For more than 3,500 years, Athens has attracted visitors. Rich in history and home to one of the most famous buildings in the world, the Parthenon, which represents the golden age of urban planning in Athens, it is impossible to compete with the impressive architecture of the city. Besides being just a tourist spot, Athens is also home to more than half of Greece’s population. Athens city breaks will surely help you get to know this extremely beautiful city.
You are sure to fall in love with the jumbled elegant skyline of neoclassical facades, whitewashed sugar cube houses, the Plaka neighborhood, a colorful mix of flea markets and antique shops, markets that have stalls filled with huge vats of olives, fresh fish and well-stocked tables set up in sidewalk taverns.
The acropolis is one of the most visited places by tourists. It offers the best of classical architecture that you can find anywhere else in the world. Find the slender Ionic columns of the Temple of Athena and the six female caryatids of the Erechtheion included in the satellite buildings. The theater had a great role in ancient Greece. The Roman theater of Herodes Atticus still puts on summer shows for theater lovers. After enjoying a cultural feast on the Acropolis, you can visit the Benaki Museum, where you can spark your curiosities, and the National Archaeological Museum will keep you busy for days. If you’re looking to take a break from the hustle and bustle of Athenian life, a leisurely stroll through the 40-acre National Gardens is best.
Modern Athens is believed to have been born in 1834 and restored as the capital of newly independent Greece. After World War II, a massive expansion took place which was financed with US money. The Mediterranean climate was responsible for the high temperatures in the city. Pollution and excess traffic were some of the problems that Athens began to face. Visitors and philosophers felt that architectural excellence was overshadowed by urbanization. However, more than 3 million people visit this city every year and take a quick look at their favorite places.
In addition to celebrated classical sites, the city also boasts Byzantine, medieval, and 9th-century monuments and some of the world’s most famous museums. You will also appreciate some of the areas that are immersed in amazing natural beauty. Although there is a lot of traffic, the qualities of the town are very evident in its cafes, markets, taverns and in the labyrinthine streets that surround Plaka. Athens is also known for its excellent restaurants and its colorful and varied nightlife. The port of Piraeus and the metropolitan area are the economic power and industrial zones of Greece. The 2004 Olympics brought many new developments including an airport, new sports facilities, the expansion of the metro system, upgrading of hotels, and the renovation of many major museums.