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Athens
About Athens
Athens has been a tourist destination since antiquity. I is built around the Acropolis, unsurpassed in its beauty, architectural splendor and historic importance, which has been remodelled, and a great pedestrian area from the Temple of Olympian Zeus to Plaka, Monastiraki and the Psirri square has been constructed. This allows visitors relaxed walks among the ancient monuments, ruins and trees, from the Acropolis, to the Agora (the meeting place of the ancient Athenians) and then to the narrow streets of the old city of Athens (the Plaka), away from the noise of the city centre.
Local highlights
- The Acropolis is the one historical site you can't miss. You can take a tour or wander up there yourself but during the summer it can get very hot, so go early or late in the day. Don't forget to take a licensed guide when you go up the steps to the Propylaea, Pinacotheca and the Parthenon
- Temple of Olympian Zeus
- The theater of Herod Atticus
- The National Archaeological Museum of Athens
- The Archaeological Museum of Kerameikos
- The ancient Agora and the Museum of the Ancient Agora
- National Historical Museum
- The Atchaeological Museum of Piraeus
- The Pnyx
- The Olympieion
- The Parliament Building (Old Palace)
- The Academy of Athens
- The sanctuary of Poseidon at Sounion is one of the most important sanctuaries in Attica
Highlights in the vicinity
- Vouliagmeni - a beautiful and picturesque peninsula, just 20 Km from the center of Athens, known from the famous lake with the mineral water spa
- Piraeus - Greece's biggest port and originally laid out by the architect Hippodamus. The ancient harbours of Piraeus were Zea and Munichia. Zea, now called Pasalimani, is one of the largest marinas in the Mediterranean. Munichia, also known as Mikrolimano or Tourkolimano, is a pretty little harbour with yachts, fishing-boats and fish tavernas.
Good to know
- No. of inhabitants: 0.75 Million
- Timezone: UTC +2
- Weather: Mediteranean climate
- Emergency: 171
Local transport
- Bus
- Metro, that is one the most modern in the world
- Tram
- Suburban railway
- Yellow taxis
Inbound transport
- Airport: Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport at Spata, east of the city, about a 45-minute taxi ride from the city centre.
- Express lines connecting the airport to the metro system and to Pireus port and the city centre.
- Athens is also the Greek National Railway hub.
- Ferries from Piraeus Port travel to all Greek islands.
- By car: there are two motorways that go to the west towards Patra: (GR-8A, E94) and to the north towards Thessaloniki (GR-1, E75), and a ring motorway (Attiki Odos) which goes from Elefsina on the west to the airport after circling the city from the north, and another from Kaisariani to Glyke Nera where it meets the main road for Eleusis and the airport.
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