Athens

Athens, named after the Greek god Athena, is the capital of Greece and a bustling metropolis that is home to over 3.2 million people. It is also the center of commerce, finance, industry, political and cultural life in Greece. With its current pace of development, Athens is all set to become a leading center of commerce and business in the entire Europe, alongside the likes of London and Paris.

The origin of Athens dates back to the BC era, and since then it always had been a major settlement in Europe. Historians tout this city as the cradle of western civilization. From then onwards, it has been a favored tourist destination as well, visited by scholars and common man alike from other parts of the continent as well as the entire globe. A quick jump to the current century, and one can easily say the city has matured enough to handle the demands of the present day global tourists. The infrastructure and facilities in the city, especially after the Athens Olympics, has improved a lot and the existing infrastructure is comparable with the best cities in the world. No wonder, Athens, as of now, is the sixth most visited cities in Europe.

Preferably, tourists to the city must start their sojourn with a walk along the famous Dionysiou Aeropagitou Street. The route starts from the ancient Temple of Olympian Zeus at Vasilissis Olgas Avenue, passes below the southern slopes of the Acropolis near Plaka, and culminates outside the Temple of Hephaestus in Theseum. While walking along the route, one could catch the glimpses of the Parthenon and the Agora (ancient Athenians meeting place), at a distance. Hiking opportunities are available in the four mountains that surround the city - Penteli and Parnitha to the north, Hemmettus (southeast) and Egaleo to the west

Other places worth paying a visit are the Greek Parliament, National Garden, Syntagma Square, Lykavittos and Philopappos Hills, and the old campus of the University of Athens. Also there are scores of museums - National Archaeological Museum of Athens, Benaki Museum in Piraeus Street, and Acropolis Museum, to name a few – and many art galleries. It should be kept in mind that most of the conventional vacation activities such as beach, water sports, nightlife, and pubs are concentrated in the city suburbs - such as Alimos, Palaio Faliro, Elliniko, Voula, Vouliagmeni and Vari – rather than in the city center.

The neighboring islands of Salamina, Poros, Hydra, Aigina, and Spetses are a treasure cove of natural wealth and archeological sites, and are must-visit locales. There are regular boat services connecting the mainland and these islands.

Athens is served by the Eleftherios Venizelos” International Airport. Local transport is in the form of railway, trams, bus, or car.