ATHENS
Athens, cosmopolitan city, a mixture of different cultures and peoples that through the ages left their mark. The visit to Athens alone is a reason for the trip to Greece. In GrecoTour recommend a stay of two or three days minimum, enough to visit those places of great interest to highlight down as the greatest beauty of this country, both in places such as archaeological sites are located outside Athens.
Being the total Greek population of approximately eleven million people, about four million living in and around Athens. By making it a very active city. This activity, movement and bustle can get to stifle the tourists thinking of going to find peace and tranquility in Greece. But in the heart of this city are hiding a number of places that are required for your visit.
For these visits we give them a set of ideas and patterns from which you can choose and plan your time, depending also on whatever your tastes. These are relatively close to each other since, although Athens is very wide between us move the triangle formed by Omonia Square, Syntagma Square and Plaka district under the Acropolis.
The majority of our hotel selection is the heart of Athens that can move so easily. The distances are thus could walk away easily in pleasant walks and thus avoid the bus, the troley, subway or taxi.
Athens
Travel Guide to Athens (Best of Athens in 3 days)
First is obliged to visit the Acropolis of Athens, the most important archaeological site from all over Greece. On a slight hill may contemplate the famous Parthenon, the Erection which was the most sacred temple of the ancient Temple of Athena, Nike, the Propylaea, the Odeon of Herod Penthouse, the ancient theater of Dionissos, etc … All this within this archaeological site with a single entry. They can also visit the small but interesting museum of the Acropolis from the stress that the sculpture of Moscóforo and one of the authentic Caryatids (columns shaped woman), etc …
In this same area, we advise to know the neighborhood of Plaka and Monastiraki. These are the two neighborhoods located at the foot of the Acropolis. By day you can visit the many shops with Greek products more varied, souvenirs, etc … and visit the Monastiraki flea market. Will find their streets with the lantern Lisícrates.
At night, they can walk until you find among the many typical taverns, some with show or take a bottle of Greek wine in the many corners in view of the illuminated Parthenon.
On the other side of the hill, also interested in visiting the Areopagus, the enclosures of the Ancient Agora, or market, which includes the Temple of Efestos, the Library of Hadrian, or Filopapo Hill of the Muses. A short ride away is another archaeological site, the cemetery Keramidas.
Close to Plaka, should visit the Arch of Hadrian and the Temple of Zeus Olympico. Very close too, is the Syntagma Square, where he will visit the Greek Parliament, the tomb to the unknown soldier and his famous changing of the guard of Evzones, especially Sundays at eleven o’clock. We can continue the visit to the National Park and visit the interior of this great park, lung of Athens, called Zapion. If they decide to walk a little, can follow the visit to the Olympic Stadium.
In the central street of Panepistimiu, we will find the most beautiful neoclassical buildings of the city, which are the National Library, the University and the Academy of Arts.
The National Archaeological Museum is another splendid neo-classical building that has important archaeological finds from all over Greece. Would be to appoint many beauties so we leave it to you that whoever discovered the wonders inside it housed. Other notable museums are the Byzantine Museum, the Museum of Cycladic Art Gallery National Museum of Traditional Arts, the Benaki Museum, etc …
Other visits is interesting to know any of the Orthodox Christian Churches to be found in your walks, for the startling differences and curiosities found that with the Catholic Christian religion, not only in the architecture of their temples, but in the customs and habits Orthodox Christians. Highlights the churches of Agia Caterini, Agia Triada, Agii Apostoli, Agii Teodori, Agios Elefteris, Agios Ioannis theologist, Kapnikarea and Metamorphosis.
In the afternoon, you can visit the neighborhood of Kolonaki, the neighborhood of trendy shops and business center of Athens. Its center on the Platia (square) Kolonakiu, is a good place for a coffee or a glass Fraper night in one of the curious cafes and pubs of this square, while we observe the movement of people who pass through this square. Is located near the funicular railway that leads to the summit of the Hill Likavitos. The best time to go is a couple of hours before sunset and enjoy the spectacle and sights of Athens falls while the sun and enlighten opposite the Acropolis. You can enter the small chapel that crown this hill.
TWO-DAY TRIP TO ATHENS (story of a trip)
Two days is not enough time to visit Athens, of course, but we already knew the. Rhodes returned and, as we had to call at the Eleftherios Venizelos airport, we decided to seize the opportunity and spend a couple of days enjoying the city. Thus, when in the afternoon of February 28, 2007 landed our Olympic Airlines flight, we headed to the airport station to take the subway that should lead us to Syntagma Square, which is the heart of Athens.
