In what periphery is the city of Athens located?
The city of Athens is part of the Attica periphery.A characteristic of the periphery or subject of a country is the integrity and interconnection of its constituent elements, including cities and other settlements that are part of the periphery.
The periphery of Attica is administrative unit state of Greece.
Population of the city of Athens.
The population of the city of Athens is 3,168,846 people.What time zone is Athens located in?
The city of Athens is located in the administrative time zone: UTC+2, in summer UTC+3. Thus, you can determine the time difference in the city of Athens, relative to the time zone in your city.Athens telephone code
The telephone code of the city of Athens: +30 210. In order to call the city of Athens from mobile phone, you need to dial the code: +30 210 and then the subscriber’s number directly.Official website of the city of Athens.
Website of the city of Athens, official website of the city of Athens or as it is also called “Official website of the administration of the city of Athens”: http://www.cityofathens.gr/.Coat of arms of the city of Athens.
The description of the city of Athens presents the coat of arms of the city of Athens, which is the distinctive sign of the city.Metropolitan in the city of Athens.
The metro in the city of Athens is called the Athens Metro and is a means public transport.The passenger traffic of the Athens metro (Athens metro congestion) is 493.80 million people per year.
The number of metro lines in the city of Athens is 3 lines. The total number of metro stations in Athens is 65. The length of metro lines or the length of metro tracks is: 83.30 km.
Useful information for tourists about Athens in Greece - geographical location, tourist infrastructure, map, architectural features and attractions.
Athens is the capital of Greece and one of the most ancient European cities. The city is located in the southern part of the Attica peninsula, in a valley surrounded on the west, east and north by low mountains. From the south it is washed by the waters of the Saronic Gulf.
Athens got its name from Athena, the goddess of wisdom in Greek mythology. The history of the city goes back several thousand years. After the classical golden age of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, the city suffered a decline during the Middle Ages. Athens experienced its rebirth in 1834 as the capital of independent Greece. It was here that the first Modern Olympics took place in 1896.
Now Athens is a large metropolis with a population of 4.5 million. This is a huge museum of ancient architecture under open air. Finally, just an amazingly beautiful and hospitable city.
The central part of Athens is divided into a number of clearly distinct areas. Behind the Acropolis, which forms the core of the ancient city, lies Plaka, the oldest residential area of Athens. Here you can see monuments from the ancient, Byzantine or Turkish periods - such as the octagonal Tower of the Winds, the tiny Byzantine Church of the Lesser Metropolis or the elegant stone door of the Turkish religious school - a madrasah, the building of which has not survived.
Most of Plaka's old houses have now been converted into tourist shops, cafes, night bars and restaurants. Descending from the Acropolis in a northwest direction, you come out to the Monastiraki area, where artisan shops have been located since medieval times.
From here along University Street in a south-easterly direction, you can walk towards the center of the modern city, passing richly decorated buildings National Library, University and Academy and get to Syntagma (Constitution) Square - the administrative and tourist center of Athens. There is a beautiful building of the Old Royal Palace on it, there are hotels, outdoor cafes, many banks and institutions. Further east towards the slopes of Lycabettus Hill are Kolonaki Square, the new cultural center, including the Byzantine Museum, Benaki Museum, National art gallery, Conservatory and Concert Hall. To the south are the New Royal Palace, National Park and the Great Panathenaic Stadium, reconstructed to host the revived Olympic Games in 1896.
Today's Athens is a modern city with a breakneck pace of life. Modern and at the same time romantic, with busy streets and squares, with bright colorful storefronts, but also with secluded alleys, with quiet and secluded neighborhoods such as Plaka and Metz. In the countless shops of the capital, the buyer will find everything he wants; Athens restaurants and taverns are able to satisfy any order.
Athens is a city dedicated to the goddess.
The oldest capital in Europe. The time of its foundation is considered to be the IX-VIII centuries. BC e. The city was dedicated ancient Greek goddess wisdom - the beloved daughter of Zeus, Pallas Athena. Athens was one of the largest and richest cities in Greece, and its fame spread far beyond the country's borders. Tourists from all over the world come to Athens to admire the Parthenon, walk along the Acropolis, touch history... And they are surprised to discover that Athens is not only a huge open-air museum, but also a modern and very dynamic city with a population of about 5 million people. , which, by the way, produces two-thirds of all industrial products in Greece.
Athens... For all mankind, this city is a symbol of ancient Greek art and culture. It is easily recognizable from photographs thanks to the Parthenon and the Propylaea. The speeches of Athenian orators - Demosthenes, Lysias, Isocrates - are quoted in modern rhetoric textbooks; Cicero studied the art of eloquence in Athens; the legendary king Theseus, who defeated the Minotaur, was an Athenian; Aristophanes, who received the name “Father of Comedy,” did the same. The Athenians believed that they first began growing wheat and building ships here. And there is almost no doubt that their city was the birthplace of the great Homer. The citizens of ancient Athens would have been even more proud of their city (if this is possible) if they had heard at least a small part of the praises in honor of the famous temples, porticoes and sculptures that have survived to our time.
There is probably not a single educated person who has not heard about the confrontation between two cities - Athens and Sparta. Their struggle cannot be called ordinary rivalry, because it was not so much about the division of spheres of influence, but about the confrontation of incompatible principles of social life: asceticism and sybaritism, monarchy and democracy, brevity and a tendency to lengthy reasoning. Despite the fact that the Spartans were victorious more than once, the final result was in favor of Athens: Athenian culture formed the basis of European civilization. Those who come here are trying to restore their image Ancient Hellas- countries that love freedom and are sensitive to
n philosophers, athletes and warriors. The suitcases are gradually filled with modern copies of black- and red-figure amphoras and photographs of the Acropolis. The past has not left Athens, it rustles in every corner of the city - sometimes quieter, sometimes louder. You just need to listen.
