podtour
In the Footsteps of Socrates
Follow Socrates around the edge of the Agora and up to the Pnyx. Among temples and hills, separate ancient traces from later inventions.
From Kerameikos to the Memory of 1944: audio walk in Athens
Along the fence of the Kerameikos, the great cemetery of classical Athens, and on the street of the synagogues: how a city remembers its dead, from the funeral where Pericles spoke to the deportation of the Jews of Athens.
What this walk is about
You start where a king wanted his palace and a gasworks ended up instead, right on top of the graves. You follow the Kerameikos fence: a twenty-year-old horseman with two graves, the gate the procession of the Mysteries set out from, the midnight when Sulla entered Athens, the funeral where Pericles spoke before an empty bier for those who never came back, walls built out of gravestones, an entire cemetery found under nine metres of earth, and Spartans buried outside the gates of Athens. Then you turn into Melidoni Street: the rabbi who was given twelve hours to produce a list, the Friday in March 1944 when people didn't come out of the synagogue, those who hid others, among them a secretary at the Spanish Legation, and the broken marble star that is both monument and grave.
- Start
- The Palace Planned Above the Graves
- Finish
- The Broken Star
- Who it is for
- A walk for anyone curious about ancient history and twentieth-century memory. Written for adults.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The walk is mostly level. The route notes mention stairs or steps on the walk or its approaches.
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
The Palace Planned Above the Graves
- 2
Dexileos and His Two Tombs
- 3
The Gate of the Mysteries and a River
- 4
The Night of Sulla
- 5
The Most Beautiful Suburb and the Empty Bier
- 6
Walls of Gravestones and Votes Against Themistocles
- 7
The City Beneath Nine Metres of Earth
- 8
The Enemy at the Gates
- 9
The Burnt List
- 10
Friday, 24 March 1944
- 11
Those Who Hid Others
- 12
The Broken Star
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
Athens, before you go
Shade helps shape the walk here. Between city pavements, smooth rock and lanes beneath the Acropolis, a flexible plan and a bottle of water go a long way.
More walks nearby
Plaka, Anafiotika and the Catalans of the Acropolis
The Acropolis was once a Catalan castle. Walk its northern slope towards Plaka and Anafiotika for a history that goes far beyond the temples.
Legends of Monastiraki and Plaka
Below the Acropolis lies an Athens of mosques, baths and small churches. Walk Monastiraki and Plaka through legends and eyewitness accounts.
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist. When we launch, your chosen city is yours to explore.
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A little welcome gift
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
Podtour manages your launch request with your consent. You can withdraw it and exercise your rights as explained in our privacy policy. Privacy details.
One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.