European Vacation - Athens, Greece

Athens is a beautiful city named after the goddess of wisdom Athena. It has a history of thousands of years. It is an important area from many points of view.

Athens is the capital of Greece and one of the most famous cities in the world. Modern Athens is a bustling, cosmopolitan metropolis; Ancient Athens was a powerfu city-state and renowned center of learning.

Athens is the dominant center of economic, financial, industrial, cultural and political life in Greece today. The city is also rapidly becoming a leading business center in Europe.

Ancient Athens is considered to have been the cradle of Western civilization. This is due to the immense impact of its cultural and political achievements during the 4th and 5th centuries BC on the rest of the then known world. This heritage is still evident in the city, portrayed through a number of spectacular ancient monuments and artworks. Many of these cultural landmarks were renovated for the 2004 Olympic Games.

Top Athens attractions include:

The Acropolis and the Partheon. By far the most prominent and famous site in Athens and perhaps in all of Greece is the Parthenon on the Acropolis. For many the Acropolis in Athens is a veritable symbol of the ancient world generally: it says something about ancient religion, ancient culture, ancient architecture and ancient life.

From 650 B.C., the area was a place of worship to the goddess Athena and during the Classical period, three important temples were built: the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, and the Temple of Nike. These monuments on the Acropolis mirror the history of Athens through the ages. After a tour of the site, visit the Acropolis Museum to see many of the excavated treasures from this remarkable site.
The Agora was the heart of ancient Athens—an “open space” which was the focus of political, commercial, administrative and social activity for centuries. People shopped, argued and listened to the philosophers here. Occupied since Neolithic times, the Romans, Persians and Slavs have all had a say in the lengthy history of the Agora. The area was eventually abandoned in the 6th century only to be rediscovered as a residential area in the 19th century. Although now in ruins, there is plenty to see and learn. Some points of interest include: Temple of Hephaistos, the Stoa of Zeus, the Eleutheriosm, the Temple of Apollo, the Patroos, the Monument of the Eponymous Heroes. Altar of the Twelve gods. The Odeon of Agrippa, the Royal Stoa (Stoa Basileios) and the Tholos.
National Archaeological Museum of Athens. One of the top ten museums in the world, it houses an unrivalled collection of Cycladic, Minoan, Mycenaean and Classical Greek art. Housed in a beautiful neoclassic building, you can spend the day admiring the fascinating collection and then relaxing in the sculpture garden café.
Daphni Monastery. First built in the 5th century AD on the site of an ancient temple to Apollo, the monastery was rebuilt in the 10th century. Occupied in turn by Cistercian and Greek Orthodox monks, it is renowned for its 11th-century, unusually complete Byzantine mosaics regarded as among the best in Greece.
The Plaka. Located downhill from the Acropolis, the Plaka is one of the oldest parts of modern Athens. It is a labyrinth of stone-paved narrow streets and alleyways that transport you back in time. The Plaka's central square was founded in 1813 and is crammed full of cafés, restaurants, bars and nightclubs. It is also the best area in Athens to shop for souvenirs and traditional Greek jewelry.
The National Garden is a peaceful, green refuge in the midst of central Athens. This public park was once the palace garden of the royal family. It contains gardens, a zoo, small lakes and ponds complete with ducks, swans and a few peacocks.
The Byzantine Museum houses a collection of Byzantine art from the 4th to the 9th century. Housed in a Florentine-style villa, the collection includes Byzantine and post-Byzantine icons, sculpture, manuscripts, wall paintings, mosaics, woodcarvings, bronze engravings, lithographs and prints.
Lykavittos Hill is the highest point in Athens and offers a superb view over the entire city. The hill takes about an hour to climb and from the heights you can spot landmarks like the Acropolis and Olympic Stadium as well as the coast and nearby mountains.
Monastiraki Flea Market. If you happen to visit Athens on a Sunday, then the Monastiraki Flea Market is the place to be. Centered in the area around Monastiraki Square this market is centuries old. The sheer variety of goods offered is astonishing.
Museum of Cycladic Art. Founded in 1986 to house the collection of Cycladic and Ancient Greek art belonging to Nicholas and Aikaterini Goulandris, the Museum of Cycladic Art is housed in a magnificent neo-classical building and contains relics from over 5,000 years of Cycladic history.