Athens is located in the center of the Attic Plain. The city is framed by the mountain peaks Parnet (1413 m), Hymettus (1026 m), Pentelikon (1109 m), Egaleos (465 m). In the center there are two hills: the world famous Acropolis Hill and Lycabetus (Lycabettos), on the top of which the Church of St. George rises to the sky. Exists interesting legend about how Mount Lycabettos ended up in Athens. According to legend, the goddess Athena wanted her sanctuary on the Acropolis to be closer to the sky. To carry out her plan, she went to Mount Pentelikon and tore off a large rock from it in order to erect it on top of the Acropolis. But on the way back, two black birds informed her about events in which she immediately had to intervene. The goddess, angry at the bad news, threw the rock down and then completely forgot about it. A huge (278 m) rock remained lying next to the Acropolis. In ancient times, the slopes of the hill were covered with dense forest, and at the top there was a sanctuary of Zeus. But during the years of Turkish rule they became empty. Restoration of the mountain's flora began in 1880 and was completed around 1915. Modern Lycabettos, like the old ones, is covered with pine and cypress trees.
It cannot be said that the fate of the Greek capital was easy and cloudless. During the history of its existence, Athens was destroyed many times; herds of goats grazed on the once crowded streets. The Greco-Persian Wars, the struggle with Turkey, and civil strife more than once forced residents to rebuild the city. Enormous damage to archaeological sites was caused by antiquity hunters who sold foreigners fragments of statues, bas-reliefs - everything that accidentally fell into their hands during field work... The living stones of Athens can tell a lot.
The first known structure on the territory of the Acropolis is considered to be the royal palace, built during the Mycenaean era (1600-1000 BC). It was surrounded by a cyclopean wall, reaching 4.5 meters in thickness. However, even such precautions did not save the city from destruction: as is known, the most reliable way capture of the fortress - from the inside. Under the tyrant Pisistratus, the temple of Athena Hekatompedon (i.e., “a temple one hundred steps long”) was built on the site of the palace. Only fragments of the pediment sculptures and the foundation have survived to this day. During Greco-Persian wars The temples of the Acropolis were destroyed by the Persians. The inhabitants of Athens swore an oath to restore the shrines only after the expulsion of enemies from Hellas. And they kept their word. The city reached its greatest prosperity under Pericles, an outstanding statesman who headed the Athenian state from 443 to 429. BC e. Under him, cash payments were introduced to citizens for fulfilling public duties: participation in legal proceedings as a jury, holding various positions, service in the navy. Interestingly, this list also included visits to theaters during state holidays. Under Pericles, citizens enjoyed equal rights regardless of their financial situation; everyone could put forward a legislative initiative in the national assembly. It is not surprising that the ruler was very popular. In 447 BC. e. On the initiative of Pericles, construction began on the Acropolis. The supervision of the work was entrusted to the famous sculptor Phidias, who created an architectural ensemble of stunning beauty.
The Acropolis is a sacred rock that in ancient times was the site of major religious celebrations. Participants in the processions passed through the Propylaea - the main entrance to the Acropolis, which was decorated with lush garlands of laurel branches and flowers. Five passages divided the crowd into streams that merged in the sacred territory. In the left wing of the Propylaea there was a Pinakothek - a collection of paintings donated to Athena, in the right - a repository of manuscripts and a room for the gatekeeper and guards. To the right of the Propylaea, on a fortified rock, stood a small Ionic temple known as the Temple of Nike Apteros. In the central part of the Acropolis stood a huge bronze statue of Athena the Warrior by Phidias, and behind it was visible the Erechtheion - the temple of Athena and Poseidon, built on the site of a long-standing dispute between the Olympians for the possession of Attica. According to legend, Poseidon and Athena, wanting to win people over to their side, presented them with gifts. Poseidon hit the rock with his trident, and a spring gushed out of it. True, it was salty - the ruler of the seas has no power over fresh water. Athena, who was not in vain considered the goddess of wisdom, gave the Athenians an olive tree - and won. The Erechtheion once housed a wooden statue of the goddess, who according to legend fell from the sky, the altars of Hephaestus and the hero But, and the tomb of the legendary Athenian king Cecrops. Adjacent to the temple from the west was the sanctuary of Pandrosa, the goddess of dew. But the most beautiful building of the Acropolis was the Temple of Athena Parthenos (Parthenon), erected in the 5th century. BC e. In order to build it, the Athenians raised a hill on the south side of the Acropolis. The temple was decorated with works by the great Phidias, most of which are known to us only from copies. The sacred money of the goddess and the treasury of the Athenian Maritime League were kept here. Even if we could not collect all the lost fragments, we would still not be able to see the Parthenon as it appeared to the ancient Greeks. After all, all architectural details, sculptures and reliefs were brightly painted. The temple rising to the sky could be seen from any part of Attica and even from the islands of Salamis and Aegina. The sailors approaching the shore were guided by the shine of the spear and helmet of Athena the Warrior. The temple and theater of Dionysus (VI century BC) adjoined the northwestern slope of the Acropolis. Odeon of Pericles (a covered round building for musical competitions of the second half of the 5th century BC), the theater of Herodes Atticus (2nd century AD), the sanctuary of Asclepius, Eumenes.
