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Athens Information and Athens Tourism
(Athens, Greece)



Athens, the capital city of Greece, is an ancient city, steeped in many centuries of history. It may not be the most attractive or appealing city in the world, but if you look just a little bit harder you will see the charming, exciting and vibrant city of Athens appear. Athens has an enormous amount to offer both tourists and business travellers alike. There are several Athens tourism and tourist information offices in and around the city centre, with detailed tourism and tourist information about top sights, attractions, monuments, museums, galleries, Athens festivals, Athens sightseeing, transport and general Athens tourism and tourist information.

The city of Athens has mild winters and hot summers and is worth a visit whatever time of the year. With a good selection of hotels and accommodation in Athens, it is always worth reserving rooms in advance. Athens hotels include luxury accommodation and budget lodging, both in the city centre and the outskirts of Athens.

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One of the best ways to enjoy this city in the summer is to follow the example of locals in Athens - get up early, have a busy morning (probably visiting some of the many superb sights), then enjoy a long, pleasant sleep through the heat of the day and live it up at night. Athens' nightlife is excellent and there are many superb restaurants, cafés, bars and entertainment in and around the centre of Athens.

Plaka is the old town of Athens and has been populated for over 5,000 years. Situated on the north and east slopes of the Acropolis, it is rich with historic sites, such as ancient monuments and churches, and Plaka in Athens is well worth exploring. Within Athens there are eight large hills, including the Acropolis, and on the outskirts, Mount Parnitha, Mount Pendeli and Mount Hymettos surround the city. A trip the Athens' most famous tourist attraction, the impressive Parthenon built on the Acropolis around 2,500 years ago, will be memorable to say the least.

There are an extraordinary number of historic tourist sights in Athens and many of these are known world-wide. Some of the top Athens attractions include the Agora - a grand, ruined Roman building that was funded by Roman emperors, the Temple of Zeus - built around 1,500 years ago for the worship of the Greek God Zeus, Hadrian's Arch - originally the city gate linking the Roman quarters with original town of Athens and the stunning Dionysos Theatre - the world's oldest theatre where many great plays have been performed over the years. There is also plenty of historic information about Athens for tourists when visiting the city's world-class museums, including the wonderful National Historical Museum - with collections of objects that illuminate the history of Greece, the National Archaeological Museum - with superb statues and vases, and the National Art Gallery, featuring many great works of art.

Athens is the home of the Olympics and the original modern-day Olympic Games were held in the city in over 100 years ago. In 2004, the Olympic Games returned to Athens and the city underwent an enormous facelift when the announcement was made. This includes multi-million euro projects, such as the new, state-of-the-art Athens Airport, Olympic buildings and a large number of new trees and shrubs that have been planted all over Athens to 'green up' this city. Athens does have a large, green parkland - created in 1839 for Queen Amalia to surround the royal palace, and many of the streets and squares in Athens are now planted with orange trees.

Athens new Metro subway system opened in January 2000, with the main station in Syntagma Square. This Metro system now provides a quick and easy way to travel around the city. Piraeus, one of the last old-style Mediterranean ports, still retains a friendly atmosphere and from here you can catch ferries to all of the Greek islands and also some international destinations. Nearby to the port are some excellent beaches with good facilities.

The city of Athens is where many historic event actually took place, many centuries ago. Athens is a unique blend of Middle Eastern and Western cultures and with 40 percent of Greece's population living in Athens, this capital city has all the attractions of a big city and much more besides.

Athens Eleftherios Venizelos Airport (ATH) Guide - useful Athens Eleftherios Venizelos Airport (ATH) information.

More Athens Information / Fast Facts and Orientation

• Country: Greece
• Status: capital city
• Population: 4 million (Greater Athens, including Pireaus)
• Area: 428 square kilometres / 165 square miles
• Language: Greek
• Currency: Euro (EUR)
• Time zone: GMT + 2 hours
• Country dialling code: +30
• Telephone area code: 021
• Religion: Greek Orthodox
• Electricity: 220 volts AC, flat two or three pin plugs are used

 
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