Espa

The Path to Democracy: Acropolis & Agora

From the birth of democracy in Ancient Athens to present day challenges!

Duration

3 hours

When

year round, upon request

Languages

english, french

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For centuries, ancient Athenians experimented with a variety of political regimes until they invented the one that suit them best... or so they thought! Visit the Acropolis & the Ancient Agora, learn the backstory on how democracy was born, and understand its principles, its values, the purposes it served and, ultimately, the reasons for its failure.

This is a Private Tour

Our private tours can be booked as featured or be customized especially for you.

Highlights

  • Visit the Acropolis, one of the wonders of the Ancient World and a monument to ancient Athenians’ political propaganda
  • Walk in the footsteps of the great minds that established Democracy: Socrates, Pericles, Solon and Cleisthenes
  • Explore the Ancient Agora, the heart of ancient Athens, where democracy was first born 
  • Understand why democracy was an experiment, the values and principles it served and the reasons for its failure.
  • Discover how contemporary democracy compares to Ancient Greek Democracy

 

 

What you can expect

"A city that belongs to just one man is no true city"

                                                                    Sophocles

The ancient Greeks were the first in the world to invent and establish democracy as a form of government, with the Athenian democracy being the most celebrated of all. However, the Greek word demokratia is not without ambiguity. It literally means 'people-power'. But who were the people? And what power did they hold? What purposes did this 'democracy' serve?

In this historical tour of Athens, you will visit the Acropolis, a monument to ancient Athenians’ political propaganda, followed by a visit to the Ancient Agora, the heart of ancient Athens, its political, commercial and administrative center.

You will learn all about the historical personalities and facts that led to the birth of democracy in Athens, its key values and principles, the purposes it served, as well as why it was considered a radical political system at the time. 

During your tour we will also shed light on the similarities and the differences between ancient and contemporary democracy: What are the structural elements of the democratic regime that still serve our society successfully to the present day and what elements of it often end up failing? What can we learn from the past in order to improve the future?

In the end, you will see democracy under a new light, as the greatest political experiment of all time: one that started more than 2,600 years ago and keeps evolving today!

 

Practical info

Duration
3 hours
Walking pace
easy
Languages
english, french
When
year round, upon request

Good to know

  • Strollers and wheelchairs cannot be used throughout the tour and especially on the rock of the Acropolis and have to be left at the WEST entrance of the Acropolis

What's included

  • Licensed English speaking guide
  • Fun Ancient Athens Map

Not included

  • Entry Fees - 30€ per adult, free for EU citizens under 25 upon presentation of a valid identity card or passport
  • Food or drinks

Notes

We will have your tickets purchased in advance so that you skip the long lines. For this purpose please provide us with the ages of all members in your group to benefit from available discounts.

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You'll love:

Walking in the actual footsteps of the great minds that conceived the principles of democracy

The Path to Democracy: Acropolis & Agora
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