In the 5th century n. e. The Parthenon became the Church of Our Lady, ten centuries later the Turks built a mosque in it. Erechtein was destined for the fate of the Turkish Pasha's harem, and the temple of Nika Apteros was dismantled for the construction of a bastion. Subsequently, the Turks adapted the Parthenon as a gunpowder warehouse. In 1687, after a cannonball hit a Venetian ship, an explosion destroyed almost the entire central part of the Temple of Athena the Virgin. IN early XIX V. Lord Elgin robbed the Parthenon, taking to England all the surviving sculptures and tens of meters of free- »a. Greece has repeatedly tried to return these values, but to no avail. Antique masterpieces are still kept in the British Museum and the Louvre. Only some of them can be seen in the Acropolis Museum. Partial restoration of the Parthenon was carried out only in the 19th century. Time has been cruel not only to this building; many Athens landmarks still lie in ruins.
If the Acropolis was the center of the religious life of the ancient Athenians, then the Agora was the center of business life and secular entertainment. People came here to talk and find out latest news. At the foot of the Acropolis hill there are two agoras: Roman and Greek. The Greek agora was a place of public meetings; it housed public and administrative buildings, and commercial buildings. On the Areopagus, a low hill located northwest of the Acropolis, the Council of Elders once met. Centuries later, on its flat top, the Apostle Paul preached Christianity to the Athenians. Among the surviving structures, the most interesting is the Attalus Stand, erected by the Pergamon king Attalus (159-138 BC). After restoration it serves as an archaeological museum. The Roman agora is more recent. At its eastern wall there is an octagonal tower built in the 1st century AD. e. The official name of this building is the Andronicus Clock (in the interior there is a clepsydra - a water clock). Informal, more romantic - Tower of the Winds: at each corner of the tower there is a relief image of the wind. Nearby is the Library, built by Emperor Hadrian. Another interesting attraction is the monument to Lysicrates, the winner of the Dionysian competition.
However, you should not think that all the attractions of Athens belong to the ancient era. The Byzantine Empire also left its mark on the Greek capital. The exhibition of the Byzantine Museum tells about this period of the history of Athens. The most significant monuments of that time are small graceful churches: the Church of the Holy Apostles, the Church of Kapnikarea (11th century), Panagia Gorgoepikoos (or Agios Elsfterios, 11th century). It is impossible to ignore Athens cathedral- Greater Metropolis (Metropolis).
Most of Athens' museums are historical: the National Archaeological Museum. Acropolis Museum, Ceramics Museum (stone tombstones are collected here different eras, found during excavations of an ancient cemetery - Necropolis Ceramics), Benaki Museum, Museum of the City of Athens. Lovers of beauty can visit the National art gallery, Cycladic Art Museum and Ancient Greece, Greek Museum folk art. Interesting exhibitions
offer Theater Museum, Natural History Museum of Goulandris, Piraeus maritime museum. Sports fans are sure to come to the Panathenaic Stadium, built in honor of the resumption of the Olympic Games in 1896.
Just six kilometers from Athens is the monastery of Caesariani, founded in the 11th century. Inside the cross-domed church, frescoes by masters of the Cretan school have been preserved, and the paintings in the narthex, which were added later, were painted by the artist Ioannis Hypatios. A little further is the monastery of Daphnia, famous for its mosaics, built on the site of the sanctuary of Apollo. Marathon reminds us of the military glory of the Athenians (and at the same time of sports). Now there is a lake-reservoir with a marble dam that supplies Athens with drinking water. Piraeus, the main port of Athens, is located in the depths of the Saronic Gulf. It was once the largest ancient port, and even now it is an important transport hub. The port has grown to the size of a small town, part of Greater Athens. It is often held here various events panhellenic scale. There are two theaters in Piraeus - the summer open theater of Kastella and the city theater, and many taverns where folk music is performed.
Another port of Athens - an air port - is called Elnikon. Tourists arriving in the city by air cannot contain their exclamations of surprise when the plane, having landed on the runway, turns onto the bridge leading to the airport building. Indeed, you will not see this anywhere.
The next thing that catches your eye are the posters dedicated to the upcoming Olympics. The Athenians are carefully preparing for this event.
The layout of a city built on hills is never correct. The Greek capital is no exception. The streets curve around the slopes, the houses either climb up or crowd into the lowlands. Modern buildings are low, no more than five floors. This is due to the danger of earthquakes. They are not much different from concrete boxes all over the world. But the neoclassical houses scattered on the hillsides are very picturesque. On those streets where there is not enough space for gardens, Athenians place pots with indoor flowers on the balconies.
Athens can be roughly divided into old town, central areas, suburbs and the port of Piraeus. Most of the attractions of the Greek capital are concentrated in a triangle formed by three squares: Syntagma (Constitution Square), Omonia (Concord Square) and Monastiraki. The main highways of the capital begin from them. These are the busiest and most crowded areas of the city. Not far from Syntagma Square there are almost all the attractions of Athens: Plaka, the Acropolis, the Athens Cathedral (Metropolis), the National Garden and the Byzantine Church of Kapnikarea, one of the busiest shopping streets in Athens - Ermou (Hermes), as well as Kolonaki Square.
