Travel Athens Guide

Athens is the capital and cultural center of Greece. Home to the world-famous Acropolis, Athens is also a growing and modernizing city with an efficient public transportation system, large airport and all of the conveniences and amenities one would expect from modern Europe. Athens is a great place to shop and explore and is also conveniently located close to Greece's beaches and is a great starting point for an overall exploration of the country. No trip to Greece is complete without at least a three day stay in Athens.

The best places to stay in Athens are the neighborhoods surrounding the Acropolis, the Plaka sits at the foot of the hill of the Acropolis near the main entrance. This neighborhood is characterized by narrow and winding streets which have been closed to traffic and are filled with colorful shops and small restaurants. On a warm night the Plaka is overlooked by the stunningly lit Acropolis and locals and tourists alike stroll the quaint streets drunk on history and Ouzo.

Bordering the Plaka is the flea market; endless blocks filled with street vendors selling jewelry, antiques, puppets and leather shoes. This is a great place to pick up some native Greek handicrafts, such as "worry beads" and hand-embroidered table clothes. Greece is also a great place to buy jewelry; hand-crafted gold jewelry is a specialty in Greece and you will find it to be both enchanting and affordable. For those interested in antiques, Greece is filled with them, and you may just walk away with that million-dollar find.

Greek nightlife is rich, and the Greeks are a people who eat dinner late, stay up late, get up early and have seemingly endless energy. The neighborhoods in central Athens also provide a wealth of good restaurants, wine bars, pubs and clubs. Also, merely wandering the pedestrian streets at night can be entertainment in itself. While summer is the most active time in Athens, Spring is pleasantly warm and far less crowded without the visiting students of the summer and, even winter (though it does snow occasionally) can be surprisingly mild and fun in this delightful city.

In addition to the Acropolis, there are seemingly endless archaeological sites in Athens, as well as many accompanying museums. The city itself feels like a museum, and simply wandering the streets around the city will pass you by ancient stone neighborhoods, intricately-carved marble edifices, ancient pillars and gorgeous churches. Athens is a rich city, and is one of the cultural greats of the world; a city which is truly not to be missed.

Athens City Guide - A complete guide to Athens with information on Hotels, Restaurants, Attractions, Events, Transport, Shopping, Weather, Entertainment and plenty of Travel Tips.