Discover Athens, Greece Top 5
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Discover Athens, Greece Photo: Anastasios71/Shutterstock.com Of all Europe’s historical capitals, Athens is probably the one that has changed the most in recent years. But even though it has become a modern metropolis, it still retains a good deal of its old small town feel. Here antiquity meets the future, and the ancient monuments mix with a trendier Athens and it is precisely these great contrasts that make the city such a fascinating place to explore.The heart of its historical centre is the Plaka neighbourhood, with narrow streets mingling like a labyrinth where to discover ancient secrets. Anastasios71/Shutterstock.com Top 5 1. Roman Agora During the antiquity, the Agora played a major role as both a marketplace and … 2. National Archaeological Museum The National Archaeological Museum, in Exarchia, is home to 3. The Acropolis and its surround The Parthenon, the temple of Athena, is the major city attraction as well as... Anastasios71/Shutterstock.com 4. Benaki Museum of Greek Culture Benaki is a history museum with Greek art and objects from the 5. Mount Lycabettus Mount Lycabettus (in Greek: Lykavittos, Λυκαβηττός) lies right in the centre... Milan Gonda/Shutterstock.com Athens THE CITY DO & SEE Nick Pavlakis/Shutterstock.com Anastasios71/Shutterstock.com Athens’ heyday was around 400 years BC, that’s Dive in perhaps the most historically rich capital when most of the classical monuments were of Europe and discover its secrets. Athens' past built. During the Byzantine and Turkish eras, the and its landmarks are worldly famous, but the city decayed into just an insignicant little city ofiers much more than the postcards show: village, only to become the capital of it is a vivid city of culture and art, where the newly-liberated Greece in 1833. Ahead of the streets have as much to show for as the 2004 Olympics, almost the entire infrastructure monuments and antique statues. The difiicult was transformed: the Metro, trams, new ring years it has known with the economic crisis have roads and viaducts have eased the pressure of only deepen the city's artsy soul and not a day the heavy trafiic. goes by that Athens does not amaze its visitors. Athens is still a rather messy and chaotic National Archaeological Museum place—it wouldn’t be Athens otherwise—and The National despite all the improvements, still retains a great Archaeological Museum, deal of its oriental charm. The whole coastal in Exarchia, is home to stretch from Piraeus to the old Hellenikon Ancient Greece’s most airport has been improved with new plantings, spectacular pieces. One viaducts and paths for walking. The Plaka district room contains is becoming more and more popular and it is on Schliemann’s nds from Mycenae, another has the way to catching up with Psyrri, Gazi and the famous frescoes from Santorini on display. Rouf as regards restaurants. Discover the There is also a ne collection of idols from the beauties of the Anaotika district, at the feet of Cyclades and ceramics! the Acropolis, and visit the ancient village still housed in the midst of the city. In Exarchia, Photo: Constantinos Iliopoulos/Shutterstock.com Address: Patission St. 44, Athens there is still a somewhat in-your-face anarchic Phone: +30 213 214 4800 atmosphere around the Technical University. Internet: www.namuseum.gr Meanwhile, Kolonaki is becoming more and more Email: [email protected] chic. More Info: Free entrance for visitors under 18. The Acropolis and its surroundings Email: [email protected] The Parthenon, the temple of Athena, is the Benaki Museum of Greek Culture major city attraction as Benaki is a history well as a UNESCO World museum with Greek art Heritage Site. The and objects from the Erechteion displays the Stone Age up to the War statues of the female Caryatids, though the of Independence against original statues have been replaced by copies the Turks. It lays its due to air pollution (the originals are in the new pieces over three floors and apart from seasonal Museum or ... in London!). exhibitions, the museum ofiers events, courses On the southern slopes of the Acropolis lies the and publications to educate the audience of all Odeon of Herodes Atticus, a Roman theatre with ages. The annexed cafe-restaurant welcomes you room for as many as 5.000 spectators. It is used in a relaxed ambience where to enjoy dinners, during the annual Athens Festival for world-class lunches or breaks before exploring the museum. ballet and music performances. The Dionysus Photo: saiko3p/Shutterstock.com Theatre lies beside Herodes Atticus, and almost Address: Koumbari St. & Vas. Soas Ave. 1, Athens all the tragedies and comedies of Ancient Greece Phone: +30 210 367 1000 were written for this theatre. Internet: www.benaki.gr Email: [email protected] Photo: milosk50/Shutterstock.com Address: Acropolis, Athens Mount