Syntagma Square is the business center of the capital. Its modern appearance is created by government agencies, banks, offices of large companies and prestigious hotels. There is also a four-story building here - the former palace of the first Greek king Otto. Since 1933, the Greek Parliament has been meeting in the building. There is an honor guard of Evzones (national guardsmen) at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. To the right of the Parliament begins the National Park, which turns into the Zappeion Park, which houses the building of the Exhibition Palace, designed by Geophil Hansen in 1874-1888, and the Assembly Hall (Conference Hall). If you walk a little further along the alleys, you can come to the ruins of the Temple of Olympian Zeus (once the largest pagan temple in Greece) and the famous Arch of Hadrian. The Athenians erected an arch in honor of this Roman emperor because under him the construction of the Temple of Zeus, begun by Peisistratus back in 515 BC, was completed. e. On the two facades of the arch one can read the inscriptions: on the side facing the Acropolis, “Here is Athens, the old city of Theseus,” and on the other, facing the sanctuary and the part of the city that Emperor Hadrian built, “Here is the city of Hadrian, not Theseus."
Ermou, Karayorgi Servias, Mitropoleos, Voulis, Nikis, Praxitelus and Perikleous are the most famous shopping streets of the city. Here you can buy fur coats made by Kastoria craftsmen, gold and silver items with modern and ancient finishing motifs, women's, men's and children's clothing, household goods, embroidery and much more. All this diversity is located near Syntagma.
Panepistimiou Street (University Street) has a more austere appearance. The buildings of the University, Academy and National Library standing on it were built at the end of the 19th century. and in comparison with the Parthenon they seem very young. One of the most beautiful buildings in Athens - the Ilmon Palace - is also known for the fact that the famous archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann lived here, who discovered the ancient I roe. The collection of gold jewelry, secretly called “Trojan gold,” is the pearl of the exhibition of the Archaeological Museum. And the house itself invariably touches the hearts of tourists: the ceiling is painted with treasure-hunting cupids with shovels and picks.
The Monastiraki area is famous for this. that you can buy anything here. If you need to find something rare or antique, there is no point in looking elsewhere. Central Square constantly filled with people who sell and buy antiques and modern copies of antiquities, antique furniture, mirrors, musical instruments and gramophone records... Some tourists spend hours wandering around Monastiraki as if it were an open-air museum. After all, you don’t have to buy anything, and they don’t charge you money for inspection. Along the perimeter of the square there are many small taverns where visitors are offered to drink the famous Greek wine or ouzo (aniseed vodka) and taste national cuisine.
One of the most colorful areas of Athens is called Plaka (“slab”). According to the most common hypothesis, it received its name from a wide stone slab found near the Theater of Dionysus, in the courtyard of the Church of St. George of Alexandria. Its winding streets, lined with olive and tangerine trees, are full of life: the cameras of tireless tourists are clicking, Greeks are sitting in the parking lots of open cafes, drinking coffee or ouzo. From two o'clock to five it is too hot to go anywhere, so life in the Plaka area, as in all of Athens, comes to a standstill. But as soon as the evening cools, the streets fill with people and cars again. The central square of the district - Philomousos Eteria ("Society of Worshipers of the Muses") - took its name from the society of the same name, founded in 1813, whose members set themselves two tasks: and (the teaching of the ancient heritage and the protection of the archaeological monuments of Athens. There are many cafes in the square, restaurants and clubs open early until late at night. Here tourists stock up on souvenirs and small shops before plunging back into the labyrinth of narrow streets.
Athens is beautiful in any weather and at any time of the day. You can spend hours wandering the cramped streets of Plaka, crowding around bustling oriental markets, admiring the luxuriously decorated shop windows of the Kolonaki district, dining in taverns and dancing sirtaki or listening to bouzouki until late at night. You can visit the famous shop where Stavros Melissinos makes his sandals and writes poetry. His shoes were once worn by the Beatles, Sophia Loren and Rudolf Nureyev. Now the shop is dilapidated, the sandals are made by Melissinos' assistant, but poems in Greek still hang on the walls.
Athens has a reputation as a city that never sleeps. But this is a special “insomnia”, not at all similar to the gambling frenzy of Las Vegas or the romantic nights of Paris. Everything here is cozy, almost like a family. The Greeks have fun in friendly groups, sing and dance. Excursions around the city at night are organized for tourists. The illumination of the main monuments turns Athens into a fairy-tale city, which is best admired from the heights of Lycabettos, taking the funicular. There are also more sophisticated entertainments, such as nightly performances held on ancient stages. Restaurants and taverns offer not only traditional Greek cuisine, but also a variety of musical programs.
Athens amazes with its hospitality - sincere, from the bottom of the heart. All year round something is happening here: either the Athens Festival at the Theater of Herodes Atticus, lasting from June to September, or the festival folk dances, then the “Sound and Light” performance widely known outside of Greece, plus an incredible number of city festivals. The Athens Opera House gives more than 200 performances a year, and the Bolshoi concert hall, known for its excellent acoustics, provides listeners with an amazing experience. Art and science are held in high esteem here - with the blessing of the divine patroness. But her influence was felt in other ways. The Greek capital is subtly feminine. I want to talk about her as a beautiful stranger with whom you can fall in love at first sight, live next to her all your life, but never get to know her completely.
Athens is one of the greatest historical sites of any city in the world.
The expectations of those who have never been here, but are planning to visit Athens, are perhaps most clearly described American writer Mark Twain in the summer of 1867 “Burning with impatience, we anticipate meeting with the most famous city in the world. What do we care about landscapes when Achilles, Agamemnon and hundreds of other legendary heroes of the great past majestically march before our inner gaze! What are sunsets to us when we are ready to step into the ancient city of Athens, live its life, breathe its air and plunge into the depths of centuries together with Athens.”
