Big but tasty portions

O Thanasis

There are a few tables outside and inside, of course. They're almost always crowded, especially at lunchtime, so you have to be patient to get your order. The dishes are great and affordable.

Favourite Dish: anything grilled

Address: 69 Mitropoleos St, Monastiraki

Working hours: 8.30am-2.30am

Phone: +30 21 0324 4705

Ammos music tavern

This tavern offers you the possibility to try Greek food and drinks, listen to live Greek music, or even dance with the locals.
 

Favourite Dish: chicken sticks

Address: L. Poseidonos 64, Alimos

Directions: south suburb

Phone: +30 21 0981 7980

Greece on a plate

This unique restaurant called Eleas Gi, with an old grocery shop and a corridor-cellar, stands on a hill and offers a beautiful view over Athens.

 

The name of the restaurant means 'the land of the olive tree' and everything here is Greek olive oil.

Favourite Dish: Here you can choose between a 14- and a 24-flavour option. It's too much, no matter which 1 you choose!

They prepare the eggplant salad right before your eyes.

Address: Olimpionikon 2-8, Kifisia

Directions: northern Athens

Phone: +30 210 6200005

Simply the best!

This is the best hotel I've ever stayed in!

There's a spacious lobby with comfortable armchairs and a bar.

All the rooms have a key card access. They are very clean, with TV and telephone. It's needless to say that the beds are comfortable. There are different amenities in the bathroom: a hair dryer, soap, shampoo, shower cap, slippers, sewing kit, etc.

the room

the bathroom

Unique Qualities: Buffet breakfast, with who-knows-how-much delicious food, is served at the top floor with the stunning view over the Acropolis and the rest of the city. It's just amazing!

restaurant

a view

Address: 10 Alexandras Ave, Athens, Attica, 10682, Greece

Directions: the National Archaeological Museum's just round the corner

Phone: +30 210 8894 500

Website: http://www.radissonblu.com/hotel-athens

Monastiraki

Monastiraki, the neighbourhood next to Plaka, is famous for its traditional Flea Market. You can find antiquerries and traditional handcraft items there. 

Kapnikarea

The Church of Panaghia Kapnikarea was founded in the 11th century and built on the ruins of an ancient temple, dedicated to a female goddess.

Most of the paintings inside are from the 20th century, and are the work of Photis Contoglou.

Open: Mon, Wed, Sat, Sun 8-14 Tue, Thr, Fri 16.30-21.30

Closed on national holidays

Address: corner of Ermous and Kalamiotous

The Cathedral

The Mitrópoli (Cathedral) is an important Greek cathedral and the largest church in Athens, and as such, the seat of the Bishop of Athens.

The building started in 1842 and took 20 years to complete. It was dedicated to the Annunciation of the Virgin (Evangelismós Theotókou) by the king and queen.

Inside, there are 2 tombs of the saints killed by the Ottoman Turks, St Filothei, who ransomed Greek women enslaved in Turkish harems, and Patriarch Gregory V, who was hanged and thrown into the Bosphorus.

Address: Plateía Mitropóleos, Pláka

Directions: Metro: Monastiráki

Other Contact: Daily 6:30am to 7pm

Phone: 210 322 1308

Website: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/greece/athens-mitropoli-cathedral.htm

The Tower of the Winds

This marble tower dominates the Roman Agora.

It was constructed as a water clock in the 1st half of the 1st century BC by the astronomer Andronikos Kyrrhestes.

Its sides are adorned with reliefs representing the 8 winds, Boreas (N), Kaikias (NE), Apeliotes (E), Euros (SE), Notos (S), Lips (SW), Zephyros (W) and Skiron (NW).

There used to be sundials outside as well.

Directions: near the west gate of the Roman Agora

Website: http://www.athensinfoguide.com

Once the largest temple in Greece

The building of the Temple Of Olympian Zeus started in the 6th century BC, but was finished in the 2nd century AD.

It was once the largest temple in Greece.

The marble temple used to consist of 104 Corinthian columns, but only 15 of these remain standing.

Another archaeological site

The construction of the Roman Agora (=Market) was started by Julius Caesar but finished by Emperors Adrianus and Traianus.

