Athens
Exciting and exasperating, worldly and oh so hot, Athens is a city that attacks the senses and stirs the spirit as only the cradle of Western Civilization can. Homeland to gods, goddesses and some of the world's greatest philosophers and athletes, Athens also boasts iconic ancient temples like the Acropolis and its iconic Parthenon, and glorious parks and beaches. But best of all it has the Athenians, who welcome progress, feed on the latest trends and, true to their hedonistic roots, party with Olympian stamina all night, every night.
Things to Do
While you'll be itching to see the Acropolis, majestically crowned by the Parthenon, take a siga, siga (slowly, slowly) approach to sightseeing -- this city is too hot to hurry. Go on an architectural dig in the strikingly contemporary Acropolis Museum, then explore the ancient Agorá's marketplace, where Socrates made public speeches and democracy was born. For cool respite from the midday sun head to the greenery of the National Gardens and for legendary sunsets the peak of Lycabettus Mountain.
Shopping
Style-conscious Athenians browse for high-street fashion and lingerie along pedestrian-friendly Ermou and for couture and designer jewelry in Kolonaki before brunch on Kolonaki Square. Skip the tourist kitsch in Plaka and Monastiraki in favor of poet/shoemaker Stavros Melissonos' handmade leather sandals, whose mythology-inspired footwear has graced the feet of John Lennon and Sophia Loren. It's all early morning action in the 19th-century glass-and-steel Central Market, where stalls are laden with fresh fruit, nuts and mounds of Aegean seafood.
Nightlife and Entertainment
Zorba the dancer, Eros the lover, Dionysos god of wine -- Athens is every bit as hedonistic as its mythology suggests. Workshops in the pulsating Psirri district have been converted into tavernas and clubs where DJs spin everything from rock to Middle Eastern music. Make for Kolonaki for fashionable lounge bars and born-again industrial zone Gazi for an alternative vibe. Summer means beach to Athenians -- dress up for seafront cocktails and dancing in Glyfada and Voula.
Restaurants and Dining
Whether it's creative Mediterranean cuisine in Michelin-starred Spondi or a take-out souvlaki (spit-roasted meat with garlicky cucumber sauce) -- good food is taken for granted in epicurean Athens. Views of the illuminated Acropolis distract you from the menu in historic Plaka and Monastiraki, where tavernas dish up Greek classics like moussaka and slow-cooked lamb kleftiko. Venture to the much-photographed Microlimano harbor for fresh fish by the water's edge, and Kolonaki's design-focused restaurants for a cosmopolitan feel.
Things to Do
While you'll be itching to see the Acropolis, majestically crowned by the Parthenon, take a siga, siga (slowly, slowly) approach to sightseeing -- this city is too hot to hurry. Go on an architectural dig in the strikingly contemporary Acropolis Museum, then explore the ancient Agorá's marketplace, where Socrates made public speeches and democracy was born. For cool respite from the midday sun head to the greenery of the National Gardens and for legendary sunsets the peak of Lycabettus Mountain.
Shopping
Style-conscious Athenians browse for high-street fashion and lingerie along pedestrian-friendly Ermou and for couture and designer jewelry in Kolonaki before brunch on Kolonaki Square. Skip the tourist kitsch in Plaka and Monastiraki in favor of poet/shoemaker Stavros Melissonos' handmade leather sandals, whose mythology-inspired footwear has graced the feet of John Lennon and Sophia Loren. It's all early morning action in the 19th-century glass-and-steel Central Market, where stalls are laden with fresh fruit, nuts and mounds of Aegean seafood.
Nightlife and Entertainment
Zorba the dancer, Eros the lover, Dionysos god of wine -- Athens is every bit as hedonistic as its mythology suggests. Workshops in the pulsating Psirri district have been converted into tavernas and clubs where DJs spin everything from rock to Middle Eastern music. Make for Kolonaki for fashionable lounge bars and born-again industrial zone Gazi for an alternative vibe. Summer means beach to Athenians -- dress up for seafront cocktails and dancing in Glyfada and Voula.
Restaurants and Dining
Whether it's creative Mediterranean cuisine in Michelin-starred Spondi or a take-out souvlaki (spit-roasted meat with garlicky cucumber sauce) -- good food is taken for granted in epicurean Athens. Views of the illuminated Acropolis distract you from the menu in historic Plaka and Monastiraki, where tavernas dish up Greek classics like moussaka and slow-cooked lamb kleftiko. Venture to the much-photographed Microlimano harbor for fresh fish by the water's edge, and Kolonaki's design-focused restaurants for a cosmopolitan feel.
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