Geography
Athens is the capital and largest city of the Hellenic Republic. The city is located on the central plain of the Attica Peninsula in the southeastern part of mainland Greece. Very close to the city is the coast of the Aegean Sea.
The total area of the Athens agglomeration is 412 km². The city center is located at an altitude of approximately 20 m above sea level, and the relief of Athens is impressive in its diversity: there are both plains and mountains.
Athens is surrounded by mountains: from the west - Aigaleo, from the north - Parnitha, from the northeast - Pendeli, and from the east - Imitto. From the southwest it is washed by the Saronic Gulf. In ancient times, three rivers flowed through the city: Kifisos, Ilisos and Iridanos. The only river today, Kifisos, divides Athens into two parts. The Ilisos and Iridanos rivers have become underground since 1920. The most high point Athens - Lekavitos - rises above the city at an altitude of 277 m and is visible from anywhere in the city.
Climate
The climate is typically Mediterranean with dry, hot summers and rainy winters. The average temperature in winter is 9° C, and in summer - 27° C. Summer in Athens is quite dry: there may be no precipitation for several months. Autumn in the city is warm and long, spring comes a little later than in other regions of the country. Frosts are very rare in winter; snow falls only occasionally. By the way, the record for the highest temperature in Europe was recorded in Athens: 48°C on July 10, 1977.
Population and tourism
According to the 2011 census, the population of Athens is 3,074,160. This is 1/3 of the total population of Greece. Thus, for every km2 there are 7,462 inhabitants. Throughout the year, Athens is visited by thousands and thousands of tourists from all over the world.
Mythology and history
The history of Athens began when virtually none of the modern European centers existed. The first to settle in these places were the Pelasgians (6 thousand years BC), they lived in the caves of the rocks of the Acropolis. The name "Athens" appeared in the pre-Hellenic period, when the goddess Athena was considered the patroness of all cities.
Athens became a real city during the Mycenaean civilization. Gradually by the 7th century. BC The power of the king was replaced by the power of the clan nobility. A serious test awaited Athens at the beginning of the 5th century. BC - the city was attacked by the Persians. Then, thanks largely to the great military leader Themistocles, Athens was liberated and saved from their further raids. 5th century BC considered a golden age in the city's history. At this time, Pericles ruled here, under whom Athens became the cultural and political center of the ancient world. After the defeat in the Peloponnesian War, Athens lost its dominant position. The process of weakening Athens ended with the conquest of the city by the Macedonian king Philip II.
In 146 BC. the city was captured by the Romans. A new round of development in Athens occurs during the Crusades. For two and a half centuries (1205-1456) the city was the capital of the Duchy of Athens. In 1458, the Turks came to Athens, and the Acropolis became a Turkish fortress, the Parthenon a mosque, and the Erechtheion a harem.
At the beginning of the 19th century. An active struggle for Greek independence flared up, which was crowned with success in 1833, when the Turks finally left Athens. In 1834, Athens was proclaimed the capital of Greece. A whole cycle of Athenian myths is associated with the most ancient kings of this city: Cecrops, Erechtheus, Aegeus and Codros. For example, the first king of Attica, Cecrops, was free to decide which of the gods would own this region. This dispute involved the ruler of the seas, Poseidon, and the goddess of wisdom, Athena. When Poseidon struck a rock with his trident, a salty spring gushed out from there, but Athena thrust her spear into the ground, and an olive tree began to grow from it. Kekrop chose Athena, since “the olive gave great benefit to Attica.”
Traditions and customs
Athenians are sentimental and impulsive, but in critical situations they can show patience and easily resolve any conflict. Athens has its own culture of communication; one might even say that the capital has its own dialect. For example, the word “avrio” is translated as “tomorrow,” but in reality it almost always means refusal.
Like all Greeks, the Athenians are very hospitable, but they rarely invite guests for lunch or dinner. Local residents love to have fun: every weekend there are folk festivals and holidays. These days, the streets are decorated with posters and flower garlands, and theatrical and musical performances take place in the main squares.
And such holidays as, for example, “Okha Day” (October 28) in Athens are celebrated on a wide scale.
Attractions
Athens is an open air museum - Ancient monuments, museums, historical places.
You need to come to Athens specifically to experience this. amazing city, where the aura of Antiquity is felt everywhere.
Plaka. Located at the foot of the Acropolis, Plaka is the oldest part of Athens.
Acropolis. It is simply impossible not to visit the Acropolis while visiting Athens. This is where you should start getting to know this beautiful city. It’s not for nothing that all guidebooks write that the Acropolis is the heart of the city, and this is true.
Parthenon. The monumental and majestic temple stands out effectively against the sky and makes a very strong impression
Monastiraki. The first thing that catches your eye in the Monastiraki area is large number souvenir, antique and furniture shops Today the area looks very modern and consists of narrow, winding streets...
Athens National Park. The park was created according to the design of the Frenchman Barrault and today represents one of the most interesting places Athens...
Odeon of Herodes Atticus. The famous Athens Odeon was built by the outstanding orator and statesman Herodes Atticus and was intended for theatrical and musical performances.
Theater of Dionysus It was rebuilt several times, including for gladiatorial and circus performances.
Beaches
South-east of Athens is a wonderful place for a beach holiday. The coast between Cape Sounion and Piraeus is called the Apollo Coast. This tourist area is considered one of the most famous in Greece: picturesque bays are pleasing to the eye, the sun almost always shines here, and many beaches are surrounded by shady pine forests.
