An Athens e-scooter tour is a guided ride on an electric scooter through the Acropolis area and the centre of Athens. Tours run on two-wheel e-scooters, on four-wheel electric scooters and on the four-wheeled EZRaider, by day and at night. Greece Tours lists the tours that start in the centre of the city.
This page covers the route around the Acropolis, the sights on the way, the differences between the scooters, how long the tours take, who can ride, the rules and what to bring, with links to the other ways to see Athens. The tours below are checked on GetYourGuide.
What is an Athens e-scooter tour?
An Athens e-scooter tour is a guided ride on electric scooters around the Acropolis area, led by a local guide who explains the history and legends of the sites. The ride replaces the long walk between the ancient monuments in the centre of Athens.
The booking for the Premium Athens e-scooter tour includes an expert local guide, the e-scooter, a helmet, water and insurance, while food and personal expenses are extra. Wheelz Athens includes the use of its scooter bike, a helmet, bottled water, the tour guide and all fees and taxes in its Acropolis e-scooter Tour.
GetYourGuide sells the two-wheel ride as the Premium Guided E-Scooter Tour in Acropolis Area and the Guided E-Scooter Tour with Acropolis Views. The second listing states that riders pass outside sights like the Parthenon, so this Athens e-scooter tour shows the monuments from the street and does not go inside them.
Local operators run the rides. Parthenons Scooters, a family-owned business partnered with GetYourTours, starts its Athens e-scooter tour from its store on Kavalloti Street. GetYourTours describes its offer as e-scooter guided tours of the Acropolis and the city of Athens, and Wheelz Athens runs its own Acropolis e-scooter Tour.
Which route does an Athens e-scooter tour follow around the Acropolis?
An Athens e-scooter tour rides the roads and pedestrian streets around the Acropolis. The Premium route lists nine stops, from the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Kerameikos and Pnyx Hill to Philopappou Hill, Dionysiou Areopagitou Street, the Arch of Hadrian and the Temple of Olympian Zeus.
Dionysiou Areopagitou Street is the pedestrian link of an Athens e-scooter tour between the Arch of Hadrian and Philopappou Hill. The street runs along the south slope of the Acropolis from Amalias Avenue and continues as Apostolou Pavlou Avenue, the rest of the pedestrian zone around the archaeological site and the Agora. Architect Dimitris Pikionis gave it its current shape in 1955, and it was pedestrianized in 2003.
West and south-west of the rock, the Premium Athens e-scooter tour reaches Pnyx Hill, less than 1 kilometre west of the Acropolis, and Philopappou Hill with the Prison of Socrates. The hill carries the name of Philopappos, a prince of Commagene who died in 116 AD and whose marble tomb monument stands on it. One stop on the list is a secret location that the operator does not disclose.
To the north-west, Kerameikos was the potters’ quarter of the ancient city and gave English the word ceramic. The Wheelz Athens e-scooter tour rides on pedestrian areas only and takes in the Theatre of Dionysus, the main entrance at the western end of the Acropolis, the Areopagus, the Pnyx, Kerameikos and the Temple of Hephaestus.
Which sights does an Athens e-scooter tour pass?
An Athens e-scooter tour passes the monuments on the slopes and hills around the Acropolis: the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Theatre of Dionysus, the Areopagus, the Pnyx, Kerameikos, the Arch of Hadrian and the Temple of Olympian Zeus, with the Parthenon above.
Two ancient theatres stand on the southern side of the rock. The Odeon of Herodes Atticus, completed in AD 161, held 5,000 people for concerts. The Theatre of Dionysus held up to 25,000 spectators in the fourth century BC. Dionysiou Areopagitou Street passes the entrances to both, below the Parthenon on the Acropolis rock, which rises 150 m above sea level.
North-west of the rock, the Areopagus, the Hill of Ares, gave its name to the council that met there. The Pnyx hosted popular assemblies from 507 BC, and the Guided E-Scooter Tour with Acropolis Views stops at this hill where Athenian democracy was born. It looks down on the Ancient Agora, the commercial and social centre of the ancient city. Further stops on a two-wheel Athens e-scooter tour:
- Temple of Hephaestus: a Doric temple on the Agoraios Kolonos hill, at the north-west side of the Agora, still standing largely intact.
- Arch of Hadrian: a gateway of Pentelic marble, 325 metres south-east of the Acropolis.
- Temple of Olympian Zeus: 16 of its 104 columns still stand, and work on it ended under Emperor Hadrian, 638 years after it began.
- National Observatory of Athens: founded in 1842, the oldest research organization in Greece.
How does a two-wheel e-scooter tour differ from a four-wheel electric scooter tour in Athens?
A two-wheel Athens e-scooter tour like the Premium tour carries one or two riders per scooter, while a four-wheel tour runs in small groups on a stable 4W e-scooter and, on its Best of Athens route, adds the Olympic Stadium and Monastiraki.
