Athens, Greece, has been the city of cultural imagination and classical history for over three millennia. The largest city in Greece, Athens, the namesake of the patron goddess, Athena, is the nation’s capital. Here is an idyllic blend of the roots of western civilization, myth and legend, and modern cosmopolitan life. All this in a comfortable Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and warm, mild winters. And beaches galore!
In its early days, peaking around the 5th century BC, Athens was a powerful city-state engaged in learning, architecture, the arts, philosophy, and empire-building. Its influence on the emerging Roman Empire was profound; it is widely regarded as the seat of modern civilization.
Constantly under restoration in parts, Athens remains a world-class travel destination, particularly for those who cherish culture and the arts. In modern educational curriculums, when students study the classics, they are in effect focussed on what went on in Athens around 3,400 years ago.
Because of its ancient history, international flavours, and seaside location, Athens offers a plethora of attractions for tourists. Key among its draws is the famous Acropolis, a citadel elevated above the city, and resplendent with ancient temples and monuments.
Tour the city of Athens with stops at:
All the while, beneath your feet, rest thousands of years worth of human history, of us. A visit to Athens is akin to having attended Plato’s Academy or Aristotle’s Lyceum back in the day. It is a concentrated, curated memory of how we became civilized. Athens is the ancient home of mankind.
A visit to Athens is incomplete without also spending time at the Acropolis of Athens, generally known as simply “the Acropolis”. Set on a fairly...
It is agreed upon by historians and classicists the world over that the Parthenon, the original temple of tribute to the goddess Athena on the...
Given Athens’ long and colourful history, it is no surprise that there are dozens of museums within the city. One of, if not the, most...
There are few places outside of Rome and Athens in our modern world that can so easily transport us to our classical past; the National...
In a bustling ancient city like Athens was 3,000-odd years ago, people shopped at the open air market, the Agora, for food, fabrics, jewellery; the...
The word “monastiraki” translates exactly as “little Monastery”, but there is no longer (if there ever was) a monastery in this location. However, visitors to...
Woman or wolf? Mount Lycabettus in central Athens has two possible claims to fame, neither of which may be true. Myth tells us that when...
While parts of the ancient Agora of Athens are being resurrected, the Temple of Hephaestus stands tall and in good order in the Agora’s...
When you conjure an image of Zeus, head of the Olympian Gods, king of Greek Gods, the extent of his great namesake temple is appropriate...
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Also sometimes called, La Plaka, this is the beautiful neighbourhood situated to the south and east slopes of the hillside that supports the Acropolis. But...
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Athens, Greece, has been the city of cultural imagination and classical history for over three millennia. The largest city in Greece, Athens, the namesake of...
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