Athens, Greece - Eastern Mediterranean Cruise Ship Port of Call

Things to See with a Day in Athens, Greece

Athens, Greece brings many pictures to mind -- the Acropolis, the Olympics, ancient Greek culture, delicious Greek food, and friendly Greek people. Many cruise ships stopover in Piraeus, the closest port to Athens, and cruise ship passengers can go into the city for the day on a shore excursion or independently. Most cruise ship shore excursions include a driving tour of the city, with stops at the Acropolis, Olympic stadium, and Plaka area for shopping.

These photos were taken on a full-day Athens shore excursion from the Emerald Princess called, "Ancient and Modern Athens - Zorba Style". This excursion included a photo stop at the Olympic stadium, an hour and a half at the Acropolis, an hour for shopping in the Plaka, and a long, late lunch at a typical Greek tarverna, complete with Greek music and dancers. It was an excellent introduction to Athens for those who had not visited before. One note -- the climb to the top of the Acropolis is steep, with lots of marble steps.