Athens snapshot

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The capital city of Greece, Athens was named after the goddess of wisdom Athene and reached its zenith as a city state in the 5th century BC with many of its great classical buildings such as the Parthenon and Hephaistein built in this period.

Athens is considered the home of democracy and western philosophy and its cultural legacy is in evidence today. The rise of Rome and Christianity heralded a long period of occupation, notably by the Turks for about 400 years.

But is is a thoroughly modern city break destination with many flights to Athens. Modern Athens dates from 1834 and the end of the Greek War of Independence which was followed by rapid growth and considerable urban sprawl.

Classical heritage

Much of Athens' classical heritage is now surrounded by acres of ugly concrete and traffic jammed city streets. However the central 'Plaka' residential area of Athens has retained a village feel with tavernas, markets, a maze of narrow leafy streets and some specialist museums.

Constitution Square is the epicentre of Athens city and most sightseeing highlights are within a 30min walk from there. Key attractions include the Acropolis and its museum, the Dionysus Theatre, the Agora and the National Archaeological Museum. The National Gardens are a sublime green haven right in the centre of the city.

Ancient sites

More than 3 million tourists arrive in Athens each year to visit the ancient sites and museums. The tourist season lasts from April to October and peaks in August when the city is very crowded and often very hot.

Public transport in Athens is cheap and extensive but often overcrowded. It consists of buses, trolley buses, trams and a metro train service. Despite the government’s efforts, the centre of Athens still has a traffic and pollution problem and parking can be extremely difficult.

Athens' staging of the Olympic Games in 2004 prompted major new building projects including the new Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport, an extended metro system, a revamped port area at nearby Piraeus and a 4km traffic free 'archaeological promenade' that leads visitors straight through the city's major historic sights.

Athens airport is 27km north-east of the city with 24-hour express buses linking it to the centre. Piraeus provides the ferry links from Athens to many Greek islands including Crete and the Cyclades and even to Istanbul.

Make sure you include Booked.net if searching for hotels in Athens. They list a good number of quality hotels at competitive prices. Also, you don't have to pay any extra fees for booking, administration or cancellation.

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