Plaka, Thissio, and Dionysiou Areopagitou — masses of tourists typically convene at these historic neighborhoods to wait for Tuk Tuks, buggies, fat bikes, and scooters. Group after group is picked up on a strict timeline. On the tour, escorts reveal exclusive secrets of the city, give generous tips for holidays in Athens, and supply passengers with bottles of water, especially in the hot Athenian sun. These tour vehicles pour into the narrow streets and become one with the colorful mosaic of the historic center.
On a Trikke
“On our trikkes, tourists see more and sweat less. They feel a bit like children or as if they are skiing on the road, the way the vehicle tilts left and right” says Nikos Serafidis, who was the first (along with his brother Kostas) to introduce to the tourist public of Athens back in 2013 to Scooterise and the guided tours on trikkes — electric vehicles with three points of support on the ground. As he explains to me: “We had just finished our studies and were looking for an innovative tour concept, at a time when the market related to tours in Athens was virgin. When we first started, the Greeks and local shopkeepers treated us like we came down from spaceships – now they're used to us, but they still turn heads when they see us pass by.”
A group trikke tour of the historic center starts from 49 euros and usually lasts an hour and a half, starting at 18 Hatzichristou Street in the Acropolis. It then passes by all the popular sights such as the Pillars of Olympian Zeus, Zappeion, Kallimarmaro, National Garden, Presidential Palace, and Parliament for the Changing of the Guard and back from Monastiraki. According to Nikos, "What they enjoy most on the route is that Athens has many faces. There are the ancient museums, the picturesque alleys, the market, and the graffiti on the walls”.
I ask Nikos: Is it safe to drive a trikke in the center of Athens? How do the drivers manage these special vehicles on the road, and how much do the roads really favor micro-mobility, especially in times of intense tourist traffic and crowds?
"The routes we have chosen do not bring our riders into direct contact with cars,” Nikos explains. “We prefer large sidewalks like Zappeion and the times we need to cross roads with heavy traffic are minimal, and always controlled. During periods with intense tourist traffic, we find ways to manage it. The city always expects hyper-tourism, so its infrastructure is designed to hold a greater demand than the actual supply”.
Moving around the city "Unconventional style"
An exciting ride on a red open-top bus
Take a ride on the jovial and entertaining Red Open Top Buses of City Sightseeing, the premier global provider of open-top tours operating under the iconic City Sightseeing name, to experience everything that Athens has to offer. The Citysightseeing-Athens, Piraeus & Beach-Riviera Lines follow the history and culture of Attica and Athens with commentary in twelve different languages. From the perspective of a bird’s eye view up on top deck, the story of the Ancient city of Athens, Piraeus, and the coastline, from Antiquity right up to modern times, is told in a lighthearted manner that gives passengers both the quirky little details and factual history. Additionally, it offers the chance to conserve energy for visiting historical sites, museums, art galleries, and, last but not least, amazing swimming and shopping! The special 24-hour ticket that spans two days, along with the “Hop On Hop Off” option and a regular bus schedule, allows City Sightseeing visitors to experience each location at their own pace. Your ticket is a passport to unparalleled freedom because there are a total of 36 stops on the three tours (Athens, Piraeus, and Beach-Riviera) that you can Hop On and Hop Off as often as you’d like. At any of the stops, you can decide where and when to get off, explore the area and rejoin a later bus, feeling secure in the knowledge that City Sightseeing adheres to a reliable schedule of arrival and departure times. Citysightseeing-Athens looks forward to showing you Greece’s greatest city!
In a motor cart
Apart from the historical center, guided tours along the Athenian Riviera are also quite popular. Dimitris Valtetsiotis, creator of Hellas Vintage Tours, wanted to differentiate himself from the classic guided tours done by tourist vans in Vouliagmeni, and instead invested in vintage motorcycle rides. He brought 5 engines from Germany in order to transport tourists or locals who want to see Athens from a different perspective inside.
Dimitris explains to me: "They are impressed when they arrive less than half an hour from the center of Athens in such a peaceful environment as the lake. They really like the route along the Athenian Riviera, with its palm trees and beautiful beaches, and if they want we stop for a swim.
The two-hour route at Lake Vouliagmeni costs 215 euros; it starts with a coffee in front of the lake and continues with a tour of the special geological points of the area, as well as the beaches of Vouliagmeni.