If you buy a ticket for the Acropolis, the entrance here is included.

Directions: at the beginning of Eolou Street

Website: http://www.athensinfoguide.com

Marvelous Views!

Lycabettus Hill is the highest hill of Athens which offers you a marvelous view over the city and the whole Attica. And, if the weather's nice, you might even see Corinth and nearby islands of the Gulf of Saronikos.

The hill's topped with a beautiful small church of St George from 1780. Its bells can be heard only once a year.

On the other side of the hill, there's an open-air theatre.

Directions: you can get there on foot or by a cable car that operates every 15 minutes

Souvenirs

All over the city, there are different shops, stalls and kiosks where you can buy:

• books on Athens or the Acropolis
• postcards
• stamps
• pictures
• music CDs
• T-shirts with Greek motifs...

The best place to stay

I've never stayed in this hotel but I heard that it's the best place to stay. It's been number 1 place for all Heads of State since it was built in 1862 and it's 1 of the best-known hotels in the world.

Address: 17, Fillelinon, Athens

Directions: close to the Parliament building

Website: http://www.hotelsofgreece.com/athens/grandebretagne

The Hill of the Muses

This is where a monument to the Roman consul Gaius Julius Antiochus Philopappos, a benefactor of Athens, was erected in 115 A.D. Thus the name of the hill.
According to a myth, 9 muses used to live here, so the hill’s also known as the Hill of the Muses.

The small chapel of Agios Dimitrios, containing some fine frescoes, can be found there as well.

Directions: Philopappos Hill, opposite the Acropolis

The Statue Of Kolokotronis

In the same street where the 1st modern stadium is, you can find the statue of Kolokotronis, great commander and national hero who fought for the independence of Greece.

The statue's the work of Lazaros Sochos.

Directions: close to  Panathenaic Stadium

The 1st modern stadium

Ancient Greeks used to build stadiums, theatres and odeons, usually on the slopes of hills and mountains near cities. Those stadiums were made of wood.

But in 1894, Georgios Averof, built 1 of marble. It still exists. In fact, this is where the 1st modern Olympic Games took place in 1896.

So, don't miss visiting this 1st large modern stadium and seeing where the modern Olympic Games started.

The trek's 204 m long and 33,36 m wide here and the stadium accommodates about 60,000 spectators.

Constitution Square

This is the place where you can always find people walking, feeding the pigeons or just sitting on benches and cafés.

At the top, there's the Parliament building, formerly the King's Palace, built between 1836 and 1840 by King Otto of Bavaria, with the tomb of the unknown soldiers in front. The tomb's guarded by Evzones, the elite soldiers, who also guard the Palace.

Address: Syntagma Square, the border of Plaka

The Propylaea

This is the monumental entrance to the temple (therefore the name) that people usually just pass through, without stopping, on their way to the Parthenon.

It was completed in 432 just before the outbreak of the Peloponnesian wars, following the designs of Mnesicles, Phidias's colleague.

To the left is the Pinacotheca (the gallery of paintings) that got that name because it used to be decorated with beautiful paintings. To the right is the small Temple of Athena Nike (Athena of Victory) which commemorates the Athenian victory over the Persians.

Directions: Acropolis, City centre

The site you mustn't miss!

The Acropolis is the historical site you mustn't miss!

The name refers to the entire hill, crowned by the Parthenon. The Parthenon and other main buildings here were built by Pericles in the 5th century B.C. as a monument to the cultural and political achievements of the inhabitants of Athens.

And a visit to the Acropolis Museum is a must, too. You might find it small, but its holdings are truly remarkable!

Directions: City centre

Attractive Neoclassical Buildings

trilogy

A few minutes walk from the Parliament, there are these 3 famous buildings of modern Athens: the Academy, University and Library. They were all built of the marble from Mt. Pendeli and constructed by Theophilos Hansen in the 1800s.

In front of the Academy, you can see the statues of Apollo and Athena.

The country's oldest general university is the National University of Athens, founded in 1837. In front of it, there are several statues of famous Greek people.

The nearby National Library houses around 500,000 books.

Address: Venizelis Street