The most popular Athens suburbs, where there are wonderful beaches - this Kalamaki, Varkiza, Sounio, Voula, Vouliagmeni, Lagonissi, Paleo Faliro, Kavouri And Glyfada.
Glyfada. One of the most popular resorts near Athens is Glyfada, located 17 km from the city. It is generally accepted that this fashionable cosmopolitan center is not the cheapest place to relax, however, there is still never a shortage of tourists here. Glyfada has everything for an interesting and healthy holiday: excellent restaurants, taverns, hotels and beaches, one of the most famous golf clubs in the country, as well as a nautical club and marina. From Athens you can get to this place by buses A2, A3, tram N5 opposite the Parliamentary Palace on Syntagma or by taxi.
Faliro. This free beach is located closest to the center of Athens and is constantly crowded with tourists. On weekends it is especially difficult to find a free place here. Kavuri. Near this small town there is a wonderful tiny Eden beach, marked with the EU blue flag. The beach is located on the border where the city limits end.
Vouliagmeni. At a distance of 20 km from the city center there is the most popular beach on the Attica coast, where people like to spend their free time and local residents. A variety of taverns, psarotaverns, cafeterias and comfortable hotels attract more and more tourists every year, who have the opportunity to combine a beach holiday with a visit to the magnificent capital. In addition, here you can swim throughout the season in the thermal waters of Lake Vouliagmeni, where the water temperature does not drop below 23 degrees.
Entertainment
You can relax and have fun in Athens everywhere: in bars and restaurants, cafes and discos, taverns and bouzouki courts.
Throughout the summer season, you can visit the Odeon of Herodes Atticus Athens Festival, opening June 1st. The festival program includes concerts classical music, ancient comedies and tragedies, as well as operas and ballets. The festival often hosts performances with the participation of recognized world stars, however, tickets should be purchased in advance. The best light and sound shows You can watch it from the Pnyx Hill, from where you can clearly see the performance taking place on the Acropolis.
From the end of July to the beginning of September, Daphne hosts famous Wine Festival. In general, all information about upcoming entertainment events in the city can be found in the Athens News newspaper.
At the top of Mount Parnifa at an altitude of 1050 m, the Parnifa casino is located, which can be reached by car or by cable car.
In Athens you can find entertainment for adults and children. Elite restaurant - club Egli Zapiu "Αίγλη Ζαππείου" in Zappio (city center) with a cafe-restaurant, an open-air cinema, surrounded by greenery. The Allou Fun Park, opened in 2002, has a special park for young children, Kidom. This is one of the popular entertainment places in the city for adults and children with many attractions, a cafe with a large selection of snacks, sweets and drinks. Terra Petra Park in the Petroupoli area, operating since 1966.
One of the beautiful places in Athens that you should definitely go to - Plaka, located under the Acropolis. This is the only area of Athens that has been preserved in its original form; you can see the city as it was 100 years ago. There are many taverns, restaurants, cafes, museums, and souvenir shops. These are not all of the interesting entertainment places in Athens. So you can spend your time with great benefit Planetariums "Eugenides Foundation", one of the largest and most advanced digital planetariums in the world. The complex has recently been renovated and is now able to accommodate
Shopping
There are many opportunities to indulge in retail therapy in Athens. The range of goods here is extremely wide: fur coats, clothing, furniture, books, shoes, souvenirs, jewelry, products made of precious metals.
One of the main trade arteries of the city is Ermu street(Hermes), where you can buy anything: from consumer goods to branded items. What a pleasure it is to walk along this pedestrian street, which has long been a mecca for Athens fashionistas, and has now become a popular place for tourists to visit. Visit Shoe salon Bournazos, clothing boutique Raksevski and a boutique of a famous jewelry brand Folly Folly.
We definitely recommend visiting the boutiques in the area. Kolonaki, located at the foot of Lekavitos, along the shops of the street Stadium, go to the shopping center Attica on the street Panepistimiou and chain stores Hondos Center.
Districts Monastiraki And Plaka famous for their souvenir shops.
Transport and movement
Air service. The main Athens airport, located outside the city in the Spata district (37 km from the city center), is called Eleftherios Venizelos. The airport has been operating for ten years and annually copes with huge passenger traffic. Eleftherios Venizelos serves all airlines operating domestic and international flights. You can fly here from Moscow, and from here you can fly to such large Greek resorts as Mykonos, Crete, Santorini, Rhodes, etc.
Sea communication. Port of Piraeus is located 15 km from the city center. It connects the capital with the islands of the Aegean Sea. International ships arrive here. The port can be reached by bus (No. 040 from the city center and No. X96 from the airport), by metro (from the airport line 3 with a change at Monastiraki station to line 1, the ride takes about 1 hour), by taxi.
Second port of Rafina located to the east, 30 km from the city center. From here there is communication with the islands of the Mediterranean basin. The port can be reached by KTEL commuter buses (stop Pedion Areos -πεδίο Άρεως in the center). There are buses (distance 10 km) and taxis from the airport to Rafina.
Buses. Athens has two intercity bus stations: at Kifisou Avenue, 101 (direction Etolokarnania) and at Lyosion Street, 260 (all others). Athens has a rich network of roads connecting it with the suburbs. Public transport in Athens is divided into 5 categories: buses, trolleybuses, trams, metro and electric trains. Buses serve all parts of the city without exception and connect them with each other. The movement interval is 7-10 minutes.
