podtour
Around the Acropolis
Walk around the Acropolis on its outer paths to discover what happened to Athens' most famous rock. Its story begins before you enter.
From the Temple of Zeus to the 1896 Games: audio walk in Athens
From Hadrian's Arch to the Panathenaic Stadium: how a set of ruins became the stage for the first modern Olympic Games, and how much truth there is in the runner from Marathon.
What this walk is about
You start at a gateway with two inscriptions, one for each city: the city of Theseus and the city of Hadrian. You follow the railings of the Temple of Olympian Zeus, which took six hundred years to finish and has lost almost all its columns, one of them knocked flat by the wind. In the Zappeion gardens you stop at the statue of Greece crowning Byron, and hear the legend of the crack in the ground where the great flood drained away. In front of the Zappeion you find out where the head of the benefactor who paid for the building, and never saw it, is kept, even though you can't see it from outside; and how the building became the fencing hall of 1896, an Olympic village, a radio station, a hospital and a German barracks, and a witness to the famine of 1941. You finish at the marble stadium for which Herodes Atticus used up almost an entire quarry, which a merchant from Alexandria paid to bring back to life, and into which a water-carrier from Marousi ran with two princes at his side.
- Start
- Two Cities in One Gateway
- Finish
- The Messenger Who Did Not Die
- Who it is for
- A good starting point for your first visit. A walk for anyone curious about sport and history. You can also enjoy it as a family.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The walk is mostly level.
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
Two Cities in One Gateway
- 2
Six Hundred Years for a Temple
- 3
Greece Crowns Byron
- 4
The Missing Columns
- 5
The Flood's Fissure and the Indian Snake
- 6
The Head of Zappas
- 7
Fencing, an Olympic Village and Radio
- 8
The Zappeion at War and the Numbers Behind the Famine
- 9
A Quarry Turned into Stadium Seating
- 10
Averof and the Reborn Stadium
- 11
The Water Carrier from Marousi
- 12
The Messenger Who Did Not Die
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
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.
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.
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.