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Athens

GETTING THERE

AIRPORT

Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH) is a relatively new structure, built for the recent Olympic Games held in Greece.

The airport is situated 33km (20 miles) southeast of Athens and is accessible via Attiki Odos, the Athens ring road.

It consists of 2 terminals, linked by an underground.

The Main Terminal has banks, bureaux de change, automatic exchange machines and ATMs, as well as a post office. Courtesy telephones are located throughout the airport. There are a lot of restaurants, bars and shops too.

Car rental is available with Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, National/Alamo and Sixt which are are all represented. They are located in Arrivals in the Main Terminal.

Different bus routes connect the airport with Athens and Piraeus daily, 24 hours. Some connect with the metro.

Telephone: (0210) 353 0000

Spata, 19019 - Atene

www.aia.gr 

LOW COST FLIGHTS

From and to Athens International airport:

www.jetair.com

www.aegeanair.com

www.hemusair.com

www.blue1.com

www.easyjet.com

www.tuifly.com

www.germanwings.com

www.airlingus.com

www.vueling.com

BY CAR

Points of overland entry are from the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia via Evzoni (550km from Athens), and Niki (633km from Athens); from Bulgaria via Promahonas (736km from Athens); from Turkey via Kastania (985km from Athens) or Kipi (892km from Athens).

BY BOAT

Athens' main port, Piraeus, connects Athens to most of the most popular Aegean islands. Ferries from Italy arrive at the ports of Patrasso and Igoumenitsa.

BY TRAIN

Athens now has only one main train station, Larissa. Train information and tickets are available from the Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE) (www.ose.gr) and a large number of destinations are served every day going north and south from Athens.

CAR RENTAL

www.alamo.com

58 Sp. Patsi Ave Athens Downtown Office 11855

021 03493430

www.europcar.com

46 Vasilissis Sofias 18233

210 8949440

www.hertz.com

286 Kifissias Avenue 11855

010 8001158

www.e-sixt.co.uk

138 Kifissou Avenue 12131

210 5770006

www.thrifty.com

25 Syngrou Avenue 18233

210 9243304

ATTRACTIONS

The Acropolis

The Acropolis is the most important ancient site in Greece. With its beautiful landmark,  the Parthenon, it stands like a sentinel over Athens, visible from almost every part of the city. Its monuments of Pentelic marble gleam white in the midday sun and gradually take on a honey hue as the sun sinks, while at night they hover above the city brilliantly illuminated.

The Acropolis Museum houses a unique collection of sculptures and reliefs from the site.

Address: entry from Dionysiou Areopagitou or Theorias, Anafiotika

www.culture.gr

The Agora

The Agora (market) was Athens' meeting place in ancient times, the focal point of administrative, commercial, political and social life. All roads led to this bustling and crowded place. The Temple of Hephaestus, on the western part of the Agora, was built in 449BC and it represents  the best-preserved Doric temple in Greece.

Close to the southern entrance of the Agora there is the Church of the Holy Apostles, which was built in the early 11th century to commemorate St Paul and his teachings.

The Plaka and Anafiotika

The historic area under the Acropolis retains its charm despite being crowded by tourists in summer. The Anafiotika district is one of the most picturesque and quiet areas of the city. In this village-like labyrinth of quiet, narrow, windy streets, bougainvillea cascade over whitewashed Cycladic-style cube houses while bright pots of colour decorate the balconies and rooftops.

The Temple of Olympian Zeus

The Temple of Olympian Zeus is is the largest in Greece and it represents a wonderful example of ancient Greek architecture. The temple was started in the 6th century BC by Peisistratos, but was abandoned for lack of funds. Various other leaders had stabs at completing the temple, but it was left to Hadrian to complete the work in AD 131. It took more than 700 years to build.

Address: Vas Olgas, Syntagma

Telephone: +30 210 922 6330

The Temple of Dionysos

The Temple of Dionysos has really enormous dimensions  and it stands on the southeastern part of the Acropolis.

The theatre was reconstructed in stone and marble by Lycurgus between 342 and 326BC. The auditorium could seat 17,000; of an original 64 tiers of seats, about 20 tiers still survive. The 2nd-century reliefs at the rear of the stage depict the exploits of Dionysos.

Address: Dionysiou Areopagitou, Makrigianni

Telephone: +30 210 322 4625

www.culture.gr

MUSEUMS

Museum of Cycladic & Ancient Greek Art

It is a private museum which houses the biggest private collection of Cycladic art in the world. The original building was custom-built for the collection, and the finds are beautifully displayed and well labelled. The exhibits cover all periods from Cycladic to Roman times but there is a paricular  emphasis on the Cycladic era from 3000 BC to 2000 BC.

Address: corner Leof Vasilissis Sofias & Neofytou Douka, Neofytou Douka 4, Kolonaki

Telephone: +30 210 722 8321

www.cycladic.gr

Benaki Museum & Benaki Museum Pireos Annexe

This exceptional private museum contains the wide collection of Antonis Benakis, accumulated during 35 years of collecting in Europe and Asia.  The Benaki Museum Pireos Annexe hosts regular visual arts, cultural and historical exhibitions as well as major international shows.

