Athens city guide

The capital of Greece, Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world. For thousands of years, Athens exerted great cultural and political influence on the ancient world to the extent that it was considered the cradle of Western civilization. As the seat of learning and philosophy and the home of Plato, Aristotle and Socrates, Athens produced some of the leading philosophers, politicians and writers in history. The city introduced concepts such as parliament, library, university, academy and the independent Greek state. Athens is also where the Parthenon on the Acropolis and a host of other ancient marvels stand tall and proud. Today, Athens is a concrete jungle with a laid-back style, a city characterized by its thriving café society, vibrant nightlife and a kind of quirky charm. Athens is a special place with its own signature vibe. At night, this vibe pulsates in the city’s major entertainment and dining sections. Both are close together and provide tourists with the luxury of walking from place to place. What would life be like in a city that had many picturesque hills? Find out in Athens, a city with seven hills, including the Acropolis. Each hill is a welcome refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city streets and an excellent vantage point for viewing the Saronic Gulf and the Aegean Sea. Athens is also surrounded by mountains on three sides: Mt Pendeli, Mt Parnitha and Mt Hymettos. It’s really a unique place to visit, both historically and geographically. Athens also has a long history as a cradle of sports. It hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and again in 2004. Both were a smashing success. Located at the Attica periphery, Athens has a population of over 700,000. The Metropolitan Area has a population of 3.3 million. As an (LUZ) Larger Urban Zone, Athens has the eighth biggest population among LUZs in the European Union. Attractions On the surface, Athens appears to be a bit drab with row upon row of six-story cement buildings. But there's a lot to discover in Athens, especially near the foot of its famous hills. Here are some of the most famous attractions of Athens. The Acropolis This ancient town is widely regarded as the most important site in the Western world. It has stood guard over Athens since the Late Bronze Age and is the site of the most important historical buildings of Greece, including the Parthenon, the Erectheion, and the Temple of Athena Nike. The Acropolis houses many temples, but none of them is more impressive than the all-marble Parthenon, the most magnificent Greek temple which houses a giant statue of Athena. Meanwhile, the Erechtheion is famous for its Caryatids, the six maidens who serve as the building’s columns. The Ancient Agora In ancient times, important political and commercial meetings were always held at the Agora (market). It’s where Socrates explained his philosophies and where St. Paul tried to win converts to Christianity. The original Agora was built in 6 B.C. and flourished until 267 A.D. The site also hosts the Temple of Hephaestus, the Attalos Stoa museum and the Church of the Holy Apostles. From here, the Acropolis is just a short walk away. Temple of Olympian Zeus Only ruins remain of this temple, once the largest in Greece and took over 700 years to complete. The temple once contained a huge statue of Zeus made out of gold and ivory. A short distance away is Hadrian’s Arch and the Panathinaiko Stadium, site of the 1896 Olympic Games. Syntagma Square The site of the Parliament building features parliamentary guards with a unique style of walking that many people consider funny. The changing of the guards every hour is interesting to watch. Lycabettus Hill The top of the hill gives tourists a breath-taking view of the Parthenon and of Athens by the sea. You can get to the top either by walking or by funicular. If you choose to walk, you don’t have to worry about going hungry. Several cafes and restaurants line the side of the hill. National Archaeological Museum of Athens This is one of the great museums of the world and the largest one in Athens. It contains the most significant archaeological finds in Greece, including the popular Mask of Agamemnon and the oldest Greek figurines from 2,000 B.C. The most awe-inspiring displays include the Mycenaean Antiquities, partly made out of gleaming gold, a marble statue of Aphrodite and a bronze statue of Zeus. The museum is located at 28 Oktovriou-Patission 44, Exarhia. National Gardens Enjoy the shade of subtropical trees and watch ducks frolic in the pond. Plant lovers will be immersed in the Botanical Museum while their children enjoy the playground. Theatre of Dionysos This historic theater is huge and is a tribute to the importance of theater to the culture of Athens. It’s where the dramas of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Aristophanes stole the show during one golden season in 5 B.C. This magnificent auditorium of stone and marble could seat 17,000 spectators but now only a third of those seats remain. Numismatic Museum Coin collectors will think they have died and gone to heaven. The museum features elaborate collections of Greek, Roman and Medieval coins. It is housed in one of the most beautiful buildings in Athens. National War Museum Military buffs will find pieces here from all the great wars in history dating back to ancient times. It is located at Vasilissis Sofias 24. Dining Tourists in Athens should make it a point to taste the “sovlaki,” a local delicacy that combines grilled meat with vegetables, garlic, cucumber and wraps it in a thin slice of bread known as “pita.” It’s a mere €1 to €1.50 at the corner store and goes well with French fries and a soda. For the best sovlaki in town, head to O Thanasis at Mitropoleos 69. They also have servings of beef, chicken and lamb sovlaki. Meanwhile, if you’re looking for more upscale dining fare, Athens certainly has a lot of that too. The Athens districts of Plaka and Kolonaki are two of the most popular places for dining in the city. With rows of souvenir shops and fashion stalls, Plaka is a tourist’s delight. But Kolonaki is even more popular, with its hip and upscale shopping outlets. Café Avissinia The finest restaurant in Plaka