The subway makes this journey in less than 40 minutes, but we had to wait nearly so until the convoy was launched (it seems that, at least at this time of year, only one convoy leaves every half hour; the information had was different, so there is the fact that as skippers to notice).
The Acropolis, the view from room 519 of Hotel Electra PalaceUn little later than planned, but happy to be back in this charming city (there are those who say that Athens is a city ugly, I think we have seen an Athens other than that We have seen us), we arrive at Syntagma Square, bustling as ever. From there, walk a few minutes to our hotel, the Electra Palace, located in the lower district of Plaka. As we were going to be just two days, we had decided to throw the house through the window, and we had booked a room with a view to the Acropolis. The hotel is nice and comfortable, though not cheap. The surcharge for the view is worth the stay if it will be a day or two. For a longer stay, the views are suitable only for millionaires budgets.
Despite the delay, we had time to get out into the street before the dusk. We walked for up to the Plaka Mitropoleos plaza, which is the Orthodox Cathedral, called Megali Mitropolia, but also the small metropolis or Mikri Mitropolia, a tiny and lovely Byzantine church of the XII century. Then we continued until the church Kapnikarea, whose origins date back to the eleventh century, and it remains beautiful despite the pollution that has blackened and appears to request a cleaning screams. Our next goal was the Agora and, more specifically, the Tower of the Winds. The compound, naturally, was already closed, but we were able to watch and photograph our wide from behind the fence. Then we continue walking toward Monastiraki (the old Turkish quarter). Despite the fact that at that time was already cold, the streets and terraces of the bars were full of people. And no wonder, because it’s really a wonderful walk through these streets buzzing around the Agora, or sitting on a terrace watching the Teseion, with the nearby Acropolis rising almost 100 meters above our heads. We finished the tour, which had already become a walk at night, traveling the last leg of Ermou Street, which borders the ancient cemetery of Keramik. Afterwards, we returned to Plaka, and in its upper part (at the foot of the Acropolis), we dined at the Monastiraki fell tardeun nice and pleasant restaurant that had a large wood fire in the fireplace of the dining room, but not before having to get around to a few characters who are committed to us the wonders of their respective establishments (if typical specialties, that if live music …). Our restaurant is filled, and that we were mid-week. Most customers were Greeks.
The following day tours of new Plaka and climbed to the Acropolis. We were able to contemplate the Erecteion and the Parthenon without strain: benefits of travel in low season. We also visited the Acropolis Museum, where they can be protected by a glass, four of the six original caryatids Erecteion (which is in the temple are copies).
After traveling the ancient Agora until Teseion or temple of Theseus, the best preserved of Athens and one of the best preserved Greek temples in the world. It is a Doric temple of the V century BC, built on a hill overlooking the agora. Was transformed into a Christian church in the Byzantine era. Perhaps this is due to their conservation.
Exit the Agora and continue until Keramik. Paseamos between the tombs of the ancient cemetery, adorned with statues and stelae, until it came time to close (two in the afternoon) and we missed a lot without contemplations.
After eating something at the Monastiraki Square, we visited the Roman Agora, and we could get closer to the Tower of the Winds Aérides or touching up by hand. It is an octagonal building of the first century BC that served as support for a clock that shows the hydraulics and, in each of its eight sides, a winged figure. These characters symbolize the eight winds in Athens, hence the name of the tower.
Later, after having rested at the hotel, we began our journey through the modern city. Down to Syntagma Square, which is the former royal palace, then turned in Parliament. Also there is the famous Hotel Grande Bretagne, where we stayed in our previous visit to Athens (who has not ever desired to stay in a hotel that is part of the history of a country?). Then walk on the Avenue of the University (Panepistimio) which highlighted the great nineteenth-century neoclassical buildings: the Academy, the University and the National Library. These buildings are impressive (especially with night lighting). We arrived at Omonia Square, and from there back in the direction of our hotel.
The next day should be to our departure. We devoted the morning to go Plaka, Monastiraki and Ermou street to say goodbye to the city and, incidentally, do some shopping. We finished the morning eating something on a terrace of the square Mitropoleos, seated in front of the Megali Mitropolia and Mikri Mitropolia, and we ran to the hotel to collect luggage and call a taxi to go to the airport (in the hotel had assured us that despite to the problems of traffic, was the fastest that the taxi meter).
In any Travel has to be some problem (in what would become, if not, the adventure travel?) And, until then, we had not had any. So the gods moved threads for Iberia, after a couple of hours to have us at the gate without giving us an explanation (which he did lose the nerves more than one of the frustrated passengers), finally cancel our flight. The next morning, having slept a few hours at the Sofitel is in the same airport, we were able to board finally headed to Spain.