The collection includes Bronze Age finds from Mycenae and Thessaly; two early works by El Greco; ecclesiastical furniture brought from Asia Minor; pottery, copper, silver and woodwork from Egypt, Asia Minor and Mesopotamia; and a really unique series of Greek regional costumes.

Address: corner Leof Vasilissis Sofias, Koumbari 1, Kolonaki

Telephone: +30 210 367 1000

www.benaki.gr

National Archaeological Museum

One of the world's great museums, the National Archaeological Museum houses the most important finds from Greece's archaeological sites. The star attraction is the Mask of Agamemnon.

There is a stunning  Neolithic Collection, including finds from Thessaly and pottery, figurines and jewellery from Troy. The Cycladic Collection includes a lifesize Cycladic figurine from Amorgos (the largest ever found), while other rooms hold archaic, classical, late classical, Hellenistic and Roman period sculpture, bronze and pottery.

Address: 28 Oktovriou-Patission 44, Exarhia

Telephone: +30 210 821 7724

www.culture.gr

SHOPPING

Athens offers some typical things, including jewellery, metalwork, pottery, knitwear, rugs, leather goods, local wines and spirits. The town is the main centre for luxury goods and local handicrafts. Every Sunday morning flea market in Monastiraki, below the Acropolis, offers a plenty of typical and touristic products; it is particularly crowded in high season. Regional specialities include silver from Ioannina; ceramics from Sifnos and Skopelos; embroidery and lace from Crete, the Ionian Islands, Rhodes and Skiros; alabaster from Crete; and flokati rugs from the Epirus region.

RESTAURANTS

Tzitzikas kai Mermigas

Close to Syntagma Square, in the Plaka area, it is an informal place where clients can taste delicious typical Greek dishes

Telephone: +30 210 324 7607

http://www.tzitzikas-mermigas.gr/

Thanasis

This restaurant serves Greek specialities, like "souvlaki kalamaki" with pitta bread and chips. The atmosphere is really chaotic, particularly at week ends.

Telephone: +30 210 324 4705

Jimmy and the Fish

It is located over the beautiful port of Mikrolimano, in Piraeus and is an excellent fish restaurant. It serves a refined cuisine in indoor or outdoor ambiences.

Telephone: +30 210 412 4417

http://www.jimmyandthefish.gr/

To Kouti

This restaurant (that means "the box") is situated a few steps from Monastiraki. The menu features colourful salads and creative meat dishes.

Telephone: +30 210 321 3229

Vyzantino

This restaurant has outdoor tables hidden among the pine trees on Strefi Hill, in the modern district of Exarhia. It serves a wide selection of Greek traditional cuisine, including meze (small platters of appetizers) ranging from htapodi (octopus) to keftedes (meatballs).

Telephone: +30 210 330 1744

http://www.vyzantinotoustrefi.gr/

NIGHTLIFE

Athens has a vibrant nightlife with its hundreds of bars, tavernas and clubs. The most 'happening' area of town is Gazi, thanks to the opening of Kerameikos metro station, which has made it more accessible from most parts of the city. Closer to the centre, Psirri caters for more mainstream tastes. The Athenian elite prefers the upmarket area of Kolonaki. Or for a drink under the stars with an Acropolis view, head to the open-air cafés lining Apostolou Pavlou in Thissio and Adrianou near Monastiraki. Other lively city's districts are Exarhia, Syntagma and Thissio.

Among the plenty of bars, cafés and venues, we remember: Hoxton (+30 210 341 3395), Mommy (+30 210 361 9682; www.mommy.gr), TAF ( +30 210 323 8757; www.theartfoundation.gr), Bios (+30 210 342 5335; www.bios.gr), Café Alavastron (+30 210 756 0102), Mike's Irish Bar (+30 210 777 6797; www.mikesirishbar.gr), Remeo (+30 210 923 2648), Stavlos (+30 210 346 7206).

During the summer, tickets for all performances included within the Athens Festival and the Epidaurus Festival are sold at the Hellenic Festival Box Office, Panepistimiou 39 (tel: 210 327 2000; www.greekfestival.gr). Tickets to other cultural events are available direct from the venue box offices. The Ministry of Culture's website (www.culture.gr) has full listings for forthcoming cultural events throughout Greece (predominantly in Athens).

Athens has several important theatres where to appreciate tragedies or other pieces or ballets: The Olympia Theatre is the most important, base of the Greek National Opera (www.nationalopera.gr; Tel: +30 210 361 2461.) Other important theatres are the Megaron Mousikis Athenon (www.megaron.gr; Tel: +30 210 728 2333.), The National Theatre of Greece (www.n-t.gr; Tel: +30 210 528 8100), The Lykavittos (Tel: +30 210 722 7209).

EVENTS

Athens Marathon

An important sporting event which is held every year in October.

Easter

The Greek Orthodox faith's most important celebration sees candlelit processions, solemn masses and firework displays.