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AUTHOR Robert Gillespie
July 18, 2014

Athens the city where the mythology meets the modern

The time is never enough to discover all the surprises which Athens has to offer. Not finding an enjoyable activity in this legendary capital is nearly impossible. Athens is the capital and largest city of Greece. According to Eurostat, the Athens Larger Urban Zone (LUZ) is the 7th most populous LUZ in the European Union. It’s a real cosmopolitan metropolis that would lay everything at your feet: from bars, nightclubs, restaurants and cafes to rich archaeological sites and museums. Athens the city where the mythology meets the modern, is a city that never sleeps.
When you are coming from abroad, you will probably arrive at Athens Airport which currently has two terminals with flights all over the world with various different airliners. The airport is approximately a 30 minute drive from the centre of Athens meaning car hire is a good idea to look into…

The ancient Athens monuments which can be found all around the city centre keep whispering legends that date back to mythological times, struggling to keep everything alive in our contemporary era. A large part of the town’s historic centre has been converted into the largest pedestrian zone in Europe (3 kilometers), leading to the major archaeological sites. If you wish to leave the centre behind you, you may visit, the neighboring town of Piraeus, Greece’s main port, which nowadays forms one big conglomerate with Athens and the Daphni Monastery (11 km. west), one of the most significant Byzantine monuments of the country (12th c.)

Most of us know that Athens is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Acropolis of Athens and the medieval Daphni Monastery but the Acropolis and the Parthenon dominate Athens. You’d be impressed with the visit just for the magnificent view of Athens and the surrounding temples below. Once finished the tour, don’t avoid Monastiraki, a characteristic area of “old” Athens, with lovely narrow streets and small buildings where the city’s traditional bazaar (Yousouroum) is held.

For Athenians, drinking a cup of coffee is a ritual that is often accompanied by a parea (in translation: a group of friends) and a pleasant conversation. Like most Greeks, they love their coffee, especially their frappé (iced shaken and stirred beverage) that is consumed year-round, at any hour. If you’re hungry, Athens offers you a large variety of restaurants, ranging from Mediterranean and Greek cuisine to Arabic and Asian, from budget to luxury. You can also enjoy the freshest fish varieties in fish tavernas in Glyfada, Vouliagmeni, Varkiza, