Athens, Greece

 

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Athens was the largest and most influential of the Greek city-states. It had many fine buildings and was named after Athena, the goddess of wisdom and warfare. The Athenians invented democracy, a new type of government where every citizen could vote on important issues, such as whether or not to declare war.

Athens is generally considered to be the birthplace of Western civilization. Athens, with its tall buildings and contemporary shops, is the first European city when approached from the Middle East. When approached from the west, from elsewhere in Europe, what strikes the visitor is the influence of the East—in the food, music, and clamorous street life—perhaps vestiges of a time when Athens was divorced from European society under the yoke of Ottoman rule. Nevertheless, it is wrong to say that Athens is a mixture of East and West: it is Greek and, more particularly, Athenian.  

The climate of Athens is benign: frost is rare (the minimum temperature is 32 °F, or 0 °C) and snow seldom lies, while the summers, though hot (maximum temperature is 99 °F, or 37 °C), are dry, and a fresh northeasterly wind often blows by day. The nights are cool. The climate of the city permits outdoor activity the year round and has had an important effect on both the style of architecture and the life and political institutions of the city.The perfect Mediterranean climate with the legendary greek sunlight, the unique combination of glorious history with modern, urban innovation, the coexistence of great culture with astonishing natural beauty, the high standard hotel accommodation, modern means of transportation such as the cutting edge modern metro, the vibrant rhythm of life, the wide choice of opportunities for shopping, dining and night life and of course the warmth of the Athenians people feature Athens as the ideal all year round city break destination. The city of Parthenon is an open air museum.

In 2004 the world came to the city for the Olympic Games, which spurred a dramatic makeover for Athens. In addition to building a raft of new sports venues and facilities (including a stadium designed by Santiago Calatrava).

Athens undertook massive transportation infrastructure improvements that included dramatic expansion of public transportation and the construction of a new international airport.The population of Greater Athens increased considerably after the war of independence in the early 1830s. The rapid growth was largely attributable to the great influx of refugees from Asia Minor in the early 1920s and the migration of rural inhabitants from the provinces during World War II and the communist rebellion (1946–49). By the 1960s Athens had become a bustling cosmopolitan city. Almost all Greeks adhere to the Eastern (Greek) Orthodox faith.

Athens has become the hub of all mercantile business, export and import. With Piraeus it is the most important manufacturing city in Greece. Athens accounts for half of the jobs in industry and handicrafts, and earnings are much higher than the national average. There are cloth and cotton mills, distilleries, breweries, potteries, flour mills, soap factories, tanneries, chemical works, and carpet factories. Exports include olive oil, tomato products, wine, cement, bauxite, and textile manufacture. Publishing enterprises are important.

Once the heart of one of the most powerful civilizations in the Neolithic Age, Athens is dominated by colossal architectural feats of the ancient past, from the Acropolis to the Temple of Olympian Zeus.

Athens accounts for more than half of the cars, trucks, and buses in use in the country. Furthermore, the number of merchant ships registered in Greece (mostly at Piraeus, the country’s largest port) increased since the late 1960s as Greek shipowners answered the government’s call to bring their foreign-registered ships home (though many Greek ships remain under other flags).

 

Scores of shipping offices have opened in refurbished Piraeus, while on weekends shipping magnates sail to the nearby islands of Hydra and Spetse in chrome-fitted luxury yachts flying Panamanian or Liberian flags.

Some of the things to watch out for when you visit Athens:

Parthenon: The majestic ruins of an ancient Greek building, known for its dignified white marble columns and perfect sense of proportion. The Parthenon was the center of religious life in the powerful Greek City-State of Athens, the head of the Delian League. Built in the 5 century B.C., it was a symbol of the power, wealth and elevated culture of Athens. It was the largest and most lavish temple the Greek mainland had ever seen. The main purpose of the Parthenon was as a temple for Athena, virgin goddess and patron of Athens. The building’s very name means “the virgin’s place” in Greek.It was certainly an amazing experience to finally visit this historic and spiritual building.

Lake Vouliagmeni: Vouliagmeni Lake in the heart of the Athenian Riviera, is the hidden treasure of Attica’s nature. Situated on an idyllic landscape, a rare geological phenomenon is included in NATURA 2000 network. Its brackish waters, rich in salts and minerals, have a temperature between 22o-29o degrees all year round and meets the requirements of EXCELLENT category. Waters are continuously replenished by the sea and the underground thermal springs, 50 to 100 meters deep, offer a natural and unique thermal spa experience. Swimming in the lake is more than pleasurable, it’s a holistic experience stimulating the swimmers’ energy and balancing their wellness. The Garra Rufa fish – known as spa fish –are part of the ecosystem. Sunbeds and umbrellas are offered around the Lake’s shoreline. 

Acropolis: The most famous site in all of Athens, this large hill lies in the centre of the city and contains a cluster of ancient ruins. The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel located on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens and contains the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historical significance, the most famous being the Parthenon. The word acropolis is from the Greek words akron, “highest point, extremity” and polis, “city”). The term acropolis is generic and there are many other acropolises in Greece.
While there is evidence that the hill was inhabited as far back as the fourth millennium BC, it was Pericles (c. 495–429 BC) in the fifth century BC who coordinated the construction of the buildings whose present remains are the site’s most important ones, including the Parthenon. While one must climb to the top of the Acropolis (no elevator, etc.), it is not even close to as difficult as the climb was to the Acropolis in Rhodes.

 Herod Atticus Odeon: The Odeon of Herodes Atticus is a stone Roman theater structure located on the southwest slope of the Acropolis of Athens. It was built in 161 AD by the Roman citizen Herodes Atticus in memory of his Roman wife, Aspasia Annia Regilla. It was originally a steep-sloped theater with a three-story stone front wall and a wooden roof made of expensive cedar of Lebanon timber. It was used as a venue for music concerts with a capacity of 5,000. It lasted intact until it was destroyed and left in ruins by the Heruli in 267 AD. The audience stands and the orchestra (stage) were restored using Pentelic marble in the 1950s.

 Erechtheion: The second largest temple on the Acropolis has a complex and unique structure, including its famous Porch of the Caraytis with statues of six graceful maidens on the south side and a four-pillared porch with six Ionic columns on the north side.

 Museum of the Ancient Agora: This museum is a recreation of the central square/marketplace of Ancient Agora. You can imagine bumping into Socrates as you went about your daily life. What’d would you say to Socrates? Interesting to think about. 

 Some Of the Best Places to Stay in Athens:

 Herodion Hotel: Hotel HERODION, a superior first-class hotel, the only with sweeping views of both the Acropolis and the acclaimed New Acropolis Museum, distanced only a few meters from its south entrance. Right in the heart of the upscale Acropolis residential neighborhood, part of the pedestrian walk unifying the most important archaeological sites, it is also near to the Plaka and Thissio districts as well as to the trendy areas of Gazi and Kerameikos. Framed by a museum-quality modern sculpture at the entrance, it is a superior, first-class hotel with elegant contemporary look, classic in character and discreet in artistic touch, it is strategically located close to the metro station connecting to both the international airport and Piraeus port a gateway to the Greek Isles, two stops away from the city centre Guests of the HERODION Hotel enjoy a host of modern living amenities. 

 Cape Sounio, Grecotel Exclusive Resort: One of the most famous archaeological sites of Greece is the Temple of Poseidon in Sounio, south-east of Athens. The Grecotel Cape Sounio literally clings to the side of a pine-clad hillside with panoramic views over this ancient monument. Behind the hotel is the Sounio National Park and below the hotel are two bays (one sandy and the other is shingle) which are approached via tunnels under the road (ancient river path). The buildings are set in an amphitheatre shape allowing exhilarating views of the Temple of Poseidon and the sea from most guestrooms and public areas

 Grand Hyatt Athens: Grand Hyatt Athens is an excellent choice for travelers visiting Athens, offering a romantic environment alongside many helpful amenities designed to enhance your stay. Guest rooms offer amenities such as air conditioning and a refrigerator, and guests can go online with free wifi offered by the hotel. Grand Hyatt Athens features room service and a rooftop terrace, to help make your stay more enjoyable.

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