Athens Holiday

The Greek capital Athens is a hot, bustling metropolis with an energy all its own and a legendary past. Which makes it a great location for holiday makers in search of a historic adventure!

Founded more than 5,000 years ago, Athens is located in the south east of Greece on the Aegean sea and the city once ruled over one of the most powerful civilisations on earth.

Dominated by the Acropolis hill and the ancient Parthenon, Athens was named after the goddess Athena and enjoyed its Golden Age during the first millennium BC.

Home of Plato, Aristotle and Socrates, Athens is known as the Cradle of Western Civilisation and has had a vast impact on the political and social development of Europe, influencing everything from democracy to language and theatre.

Defeated by city-state Sparta in 431BC, Athens was eclipsed by the rise of Rome and passed into the hands of the Christian Byzantine Empire in the sixth century AD. At the centre of skirmishes between the Byzantines and the European Crusaders between the 13th and 15th centuries, the city eventually fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1458.

Named as the capital of the newly established Kingdom of Greece in September 1834, Athens grew rapidly over the century and hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. The city was occupied by Germany in World War II and suffered badly, bouncing back to join the EU and witness an economic boom driven by tourism.

With a population in excess of three-and-a-half million, Athens is a crowded city and the heart of Greece's political, economic, industrial and social life.

The Parthenon is one of the finest examples of classical architecture still in existence and no trip to Athens is complete without a walk up the Acropolis and a look around the impressive ancient site, with its temples and the Theatre of Herodes Atticus.

Those holiday makers fascinated by the history of Athens should also take several hours to tour the vast National Archaeological Museum of Athens, visit the towering Temple of Zeus and look around the ancient Agora, or meeting place, which was the heart of Athenian debate and democracy.

Other important museums include the Museum of Cycladic & Ancient Greek Art, the Museum of Greek Folk Art, the Byzantine Museum and the Benaki Museum. It is impossible to list all that Athens has to offer and the city has enough sights and experiences to fill a long stay.

The huge National Gardens provide a green oasis of calm in the centre of Athens, with some delightful plants and places to sit, while the narrow streets of the busy Plaka district are crammed with shops offering everything from traditional handicrafts and clothing to tacky souvenirs.

The city is full of charming restaurants and cafes serving excellent, fresh Greek dishes, many with outdoor seating. In the evening Athens comes alive, with numerous bars and nightclubs catering to all tastes and many shops open late.

A visit to a taverna with traditional Greek music and dancing provides a lively night's entertainment, while the Athinais arts complex has a varied and exciting programme. As a result of Athens hosting the 2004 Olympic Games, the city now has a wealth of excellent sporting facilities and arenas.

Accommodationin the city is plentiful, with hotels ranging from five star luxury to clean and basic, independently run places and some good hostels.

Warm for most of the year, with stifling summers, Athens is best visited by active tourists in the spring and autumn months when the weather is more bearable.

The city has its own international airport in Sparta, with direct flights from the UK offered by several major carriers. Many Athenians speak excellent English and the city is easily negotiated with little or no Greek.