Historic Highlights E-Bike Excursion, Athens

Ideal for visitors looking to see lots of Athens in a short amount of time, this e-bike adventure introduces you to the city's most important monuments and ancient treasures. Zip along cobbled streets and up steep inclines, and listen as your guide shares fascinating stories about each site. You'll learn about the birthplace of Athenian democracy as you cruise up Pnyka Hill, see the birthplace of the modern Olympics at the Panathenaic Stadium, and watch the Changing of the Guards at the Presidential Palace. After cutting through the charming Plaka neighborhood, you'll end at the Ancient Agora.

Your adventure starts when you join your guide and the rest of your small group at your meeting point on Apostolou Pavlou. Get outfitted with your e-bike and helmet, then set off down a wide, leafy avenue lined with historic monuments and neoclassical mansions. As you pedal at a leisurely pace, your guide will give you an overview of the area and lead you toward your first stop at Pnyka Hill. Known as the "birthplace of Athenian democracy," the ruins of this hilltop assembly date back to the fifth century BCE, when ancient Athenians gathered here to vote. You'll take a short hike to the summit for panoramic views over the city.

From Pnyka, it's a downhill cruise to the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, a restored Roman amphitheater that still holds up to 5,000 spectators. You'll break here for a quick photo before following the southern slopes of the Acropolis to the Acropolis Museum and crossing Amalias Street to arrive at the Arch of Hadrian, a monumental marble gateway erected in 131 CE. Zip past the grand columns of Zappeion Hall, and continue to the Presidential Palace, where you'll arrive with perfect timing to watch the ceremonial Changing of the Guards.

Back on your bikes, you'll cruise toward the Panathenaic Stadium (Kallimarmaro), the birthplace of the modern Olympic Games, then turn into the charming streets of the Plaka neighborhood for a glimpse of its artisan shops, sidewalk cafés, and bustling local life. Skirt the fascinating Tower of the Winds to learn about the meaning of the marble tower's carved friezes, pass the magnificent Metropolitan Cathedral, and wrap things up at the Ancient Agora, where you can part ways with your guide and continue exploring the vast archaeological site on your own.