Athens Guided Tours

Athens, whose history starts around 3200 BC., is one of the most ancient cities of the world. The signs of civilization are obvious from its first steps. It has been the capital of Greece since 1834 and it is the biggest city. Throughout the centuries, the city was besieged by Romans, Francs, Venetians and Ottomans who wanted to conquer its fame and glory.

Ancient Athens was originally a settlement on the hill of Acropolis before developing into a powerful city-state which progressed parallel to its port during the 6^th century BC. Although in Modern Greek the name is used in singular “Athena”, the name in foreign languages follows the Ancient Greek name of the city which was in plural ‘Athenae’ as it constituted a settlement of scattered boroughs of Attica, which according to the legend were unified by the mythical king Theseus.

During the classical era, Athens was the center of arts, knowledge and philosophy.  It is referred as the birthplace of Democracy and it is characterized as the cradle of western civilization.  A representative sample until today is the Ancient Agora where the idea of Democracy was first established. The heritage of the classical era is still evident in the city, represented by ancient monuments and works of art.  The most famous of all, the Parthenon, is considered an exquisite monument of the ancient western civilization. The Supreme Court (Areios Pagos) where the virtue of Justice was born. The theater of Dionysus, considered the oldest in the world, is a cultural jewel. There is also a number of exceptional Roman and Byzantine monuments.

The New Acropolis Museum and the National Archeological Museum, considered the Best in the world having the widest collection of Greek antiquities, are regarded worldwide known museums. Benaki Museum with its wealthy collection of treasures made of marble, clay, gold, silver etc. is something you should not miss.

Sites of more recent era, dating back to the establishment of Athens as capital of the independent Greek state in 1834, include the Greek Parliament (19^th century) and a trilogy of adjacent monuments:  The National Academy of Arts, the National Library and the National University.

The old town of Plaka with the narrow alleys in the area of Anafiotika and the Ancient Market which was the center of the town offers superb sightseeing. Also, the Flee Market in Monastiraki offers a variety of things. The hill of Lycabettus offers a panoramic view of the city and a beautiful sunset with a view of the Aegean Sea.

Contemporary Athens is the center of economic, industrial, political and cultural life of Greece. It hosted the first modern Olympics in 1896 and 108 years later organized the Summer Olympics in 2004 at the same place where the Authentic Marathon race is conducted every year. The city feels proud of its contribution to civilization since it features UNESCO Monuments of World Heritage such as the Acropolis and the Mediaeval Monastery of Dafni.

The gastronomical delights of the traditional cuisine, which travelled through time and raised generations, will offer you savor and aroma of Greece. The city having indescribable pictures of the locals, neoclassical houses and the local market remained unforgettable to photography lovers.