Athens is the capital of Greece , the ancient city is the Gateway to Greece and was the host city for the successful 2004 Summer Olympic Games. Well, it’s only fitting, considering the Games were created here.
Most travelers traditionally use Athens as a gateway to the islands. First-timers spend two or three days in the ancient city, see the sites, complain about the congestion then head to the islands. After a couple of days on, say, Mykonos, they look at each other and say, “Why did we spend so much time in Athens instead of coming here first.
To many, spending time in Athens is like being in downtown Los Angeles. It can seem no different than any other big city. And while it’s true that the greatest riches of Greece are on its islands, Athens is a very beautiful place in its own right.
Spending time in Athens demonstrates why things are the way they are on the islands. The late-night mentality, the seemingly chaotic method of movement of the people and kiosks selling beer, water, soda, cigarettes and other small items are on nearly every streetcorner.
For the best of Athens, get away from the tourist-heavy city center and the Plaka and instead explore the area around the port of Pireaus
a vast, modern city dominated by one of the greatest wonders of the ancient world. The inspirational Acropolis is without doubt its biggest attraction and many foreign visitors do the obligatory climb to the top before moving swiftly on to one or more of the Greek islands. But linger a while in this smog-filled, hopelessly congested, sprawling metropolis and you’ll find a feast of unexpected treasures.and you don’t have to be a history or culture buff to enjoy them. You won’t be inspired as you make the journey from the airport by taxi or trolleybus. The tendrils of modern Athens have spread far and wide since the early part of the 20th century when a compulsory population exchange between Greece and Turkey led to the hasty construction of ugly apartment blocks. As you wait with bated breath for your first glimpse of the Parthenon all you’ll see are endless lines of car showrooms, factories, high-rise housing and seedy sex clubs.Plaka is a magnet for foreign visitors at night time. This is the historic heart of Athens consisting of an alluring maze of pedestrianised streets. Few could fail to be charmed by Plaka’s fairytale quality despite the fact that the place is chock-a-block with souvenir shops and restaurants which employ some of the pushiest waiters in the world (one can only assume they earn commission for each customer they manage to drag inside, If you only have a few hours to spend in Athens a visit to the Acropolis is a must and it won’t disappoint. Grit your teeth, fight your way through the scrum of tourists on the long trek up to the top and marvel at the ancient remains of the Parthenon – the famous temple of the goddess Athena, built in the 5th century BC.
For groups of travelers, taxis are a quick and and not outrageously inexpensive method of getting around Athens. Just be sure and negotiate the rate before departure.Athens has opened a new airport, Eleftherios Venizelos International, a good hour-plus into town from the new Athens airport. Budget travelers should use the new train or bus; four public bus routes serve exclusively the airport, connecting the greater area of Athens and Piraeus (2.90 Euros). For those staying instead of headed to theislands, the stop at Syntagma Square is centrally located. From that point, it’s a five-minute walk to the youth hostel and the Plaka. has not yet flown there, it has to be an improvement over its predecessor. Actually, there were two airports, one for international travel and one for domestic departures. Illogically, they were not located anywhere near each other; buses and taxis provide service between the two. We trust the new airport has improved on this situation (although we will miss the ice-cold beers for 300dr. served at a little stand outside the old domestic terminal. Interestingly, this is where handball, fencing and even kayaking and canoeing are taking place during the Olympics).
For those heading out to the islands by boat, cold beers await your arrival at the ferry port, Piraeus (Pie-ray-us). Airplane arrivals and ferry departures are not at all coordinated, so the wait could be a few hours. Fortunately, the beers are cheap and chilly. Taxi fare is approximately 15 Euros for the half-hour-plus journey. If taking a taxi, be sure and specify Pireaus as your destination; otherwise the driver may misunderstand your instructions.Athens is a sprawling city, a massive maze of confusing streets, zipping traffic moving at high speeds in all directions and containing signs in those Greek symbols that render any college fraternity education useless. So, stick to these places.
Use Syntagma Square as the central gathering spot and landmark. There’s a changing of the guard (or evzones) who wear kilts, big white shirts and large pom-poms on their shoes. Syntagma Square is near a popular hostel and across the street from the regal Grande Bretagne Hotel, whiere a drink in its Winter Garden bar runs about 12 Euros but provides for great people-watching. The rooftop restaurant has stunning views of the Acropolis, which is illuminated at night. Around the corner is the National Garden, a pleasant enough place to spend a few minutes to an hour.A few paces down Ermou Street is Monastiraki Square, where locals – and not tourists – dine Gree-style at tavernas (which is to say they eat a lot, drink even more and treat this like a rare night on the town).
