Athens Ancient History in a Modern City

Athens is a huge metropolis of over 4 million people,

around 40% of the Greek population. It is a busy bustling

city, where present day apartment blocks, live side by side

with the relics and ruins of one of the greatest

civilizations of the ancient world. An appealing and heady

mix of southern European, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern

cultures, as well as the fiery but friendly Greek

temperament, this is a city where every day is lived to its

fullest!

Food is a major highlight in Athens, with the accent firmly

on lamb, seafood and salads. The Mediterranean's virtually

invented the healthy diet, which is now used as a model by

many western dieticians. The portions are good, the prices

are cheap and the ouzo (Greek spirit) flows freely at every

restaurant.

The main reason that most tourists go to Athens of course

is the history. There is over 3,000 years of history

contained in the relics and buildings of Athens and

Temperatures in Athens can be unbearably hot in the summer

reaching over 40 degrees and a crowded city full of traffic

and tourists is not the place to be. There is very little

in the way of park land in the city. So if you do travel in

summer and are in need of a break, then a day trip to one

of the islands, some of which are in easy reach, is the

only real option. Spring and fall are a better bet, when

the climate is more temperate and the streets and

historical sights are less busy.

Athens is probably the greatest repository of ancient

artifacts and buildings in the western world and these

alone are worth a week of anybodies holiday. But they are

far from all that Athens has to offer.

Athens must see

The Acropolis: Not one, but several temples including the

Parthenon, surely the most famous of the Athens landmarks.

Built in the 5th century BC the temple is dedicated to

Athena. Although still standing, it has suffered a great

deal of damage. Not the least of which occurred during the

Turkish occupation, when it was used to store weapons and

explosives which then, surprisingly, blew up!

The Parliament Building: An impressive building which

until it burned down in 1910 was a royal residence. It was

restored and opened in 1935 as the home of the National

Assembly. It was built by King Otto in1835.

Rockwave Festival: A large and growing rock festival that

lasts for three days every summer featuring around 20 bands

over the course of the event. Different music styles are

being incorporated from trance to rock.

National Archaeological Museum: This would be worth

visiting just for the grandeur of the building itself. But

it also holds one of the best archeological museums to be

found anywhere. Among the huge collection of ancient Greek

artifacts is what may be the first ever computer.

The Temple of Olympian Zeus: The huge size of the

original temple can be appreciated from the massive

remaining columns. Originally there were 114 of them. The

temple was built from 515BC onwards and destroyed in the

4th century AD. Prior to its destruction it contained an

immense statue of Zeus made from ivory and gold.

The Olympic Stadium: The stadium holds 75,000 people and

was the heart of the 2004 Athens games with a hugely

impressive glass and steel roof weighing 17,000 tons held

in place (hopefully securely!) by 2 massive arches.

Agora: A huge architectural park filled with statues and

ruins of temples and buildings including the, very well

preserved 2nd century Temple of Hephaistos. The Stoa

Attalou a 2nd century BC building, a new build by Greek

standards, contains a collection of ancient artifacts.

The Greeks are a good-natured, lively and occasionally

fiery race, who will always give help when they can. Most

people in Athens speak at least a little English and most

street signs are in both languages. The city on the whole

is not expensive and a good holiday can be had for a very

reasonable price, especially when compared to northern

Europe. There is so much to see in Athens and one of the

best ways to make sure you dont miss anything is to book

an organized tour.It's best to choose one by recommendation,

or through your hotel. The transport system

is very good with buses, trains and underground courtesy on

the recent games and you should have no problem getting

around. A visit to Greece should be an essential part of a

trip to Europe The people, the history and the food make a

wonderful destination that shouldnt be missed.