Greece’s capital & the birthplace of western civilisation has been a city for 3,500 years. It flourished in the Classical period, producing thinkers such as Socrates, Plato & Aristotle. Modern Athens was born in 1834 and has been the capital of Greece ever since. It houses more than a third of the entire Greek population and attracts over three million visitors per year. Apart from the legendary buildings of the Acropolis, Athens is home to one of the best archeological museums in the world, countless Roman and Byzantine monuments and many areas of natural beauty. Furthermore for many visitors it is the gateway to one of Greece’s 1400 islands.
Athens takes its name from Athena, the ancient Greek Goddess of wisdom, and offers countless opportunities to contemplate the achievements of great men who lived and worked here, such as Euripides, Plato and Aristotle. The Acropolis is the heart of the city, rising proudly above the outlying modern quarters. Explore the magnificent Parthenon, the most perfect of all Greek temples, and discover the array of temples that adorn the surrounding area. The Romans first conquered Athens and later flocked to its cultural attractions. They adorned the city with numerous monuments and completed the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the largest temple in Greece. It took over 700 years to build and its awesome 17 metre high columns still stand on the Agora, the ancient marketplace. Don’t miss the Arch of Hadrian and the restored Roman stadium which can seat 70,000.
you’ve probably come here to see the “glory that was Greece,” perhaps best symbolized by the Parthenon and the superb statues and vases in the National Archaeological Museum, allow some time to make haste slowly in Athens. Your best moments may come sitting at a small cafe, sipping a tiny cup of the sweet sludge that the Greeks call coffee, or getting hopelessly lost in the Plaka – only to find yourself in the shady courtyard of an old church, or suddenly face to face with an ancient monument you never knew existed. With only a little advance planning, you can find a good hotel here, eat well in convivial restaurants, enjoy local customs such as the refreshing afternoon siesta and the leisurely evening volta (promenade or stroll) – and leave Athens planning to return, as the Greeks say, tou chronou (next year).
Athens enjoys a rich cultural life today. See productions of ancient plays in their original settings. Explore the many shops and classy restaurants of Kolonaki or wander the narrow streets of Plaka and taste a Greek coffee.
Related Travel Information
Kerameikos Cemetary
One of the most beautiful and least visited of the archaeological sites in downtown Athens is Kerameikos, the ancient cemetery of Athens. The area was on the northwest fringe of the ancient city and and is now the outer edge of the areas visited by most travelers. But if you follow Ermou street down from the Monastiraki train station you will easily find it on your right.
When you vist Greece in the summer, the ground around the ancient stones has been baked by the sun and anything that was alive is as brown as the dirt. But in the
National Gardens
If the intense hustle and bustle of Athens gets too much, then a visit to the National Garden is a must. A peaceful, green refuge in the midst of central Athens, this public park was once the palace garden of the royal family. It contains garden, a zoo and small lakes and ponds complete with ducks, swans and a few peacocks. There are also several cafés hidden away!
The National Gardens, open from dawn to dusk, is an oasis in the city, with rare flowers, plants and rich greenery from all over the world. It is behind the Parliament and
Acropollis Museum
Those arriving in Athens for the first time generally head immediately for the Acropolis. There are very few visitors who are not already familiar with the image of this distinctive citadel of ancient Athens, perched on its steep flat-topped rock above the sprawling city. It is the spot where Athens, and classical Greek civilisation, began, and the site of a collection of beautiful temples, most dedicated to the goddess of wisdom, Athena. The ruins that remain visible today date from the 4th century BC, most of them erected by Pericles after the Persians destroyed many of the original Acropolis
Theatre of Dionysos
Anyone who has been to Athens will know the theatre of Dionysos at the foot of the Acropolis ; any Hellenist knows that the dramatics competitions took place during the festivals of Dionysos, the Dionysies. The link between the god and theatrical performances is thus clearly established.
Although it is easy to bring together the satirical drama, the dithyramb and the comedy of the cult – the dionysian cortège, the connection between this very cult and the origin of Greek tragedy gives the opportunity for the emergence of diverging and even contradictory interpretations.
The Theater of Dionysos in Athens could
Benaki Museum
Eight thousand years of Greek history come alive. Enjoy prehistoric works of art, rare manuscripts, Byzantine icons, historic weapons and paintings. The greatest attraction is the reconstructions of 18th and 19th century living. The museum also features a Childhood and Toy Department (with 15,000 historic games and children’s items from around the world), a Chinese Art Department (with ceramics as old as 4,000 years) and a Coptic Art Department where displays include rare textiles from Egypt. A museum shop and a roof garden with a restaurant are available to visitors
The Benaki Museum is undoubtedly one of the most popular
