Athens, is Rising

by A.E Laspas

Plaka, Athens

From her myths to the birth of civilisation, to her trendy nightlife and easy going way of life, Athens is at the countries heart and is a must to visit, even if you are passing through.

Following the lockdowns, people needed to travel; they needed to go somewhere they felt they knew what to expect so they could truly relax. They wanted somewhere not too far from home, as too many had experienced being stranded overseas with little notice to get back home. So, thousands of holiday makers chose Greece as their holiday destination this year – the first real year of no restrictions. Athens has to be seen and experienced first-hand to be really appreciated and enjoyed – there is nowhere like it on earth! It remains a great city and offers some of the most beautiful and culturally significant attractions known to mankind.

The goddess Athena and the god Apollo, at the Athens Academy

Athens remains a true capital city, with its noise, dust, people and shops. But it also has quiet cobbled streets, small green tranquil corners, unique independent stores, delicious bakeries, elegant cafes, traditional tavernas, and much more around every corner and all year round.

Goddess Athena and the Academy, Athens Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world. Summer in Greece conjures up images of sun, sea and crystal clear water, which is there in plentiful amounts, but it, is also an ideal time to visit Athens. Most locals have departed the city on vaction, leaving it a calm and delightful yet still busy place to be.

Lykavitos, Athens

When someone says Athens, you automatically think of the Acropolis. But that is just one of many of the city’s great attractions! In fact, over the years, I have discovered many wonderful museums and walks that add to my love of this ‘home from home’ city. As the birthplace of our western languages, philosophy, mathematics, democracy, poetry and drama, Athens offers an open-air museum of worldclass cultural heritage while being the beating heart of the metropolis. Named after the Greek Goddess, Athena; goddess of wisdom and inspiration, Athens certainly lives up to her name.

So, if you are visiting Athens, there are several things that are a ‘must-do’.

Around the bottom of the Acropolis sits the oldest resident area of ‘Plaka’. Full of neo-classical buildings, lots of souvenir shops, small intimate shops, cafes, souvlaki shops, bars, tavernas and entertainment. Further along sits the neighbourhood of Monastiraki which is more quirky. The main shopping street in Athens is Ermou, which leads up to Syntagma Square, where the Greek Parliament sits and is protected day and night by the famous Greek soldiers with ‘pom pom’ shoes.

Another wonderful street to explore is Athinas, with its traditional goat herding shop selling goat bells and shepherd crocks, a wood utensil store with butter spatulas and wooden bread presses. There are speciality stores selling products from the islands as well as unique stores, just off the main street that sell just wicker baskets, watering cans and all kinds of household delights.

Greek gastronomy has truly been discovered and refined over the years. When you mention Greek food, you think of Feta cheese, olives and ouzo, but there is a huge variety of very special foods on offer and some unique to specific islands. The markets are great for discovering what locals eat too.

Propylaea, Acropolis, Athens

Even as you wander the streets, there is a wonderful mix of old and new, ancient and modern, relaxed and frenetic, but always full of life. Athens merges the past with the present in smooth harmony.

Sounion, Attika

While in Athens there are some great and varied outings too; take a stroll along the 2.5km tree-lined pedestrian archaeological promenade which wraps around the Acropolis. Here you can admire the magnificent views of the Acropolis, the Parthenon, and the Herodes Atticus Odeon.

For a taste of the islands, take a walk through Anafiotika. With narrow cobbled alleyways between small white washed houses, a few sleeping cats and brightly coloured bougainvillea; it is hard to think you are in the heart of the city. The men who built the area were from the island of Anafi. They were asked by King Otto I to come to Athens to build him a palace. This was their home from home.

While on top of Acropolis Hill, you can see another hill, Lykavetos with the church of Agios Georgios on top of it. Standing at 277m above sea level, it commands a clear view across the sprawling city and far out across the glistening Aegean Sea beyond. It is a popular place to go to see the sunset fall across the city.

As home to the first modern Olympic Games, you cannot miss a visit to the Olympic Stadium that hosted the games in 1896. It is one of the city’s most popular touristic attractions and a stunning landmark. At the far end of the stadium is a tunnel that leads to the Museum, where all the flame holders for each Olympics are on display as well as a wonderful collection of official posters for many Olympics throughout its history.

The Temple of Zeus is a colossal ruined temple in the centre of the city. It was the largest temple in Greece, bigger even than the Parthenon in size. Originally with 104 columns, each 17m high, unfortunately now only 15 of the Corinthian columns remain standing today, but they still give a sense of the enormity of the original temple.

Anafiotika, Athens For a quiet stroll, wander through the winding paths of the National Gardens, located next to the Parliament. Close by is also the Zappeion; Today it is one of the most important venues for conferences, exhibitions, and special events in Europe.

The Greek parliament and the tomb of the unknown soldier, Athens

The Byzantine museum, Athens

There are any number of museums to visit too from the Museum of Cycladic art, the Numismatic Museum, the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Aristotle's original Lyceum, located near the beautifully restored Byzantine Museum, the National History Museum and the Hellenic Motor Museum.

From Athens there are also a variety of day trips that allow you to explore and discover more of the country. From a one day cruise that takes in 3 islands, or take a trip out to the 1st capital of Greece, Nafplion with a stop at the Corinth Canal and the famous Mycenae’s archaeological site too. Alternatively take a ride down the coast to the Temple of Poseidon, located on the headland of Cape Sounion and watch the sunset – possibly my favourite place in the country.

The Palamidi fortress, Nafplion

After dark Athens opens its doors to nightlife; there are plenty of options with quiet bars and lounges, urban-chic bars, elegant roof bars, as well as nightclubs

Athens is not only a top tourist destination but has established itself as a leading MICE destination too with a wide variety of hotels and venues that can meet any event needs.

The Korinth canal