Athens

Athens

Useful information for tourists about Athens in Greece

Athens is the capital of Greece and one of the most ancient European cities. The city is located in the southern part of the Attic peninsula, in a valley surrounded by low mountains from the west, east and north. From the south it is washed by the waters of the Saronic Gulf.

Now Athens is a large metropolis with a population of 4.5 million. This is a huge museum of ancient architecture in the open. Finally, just amazingly beautiful and hospitable city.

The central part of Athens is divided into a number of clearly separated areas. Behind the Acropolis, which is the core of the ancient city, lies Plaka, the oldest residential quarter of Athens. Here you can see the monuments of the ancient, Byzantine or Turkish period – such as the octahedral Tower of the Winds, the Byzantine Minor Metropolis Church or the graceful stone door of the Turkish religious school, a madrasa whose building has not survived.

Most of the old houses in Plaka are now converted into tourist shops, cafes, night bars and restaurants. Going down from the Acropolis in the north-west direction, you leave to the area of ​​Monastiraki, where from the medieval times there are shops of artisans.

Today’s Athens is a modern city with a dizzying pace of life. Modern and at the same time romantic, with lively streets and squares, with bright multi-colored windows, but also with secluded side streets, with quiet and secluded quarters such as Plaka and Metz