is Cafe Avissinia, located at the Monatiraki neighborhood. It serves traditional Greek food with a modern and creative twist. Its interiors are chic and elegant and afford diners the luxury of dining in an upscale ambience while viewing the rough and tumble neighborhood outside right in front of the local Flea Market. Cafe Avissinia is open for lunch and dinner and boasts of an impressive Greek wine list. To Kioupi Kolonaki features two outstanding restaurants, To Kioupi and Filippou. Located on Platía Kolonakíou, To Kioupi is a tavern located at a basement that serves authentic traditional Greek fare at an inexpensive price. The expatriate community regularly frequents this restaurant which is fondly called "the hole in the ground" by American executives. Filippou Filippou is a simple tavern on the outside but it serves some of the best authentic Greek food in Athens. Located at 19 Xenokratous, it also provides a nice view of the street. Tourists can sit indoors or outdoors. However, the outside tables tend to be full during sunny weather. Bars and Nightlife Greeks love to party, which is why the Athens nightlife goes on longer than in most European cities. The earliest that people in Athens will consider dining out is 8 p.m. Bars and clubs start heating up only after midnight. The party people stay out until 3 or 4 a.m. on weekdays and 5 or 6 a.m. on weekends. During summer, everyone’s drinking at the beach as many clubs relocate there to cope with the heat. The streets of Athens are filled with people that have spilled out from the cafes and clubs. Greece has a kind of informal national drink, ouzo. It’s liquor with a bit of licorice and is available everywhere in Athens. Ursus, which is vodka with berries, is another popular bar drink. The closest thing that Athens has to a club zone is the area near the coast. Live international music fills the air every night. The city center of Athens also hosts many highly entertaining bars and clubs. The following are some of the best bars and clubs in Athens. Remeo This kind of place is known locally as skyladika (doghouse) because its crooning singers resemble pitch-perfect howling dogs. Among skyladika, Remeo is the best in Athens. Like any other skyladika, Remeo is filled with smoke and is a bit sleazy, but it gives tourists an authentic taste of Greek culture. Stavlos An outstanding bar on the Iraklidon row of the Thisio district, Stavlos is a haven for people who love live alternative music alternating with mellow tunes. Stavlos is located at Iraklidon 10, Thisio. Palenque For a taste of Havana, Palenque is the place to visit. It’s located at Farandaton 41, Ambelokipi. It specializes in hot Latin music and dancing, flamenco shows and all-night salsa parties. If you want to learn the tango, dance instructors provide lessons from 6 to 8 p.m. Getting In and Around Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport is an outstanding airport that has received great reviews from the international travel community. It is located near Spata, just 27 kms from the city center. Make sure you have euro coins on hand to pay for the trolley that will carry your luggage. To get to the city center, tourists can ride the Metro (€ 6), railway (€ 6), bus (€ 3.20) or a taxi (€ 30-35). If you’re taking a taxi, make sure that the meter is on and says Tariff 1. If it’s on Tariff 2, that’s the fare after midnight and is twice as expensive. Once in the city center, tourists can get around Athens on the Metro, by bus or by taxi. Many tourists prefer taxis. Taxis in Athens are relatively cheap at €0.34/km. The minimum fare is €2.65. There is an extra fee if you call for a taxi by radio (€1.60) or if you have heavy luggage (€0.32). Canary yellow taxi cabs are easy to find anywhere in the city. An option that’s growing more popular every year is walking around Athens. The city government has made most of its streets pedestrian-friendly (no cars) to encourage walking. The city has built many beautiful walks from the Acropolis to other popular sites. The popular tourist areas such as Plaka and Kolonaki feature comfortable elevated pedestrian walkways which connect to the major restaurant and bar venues. At the Kolonaki, tourists can take a break from their window shopping and sight-seeing at the National Garden. The only problem when walking around Athens is crossing major streets, which are filled with so much traffic that it’s sometimes difficult to cross. Festivals and Events Greeks love to celebrate during Christian holidays and festivals throughout the year. The following are some of the biggest festivals and events in Athens. Carnival Season The first carnival season hits Greece in February, three weeks before the start of Lent. The city celebrates with a feast of eating, drinking and dancing in the streets. Since Easter is the most important festival in the Greek calendar, the people of Athens celebrate this carnival season with much fanfare and merrymaking. Its highlight is the candlelight procession up Lykavittos Hill culminating at the Chapel of Agios Georgos. Greek Independence Day March is a month of celebration, particularly on Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Greek Independence Day on the 25th. The city celebrates with a big parade and major musical concerts. Greek Folk Dances This festival begins in May and ends in September. Every day, a host of folk dances is performed at the Dora Stratou Theatre to the delight of fans. Naturally, excessive eating and drinking are also part of the celebration. May is also the time of the Spring Festival to commemorate Labour Day on May 1. It's an official holiday. Hellenic Festival The Hellenic Festival, held annually from mid-June to end-September, is the biggest event in Athens. It features all kinds of live musical performances, non-stop dancing and theater presentations in various venues around the city. There’s also a yearly staging of a Greek drama at the ancient Odeon, with the floodlit Acropolis looming in the background. The Hellenic Festival coincides with the Athens and Epidaurus Festival from late-June to mid-August. It has a wide range of events to cater to varied tastes. One of its highlights is a series of theater performances at the ancient Epidaurus Theater.