Best of Athens

Athens is a popular destination for visitors to Europe. Tourist attractions include ancient Greek ruins that date back to the dawn of western civilization and some world-class museums. Probably visitors come Athens to see the “glory that was Greece”, perhaps best symbolized by the Parthenon and the superb displays in the National Archaeological Museum. But maybe the best moments you could appreciate in this enigmatic city could be to sit at a small cafe sipping a tiny cup of the sweet sludge called coffee by Greek people; or get to lose in Plaka, only to find yourself in the shady courtyard of an old church or suddenly face-to-face with an ancient monument that you never seen before!

Literally Acropolis is the “upper city” or “sacred rock”, a huge rock on which Athens city was founded. It is the most significant historical site in Athens and from 650 B.C, the Acropolis hill was place of worship to the goddess Athena and during the classical period, three important temples were built: the world famous ruins - Parthenon, the Erechtheion and the Temple of Nike, the Theatre of Dionysos Kerameikos and the Olympeion among others.

Getting to the Acropolis is easy and more pleasant than ever because the large avenues which border the south and west of the site (Apostolou Pavlou in Thission and Dionissiou Areopagitou in Makrianni) have been turned into giant pedestrian streets with cafes and restaurants and the walk is quite pleasant. The best time to go up there is the late winter or spring when even this Stone Mountain is not immune to the proliferation of grass and wildflowers which seem to burst from every crack. Even in December, January and February the Acropolis can be surprisingly green. No visit to Athens is complete without a visit to this majestic area. So if you get to Acropolis you appreciate several other buildings and also lovely views of Athens. After a tour around site, visit the Acropolis Museum to see many of the excavated treasure from this remarkable site.

Acropolis Hill in Athens - Greece

The most recognizable structure in the world was designed as the Athena’s home by the architects Ictinus and Callicrates under the supervision of the sculptor Phidias. It is considered to be development culmination of the Doric.

The name of “Parthenon” is refers to the worship of Athena, the “Virgin Athena” who represents the highest order of spiritual development and the gifts of intellect and understanding. The construction took around 15 years and was completed in 438 B.C. Entirely it was built of brilliant white marble, surrounded by 46 great columns, roofed with tiles and housed the to Athena goddess statue with nearly 40 foot of tall.

In addition Parthenon is the supreme expression of ancient Greek architectural genius, with its incomparable setting, the visual harmony deriving from its sacred geometry, and it exercises a profound and lasting effect upon the human soul. The architectural form of Athens’s temple represents the quintessential marriage of simplicity and power.

The Parthenon has suffered considerable damage over the centuries even much of its structure remains intact. The gold from the statue was removed by the tyrant Lachares to pay his army in 296 BC. After the temple was converted into a Christian church in 5th century and in 1460 it housed a Turkish mosque. But a gun powder stored inside the temple exploded and destroyed the central area and much of the remaining sculpture was sold by the Turks to the Englishman Lord Elgin, who roughly removed the sculptures and sold them to the British Museum. By the year 2000, up to 50 percent of the side walls of the Parthenon have been restored. The calculation of the exact position of each block of marble has been made easier by the use of a specially devised computer program.

The stunning Pathenon in Athens - Greece

The other highest point in Athens which offers spectaculars views over the entire city. There are two main legends about Lycabettus hill. The first is that the hill was inhabited by wolves and the second says that Athena accidentally dropped a large rock that she was carrying to Athens to form a bulwark for her citadel.

Get up to Lycabettus hill could take around an hour and at the top you can appreciate spot landmarks such as Acropolis and Olympic Stadium and the coast and nearby mountains. It’s easy to walk up to the top, along winding paths obviously with a funicular in your hands, it was an unforgettable experience. In addition there are a café, a gift shop and on clear day you just could take great photos of the Acropolis as well as the Church of Agios Giorgos.

Lycabettus Hill in Athens - Greece

Founded in 1813, Plaka is one of the oldest parts of modern Athens. Also it is considered as an old historical picturesque neighbourhood of city. Renowned for its small shops, cafes, restaurants, bars, nightclubs and some good examples of local domestic architecture. Plaka, the area of winding streets around the Acropolis, is a labyrinth of stone-paved narrow streets and alleyways that transport you back in time.

Also it is the best area in Athens to shop souvenirs and traditional Greek jewellery. Some people suggest to stop somewhere for a frappe (iced instant coffee) every few hundred feet, specially in summer. It is visited by hundreds of thousands tourist every year. There is no question that Plaka is a place of high contrasts.

Sintagma Square is Athens heart in many ways and the most fashionable street in this city. Also known as “Constitution Square” is a large, open square which often hosts holiday events and it has hosted every major event in Greece. The square is surrounded by the most important hotels of this city such as Parliament Building. Furthermore it is a great area and ideal to sit and read or grab lunch at one of the many open-air cafes.

Besides Sintagma Square was once called “The Garden of the Muses”, because a group of philosophers led by Aristotle - the “Peripatetics” - used to wander in groove of trees that once grew here.

Once known as the Royal Palace, this building is located on east side of Sintagma Square. Its simple, although quite large, classical-style building was completed in 1842, but in 1910 there was a fire and the palace officially became to the Parliament building. Soon after, the Tomb of Unknown Soldier was built into the front wall. The relic is a copy of a dying Greek soldier found at the Temple of Aphaia. The inscription lists the battles in which the Greek soldiers have fought since 1821.

Every day in front of Parliament Building the changing of the guard, one of the most popular public ceremonies in Athens, takes place in a smaller ceremony. But the main ceremony occurs at 11 am on Sundays and lasts less than an hour. Really is a spectacle worthy to admire, the soldiers are called “Evzones” or “Tsoliades” guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the home of the prime minister. The parade is performed by the Evzones with their traditional uniform, navy kilts (fustanella), white stockings, red shoes (sarouchi) with navy pom-poms, and a red beret. They were chosen based on height and character. These guards do not move or make any facial expression when on post, and obviously do not speak either. A reference is that they became in the elite troops of Greek Army in 1864.

Many people refer to this park as the Royal Gardens but formerly it is known as “The King’s Garden”. But if you are trying to escape without leaving the city that is the best place. Located next to the Parliament, the National Garden is a peaceful, green refuge in the midst of central Athens. This public park was once the palace garden of the royal family. It contains garden, a botanical museum, a zoo and small lakes and ponds complete with ducks, swans and a few peacocks, as well as trees from all over the world.

The angel statue and rainy arbor path in National Garden - Athens

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