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.
Legends of Monastiraki and Plaka: audio walk in Athens
The Ottoman and Byzantine lower town of Athens, told through its legends: what people say about each mosque, tower, gateway and church, and what the people who were there wrote down.
What this walk is about
You start in Monastiraki Square, in front of a mosque blamed for a plague, and find out what the eyewitnesses said. Behind it, a hundred columns and a Judas painted on the wall; further on, the gateway where an emperor had the rules for selling olive oil carved in stone, and a Conqueror's Mosque that ended up as a bakery. At the Tower of the Winds you work out how it told the time without hands, and picture the whirling dervishes an English traveller watched in 1765. A few steps away is the last Ottoman bathhouse in Athens, still in use until the middle of the twentieth century. Opposite the tower, the gateway of a Koranic school that became a prison, one night in 1821, and the plane tree behind the saying "give my regards to the plane tree". You carry on down a street named after a saint and finish at two cathedrals: the big one, built from seventy-two churches, and the little one which, so the story goes, changed its saint with every king.
- Start
- The Voivode's Column: Plague or Fine?
- Finish
- A Saint for Every King
- Who it is for
- A good starting point for your first visit. A walk for mystery and legend lovers. For anyone interested in Byzantine and Ottoman history.
- 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
The Voivode's Column: Plague or Fine?
- 2
A Hundred Columns and a Judas on the Wall
- 3
The Oil Gate
- 4
The Conqueror's Mosque That Baked Bread
- 5
A Clock Without Hands
- 6
The Dervishes of the Winds
- 7
The Last Hammam
- 8
The Night of the Qadi
- 9
Give My Regards to the Plane Tree
- 10
The Saint of Adrianou Street
- 11
Seventy-Two Churches in One
- 12
A Saint for Every King
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.
Athens Learns to Be a Capital
Athens had to learn how to be a capital in the nineteenth century. Walk its avenues and gardens to see how the new city took shape.
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.