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.
