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Attractions

Athens is an ancient city in the true sense of the word, and one gets the sense that they're tripping over priceless artefacts. Its origins and culture date back to the years when gods of myth walked the earth, a history reflected in popular destinations such as the Acropolis, the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Ancient Agora, where the temples of the gods Hephaestus and Apollo are also found.

The 3,000 year history of Athens and, indeed, ancient Greece is perusable on 'museum mile' along Vassilissis Sophias Avenue. Here most of Athens' museums are clustered, including the Benaki Museum, the Museum of Cycladic Art and the Byzantine Museum. The 'mile' starts from Syntagma Square, the home of the Greek Parliament.

For the best view of the city, climb Lycabettus Hill for its spectacular view of the Parthenon. The tranquil National Gardens make a lovely daytime break for those tired of the urban rush, or you can take a tram to Athens' urban beaches, including Agios Kosmas, Attica Vouliagmeni, and Varkiza.

Acropolis

Those on holiday in Athens for the first time generally head immediately for the Acropolis. There are very few visitors who are not already familiar with the image of this distinctive citadel of ancient Athens, perched on its steep flat-topped rock above the sprawling...  see full details

Ancient Agora

Clustered below the Acropolis (enter from Odos Adrianou, east of Monastiraki Square) is the remains of the Agora, ancient Athens' commercial and civic centre, where once walked and talked the great philosophers Socrates and Plato. In fact the disgraced and despairing Socrates committed suicide...  see full details

National Archaeological Museum

This is the largest and most popular of Athens' many museums, and is usually very crowded. Its vast collection includes treasures unearthed from Mycenae by Heinrich Schliemann; a staggering array of sculpture including the earliest known Greek figurines dating from around 2000 BC; frescoes...  see full details

Piraeus

Although not really attractive to tourists, the confusing, bustling port of Athens is the departure point for hundreds of island ferries and cruise ships, so most tourists pass through it while visiting Greece. Piraeus has been Athens' port since ancient times. It actually consists...  see full details

Plaka

The old town section of Athens below the Acropolis has become the gathering place for travellers and tourists, particularly in the warm Athens evenings. Strolling the narrow streets of the Plaka flanked by ancient monuments, Byzantine churches and mosques, stately mansions, and inviting tavernas...  see full details

Kolonaki/Lykavittos Hill

This hill juts a steep 984 feet (300m) right up from the centre of the city, and is a great vantage point from which to take in the scope of Athens. The St. George chapel and Lykavittos Theatre perch atop this hill, which...  see full details

Syntagma Square

The square that forms the heart of modern Athens is home to the Parliament Building, built in 1840 as a royal palace. Tourists flock to photograph the unusually clad guards at the palace; the skirted and pom-pommed guard is changed ceremonially every hour. The...  see full details

Benaki Museum

Established in 1930, the museum houses prehistoric to modern Greek art and artifacts, occasionally hosting exhibitions, and restoration and conservation workshops. The collection features Paleolithic and Neolithic relics, and covers the late Roman Empire as it merged into the Byzantine Empire. There is also...  see full details