Hours | 🏛 Book it!

Join the most comprehensive full-day private tour to see all the sights of Athens in one long day. This Viator award-winning experience includes hassle-free pickup and drop-off from your Athens hotel in a private vehicle.

Experience the wonders of Greek history with your knowledgeable, professional driver, who will transport you to ancient times as you explore the ruins of the Acropolis of Athens.

Roam around other highlights of Athens, like the Panathenaic Stadium, where the first Olympic games went down, and the remains of the town’s biggest temple, The Temple of Zeus.

Look out at the panoramic views of the city from Lycabettus Hill before heading to the Ancient Greek Agora, the National Archaeological Museum, and catching the changing of the guards. (Yep, it’s not just England that does this!)

Finally, take a leisurely walk through the charming neighborhoods of Plaka and Monastiraki, where you get treated to mouthwatering Greek cuisine in a traditional taverna included in the tour.

Just a heads up, the basic tour package includes a driver who knows their stuff, but they’re not licensed to accompany you to the archaeological sites. If you want a licensed guide to join you, that’s an extra service.

2. Best of Athens Half-Day Private Tour

Best Overall Half-Day City Tour

⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 5 Hours | 🏛 Book it!

Go on just a half-day trip with this 5-hour private tour to the top attractions of Athens. There are more than 17 daily departures, so it’s perfect for travelers who want flexibility. And with your own private transportation, travel comfortably and customize your itinerary.

Check out the Temple of Zeus, Roman Agora, Acropolis, and other must-see Athenian attractions. Your expert driver will give you immersive commentary and insider tips and take you to some of the city’s hidden gems.

Keep fueled with lunch and bottled water throughout the tour, and all admission tickets are included. Plus, you get a surprise souvenir at the end.

Like the tour mentioned earlier, this package includes a driver who can take you around. However, they won’t be able to join you at the historical sites. Please note that this tour doesn’t provide services for a licensed guide.

3. Athens By Night Private Tour

Best Half-Day City Tour By Night

⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 4 Hours | 🏛 Book it!

Athens is pretty magical at night as the cobblestone streets come alive with a display of twinkling lights. So it would be cool to take a private guided tour – all under the spectacular night sky.

Explore the city’s most iconic landmarks, such as the Acropolis, the Parthenon, and Lycabettus Hill, all under the enchanting night glow.

From the Parthenon to the Temple of Olympian Zeus, these spots will take you back to your high school history days. Oh, and don’t forget about the Panathenaic Stadium and the awesome view from Lycabettus Hill, the highest point in Athens!

During the tour, you’ll also pass by other iconic Athenian spots like The Academy of Athens, The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and The National Library of Greece.

To make this evening even more magical, you can have dinner under the stars at the Acropolis or by the sea at Mikrolimano.

Your expert driver, who knows all about the city’s history, will welcome you with a hotel pickup. You’ll then be free to explore the itinerary on your own terms and speed.

4. Greek Food Walking Tour in Athens

Best Athens Walking Food Tour

⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 4 Hours | 🫒 Book it!

Taste on this Tour:

• Beverages: Local wine & coffee,
• Starter: Koulouri, Bread with Tomato Sauce, savory pies, Yoghurt with Honey, Tsipouro
• Main: Mezedes plates, Souvlaki
• Dessert: Loukoumades

Join this Award Winning Viator Experience on this 4-hour gourmet tasting tour to Athen’s best street food haunts, local markets, and delicatessens.

This Athen’s food tour has private and small group options. Meet and meander through various neighborhoods of the downtown citer center with your tour guide. You’ll even get to visit a fresh fish and meat market.

Savor the sweet aroma of freshly brewed coffee as a palate cleanser for traditional treats, including koulóuria (sesame bread rings), loukoumades (Greek sweet donuts), and regional cheeses washed down with the finest Greek wine. You’ll even get to try local produce like the famed organic olive oil.

5. Sailing & Gastronomy around Athens

Best Private Boat Trip Around Athens

⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 6 Hours | 🏛 Book it!

