Tours

Most travel agencies offer excursions at about the same prices, but CHAT is reputed to have the best service and guides. You can take traditional day or night tours of Athens by bus and be picked up at your hotel. Full- and half-day tours go to many destinations in Attica, including Sounion, Corinth, Delphi; longer tours go to Meteora, Nafplion, and the Peloponnese. It's best to reserve a few days in advance. For a full list of agencies that offer tours—including CHAT—see Travel Agents in Travel Smart.

Bicycle Tours

Solebike. Let the eco-friendly bike do all the work and enjoy the breeze, choosing between the Athens Grand City Tour, Old City Tour, and City to Coast Tour. 11 Lempessi, Makriyianni, Athens, Attica, 11742. 210/921–5620; www.solebike.eu.

Bus Tours

City Sightseeing. The easiest way to get quickly acquainted with Athens is to opt for a ride on the Athens City Sightseeing Bus, a typical tourist double-decker with open top levels that stops at all the city's main sights. Those buses run by City Sightseeing run every 15 minutes and tickets cost €18. The full tour takes 90 minutes, but you can hop on and off as you please at any of the stops throughout the day. There are also combined tours of Piraeus and Athens, and Athens and the beach riviera. Book online for discounted fares. Athens, Attica. 210/922–0604; www.citysightseeing.gr.

Guided Tours

Alternative Athens. Tours are centered on food, nightlife, local experiences, and kid-friendy locations, presented in a fresh, colorful way. 28 Karaiskaki, Athens, Attica, 10554. 211/012--6544; www.alternativeathens.com.

Union of Certified Guides. The Union of Official Guides provides licensed guides for individual or group tours, for a four-hour tour of the Acropolis and its museum. Prices start at around €200 for this tour. Apollonos 9a, Attica, 10557. 210/322–9705; 210/322–0090; www.tourist-guides.gr.

Walking Tours

It's easy to arrange for a private or small-group tour in Athens.

Athens Walking Tours. The certified guides of the Athens Walking Tours company offer walking tours of the Acropolis and other sites, as well as a culinary Food Tour around the city's central food market. 2 Heiden St., Central Athens, Athens, Attica. 210/884–7269; 69458/59662; www.athenswalkingtours.gr.

Personality Journeys. The company offers walking tours in the historical center, Anafiotika, and the Athenian Riviera as well as food and wine tours. 1 Orfeos, Athens, Attica, 16671. 215/215–1629; www.personalityjourneys.com.