It can be said, with complete confidence and honesty, that without Athens the world as we know it today would not exist. Art, science, philosophy, politics, and languages would be very different from what we are used to. The Greek capital is indeed one of the oldest cities in the world, home to illustrious thinkers and the true cradle of Western civilization. Therefore, we should all take a trip to Athens at least once in our lives, to discover all those places we've read so much about and where it all began.
Discover with us the essential stops of this trip and the most important monuments to visit in Athens!
The Acropolis
The first stop of any respectable trip to Athens is its Acropolis. The ancient citadel towers over the modern city and preserves a myriad of remains and structures dating back even to the Neolithic and Paleolithic eras.
Its symbol, however, is the Parthenon, the most characteristic and famous monument of ancient Greece. Built around 447 BC, the Parthenon was dedicated to the goddess Athena Parthenos (meaning virgin) and housed a colossal statue of her, now lost. A trip to Athens should be no less! Those who don't want to spend the entire vacation among ruins and museums can dedicate a day to exploring the city beaches or venture into the surroundings.
The beaches of Nea Faliro, Elliniko and Glyfada belong to the municipality of Athens and, precisely because of their proximity to the center, are very crowded and obviously suffer from real estate speculation. If you're up for a short trip, no more than half an hour by bus, you can reach the beaches of Varkiza and Sounio, with clear, crystalline waters like those of the Greek postcards that make us dream so much!