Athens Tourism

desert Athens in August.

Greece remains still a quite traditional country, resisting to some of the mass changes brought by its EU membership The best places to see some of the “traditional and authentic ”Greece is of course outside of Athens, in the northern Greece for example. But, nevertheless, one can still observe some interesting Greek traditions in Athens, like for instance the Name day, a celebration of a saint with the same name.

Friends and family visit the ones bearing that name to offer their gifts and wishes. Weddings, funerals and baptisms are quite impressing in Greece, due to the high importance of religion for the people and their everyday life.

The famous Greek hospitality can still be found in the big city, as you will discover if you get to meet some locals. Follow the Greek way of life by relaxing in a kafeneion, the Greek cafes, and the tavernas, or Greek restaurants, where u will take your time to enjoy food and drinks and become one with the Greeks and their open and festive reputation.

There are numerous sights to enjoy in the amazing and never-sleeping city of Athens. The best promenade would be to walk around the centre and loose yourself in the small streets of the lovely Plaka neighbourhood. You will eventually pass by the flee market of Monastiraki, and the Market of Athinas street where your eyes and nose will fill themselves with images and smells of meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, nuts, herbs, honey, and dried fruits. Next to the market you will find the Psiri neighbourhood, one of bad reputation, today a place for artesian and very modern shops during the day, and at nigh time, the place for taverns, restaurant, live music, fashionable bars and fun until the break of dawn.

The place you shouldn’t miss is the little church on top of the Lycabette’s hill, where u can enjoy an amazing view of the city. Also a highlight of the city: the lovely walk path built for the Olympic Games project, which starts from the archaeological site at the arch of Adrian and the Temple of the Olympian Zeus, and then passes the theatre of Herode Atticus, onwards to the Thiseio neighbourhood, to end in Gkazi.

We would advise you to stop at Thiseio to enjoy a coffee frappe at one of the numerous cafeterias that can be found there, all with a view of the acropolis. Keep an entire morning for the visit of the majestic site of the Acropolis, its museum and surroundings, and the little theatre of Dionysos, on its south east side. Most of the churches sprinkled in the city are worth the visit. The main square of the city, Syntagma square, will probably be seen numerous times, since it is the place where most of the buses leave and arrive. Do not forget to take a minute to admire the wonderful neoclassical building of the Parliament, and the euzones, its guards, wearing the traditional outfit.

To rest from the noise and crowd, have a walk in the National Gardens or the smaller but lovely gardens of the Zappeio. Buses, metros, trolleys and taxis are the way to visit the whole of Athens for a really interesting fare.