The rich historical and cultural legacy of Athens can be fully appreciated by visitors to this lively metropolis, but those who prefer a rip-roaring time club hopping will equally find themselves at home.

A holiday search at any good travel site should come up with some good results and a short flight to Athens later, you could be under the Greek sun.

Traditions and culture in Athens

Athens is the capital and second largest city in Greece. Its name is derived from the Ancient Greek goddess Athena, the deity for heroic endevour. A large proportion of contemporary Athenian and Greek culture owes much to its ancient past.

Athens' ancient heritage is exemplified in its many striking buildings. The city is a veritable melting pot of various architectural styles ranging from Greco-Roman and Neo-Classical, to modern and avant-garde. Indeed many of the hotels in Athens are in such styles while others have more modern facades.

Many of the most prominent buildings in Athens are either Greco-Roman or neo-classical in style such as the Greek Parliament, Athens Academy and the University of Athens.

In terms of cuisine, Greek food typifies the healthy Mediterranean diet. Many people will be familiar with olive oil adverts that show elderly Mediterranean people living longer and acting like teenagers because of their healthy eating habits.

Well this is not far from the truth. Dishes in Athens tends to be very wholesome and you are likely to encounter plenty of fresh oils and salads on the typical Athenian menu.

Greek cuisine is influenced by Italian, Balkan and Middle Eastern dishes and incorporates fresh ingredients into a variety of local specialities such as moussaka, stifado and spanakopita.

Throughout Greece, people often love to eat from small dishes such as meze with various dips such as tzatziki, grilled octopus and small fish and feta cheese.

Recommended in Athens

In order to enjoy the best of the archaeological discoveries Athens has to offer, tourists should not let their holiday go by without visiting the city's many museums.

National institutions such as Athens University and the Archaeological Society are a good place to start.

There are numerous other places that provide for interesting cultural visits such as the National Archaeological Museum, the Cycladic Museum, the Epigraphic Museum, the Byzantine Museum, as well as museums at the ancient Agora, Acropolis and Kerameikos.

A short mini holiday to Santorini also comes fully recommended. Regarded as one of the most spectacular Greek islands, ferries and catamarans are available to take tourists to the destination, where they can take in the natural beauty of its sea-filled calderas.

Alternatively, a quick local flight search should yield some results - Santorini can be reached by plane from Athens as well as Rhodes and Iraklio.

Weather in Athens

Greece generally has hot dry summers and mild wet winters. Bear in mind however, that winter temperatures can be severe in the mountains and even Athens can get quite cold.

Maximum temperatures on the islands are usually around 30 degrees C (87 degrees Fahrenheit) in summer but the heat is often tempered by the northerly wind known as the meltemi.

Destination checklist for Athens

The currency in use is the Euro. If you plan to veer off the beaten track, take quite a bit of cash as banking facilities may be few and far between. However, large commercial and tourist areas welcome major cards and ATMs can be found in any average-sized town.

The official language spoken in Athens is Greek, it is two hours ahead of GMT and the international dialling code is +30.