Another nearby area is Kolonaki Square has upscale shops, galleries, restaurants and sidewalk tavernas. Dining is typical European, which is to say late by American standards.Nothing before 10 p.m. and by 11 the restaurants are swarming with patrons.There’s aforementioned Metro, which is clean, safe and efficient. Look for the letter M and stations are clearly marked with signs in blue, white and green with the M. Don’t even consider renting a car. NOTE: For those coming from Pireaus, the train station is directly across the street from the port entrance. It’s not marked and what few signs are posted are in Greek. Getting there requires navigating six lanes of a very busy street with no crosswalk
Other top attractions in town include the National Archaeological Museum – one of the finest museums in the world housing a priceless collection of Greek antiquities including the golden mask of Agamemnon. There are enough museums and ancient sites to satisfy the hungriest of historians (this is a city where important archaeological finds are displayed in glass cases in the metro!). And for the less culturally inclined, there are shady tavernas, the Monastiraki flea market where you can pick up some great bargains and a huge supply of late night music bars offering traditional bouzouki music and Greek folk dancing. The city of Athens is the capital of Greece. It was about 5000 years populated. Athens is located in northeastern part of the country. This is the Athens metropolitan area of Athens understood, and not just the relatively small town in the centre of Athens metropolis.
Because of their cultural heritage and also because they – through the port of Piraeus and on the newly built international airport a pivotal point for the traffic to the many Greek islands. Athens is one of the upper ranks among the most metropolitan areas of the continent. In addition, Athens is by far the most important economic, cultural and educational centre of Greece.
According to legend buhlten the goddess Athena and the sea god Poseidon for the favor of the inhabitants of the then still nameless city. Both the residents should ever make a gift – who is the city the best gift, to be named after chosen. Poseidon gave the city a fountain. The spat, however, only salt water. Athenes gift was an olive tree. This donated food, oil and wood. So Athena won the duel, and the city was consequently named after her. With this legendary founding myth wanted the ancient city fathers even then her later penchant for pragmatism historically justified.
The history of the city of Athens goes back some 7500 years, until the Neolithic period. Around 1300 BC at the Acropolis was a Mycenaean palace built. The city’s oldest plant was limited to the upper surface of a steep, but from the west accessible rocky hill, the castle later than (Acropolis) the military, and religious center of Athens formed. The area was already very early stage and levelled with a strong wall surrounding the succession arranged with nine goals secured (Enneapylai). This facility was called after the Pelasgi, which is the excessive construction, Pelargikon. Within this castle inhabited the ancient kings of this part of Attica. Athens stood for its inhabitants have always been under the special protection of Zeus, built an early altar was dedicated, and the stadtschützenden Athena (Athena Polias), which is also the oldest temple of the city, which Hekatompedos, was consecrated. The outer gate opposite was the oldest market in town, the Agora.
The legendary King Theseus is attributed to the different parts of the landscape Attica to a united to Polis. Athens was henceforth the area after the largest Greek city-state (from the special case Sparta apart). The highlight of its political and cultural influence reached Athens as Athenian democracy and leadership power in the Attic Alliance during the 5th And 4 Century BC (classical). Even when the city 86 BC, the Roman Empire was, they retained their status as intellectual center.
The city has some 5000 years continuously populated, and thus secure one of the oldest settlements and cities in Europe. Athens 1985 was the first European Capital of Culture.
The main sources of income for the Greek economy, the shipping and tourism are mainly in Athens. An important recent years, the pharmaceutical industry, in addition to the food export the goods traded. About 50% of Greek industrial companies have their headquarters in the metropolitan area of Athens. EU trade with China has stressed the importance of the Greek shipping increase, most Chinese products on the Greek container ship to Europe.
A big problem is the textile industry, which no longer competitive, but a major employer.
The Olympic Games have an intensive building activity in Athens.
Athens has the advantage of the remoteness of Europe, because the city become an important trading post between Europe and the Orient.When you’ve finished a day’s sightseeing in Athens brace yourself for a hectic nightlife which consists of everything from sex shows and gay bars to classical concerts and Greek folk dancing.
