Ancient Greece is known for its great history. Specifically, Athens city has a recorded history of 3,400 years. You can find many monuments and historic places in walking distance of the apartments, so you can witness the greatness of these sites first-hand. The Greek capital is a fascinating location, where you can visit Acropolis, the Acropolis Museum, the Temple of Zeus, the Filopappou Hill and many more.
The greatest and finest sanctuary of ancient Athens, dedicated primarily to its patron, the goddess Athena, dominates the centre of the modern city from the rocky crag known as the Acropolis.
The Acropolis Museum is consistently rated as one of the best museums in the world. Devoted to the Parthenon and its surrounding temples, it is cleverly perched above Athens like a luminous box. The large glass panes beautifully draw in the ancient and modern parts of the city, making it a truly evocative experience.
In the heart of modern Athens, its streets pulsating with traffic, stands an enormous open space bordered by trees and shrubs – the Olympieion – a tranquil archaeological park where earth and sky seem to meet, linked by massive marble columns stretching upward, marking the Τemple of Olympian Zeus.
The Hill and Monument of Filopappou in Athens is a green area to the southwest of the Acropolis. It is a favorite promenade of the Athenians and there you can have great views of the Acropolis, the whole city of Athens and the Aegean Sea that surrounds Attica.
The National Gardens of Athens is the best place to escape the city and with the areas of the Plaka, Acropolis, Thission, Monastiraki and Psiri all connected by pedestrian streets and parks you barely have to go through Athens to get there.
One of the legendary sites that sits beneath the slopes of the Acropolis on the southwest side, is the stunning open-air theatre, Odeon of Herodes Atticus. When Pausanias, the Greek traveller and geographer from the second century AD, visited Athens during the reign of Marcus Aurelius, he described the Odeon theatre as “the finest building of its type”.
Syntagma Square is the central and the most renown square in Athens. Named after the Constitution, it is located opposite the Hellenic Parliament and the 3 metro entrances found on the spot assure that you can easily travel anywhere you want.
Ermou Street is a one and a half kilometer-long road in central Athens, connecting Kerameikos archaeological site with the Syntagma Square through Monastiraki, Psiri and Thiseio. The street derives its name from Hermes, the ancient Greek god later equated with the Romans’ Mercury – the protector of traders; indeed, this is Athens’ most popular commercial strip.
Monastiraki is a very old neighborhood in Athens and is well known for the flea market, spreading over side streets and sidewalks. During the week visitors love strolling through the quaint alleys and discovering all sorts of treasures: from vintage photos to antique furniture, second hand clothing and much more. The central square of Monastiraki, with a metro station very close, is a favorite hang out for the young crowd, who perch on the steps, the fountain and many open air happenings take place here.