Athens City Breaks, Athens Hotels and Athens Flights:

Athens is a legendary city – named after Athena, the goddess of wisdom, and is over 3,000 years old. Athens was the World’s first democratic state. Known as the ‘Cradle of Western Civilisation’, its culture spawned the great philosophers and writers – Socrates, Plato and Aristotle among them.

Do not let your initial impression of Athens close your mind to this wonderful city. The eighth largest metropolis in Europe, it appears, through the heat haze and traffic fug, a distinctly uninspiring concrete mass sprawling across the plain of Attica on the coast of south-eastern Greece. But give yourself time to explore central Athens, a relatively small area, and a different picture emerges. Starting from Syntagma, the central square, you will discover far more than a pile of ancient monuments; although, of course, there are plenty of those too.

The World’s greatest cultural monument, the Parthenon, towers over the city from the top of the Acropolis. As you climb up to it through the narrow winding streets of Plaka, accompanied by live music drifting out from bar doorways, you begin to savour the influences that have shaped the history of this remarkable city. The atmosphere is pervaded with an almost oriental charm – a hotchpotch of Byzantine churches, neo-classical architecture, old mosques, tavernas and simple whitewashed houses. Just to the north, Monastiraki is a bazaar area even more redolent of the east, where you will find one of the best flea markets in Europe. In glaring contrast, Ermou, round the corner, is one of the chicest shopping streets in Europe.

Athens is a wonderful animated outdoor city. The inhabitants are relaxed, confident and courteous, and there is a vibrant street life day and night. The obligatory fleeting visit to the Parthenon that most tourists make on their way to the islands is simply not enough to appreciate the charm of ‘the largest village in Greece’.

Location of Athens:
In the southeast of mainland Greece. 6 miles northeast of the port of Piraeus. 20 miles west of Rafina. 16 miles west of the airport.

Serving Airports:
Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International [ATH]
Flight time from the UK: approximately 3 hours 30 minutes

Shopping in Athens:
Everything from department stores (including M&S and BHS) and speciality shops (jewellery, ceramics, leather goods etc) to delicatessens, antiques and book shops. Huge meat, fish and fruit markets; flea market in Monastiraki (Plaka). Gold is a good buy. Popular with tourists is the Plaka Quarter which has stalls selling clothes, pottery and marble. Pandrossou Flea Market is good for leather goods, lace and gold/silver jewellery. Kolonaki area has chic boutiques and designer shops.

Eating out in Athens:
Traditional Greek food like souvlaki and slow-cooked lamb. French, Italian, Chinese, Indian, Thai and Vietnamese restaurants. Fast food of the ubiquitous international-chain variety. Street barrows selling grilled corn on the cob, sesame bread rings and chestnuts. The best and most interesting places to dine are the outdoor tavernas in the Plaka. Try some Athenian specialities including souvlaki [kebab], moussaka and spanakopita [spinach pie]. A wide variety of delicious honey cakes and sweets complete the meal accompanied by excellent wines.

Athens Temperature Chart :

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Average daily temperature °C

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Disclaimer:
By its very nature much of the information in our destination guides is subject to change at short notice and travellers are urged to verify information on which they are relying with the relevant authorities. Corona Holidays [UK] Limited cannot accept any responsibility for any loss or inconvenience to any person as a result of information contained above.

Athens

Athens City Breaks, Athens Hotels and Athens Flights:

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