School Classics Trips to Athens, Greece | Educational Trips from Rayburn Tours

The Acropolis

Named the ‘Sacred Rock’, The Acropolis dominates the Athens skyline and has been a symbol of the greatness of the ancient city since its construction in the 5th century BC. Built to house what have become four of the great masterpieces of classical Greek art: the Parthenon, the Propylaea, the Erechthion and the Temple of Athena Nike, on a visit here your local expert guide will pass on information about the daily lives of this early civilization. As you walk through the site, exploring monuments and temples such as the iconic temple to the goddess Athena - the Parthenon, students will begin to understand the importance of worship to the daily lives of this ancient civilization.

National Archaeological Museum

A must see for those visiting Athens, the National Archaeological Museum is the largest in Greece. Founded in the 19th century to house the findings from nearby excavations, the museum today holds a magnificent collection of metalwork, pottery, vases, sculpture and artefacts from across Greece, and documents the development of Greek civilisation from its beginning to late antiquity.

Delphi site and Museum

In Greek mythology, when Zeus released two eagles in opposite directions, Delphi was the place they met, indicating the centre of the earth and the centre of worship to the god Apollo. On arriving at the site, your first visit will be the Castalia Spring, whose marble lined basin was believed to hold cleansing water which would cleanse the souls of worshippers before they entered the Temple of Apollo. As you continue on to the Temple, you’ll see the Doric remains along with the famous oracle. Follow this with a visit to the Museum of Delphi to see its spectacular finds such as the bronze Charioteer, the Naxian Sphinx and the Statue of Antinoos.

To ensure you make the most of your time away, we've compiled a set itinerary for our Athens tour. Should you wish to include additional visits, we are happy to tailor this tour to your requirements.

Day 1

Fly to Athens and spend the afternoon exploring the city at your leisure. Evening meal at your hotel.

Day 2

After breakfast, you’ll meet with your guide for a 3 hour guided coach tour of Athens where you’ll see the Acropolis, Hadrian’s Arch and the Sanctuary of Zeus, among others. In the afternoon, there is the option to visit the National Archaeological Museum, with free time afterwards to explore Athens before heading back to the hotel for an evening meal and the evening at leisure.

Day 3

After breakfast, you’ll depart for a full day guided coach tour to Delphi where you can walk the Sacred Way to reach the Temple of Apollo, site of the Oracle of Delphi. There is the option to stop-off en-route at the Ossios Loukas Monastery. Return to Athens for an evening meal and the evening at leisure.

Day 4

Spend the morning at leisure exploring Athens with an optional guided visit to Agora and the Temple of Hephaistos before departing back to the UK.

Marina Hotel

A family-owned hotel with a very friendly and warm atmosphere, the Marina Hotel is located in the centre of Athens within walking distance of all the city’s main attractions. The hotel has been recently renovated in traditional Greek style.