Travel to Athens, Greece
Athens was home to the Greek philosophers Aristotle, Plato and Socrates. Named after the goddess Athena, Athens is one of the most famous cities in the world, and one of the oldest too. As a city-state, Athens figured prominently in the ancient history as well as in the most myths and legends of the ancient world. The Greek capital, now home to almost four million people and a main vacation resort, has been called the cradle of civilization due to the many achievements of its culture. Birthplace of the Olympic Games, Athens features a large number of artistic and architectural treasures, including the famous Acropolis.
Athens, considered as one of the most beautiful cities of the world, was the capital city not just of the ancient Greece, but of the entire ancient known world too. Nowadays, if you are looking for a lively city with rich culture & history and comfortable all-inclusive hotels and apartments, then Athens is your perfect vacation destination.
The best time to visit Athens is during the late summer or fall. Winter is also a good time to visit, because Greece is visited in winter by fewer tourists and the weather is generally good, maybe with the exception of a little rain. Also, most vacation resorts and all-inclusive hotels practice lower rates for their rooms and are available many attractive tourist packages.
The modern Athens is a city filled with many vacation rentals such as apartments, parks, gardens, and coffee shops. Around Athens are many interesting places & resorts for vacationers and they don't have to travel to far to see interesting ancient ruins.
All-inclusive hotels & apartments
The first place you wish to visit is the Acropolis, the ancient part of Athens, filled with beautiful temples. You'll be able to fully appreciate the ancient Greek architecture when you see Acropolis. Agora market is a another area of the old Athens worth for a visit. In antiquity this zone was the center of the commercial and political activity of the city. Agora was once the place where Socrates gave his speeches and it was also the place where St. Paul searched for potential adherents to Christianity.
This city has some of the best all-inclusive hotels and apartments for rent from the whole Europe, but unfortunately Athens is no longer a cheap city. A traveler can expect to spend at least 40 euros (almost 50 US dollars) per day by staying in a cheap hotel! Still, no matter what budget you have, a travel to Athens and a vacation spent into a good resort will be a great experience of your life.
If you're going to visit Athens you should bring with you comfortable walking shoes and plenty of water! Most of the famous sites of the city require a climbing to a hill or a walking along a stony path!
Main attractions in Athens
Acropolis
Acropolis is the most recognizable and breathtaking site of Athens. Acropolis is in fact the name of the hill which hosts three main temples: Parthenon, Erechteion and Temple of Athena Nike; the hill is also home for the Acropolis Museum and "Propylaea", which was once the original entrance of Acropolis.
The total size of the Parthenon is extraordinary and it was built 2,500 years ago! The museum houses artifacts found in temples from Acropolis.
Temple of Zeus
The temple is one of the only two remaining parts on the Olympieion site. The size of this monument is also incredible! An interesting fact about the Temple of Zeus is that it took almost 700 years to construct! It was started in 515 BC by Peristratos and completed in 125 AD by the Roman emperor Hadrian. Close to the temple, on Amalias Avenue, is a another remaining monument - Hadrian's Arch, built a few years later by the same emperor.
The Agoras - Ancient and Roman
The ancient Agora - "Arkhaia Agora" in Greek - was the gathering place of the ancient Athenians. Hephaisteion - Temple of Hephaistos - it's probably the best conserved Greek temple in Athens. "Stoa of Attalos", which was entirely reconstructed, houses the museum of ancient Agora and is the resting place for most of the artifacts found here.
The Roman Agora - "Romaiki Agora" in Greek - is situated near the other one. It's much smaller and much younger than the Ancient Agora. A couple of interesting things to see here are a Turkish mosque - "Fethiye Djami" - and the Tower of Winds.
The Panathenaic Stadium
The Panathenaic Stadium was the place of the first modern Olympic Games, in 1896. It was reconstructed on the place of the original stadium of ancient Olympic Games. At the front of the stadium is a statue of the Discus Thrower - which is a symbol of the Olympic Games.
The Ruins of Delphi
A visit to Delphi is an absolute must for any traveler. You should plan a whole day for this visit because it's located around three hours away from Athens by bus or by car.
The Temple of Apollo is the main attraction of the site. This magnificently preserved temple is the place where Pythia, the High Priestess of Apollo, predicted the future.
The Theatre of the sanctuary and The Stadium are located higher on this site too. Of course, you can not miss the Archaeological Museum of Delphi, which houses valuable artifacts found at site.
Plaka
Plaka is the a heaven for tourists because it's similar to Montmartre district from Paris. There are thousands of souvenir stores, taverns, liquor stores, small churches and open air stands where you can buy everything - from ceramic vases to olive oil soap. Attention! Plaka is a labyrinth having a network of streets that all look alike - so, don't forget to buy a map!
In Plaka are plenty of places to eat, but the fancy restaurants tend to be very expensive and don't offer really specific Greek foods. The little restaurants are the best places if you want to taste the traditional food.
Everyone bargains here, both locals and vacationers. If the store owner don't want to make a deal with you, put down the stuff you're looking at and go somewhere else!
National Archaeological Museum of Athens
If you're going to see a museum on your travel to Athens, see this one. It's the largest and most inspiring archeological museum in Greece. The museum has a few different exhibits, but obviously the most interesting one is the Greek pottery and sculpture, which take up most of the space. The museum is easily reached by various buses from any point of the city. It's really huge and you can easily spend there a whole day.
National Gardens
National Gardens offers a nice escape from busy city. This is a nice place to take a walk or eat a tasty lunch. In the heart of the park is a neoclassical structure called Zappion, which is used for important political and cultural events. It's also a good place to talk with the locals.
The Constitution Square
The Constitution Square is centrally positioned in Athens, so it's a good starting point for travelers. The main tourist attraction in the square is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which is watched over by guards wearing traditional costumes.
Other museums in Athens are:
The Benaki Museum
The Goulandris Museum of Cycladic and Ancient Greek Art
Kerameikos Museum
Museum of Greek Folk Art
Jewish Museum
National Gallery
National Historical Museum
Museum of Popular Musical Instruments
Byzantine Museum
War Museum
Greek Historical Costume Museum
Theatrical Museum
Frissiras Museum of Contemporary Greek and European Painting