The vast majority of tourists make a beeline for the Plaka district as the sun goes down. The old Turkish quarter is awash with tavernas and fast-food souvlaki joints and you’ll have to run the gauntlet of pushy waiters who throw themselves into your path, determined to “persuade” you into their particular establishment. Be firm and take the time to check out a few restaurants before you make your choice as standards and prices vary considerably. Some tavernas will offer inducements such as a free carafe of wine (but don’t be surprised if it arrives in a battered metal pot).
Greeks tend to sit down to their evening meal relatively late (9 or 10pm) so find yourself a bar with a roof terrace where you can watch the sun go down on the Acropolis while you sip your aperitif. Its changing hues are a truly awe-inspiring sight. After you’ve eaten these roof terraces are a wonderful place to sit and enjoy the sight of the Acropolis lit up by night while listening to some traditional bouzouki music.
Plaka is delightful but crowded, touristy and over-priced so for the more independent traveller the Monastiraki district is an interesting and affordable option for an evening meal. Lines of tavernas, largely frequented by Greeks rather than tourists, offer good quality fare at exceptionally low prices in the streets around the main square, Plateia Monastirakou. If you head for the more unfashionable areas such as Omonia you’ll get a decent meal for even less money – but watch out for pickpockets and be prepared to be confronted by prostitutes and some rather unsavoury types late at night. The hidden jewel of Athens – at least to most travelers – is the area along the beach in Glyfada near the old airport and on Possidonos Ave. In fact, the entire area from the port of Pireaus to the old airport is lined with waterfront dance clubs, many of which are indoor-outdoor. Note they don’t start cranking until midnight and are open until 4 a.m.
Their names change each summer, but often the locations remain the same. For instance, last year’s hottest club is gone but one of the best ones this summer, Sabbia, is located in the same building. This summer’s top club is Paradizzio in the Varkiza area. It brings in top deejays from London, New York and other major cities and holds a whopping 3,000 night owls. Prime is another popular dance spot. Yet another hot club for the “in” crowd is the 2,000-capacity Envy in Voula. It’s always crowded with a young crowd.
These Athens clubs usually require slacks for men, and 15-20 Euro cover charge (drinks prices are in the same range) but once you swallow the tab, the beachside atmosphere is quite riveting. Any taxi driver knows the location of these clubs.
A more casual alternative – and certainly a great option for those with a few hours to spend between ferry departures and a flight – are a pair of harbors a safe, 15-minute walk from Pireaus. (Just head straight out towards the tallest building and turn right eight lights later on Ger. Lambraski at the Levis store). Surrounding a beautiful harbor area are a series of cafes and restaurants and clubs.
For tasty food in a friendly atmosphere, the Collection Barbecue Caffe serves grilled meats with ice-cold draft beer and rock music supplied by a hip deejay. The top club in the area is Ttassagiloui.
The Metro goes there and nine cruise ships will serve as hotels during the Olympics. This is the most “Greek Islands” atmosphere in all of Athens – small stands selling light snacks and beverages (and yes, beer), an endless buzz of mopeds zipping through the streets and a hip casualness to the whole place.If you haven’t already done it by day, take a trip up Lykavittos Hill, either on foot or via the funicular railway. There’s a restaurant at the top giving fabulous views of the city and Acropolis. The tiny chapel of Agios Giorgios, at the summit, is lit up at night and the sight of that alone will make your journey worthwhile. The open-air Lykavittos Theatre is used for jazz and rock concerts during the Athens Festival. The Athens festival, held annually between June and September, is one of Europe’s biggest summer festivals and consists of a series of concerts as well as theatrical, opera and dance performances by top Greek and international artists. The focus of the festival is the Theatre of Herodes Atticus, constructed on the Acropolis by a wealthy Roman in the year 161 AD. The theatre is only open to the public during performances.
Athens has a plentiful supply of music bars, rock and jazz venues and discos to choose from. Head for one of the many rembetika clubs to hear this traditional Greek music (a kind of Greek-style American blues with the added twist of a bouzouki!). One of the best known clubs is Rembetiki Stoa Athanaton in Sofokleous near the meat market a little way to the north of the Monastiraki flea market. This is the place to go for quality rembetika which purists will enjoy more than the tourist orientated Greek music and folk dancing to be found in the bars and restaurants of the Plaka area.
