Private Walking Tour: Ancient Agora, Plaka and Monastiraki monuments

Meet your private guide near Syntagma Metro station in central Athens, and start your walking tour with a look around the station’s small museum.

Showcasing some of the finds excavated in the area, this fascinating space displays some interesting ancient artifacts. View the age-old remains of burial tombs, a 2,000-year-old beehive and the remnants of Roman mosaics believed to date to the 5th century BC.

Then, stroll to nearby Mitropoleos Square, home to Athens Cathedral. This ornate church was built in 1862 and is the seat of the archbishop of the city’s Greek Orthodox Church.

Continue from here into Monastiraki, a buzzing neighborhood of shop-filled lanes. Wander through the flea market and view Ottoman-era buildings such as the Tzistarakis Mosque and Fethiye Mosque. Delve deep into the Plaka, where a tangle of paved lanes make up the heart of Athens Old Town. See the Doorway of the Medrese, the entrance to a former Turkish theological school; and take photos of the remaining columns of Hadrian’s Library, built by the Emperor Hadrian in 132 AD.

Head into the Agora, the site of the commercial, political and social heart of ancient Athens. Inspect the ruins with your guide as you hear how the area was developed in the 6th century BC. View the Tower of the Winds that served as the forum’s timepiece, and visit the archaeological museum in the Stoa of Attalos, the now-reconstructed ancient shopping hall.

Afterward, make your way through Avyssinias Square to Athinas Street. Soak up the aromas and colors of the food and spice markets and end your tour here when you say goodbye to your guide.