Photos: A.Savin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 George E. Koronaios, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Jakub Hałun, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo credits
Photos: A.Savin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 George E. Koronaios, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Jakub Hałun, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Temple of Olympian Zeus and Hadrian's Arch
Your local guide
Sofia Anagnostou
View profile
Highlights
- Fifteen Corinthian columns still standing
- A column toppled by storm, left in place
- Hadrian's Arch and its two inscriptions
- Where the old city met the new
- The largest temple ever built in Greece
About this tour
This short session covers the towering columns of the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the nearby arch built for the emperor Hadrian. Sofia explains how the temple took centuries to finish and stood as the largest in Greece once complete. She reads both inscriptions on the arch, showing how the Romans marked the boundary between the old city and the new.
Sofia checks the connection near the temple fence, then moves along it slowly so the scale of the columns comes through on camera. She answers questions about the temple's long construction history as she walks toward the arch. A short list of dates and facts follows by message after the session.
This suits anyone with an interest in Roman and classical history who wants the story behind two sites usually seen only from a distance. It also pairs well before or after a longer Acropolis tour.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
-
Welcome and sound check 5 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Athens before heading out.
-
The standing columns 15 min
Sofia films the fifteen surviving Corinthian columns of what was once the largest temple in Greece, pointing out the fallen column still lying where it toppled in a storm.
-
Hadrian's Arch 15 min
At the marble arch nearby, she reads the two inscriptions on either side, one naming the older city of Theseus and the other naming the new city of Hadrian.
-
Your questions 7 min
Time to ask anything about Athens: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
-
A short list to keep 3 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Ouzo and Monastiraki, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Athens time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 11 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Athens, showing you The standing columns and Hadrian's Arch live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We connect on Google Meet, the link arrives with your booking. I keep the camera on the columns as I explain each part.
Times shown in Athens time (EET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Reviews appear here after travellers have completed this tour.
How reviews work
Only travellers who booked and paid through Locals Guide and whose tour took place can leave a review, within 60 days of the tour. Every review is marked "Verified booking". We check reviews before they appear and publish positive and negative ones alike; we remove only reviews that break our rules (insults, personal data, unrelated content). Guides cannot pay for, edit or hide reviews, and ratings are the plain average of all published reviews.
Next: Mon 16 Nov · 11 seats left From 18,00 €
Book