The Manawa listing for the Premium Athens e-scooter tour takes up to 16 guests, as long as 8 drive and 8 ride as passengers. Wheelz Athens runs its Acropolis e-scooter Tour on an electric fat bike, which the company also calls an eco scooter bike.
The Acropolis & Ancient Athens 4W E-Scooter Tour focuses on the ancient city, with Acropolis views, what its listing calls democracy’s birthplace, and the Agora. The Best of Athens 4W E-Scooter Tour adds the Olympic Stadium to its route. In the centre of Athens, the Panathenaic Stadium hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the first modern Olympics in 1896 and is the only stadium in the world built entirely of marble.
The same four-wheel Athens e-scooter tour passes the Changing of the Guards. The Presidential Guard performs that ceremony every hour in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, between Syntagma Square and the Parliament building. The tour then moves into Monastiraki, and Plaka, the old quarter on the northern and eastern slopes of the Acropolis, lies between Syntagma and Monastiraki.
How long does an Athens e-scooter tour last?
An Athens e-scooter tour lasts 2 hours on the Premium tour and the Acropolis Views tour, 1 hour 30 minutes with Wheelz Athens and 3 hours on the Best of Athens 4W E-Scooter Tour. The riding time includes photo stops and guide commentary.
The Manawa listing breaks the Premium Athens e-scooter tour into 2 hours 15 minutes in total, with 2 hours of riding. The course runs from arrival and a safety briefing through scooter instruction, guided riding with commentary and photo breaks to the return of the equipment. Riders arrive 10 minutes early.
Parthenons Scooters sets its guided tour duration at 1.5 to 2 hours, and the Acropolis & Ancient Athens 4W E-Scooter Tour lasts 2 hours. On the Premium Athens e-scooter tour, the duration and itinerary depend on the weather, and a ride cancelled for bad weather gets free rescheduling or a refund.
GetYourGuide closes booking 10 hours before the start for the Premium tour, the Acropolis & Ancient Athens 4W E-Scooter Tour and the Best of Athens 4W E-Scooter Tour. Each of these Athens e-scooter tours, and the Guided E-Scooter Tour with Acropolis Views, carries free cancellation on GetYourGuide.
Who can join an Athens e-scooter tour?
An Athens e-scooter tour is open to riders who know how to ride a bike, with no driving licence needed. Greek law bars riders under 17 from public roads, and children under 15 ride as passengers on the Premium tour.
The Manawa listing sets the age range of the 2-hour Premium Athens e-scooter tour at 5 to 75 years. It excludes riders with back problems or recent surgeries and does not recommend the ride for pregnant or disabled persons. The guides speak English and Greek.
GetYourGuide sells the Premium tour with Adult tickets for ages 18 to 99, Youth tickets for ages 15 to 17 and Child tickets for ages 14 and younger. The Child band matches the riders under 15 who travel as passengers on this Athens e-scooter tour.
Parthenons Scooters caps the weight on each scooter at 200 kg. A rider who prefers not to balance on two wheels books a four-wheel Athens e-scooter tour instead, which runs in small groups on a stable 4W e-scooter around the same Acropolis sights.
What is the Athens night e-scooter tour?
The night version of an Athens e-scooter tour is the Athens Sunset to Night 4W E-Scooter Tour on GetYourGuide: a 3-hour ride on four-wheel electric scooters, led by a local guide from sunset into the night, past the lit Acropolis and Plaka.
The guide explains the sights as daylight fades, and the group stays small. The route takes in Plaka, one of the entertainment hubs of the historic centre, with its restaurants, tavernas and bars. More after-dark options sit on our Athens night tour page.
Greek traffic law adds a rule for e-scooter riders after sunset: they wear a reflective vest or other high-visibility clothing. Each e-scooter also needs a white light at the front, a red light at the back and reflectors. On the night tour, check that both lights work before the group sets off.
What is the GoPro Athens e-scooter tour in the Acropolis area?
The GoPro Athens e-scooter tour is a 50-minute guided ride around the Acropolis area, filmed on a GoPro camera. Local operator Get Your Tours runs it from Kavalloti Street, and the ride ends at a viewpoint the listing calls the best in Athens.
This Athens e-scooter tour takes around 1 hour from arrival to equipment return, briefing included. The 50-minute ride covers part of the operator’s 2-hour premium route before it stops at the viewpoint. The guide gives commentary on the way, and the group pauses for photos and videos.
The GoPro camera records the ride from start to finish. Riders get a helmet, and water and insurance come with the booking. GetYourGuide takes bookings up to 30 minutes before the start, and guests arrive at least 10 minutes early to meet the guide.
What is the EZRaider four-wheel tour of Athens?
The EZRaider four-wheel tour is a 2.5-hour guided Athens e-scooter tour on EZRaider electric vehicles, which run on four wheels instead of two. The operator calls the ride comfortable and stable, and the route links the Acropolis area with Plaka and Kerameikos.
