About Athens



Athens, the capital city of Greece, is one of the oldest cities in the world. Starting off as a hill-top fortification, becoming a powerful city state, and to its present, the city of Athens is referred to as the cradle of Western civilization and democracy. It was Athens where wise men such as Pericles, Aristotle, and Plato were born. Today, Athens is the political, cultural, and economic nerve centre of Greece. It is situated in the prefecture of Attica surrounded by mountains Ymmytos, Pendeli and Parnitha on the north and east, and towards the west and south it is bordered by the Saronic Gulf.

The city is undergoing a radical period of urban renewal that did not stop with the 2004 Olympic Games. The magnificent Acropolis, crowned by the iconic Parthenon temple, rises about the city, watching the sprawling modern metropolis evolve. Athens is now a conspicuously wealthier, more sophisticated cosmopolitan city. The shift is evident In the gradual gentrification and the new art and leisure precincts around the town, and in the lifestyles of the hedonistic, trend-conscious Athenians. Stylish new restaurants, shops and revamped hotels continue to open.

Perhaps the most significant change is in the historic centre, virtually unrecognizable since cars were banished, with most significant ancient sites linked in what has become Europe’s longest and arguably most stunning pedestrian promenade. This huge archaeological park has reconciled past and present, with the city’s cultural and social life once again taking place around the ancient monuments and surrounding neighbourhoods. Athens remains a city of contradictions, as frustrating as it is seductive. It is the oldest city in Europe, yet still in a state of transition. It’s one of Europe’s safest and liveliest cities.

City Facts

Athens Top Ten
1. The Athens Acropolis
Visible from almost every corner of the city, the Acropolis stands defiant and dignified, dominating the Athenian skyline. The quintessence of the classic era, and one of the most important monuments of the World Heritage List, the Parthenon dominates the Athens Acropolis, attracting every year millions of visitors.

2. Ancient Athens integrated into the contemporary city
Walk along Monastiraki, Plaka, Theseion and Kerameikos districts and meet Ancient Athens in situ. As a result of the urban development project "Unification of Archaeological sites", the majority of archaeological sites have been perfectly integrated into the contemporary city. Walk in Athens or sit for a coffee and at the same time enjoy major sites of antiquity such as the Ancient Agora, the Roman Agora and others.

3. Get to know more than 5.000 years of civilization
Museums in Athens boost important exhibits, taking you to a journey into more than 5.000 years of human civilization. Beginning with the Cycladic era, you can move on to the Minoan times, explore the Classic era, the Roman times, the Byzantine era, the era of Ottoman empire, then pass in the era of Enlightenment, to conclude in the 19th and 20th centuries.

4. Hiking in the heart of the city
Situated in the heart of the city centre, Mount Lycabettus is ideal to go up either on foot or by cable car and enjoy the magnificent panoramic view of Athens.

5. Plaka and Sunday morning Flea market
Within the picturesque old town of Athens is Plaka, a neighborhood full of small cafes, tavernas and souvenir stores. Every Sunday morning, a flea market takes place at Monastiraki and Avissinias Square, with antique furniture, porcelain and many other interesting things for sale.

6. The Athens Metro: A Museum on-the-move
The Athens Metro is much more than just a means of transportation. It is a museum, in which in order to pass on from one area to the other, you are presented with exhibits of both the antique era and contemporary Greek art.

7. Delicious Mediterranean cuisine by the sea
It takes less than half an hour to get from the city center to Microlimano and enjoy a meal by the sea. Make sure you try the variety of fresh sea food as well as other recipes of Greek cuisine, which are famous worldwide for their fresh ingredients and rich nutritional value.

8. Shopping
Boosting a long tradition in the fields of handicrafts, jewelry making and shoe manufacture, Athens impresses with both the number and originality of its stores. Right next to them, the fashion world offers more than one could possibly ask for: department stores, internationally acclaimed designers and firms as well as a big variety of small boutiques that display brands from all over the world.

9. Famed nightlife
Nightlife in Athens lasts until the early morning hours. With such a large number and variety of bars and clubs, you always want to visit two or three places before going to bed. Psirri district boosts a number of the city's hottest clubs and bars, playing all types of music from rock to Latin and pop. Gazi district is host to many trendy, arty style bars. If you are looking for something chic, head for Kolonaki district. In the southern suburbs, you will find noisy or quiet places to dance and have a drink by the sea.

10. Vibrant cultural life
Last but certainly not least, arts flourish in today Athens. Throughout the year, internationally acclaimed artists perform in the Greek capital and distinguished visual arts events take place in a big number of galleries and museums.

Athens Nightlife
Athens is famous for its vibrant nightlife. The Athenians like to party ad will do so almost every night of the week. The choices are plenty and they appeal to all tastes and lifestyles. In general, things tend to get started quite late: after midnight for bars and clubbing and after 10:00pm for dinner at the city’s tavernas, restaurants and bar-restaurants. The Greeks are known for their love-of-life lifestyle; a sort of “OPA!” mentality that includes good food and good company, regardless of age. In Athens, life is for living and leaving your worries behind. The result is a good-hearted, energetic city with bars and restaurants to match. Hip areas include Gazi, Psirri, Metaxourgio, Monastiraki, Theseion, and Kolonaki. Traditional Greek evenings can be spent in Plaka.