Athens the ancient city of the Golden Age of Pericles, is named after Athena, the goddess of wisdom, who, according to legend, won the city after defeating Poseidon in a duel. The metropolitan area, including the port at Piraeus, is the indisputable industrial and economic powerhouse of the country, while the return of the Olympic Games in 2004 is prompting a flurry of new development. Apart from excessive traffic on the streets and noxious fumes (néfos) in the air, Athens is recommended to anyone who wants to make city tourism, visit Acropolis and museums and taste the ancient Greek culture.

Things to see

Athens is a city of different aspects. A walk around the famous historic triangle (Plaka, Thission, Psyri) the old neighborhoods, reveal the coexistence of different eras. Old mansions, well-preserved ones and other worn down by time. Luxurious department stores and small intimate shops, fancy restaurants and traditional taverns.

Acropolis which dominates both the city’s skyline and any tourist’s itinerary. The name refers to the rocky outcrop that formed the site of the original settlement in Athens. Foundations for a temple dedicated to Athena were laid in 490BC. The Parthenon which was intended as a sanctuary for Athena and housed a statue of the goddess, is the largest building on the Acropolis and an icon of Western civilization. The Erechtheion temple is a dual shrine to Athena and Poseidon-Erechtheus and was built on the site of the mythical battle between the two deities. The south side features a series of six support columns designed as maidens or caryatides. Also in Acropolis Museum which is located in the southeast corner of the complex you can found many of the treasures from Acropolis. The stone auditorium from the 4th century BC, Théatro Dionysou which is located on the southern slopes of the Acropolis Hill was home to the original performances of the tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripedes and the comedies of Aristophanes.

Furthermore, you can visit agora which was the focus of city life not only as a place of trade but also as the city’ s political administrative and cultural heart although the site is now a jumble of monuments and ruins from different periods. In Athens you have the opportunity to visit main archaeological museums such as Ethniko Archaeological Museum and, Museum of Natural History, Benaki Museum where housed monuments, jewellery, sculpture and costume laid in chronological order.

Close to the National Gardens and Plaka is lying the Temple of Olympian Zeus which was one of the largest temples in the ancient world and was being dedicated to the god of all gods, Zeus. The capital is famous, more than any other European capital, for its nightlife. Athens by night totally changes. The options for entertainment satisfy all tastes. The famous "bouzoukia" are the leaders in the Athenian entertainment. While the numerous theaters all around Athens offer a different type of entertainment. Athens is a divine city. Let it enchant you...

When to come

The city of Athens has mild winters and hot summers and is worth a visit whatever time of the year. With a good selection of hotels and accommodation in Athens, it is always worth reserving rooms in advance. Athens hotels include luxury accommodation and budget lodging, both in the city centre and the outskirts of Athens.