The longest walk is the one to the Temple of Poseidon in Sounio, which takes 5 hours and costs 315 euros. In addition to visiting the temple, visitors are taken to the nearby church of Agios Petros and the local taverns.
To ensure maximum comfort, the tour in the city center includes routes mapped by Dimitris and special passages where they do not get stuck in traffic. The motor bikes cross the narrow streets of Psirri, Plaka, the Acropolis, and the main streets of the city –Stadiou, Amalia, around Omonia square— and depending on the passenger's preference, the ride can last from one to four hours.
The tour in the wider area of the Acropolis, for example, lasts an hour and a half and costs 115 euros for two passengers, with several stops for photos at the points where the view is unique".
On a Tuk Tuk
Athenian Tuk Tuks are modern, quiet, and environmentally friendly. As the co-owner of Tuk Tuk Athens, Akis Athanasiadis, explains: “We are the first to bring the national vehicle of Thailand to Athens, in a 100% electric version. The idea was inspired by me and my Portuguese partner Carlos Pitta, as their Tuk Tuks are ubiquitous, serving as one of the most popular means of sightseeing for tourists. From April to October, the vehicle makes it easier for tourists to discover corners and alleys of the city that they would not be able to on foot or with a conventional vehicle, such as a car or taxi”.
Each Tuk Tuk holds 6 people, moves at a maximum speed of 40 km an hour, and follows three routes: The first has a duration of one and a half hours, including attractions such as the Parliament, the Numismatic Museum, the Academy of Athens, the hill of Lycabettus with a 30-minute photo stop, the Benaki Museum, and the Constitution Square, at 25 euros. The second two-hour route includes the Parliament, the Numismatic Museum, the Academy of Athens, Lycabettus Hill with a 45-minute stop, the Benaki Museum, plus the Panathenaic Stadium, the Temple of Zeus, the Acropolis, the Theseus and the Syntagma, starts from 40 euros per person. The third, which is 3 hours long, includes the Parliament, the Numismatic Museum, the Academy of Athens, Lycabettus Hill with a 45-minute stop, the Benaki Museum, the Panathenaic Stadium, the Temple of Zeus, the Acropolis, Thisium, Monastiraki, Plaka and Syntagma, at 55 euros per person. The program even offers a night ride, which proves to be the most popular option.
"We bring them to see a city view, like the one seen from Lycabettus, and then we give them a glimpse of Athenian nightlife, passing by bars of Karytsi and Agia Irini Square and Psirri. As always, we love to explain things about our culture to them".
Food tours with groups
Christina Dragana works as a food tour guide and delivers home cooking classes to tourists in collaboration with the Traveling Spoon and Eating Europe. Depending on the program, tour groups visit various city markets – Varvakeio, Lachanagora, the "grocery stores" of Evrypidou, traditional cafes on Athinas Street for loukoumi and coffee at the hovoli. They get salepi from a street vendor and learn how to wrap souvlaki. Each point of interest is accompanied by a unique story.
"Our relationship with the people who host us and the narrative element gives the visitor the opportunity to understand basic things about nutrition in our country - why we have certain foods in our everyday life and when we have had them. Apart from the quality of the food that the participants taste, equally important are the interactions with the people who have opened or work in the shops we visit during our 3 ½ hours of our tasting walk in the city center. Tourists especially enjoy the sense of local character they feel when visiting the small family-run shops that are not part of large standardized restaurant chains. They have the opportunity to talk to locals and to be in places where we, as Athens residents, also go, away from tourist trap shops."
What attracts guests of various nationalities?
"They get excited about what they taste because, although it's simple food, our comfort/street food made with few ingredients doesn't lack in taste. The majority (about 80%) of the participants are from the US, followed by Canada, Australia, and a very small percentage from European and Asian countries. For Europeans, it may be due to the fact that they have more of an exploration culture and do not prefer organized activities, as the distance is not prohibitive to return to our country, unlike travelers from distant countries. Beyond the stories and information that is relayed in the tour, there is the human factor that makes a difference and makes each tour a new challenge. A very common mistake is made with Freddo espresso/ Freddo cappuccino, before I can tell them that it is drunk with a straw they already have a moustache from the foam or with the Greek which many people forget and drink the dregs. Finally, the top question I've been asked - which I've shared on social – is 'When does Athens close?'"