Sail around Athens on this private culinary adventure tour. Picture yourself on the luxurious S/Y Aiolis – a 56ft Alfa boat, feeling the salty sea breeze on your face and the warm sun on your skin.

Your chef has meticulously curated a traditional Greek feast, using authentic ingredients and recipes from all around Greece. Savor each exquisite dish surrounded by the stunning scenery of the Saronic Gulf.

Dive into the crystal-clear waters with their complimentary snorkeling gear. Or just chill under the golden Mediterranean sun. The destination? Fleves Island – said to be filled with playful rabbits.

Come aboard this private sailing tour, complete with good food, beach towels, and hotel amenities.

6. Private Electric bike tour of Athens

Best Private Bike Tour of Athens

⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 3 Hours | 🏛 Book it!

Bike around Athens on this half-day tour, pedaling alongside a private tour guide on quiet streets, allowing for a leisurely ride around the Acropolis Hill, the Ancient Agora, Panathenaic Stadium, and more.

You won’t need to bring anything, top-quality pedal-assist e-bike and helmets are included. To kick off the tour, there will be a quick bike fit before the adventure begins.

Ride past the Herod Atticus Odeon, one of the most beautiful Roman amphitheaters. You’ll then leave the bikes for a short walk to the National Observatory of Athens for all-encompassing city views.

From there, head to the Acropolis, Greece’s most important archaeological site, before passing Thissio and the Kerameikos Cemetery.

You can cover so much more distance on a bike. Other hidden corners and scenic spots include the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens, the National Garden, the Presidential Mansion, and Hadrian’s Arch.

Your guide will provide personal service throughout the tour, so you can ask questions and interact with them as you explore the city. Plus, during a short break, you can try delicious Greek-style coffee.

Best Day Tours from Athens, Greece

7. Cape Sounion Private Sunset Tour From Athens With Seaside Dinner

⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 5 Hours | 🏛 Book it!

Get a lift on a chauffeured drive along the Greek Riviera on this private tour to Cape Sounion. Pass some of Athens’ most affluent suburbs like Glyfada, Vouliagmeni, and Varkiza before you first glimpse the 5th century B.C. Temple of Poseidon.

Perched atop the stunning cliffs that overlook the Aegean Sea, explore the ruins and the views that have inspired poets for centuries. Your driver will be filled with insider tips, a deep knowledge of Greek mythology, and any recommendations for the rest of your trip.

As the sun dips below the horizon, sip on a glass of sparkling wine and savor a delicious dinner at a traditional Greek restaurant. An optional dessert surprise awaits those with a sweet tooth on the drive back.

Like some other tours on this list, your driver won’t be able to accompany you inside the temple. Also, although the lovely sunset dinner is included, a 10 euro admission ticket to the temple is not.

8. Peloponnese Corinth Mycenae Nafplio Epidaurus Private Tour

⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 8 – 10 Hours | 🏛 Book it!

Journey back in time on this full-day Peloponnese private tour deep diving into Greece’s ancient heritage. Travel in a luxury class Mercedes, led by a professional English-speaking local driver, around the nearby Peloponnese highlights on a road trip.

Begin with a visit to the towering Corinth Canal before roaming through the stunning scenic countryside of Peloponnesian to the beautifully preserved ruins of Ancient Corinth, one of the most influential city-states of Greek antiquity.

Next, venture to the ruins of Ancient Mycenae, the legendary home of Agamemnon, leader of the Greeks during the Trojan War.

After your morning explorations, eat a seaside lunch in the medieval town of Nafplio, with its charming narrow streets and neoclassical architecture.

The next stop takes you to the UNESCO-listed Theatre of Epidaurus and Sanctuary of Asklepios, the healing center of the Ancient World.

Customize your itinerary as you wish, with the flexibility of a tailor-made tour and personalized attention from your local guide.

Take your day to the next level with optional visits to an olive estate or winery featuring a 2-hour expert-led tour and tasting, or opt for a half-day tour of Ancient Corinth and the Corinth Canal.

9. Corinth, Cave of Lakes, Odontotos Railway Private Tour with Greek Lunch Included

⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 10 Hours | 🏛 Book it!

