Holidays in Athens, Greece
Hotels in Athens, Greece
Athens is the Capital City of Greece. It is in many ways the birthplace of Classical Greece, and therefore of Western civilization.
The Acropolis is one of the world's most famous landmarks and Greece's history and culture, ombined with the nightlife, a wonderful climate, traditional cuisine and renowned Greek hospitality are just some of the countless attractions Athens has to offer.
Places of interest to travellers can be found within a relatively small area surrounding the city centre at Syntagma Square (Plateia Syntagmatos).
- The Acropolis— The ancient "high city" of Athens, crowned by marble temples sacred to the city's goddess Athena.
- Plaka, Monastiraki and Thissio— Charming historic districts at the foot of the Acropolis, with restored 19th century neoclassical homes, pedestrianized streets, shops and restaurants, and picturesque ruins from the city's Roman era.
- Kifissia— The northern part of Athens, rarely visited by tourists.
- Nea Smyrni— The southern part of Athens, it is a modern European district.
- Kolonaki— Upscale residential area with many cafes, boutiques and galleries.
- Omonia and Exarheia— Formerly seedy district, it is now home to Greece's students, anarchists and the National Archeaological Museum, somewhat revitalized by the metro.
- Pangrati and Mets— These adjoining pleasant residential neighborhoods south of Lycabettos and east of the National Garden are rarely frequented by tourists, but they do include a few hotels and a number of good traditional tavernas.
- Piraeus— The ancient port of Athens, Piraeus is today an independent, heavily industrial municipality located southwest of Athens, whose modern-day port serves almost all of Attica's ferry connections to Crete and the Aegean Islands.
- Psiri— Former industrial district, now full of trendy and alternative restaurants, cafés, bars, and small shops.
- Syntagma Square (Plateia Syntagmatos)— Dominated by the old Royal Palace, Syntagma Square is the business district of Athens, complete with major hotels, banks, restaurants and airline offices.
At first glance, Athens seems entirely to be composed of nasty, four- to six-story concrete buildings, lacking character and badly in need of a paint, but if you look beyond that, you will find little gems tucked in amongst the grey. The areas at the foot of the Acropolis, Anafiotika, Plaka, Monastiraki and Thissio are home to many wonderful Neoclassical buildings, trendy and traditional cafes and shops, narrow winding streets, and incredible views of the Acropolis. Little Greek Orthodox churches are tucked in amongst the concrete, often in the most unexpected places. These are usually beautifully decorated with icons and brass fixtures inside, but make sure you're appropriately dressed (no short sleeves or bare legs is a good rule of thumb, as a mark of respect).
