The Oldest European Capital of Athens

Acropolis of Athens and Agora

The Acropolis of Athens, or Ancient Citadel, is the archaeological site of the ancient Greek city, with its ancient buildings, the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, the Athenian Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike and other remnants of the former ancient citadel. The acropolis comprises 21 archaeological remains of historical and cultural importance and is protected by the UNESCO Convention. The Acropolis is built on a rocky hill 150 metres above Athens. It dates back to the second half of the 5th century BC to pay homage to the ancient Greek goddess Athena, patron saint of the city of Athens. A statue of Athena, designed by the Greek sculptor Phidias, once stood on the hilltop of the Acropolis of Athens.

The Athenian agora was the central ancient site in Athens, where the city's inhabitants gathered and interacted with daily activities, current affairs and social issues. The public space was built on the northwest side of the Acropolis, with some temples and monuments dedicated to the Greek ancient gods. The main square of the Athenian agora comprises 20 different elements of the ancient forum, built from marble. The Ancient Forum originated in the 6th century BC between the Areopagus Hills on the south side and Agoraios Kolonos on the west side. The commercial trade with the market in the Athenian agora was the centre of public life in the city of the ancient Greeks.

Ancient Greek temples, stadium and theatre

The Parthenon is an ancient Greek temple on the Acropolis of Athens, dedicated to the ancient Greek goddess Athena. It was built in 432 BC in tribute to the Greek victory over Persia in the Great Greco-Persian War. The temple measures 13.72 metres in height and is made of marble. Its original name was Hekatompedon, after the ancient town of Hecatompedum near the village of Saraqinisht in Albania.

The Temple of Hephaestus is an ancient Greek sanctuary built on the Athenian agora in the typical Doric style. It is dedicated to the Greek god of fire and crafts, Hephaestus, son of Zeus, god of heaven and weather, and Hera, goddess of family and fertility. It took 34 years to build and was completed in 415 BC. The ancient shrine contains 13 columns on the longer side and 6 columns on the shorter side.

The Temple of Zeus is an ancient Greek sanctuary built in 463 BC in Olympia, a small Greek city on the Peloponnese peninsula in Elis. The ancient Greek sanctuary was designed by the architect Libon of Elis in the ancient Doric architectural style. The height of the sanctuary is 20.7 meters, while the size of the sanctuary reaches 70.1 meters in length and 29 meters in width. It is built of limestone and marble.

The Panathenaic Stadium or Kallimarmaro is a multipurpose sports facility built of marble. It is located in the Pangrati neighbourhood of Athens along the Ilissos River. The sports facility with a running track was built in the 6th century BC and seating for 50,000 people was built in the 2nd century AD with the help of the Greek rhetorician Herod of Attica, who envisioned a stadium made of marble. The stadium was a sports venue for the Panathenaic Games.

The Odeon of Herod Atticus is an ancient Greek theatre and concert hall built in 161 AD by the Greek rhetorician Herod Atticus. It was built on the slope of the Athenian Acropolis and was designed to seat 5,000 people on three floors rising to a rear exit. The architecture of stone, originally covered with a roof of cedar wood, was built by Herod Atticus in memory of his late wife Regilla.

Festivals or nightlife

The tourist destination of Athens is a rich cultural hub, with cultural events, festivals and a nightlife club scene in the capital throughout the year. The city's biggest festival, Athens City Festival, takes place in the month of May and each year offers a varied programme of concerts, exhibitions, sporting events and other cultural programmes for visitors. Culinary experiences in spring and autumn bring together foodies at the Athens Street Food Festival, which unites the gastronomy of diverse cultures from all over the world. For the past seven years, the Colour Day Festival has celebrated the triumph of good over evil with colours and music, following the Indian festival. Since 2014, the Athens Science Festival for children and adults has been bringing science closer to life by explaining everyday events, while the Athens International Film Festival brings together the world's best films in different genres.