EZRaider is an all-electric vehicle from DSRaider Ltd. The brand’s site pitches it for sidewalks and city streets as well as beaches and mountains, and the vehicle folds to fit in the back of a car. Electric hub motors drive it. The site lists these design points:
- A narrow profile and light weight
- A dynamic suspension system
- A low centre of gravity
- A dual braking system
This Athens e-scooter tour starts and finishes on Syngrou Avenue in central Athens. Its stops include Dionysiou Areopagitou Street, Areios Pagos Hill, Plaka with Anafiotika, the Ancient Agora, Thissio, the Kerameikos cemetery, Hadrian’s Gate, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Zappeion and the Panathenaic Stadium.
How does an Athens e-scooter tour compare with Segway, e-bike and tuk-tuk tours?
An Athens e-scooter tour runs on the electric motor with no pedalling, while an e-bike motor assists the rider. Segway riders train for 30 minutes with Athens City Segway Tours, and a tuk-tuk tour needs no riding skill, because a driver steers.
A Segway is a two-wheeled, self-balancing personal transporter, and Greek law puts it in the same class of light electric vehicles as the e-scooter. On an Athens Segway tour with Athens City Segway Tours, riders need to stand on the Segway for at least 1 hour.
An e-bike keeps its pedals, and an e-scooter has none. Wheelz runs both formats from the Acropolis district, and its e-bike history tour lasts 150 to 180 minutes, longer than its Athens e-scooter tour. See our Athens bike tour page for pedal routes.
A tuk-tuk is a three-wheeled vehicle with the driver up front and room for up to three passengers behind. Unlike the group format of an Athens e-scooter tour, the electric tuk-tuk tour on Hellotickets is private, lasts about three hours and picks guests up within 2 km of Syntagma Square. Compare it on our Athens tuk-tuk tour page.
What rules apply to an Athens e-scooter tour?
Greek law sets the frame for an Athens e-scooter tour: riders wear a helmet, carry ID and proof of insurance, ride at 25 km/h or less and stay off roads with limits above 50 km/h. Riders under 17 are banned from public roads.
Greek law classes e-scooters as light personal electric vehicles, called ΕΠΗΟ in Greek. Riders use a cycle lane where one exists and the right edge of the road where none does. In pedestrian areas, they slow to walking pace and give way to people on foot. Riders do not hold a phone or wear headphones while moving.
A new law made third-party liability insurance compulsory and created an electronic register of e-scooters. Riding side by side is banned as well, so expect to ride in single file. Traffic police in Attica run e-scooter checks with a focus on central Athens, and the top offences they record are riding without a helmet and speeding.
Operators add their own safety steps. On a Get Your Tours Athens e-scooter tour, the guide gives a safety and activity briefing, then hands out the e-scooters with handling instructions and a helmet.
What do you wear and bring on an Athens e-scooter tour?
For an Athens e-scooter tour, wear comfortable clothes and sports shoes, and bring sunglasses, sunscreen and an ID card or passport. Get Your Tours and Wheelz supply the helmet and water, so you can leave bulky bags and gear at the hotel.
That packing list comes from Get Your Tours. The ID card or passport is not a formality: Greek law asks e-scooter riders to carry an identity document, and businesses that provide e-scooters must check each rider’s age against one. Keep it in a zipped pocket for the whole ride.
Pack light and keep your hands free. Greek law requires riders to hold the handlebars with both hands, so a small backpack works better than a hand-held bag on an Athens e-scooter tour. Athens City Segway Tours asks its riders not to carry large bags, and the same advice fits an e-scooter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a driving licence for an Athens e-scooter tour?
No. Parthenons Scooters states that its Athens e-scooter tour needs no driver’s licence. Bring an ID card or passport instead, because Greek law asks e-scooter riders to carry an identity document and proof of insurance. On the Get Your Tours rides, insurance comes with the booking.
Can children join an Athens e-scooter tour?
Yes, as passengers. On an Athens e-scooter tour with Get Your Tours, children under 15 ride on the back of a driver’s e-scooter from age 5 or 6, depending on the tour. Greek law bars under-17s from riding an e-scooter themselves on public roads. Our Athens with kids page lists more family activities.
Does an Athens e-scooter tour run in summer heat?
Yes. The EZRaider operator moves its summer tours to the cooler hours, and Parthenons Scooters runs a sunset departure as the last tour of its day. Athens has been called the hottest city in mainland Europe, so pack sunscreen and sunglasses. Get Your Tours includes water on both of its Athens e-scooter tours.
Is an Athens e-scooter tour good for cruise passengers?
Yes. The GoPro Athens e-scooter tour fills around 1 hour, and the premium route takes 2 hours. A reviewer on the Parthenons Scooters site came off a cruise ship for one day and called the tour the right length. Metro Line 1 links Piraeus with Monastiraki in central Athens; see our Athens shore excursion page.