ASK ANYONE, ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, ABOUT ATHENS AND YOU’RE LIKELY TO HEAR BACK ABOUT THE PARTHENON, THE ACROPOLIS, CLASSICAL ANTIQUITY OR THE CRADLE OF DEMOCRACY. WHICH IS EXACTLY WHY BARACK OBAMA PICKED ATHENS AS THE LOCATION OF HIS 2016 FINAL FOREIGN TOUR KEYNOTE ADDRESS AIMED AT DEFENDING DEMOCRACY. IT’S ALSO WHY MOST VISITORS USED TO TREAT ATHENS AS MERELY A SHORT STOPOVER ON THEIR WAY TO THE ISLANDS. ATHENS WASN’T WORTH MUCH BEYOND THE ACROPOLIS AND A COUPLE OF MUSEUMS, OR SO THE THINKING WENT.
The surprising modernity of ATHENS 1 3 8 — GREECE IS
WINTER 2021-2022
© DESPINA GALANI/UNSPLASH
T E X T : S TAT H I S N . K A LY VAS