Public transport in Greece is high-speed, with a special right lane allocated to it. The trolleybus network is also well developed and accessible.
Metro. The metro and train network play a very important role in the city. The Athens metro has three lines: 1 green Piraea - Kifissia, 2 red St. Anthony - St. Demetrius, 3 blue Egaleo - Airport. There are 54 stations in total, line 1 serves 24 stations, line 2 serves 14, and line 3 serves 20.
Kitchen and food
Along with ancient history, varied and fun nightlife, Athens also attracts with its unique cuisine.
In the capital, you will find fashionable, many taverns, decorated in a traditional style with a menu of Mediterranean cuisine, and kebab houses.
The cuisine of Athens combines the features of national traditional cuisine from all over Greece. All establishments in Athens offer fresh seafood, meat, vegetables and a variety of cheeses. In the tavern, after placing an order, you can, if you wish, go into the kitchen and watch how your dishes are prepared. They cook in taverns mainly on the grill: brizoles - beef and pork chops, - lamb ribs, (shish kebab) cooked on coals, etc.
The table must have: the famous and healthy feta - a soft cheese made from sheep or goat milk, graviera - hard spicy cheese, etc.
You will be offered “their own”, homemade - draft or bottled wine from famous brands of your choice.
Athens is the capital of Greece, its largest city, attracting many tourists from all over the world. It has already become a tradition to start getting acquainted with Greece from Athens. And there are many reasons for this.
This is the oldest city in the country, which has experienced and seen a lot: luxury and poverty, prosperity and decline, grandeur and insignificance. Despite such changes, the entire civilized world symbolizes modern Athens with freedom and democracy.
The name of the capital of Greece comes from the name of the goddess of wisdom, Athena. Legend has it that the Phoenician Kekrops founded a city on a huge rock in Attica, and the goddess of wisdom Athena and the god of the sea Poseidon fought for the right to patronize him. In order to resolve this dispute, the gods from Olympus offered Athena and Poseidon to give gifts to the city. Poseidon struck the rock with his trident and gave him water, and Athena grew an olive tree by striking the rock with her spear. The gods considered Athena's gift more valuable, so the city was given to the goddess of wisdom.
Athens combines history and modernity, European appearance and ancient harmony. Artists and businessmen, young and old, married and single, fall in love with this romantic city. Athens blows people away with its stunning pace of life. And in numerous theaters, restaurants, shops and hotels you can always take a break from such a rhythm.
Climate and weather
The climate in Athens, as throughout Greece, is Mediterranean. But there is also a difference - low air humidity. You will never feel the sweltering heat in Athens, although the average temperature during the holiday season reaches +30 °C. The average temperature in winter is +5 °C, almost without snow, but with frequent rain.
Nature
In addition to its excellent climate, Athens can boast of its rich nature. The Greek capital is located along the shore of the Aegean Sea, and is surrounded on three sides by mountains. There are 12 hills throughout the entire area of Athens, the most significant of which are the Acropolis and Loukavittos. The most important natural attractions of Athens are olive groves, a variety of flowers, numerous vineyards and, of course, luxurious beaches. Despite such a beautiful appearance, the city still has environmental problems.
Attractions
When traveling around Athens, you cannot help but visit the symbol of the Greek capital - the Acropolis with its main temple, the Parthenon, the temple of the Virgin Athena. The old city is very popular among tourists, in particular the Place de la Concorde, where the Parliament building, a luxurious royal park and the ruins of the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Hadrian's Arch are located. Thanks to the period of prosperity of the Byzantine Empire, Athens had a huge number of churches: the Church of the Holy Apostles, the Church of Saints Theodore, Kapnikarea, Panagia Gorgoepikoos, the Church of St. George. Keramikos is the most important monument of ancient Athens, where the ashes of famous Athenians are kept. Also of interest to tourists are the Tower of Fans, the Lantern of Diogenes and, of course, the Arch of Hadrian. All this is just a small list of what is worth visiting in Athens.
Nutrition
In the Greek capital you will find a huge number taverns, cafes and restaurants. Their highest concentration is in the areas of Plaka and Psirri - the city center. Here you can find absolutely everything: oriental exoticism and European sophistication, small eateries and luxurious restaurants serving traditional Greek cuisine.
If you are a little hungry during city tours, you simply don’t have time for long meetings in a restaurant, but you prefer tasty and healthy food, then welcome to Gregory’s and Everest, the main Greek fast food chains.
In the evening, after long walks around the city, after swimming and sunbathing, you really want to sit in a good establishment with a cozy atmosphere, delicious cuisine and a generous menu... A glass of excellent wine, traditional Greek dishes, excellent music - all this can be combined in one establishment, the Filistron restaurant, which located next to the entrance to the city park. A main feature the establishment has a gorgeous view of the Acropolis! Here you will be offered a huge selection of national cuisine. The establishment is so popular that sometimes a table is booked here a month in advance! Therefore, we recommend that you visit it on a regular weekday.
There is one peculiarity in Greek alcoholic drinks. They often contain anise, which can cause allergic reactions or simply discomfort.
Accommodation
The most demanding travelers will be delighted to be greeted by the NJV Athens Plaza (Grecotel), located in the city center, with a magnificent view of the Acropolis. The Grande Bretagne Hotel has stood on the same square for 130 years, adding a touch of antiquity to the establishment, but the service here is modern and first-class. Not far from the Temple of Zeus is the luxurious five-star Royal Olympic Hotel. The leader among four-star hotels is the Titania Hotel, located in the city center between Syntagma and Omonia squares.