Nightlife takes place in nightclubs, concert halls, taverns and bars, with a programme of electronic, jazz, traditional and rock music. Island Club, the most popular club in the capital, where parties have been held for over thirty years, is one of the best club destinations in Athens. Music events are also not to be missed at the Gazarte Concert Hall, where you can enjoy quickly prepared meals alongside live events. Guests at The Old Tavern of Psarras, the oldest taverna in the Plaka neighbourhood, dating back to 1898, are also entertained by live Greek music and traditional Greek dishes. The Rockwood Bar offers live bands playing funk, soul and rock, alongside snacks and drinks. A well-prepared pizza can be bought at the Crust night club, where the evening happens with stand-up comedy performances, electronic and jazz music events. The best-prepared cocktail is at Baba Au Rum, one of the 50 best cocktail bars in the world.

How to learn about ancient Greek culture?

There is no better way to get to know the Greek capital than by visiting the Acropolis Museum and the archaeological site of the Athenian Acropolis, where the remains of an ancient citadel with the Parthenon are preserved. Outside the capital, the remains of the world's oldest theatre are preserved in the former city of Thoricus, and the 5th-century BC Temple of Poseidon can be seen on Cape Sounion. For a better understanding of Greek history with its vast collection, the Archaeological Museum in the centre of Athens is the largest archaeological museum in Greece and one of the most important museums with exhibits of ancient Greek culture around the world. A journey back to the 5th century BC is brought to life in an ancient Greek theatre play, which explains the myths of ancient Greece. The Varvakios Agora Central Market adds a Greek touch to the day with olive oil, wine, cheese, herbs, chicken souvlaki and bread. Snorkelling in the Saronic Gulf together with lunch, refreshments and a DJ will create beautiful memories on the Athenian coast.

The ancient culture of the early Greeks and the Greek landscape are vividly illustrated by guided day trips from Athens, which are the traveller's starting point for a day of activities exploring the country. The Archaeological Museum and Archaeological Site of Delphi displays the remains of ancient temples, a stadium and a theatre, as well as the customs of ancient Greek life. Continue to the ancient Greek cities of Mycenae and Epidaurus, with the archaeological sites of the Treasury of Atreus and the great ancient theatre of 14,000 seats, built in the 4th century BC, explaining some of the historical events of Greek civilisation. A train trip to Kalabaka in the municipality of Meteora, home to eight monasteries and the Hermit Caves, is a good choice for those who want to see the Greek countryside and get a closer look at life in the monasteries. A cruise along the Saronic Islands of Poros, Hydra and Aegina and a tour of all three islands, with a pirate's retreat on Hydra and lunch on board, shows the Greek coastline in the Saronic Gulf.

City beaches with traditional cuisine

Athens and Greece are known as the most well-maintained and sustainable swimming baths, meeting high quality safety and environmental criteria. They are Blue Flag certified by the organisation FEE, which has awarded over 500 Greek beaches with the sustainability flag. Highly maintained swimming areas with clean waters and ecologically oriented functioning are suitable for bathing in all seasons. You can find rest and fun in the high season at the beaches near the center of Athens, namely Yabanaki Bath in Varkiza Resort, Athines by the Sea, Voula, Astir and Kalamaki beach in the Athens Riviera, as well as many other swimming areas in the capital and the surrounding area.

Traditional Athenian cuisine combines the flavours of almost all Greek dishes with olive oil, feta cheese and various herbs or spices. Typical traditional Greek dishes include souvlaki - a quick meal of roasted meat and vegetables, spanakopita - a spinach pie with feta cheese, moussaka - made with beef or lamb, keftedes - meatballs with vegetables and cheese, and stifado - meat goulash with onions. For culinary delights, head to the heart of the city in the two lively neighbourhoods of Psyri and Monastiraki, where restaurants, bars and traditional tavernas serve Greek cuisine with live or electronic music at every turn.

Choose Hostelling International in Athens

Create your Athens itinerary and plan your trip to the Mediterranean coast, where the Greek temperament awaits you, with its unique culture and Greek character. Use the Pocket Athens pocket edition and the Globetrotter online magazine to find articles about your desired destination. Alenka's article Travelling to Greece with travel tips on the southern European country of Greece will certainly help you with the census, with which you can find out what to expect on some Greek islands. You can stay in the HI acommodation - Welcommon Hostel, close to the Archaeological Museum and the small triangular park Plateia Exarcheion, where you'll find alternative culture bars, clubs and comic book shops.

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