Now that things are back to normal (about as normal as the 21st century promises to be), it is a great time to visit Athens, Greece and the area known as the Greek Isles.
Of course, first on the places to visit for most travelers would be Athens. Dominating the Athenian landscape, the Acropolis is unsurpassed in its beauty, architectural splendor and historic importance. The entrance to the Acropolis is the Propylea, which extends 150 feet adjoining the temple of Athena Nike or Wingless Victory. The Parthenon is on the highest part of the Acropolis and was built between 447 and 437 BC. It was here that modern democracy began its early foothold. Among the historical sites to see would be:
Acropolis
Agora
Arch of Hadrian
Eleusinion in the City (City Eleusinion)
Kerameikos
Library of Hadrian
Lysikrates Monument & Street of the Tripods
Olympieion & Southeast Athens
Philopappos Monument
Pnyx
Roman Agora & Tower of the Winds
For scholarly as well general information for the traveler, this web site offers outstanding information: http://www.stoa.org/athens/sites.html.
 “Athens is not what it used to be. It is better. What they have done to Athens to prepare for the Olympics has turned a city, known for its faults as much as its assets, into one of the most walkable, livable, exciting, art, music and entertainment centers in the world. Maybe you caught a glimpse of Athens on television during the Olympics. By unifying all the antiquities with parks and pedestrian streets and avenues and tieing them in with the nightlife areas of the Plaka, Psiri and Thission they have created a model that other cities are sure to follow. With the new highways that divert traffic from the downtown they have not only made the city streets safer and the air cleaner but they have made it easier to get in and out of town by car, bus or taxi. The Olympic lanes are being converted into high-occupancy vehicle lanes. Can bicycle lanes be far behind? The new metro makes the trip to the airport and the port easier and opens up new neighborhoods to visitors who used to be confined to an island downtown surrounding the Acropolis. The coastal tram means you can get on one of the new air-conditioned light-rail cars and go to the beach, or shop and have dinner in the coastal suburbs.
Athens is no longer a city that takes awhile to get-to-know before you actually like it. Athens is entering a second Golden Age. The museums and galleries are renovated, air-conditioned and bigger and better with more opening every week. The streets are clean and there is no longer a danger of falling into a hole in the pavements. Hotels have all been renovated and restored, many made accessable to the disabled. The restaurants, tavernas, cafes, clubs and bars stay open late, as many who came for the Olympics discovered, ATHENS ROCKS like no other city on earth. And if you prefer a more quiet Athens there are parks and quiet neighborhoods that will suit you too. What this means is that anytime of the year Athens is entertaining, whether it is your stop-off on the way to and from the islands in the summer or if you visit during the 3 other seasons and use it as your base for daytrips to explore the Peloponessos and the mainland. Athens has something for everybody and suddenly the Athenians have good reason to be proud of their city. http://www.athensguide.com/ This site has all the information it takes to be a “wise and knowledgeable traveler" in Athens, as well as Greece and the Greek Isles.
An important embassy site to check out is: http://www.usembassy.gr/
Some important address in Athens: http://www.usembassy.gr/greece/index.html
My List of Athens Must See Sites & Landmarks*
“The view from Mt. Lykavittos!! The Acropolis & Parthenon & Acropolis Museum, Temple of Olympian Zeus & adjacent Hadrian's Arch, Cape Sounion & Temple of Poseidon, a walk through the Plaka, Anafioitka and Monastiraki.
If you are trying to decide when the best time to travel to Greece is, from the point of view of things to see and do, any time of the year is the answer. Greece is ideal for taxi tours because it is small and there is a lot to see. No where in Greece is more than 50 miles from the sea, even from the top of Mt. Olympus.
On the other hand, if you are constrained by your work schedule or children’s school periods and are only free to travel during certain months then the following information should be of help. The warmer months and main tourist season begins in April and lasts until early November, peaking in August. On the whole, the warmer months with the least amount of tourism are April, May, June, September, October and November. During winter there are ski centers in Greece too.
Winter is too cold/windy for comfortable swimming, cruising or yachting. Forget November, December, January, February and March if you are looking for warm weather. Spring and fall in Greece is beautiful and enjoys fewer tourists and lower prices.
August is high season in Greece except in Athens where typically, the city empties. Most Europeans vacation in August and Greece is the number one vacation travel destination for Europeans. Visit anywhere in Greece by luxury air-conditioned Mercedes Benz taxi. Your journey of discovery may begin in either Athens or Thessaloniki. Greece Taxi Tours specializes in the major archeological sites of Greece such as Athens, Cape Sounion, Mycenae, Olympia, Meteora, Mount Athos and many more but is totally flexible as to destination.” Taxi links: http://www.greeceathensaegeaninfo.com/greece-greek-taxi-transfers-tours-overview.htm
Happy Traveling. |