Entertainment and relaxation
Your holiday in Athens will be filled with unforgettable contrast. It’s quite easy to choose a tour to Athens depending on the interests of the tourist. For family vacation For children, there are playgrounds and water slides on the beach with shallow seas.
Fans of active recreation will also be pleasantly surprised by the wide range of entertainment: diving and water jumps, volleyball and tennis fields.
The most popular among tourists are the largest amusement park in Greece, Allou Fun Park, and one of the largest in the world, the Athens Planetarium. The park is divided into two large areas: for adults and children. The park is open from 10:00 to 24:00. In the planetarium you can watch 3D films about the distant future, space travel and even the ancient Greek past! Planetarium opening hours: 9:30-16:30. Price entrance ticket for children - 5-6 €, for adults - 4-8 €.
Purchases
Among fans of Greek shopping, the most popular places in Athens are the Monastiraki area and the Ermous pedestrian street in the Syntagma Square area. This is where you can visit greatest number various retail outlets.
Here is a small list of the most famous stores:
- Hellenic Folk Art Gallery - folk art gallery,
- Stavros Melissinos - luxury designer shoe store,
- Eleftheroudakis is a unique six-story bookstore, located between Omonia and Syntagma squares,
- The mall is the largest shopping center in Athens, located at Neratziotissa metro station.
And you don’t have to worry about small gifts for friends, because souvenir sellers are always located exactly where the tourists are!
Transport
The fare system in Athens is differentiated depending on your route, its length and the type of public transport. The cost of one trip on the metro and bus costs 1 €, on the tram - ---0.6 €. A 24-hour pass costs €3, and a weekly pass costs €10.
An interesting fact remains that movement to or from the airport automatically increases the cost of your trip several times. So a one-time ticket on the metro will already cost 6 €, on the bus - 3.2 €, and the taxi driver will automatically add 3.2 € to the established tariff.
The main features of transport in Athens include the following: city buses stop only at the request of passengers, the daily rate for one kilometer of a taxi ride (0.34 €) doubles at night, you will pay a small surcharge for calling a taxi by phone and heavy luggage .
Connection
Internet services in Greece, and especially in Athens, are excellent. It’s easy enough to find an Internet cafe or hotspot here. For an hour of access to the World Wide Web in an Internet cafe you will pay from 1.5 to 4 €. But don’t rush to pay for using this valuable resource! After all, many hotels provide free access to their guests, so be sure to inquire. And Syntagma Square already has a free Wi-Fi hotspot.
Those who want to stay “always connected” can purchase a Greek SIM card. SIM cards are sold at the office of the telecom operator, in shopping centers and supermarkets. The cost of a service package can vary from 3 to 20 € depending on the tariff plan. Top-up cards are also easy to buy at any store. Q-Telecom is considered the most profitable operator due to its interesting tariffs, high coverage and various promotions and special offers.
You can also easily use a regular telephone connection. There are telephone booths throughout the city, most of which work with prepaid cards (these can be purchased at newsstands). This card contains a certain limit of negotiations with anywhere in the world; its cost ranges from 4 to 20 €. And in bars and hotels you can find coin-operated machines. Their main feature is that they can accept incoming calls.
Safety
Athens can confidently be called a safe city. But still, in some moments it’s worth keeping your ears open. Firstly, political life Greece in lately especially tense due to the crisis. The city often hosts strikes, rallies and demonstrations. Therefore, be especially attentive and careful in the capital so as not to get into an unpleasant situation in a foreign city and country. Secondly, there are not entirely favorable areas in Athens, which tourists are not recommended to visit after sunset. These areas include Omonia Square, Larissis train station and its surroundings, Sophocles, Liossion, Metaxourgio and Filis streets. Some of these streets are home to legal brothels in Greece. In addition, these areas earned their criminal reputation due to drug trafficking.
Business climate
Athens is the center of business activity in Greece. And there are two reasons for this: geographical and historical. World practice confirms that in most countries the capital is the leading link in business. And history reminds us that from ancient times the Athenians were traders, which remains true to this day. Athenians prefer small corporations to huge corporations. family business. The business “heart of Athens” is the lower part of Omonia Square. The stock exchange is located on Sophocles Street.
Real estate
Recently, television screens and newspaper pages have been filled with information about the crisis in Greece. Due to this, many believe that investing in Greek real estate is dangerous and short-sighted. It is impossible not to agree that there is a grain of wisdom in such reasoning. But contrary to all the laws of economics, the demand for real estate in Athens is growing rapidly! Because of this liquidity, many business people prefer to invest in Greek real estate. This sector of the Greek economy provides a 100% guarantee of winnings if the purchased housing is rented out. Even purchasing real estate exclusively for yourself will be profitable here.
Obviously, real estate in Athens is much more diverse than on the islands. Here you can buy houses, villas and apartments in residential complexes. The estimated cost of housing in the city is from 1000 to 1500 € per square meter, while luxury suburbs set prices up to 10,000 € for the same square meter.
In Athens, you will have to pay 350-500 € per month to rent a three-room apartment. And the resort area of the capital will add another 70-80% to this cost during the season.
When relaxing alone, be vigilant when accepting an invitation to drink from outsiders. It is possible that you will be taken to a bar or pub where you will have to pay the bill, no matter what. This is a common rule in such pubs, and even the police will not be able to help you. Today in Athens, almost all such “cunning” establishments are closed, except for two - Pub Love and New York Pub, located in Plaka.