Athens Walking 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. The heart of Greece beats in Athens. Throughout the centuries of history, the city was besieged by Romans, Francs, Venetians and Ottomans who wanted to conquer its fame and glory. Different people and nations took a lot from the Greek civilization and the culture of that era.

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 1^st 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 Library, the 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; old and new, furniture, antiques, traditional costumes and coins of the drachma, the currency before euro. People wander around all the time. Local meat and fish is abundant in the local market. Smell from spice and herb like the Greek oregano is in the air. 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. Today the city has metro and tram for the thousands of Athenians and visitors who come and go. Without the levels of pollution that were present 30 years ago and a lot of pedestrian streets that wait to be discovered. 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 from the traditional cuisine that travelled through time and raised generations will offer savor and aroma of Greece. The city remained unforgettable for photography lovers taking pictures of its treasures, the local culture and the unique architecture of neoclassical houses which are representative samples of the Athenian civilization.

Every traveler deserves at least once in a lifetime to come to Athens. Why not you?

Every alley, every place recounts countless stories and it offers strong emotions and exceptional gastronomical delights.

Live the experience! You can be an explorer of the myths and history!