Lycabettus Opening hours: Daily 08:00-20:00. Mount Lycabettus (in Phone: +30 210 321 4172 Internet: odysseus.culture.gr Greek: Lykavittos, Email: [email protected] Λυκαβηττός) lies right in the centre of Athens, Roman Agora rising 277 meters (908 During the antiquity, the feet) above sea level. Agora played a major role Getting yourself up to this altitude (walking or as both a marketplace with the funicular - although walking is way and a political centre. The worth it) gives you an exquisite 360° view over Agora is dominated by Athens, the Aegean sea and the ships in Piraeus. the Stoa of Attalus and When the sky is clear, you can see all the way to the Theseion, or Hephaisteion, dedicated to the the mountains in Peloponnese. Apart from the God of metalworking and also to Theseus, one of view, there is also a chic cafe-restaurant, a 19th the heroes of Greek mythology. century Chapel and an amphitheatre up there. Photo: Anastasios71/Shutterstock.com Photo: Bildagentur Zoonar GmbH/Shutterstock.com Address: Roman Agora, Athens Address: Mount Lycabettus, Athens Phone: +30 210 3210185 / +30 210 321 4825 / +30 210 321 0180 Internet: odysseus.culture.gr The Acropolis Museum architectural fact: there is a 3 meter difierence Well worth visiting and at between the north-west side and the south-east the foot of the Acropolis side. lies the new Acropolis Museum. Brief Photo: Kite_rin/Shutterstock.com presentations by Museum Address: Akropolis, Athens Phone: +30 210 321 4172 Archaeologists-Hosts are held in Greek and English every Friday, Saturday Museum of Cycladic Art and Sunday. The museum restaurant ofiers The Museum of Cycladic panoramic views of the Acropolis and a 700 Art contains more than square meter public terrace commanding a 3.000 artefacts of breathtaking view of the historic hills of Athens. Cycladic, Ancient Greek and Cypriot art pieces are Photo: Haris vythoulkas/Shutterstock.com Address: Dionysiou Areopagitou St., Athens on display throughout the Phone: +30 210 900 0900 four floors. This is an interesting museum to visit Internet: www.theacropolismuseum.gr in order to get a greater understanding of this More Info: For groups Booking: +30 210 900 0903 colourful culture. Temple of Hephaestus Photo: zhu difeng/Shutterstock.com The Temple of Address: Neophytou Douka St. 4, Athens Hephaestus is a Phone: +30 210 722 83213 well-preserved ancient Internet: www.cycladic.gr Email: [email protected] Greek temple built in 450 BC for the worshipping The Panathenaic Stadium God Hephaestus - The Panathenaic Stadium considered the protector of blacksmiths, was built in 330 BC and craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metals, renovated for the 1896 metallurgy, re and volcanoes. This may be one Olympic Games. It is the of the most well-preserved temples, not only in world´s oldest stadium Greece, but in all Europe. which is still in use, and the only one in the world entirely built in white Photo: Martin M303/Shutterstock.com Address: Thissio, Athens marble. Simply stunning! It is from here that the Olympic Flame is delivered to all the Olympic The Erechtheion games. Erechtheion is said to have been a great king Photo: Anastasios71/Shutterstock.com Address: Vasileos Konstantinou Ave., Athens during the Archaic Opening hours: 07.30-14.30 Mon-Fri. Period, and legend says Phone: +30 210 752 2984 that he is buried nearby Internet: www.panathenaicstadium.gr this temple. The temple is Email: [email protected] More Info: Opposite the Statue of Myron Discobolus. built on a slope which creates an interesting Megaron Concert Hall Acropolis, just far enough to embrace it all while The Megaron, Athens' avoiding the tourists crowd and close enough to Concert Hall, was see the beauty of its architecture. inaugurated in 1991 and Photo: pavel dudek/Shutterstock.com it now houses four halls Address: Filopappos Hill, Thisseio, Athens ofiering a variety of musical performances. It Cine Paris is famous for its top-notch spectacles and an Located right beneath the impressive acoustic. It is also a beautiful place Acropolis, this open-air surrounded by pleasant gardens and really easy cinema operating on a to access. roof reopened in 1986 after being closed for Photo: Stokkete/Shutterstock.com almost 20 years. Named Address: Vasilissis Soas & Kokkali, Athens Opening hours: Daily H24 in honor of its creator - a Greek hairdresser who Phone: +30 210 728 2000 lived in Paris - it truly is an exceptional spot to Internet: www.megaron.gr catch a movie. Email: [email protected] More Info: Booking ofiices on: +30 210 728 2333. Photo: razihusin/Shutterstock.com Address: Kidathinaion St. 22, Plaka, Athens Temple of Athena Nike Opening hours: Daily 18.30-01.00. Temple of Athena Nike is Phone: +30 210 322 2071 / +30 210 324 8057 located on the south-west Internet: www.cineparis.gr Email: [email protected] corner of the Acropolis. It More Info: Open May to October.