Escape to a world of ancient lore on this Athens Day Trip Private Tour of Corinth, Cave of Lakes, and Odontotos Railway. Only a few tours go to these lesser-visited sites around the Peloponnese.

First, cross the iconic Corinth Canal, a narrow isthmus that separates the Peloponnese from mainland Greece, passing the region’s many vineyards and olive groves.

Take a ride on the historic Odontotos Rack Railway, winding through the Vouraikos Gorge with the option to see the Mega Spileo Monastery. Finally, see the 13 lakes cascading inside the underground Kastria Cave of Lakes, a natural gallery of crystalline waters and stalactite formations.

You can choose your own path, visiting Acrocorinth and Ancient Corinth, tasting wines at the famous Nemea winery, or visiting the Mega Spilaio Monastery.

But either way, in one of the many mountain villages, sit for a traditional Greek ‘meze’ lunch, surrounded by lush forests and tranquil landscapes.

Your experienced guide and driver will have everything, lunch, bottled water, and an information booklet to take away.

10. Meteora Full Day Private Trip from Athens

⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 11 – 14 Hours | 🏛 Book it!

Meteora is one of my favorite places in Greece, and the effort to go out of the way to see the dreamy landscape of rocky megaliths is worth it. It is pretty far from Athens, so if you don’t have as much time, join this Meteora private day trip from Athens.

Accompanied by your guide, tour the Byzantine monasteries perched on sheer sandstone formations as high as 300 meters. Walk amidst the rock formations in the plains of the Thessaly Valley and explore three of the monasteries up close.

On your way back to Athens, you’ll swing by the adorable Kastraki village for authentic flavors of Greece. You’ll also visit the battlefield of Thermopylae, where the 300 Spartans (you know the line “We are Sparta!”) took on the Persian army and held them off for two days.

You will be transported in a luxurious Mercedes Benz or similar air-conditioned vehicle. Stay hydrated throughout the journey with provided bottled water and snacks.

Being a religious place, you’ll need to dress appropriately for the occasion. Ladies will need long skirts and long sleeves. But if you don’t have them – your guides got you covered!

11. Delphi full-day private tour from Athens

⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH: 8 – 9 Hours | 🏛 Book it!

History buffs will love this full-day tour of Delphi from Athens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is the home of the Temple of Apollo.

Jump into a cozy ride in a private, air-conditioned vehicle with expert drivers who know their history and can answer your questions on the go. Your guides might not be official, but they know their stuff.

Adventure through the vast mountainside archaeological complex and check out all the spots you want to visit. From the Delphi ruins to the Temple of Apollo and Delphi Archaeological Museum, be amazed by the sanctuaries of Apollo and Athena Pronaia.

Along the way, take in the scenery of Livadeia, renowned for its cotton and tobacco farming. Catch a glimpse of Mount Parnassus, a mountain overlooking Delphi with breathtaking views of the countryside’s olive groves and rolling hills. And the village of Arachova, famous for its black wine, colorful textiles, handicrafts, and woodcut creations.

Grab a meal at a traditional Greek tavern for a delicious lunch, with plenty of Greek food options to choose from.

You’ll also have access to Wi-Fi onboard and bottled water to keep you hydrated. And, if you’re interested in skipping the line, they can make all the arrangements.

Final Thoughts: Best Private Athens Tours

Athens is undoubtedly the perfect starting point for your Greek vacation. It’s always a delight to familiarize yourself with the country during the initial days with a knowledgeable guide, gaining a better grasp of everything. Don’t forget to venture out on your own as well, as Greece is filled with treasures to discover.

No matter which route you go, there are tons of perks to taking a private tour. You’ll have a pro driver to navigate the city and surrounding areas, plus hotel/airport/port pickup and drop-off. And nice air-conditioned vehicles with onboard Wi-Fi and bottled water under the hot Mediterranean sun! You call the shots and explore the spots you want.

In case you’re still not sure which to pick:

• See the best landmarks on this full-day Athens tour; join this Viator award-winning City Day Tour.
• Want just a half-day Athens city experience? Sign up for this 5 Hour tour.
• For the closest day trip, book this Sunset Cape Sounion Tour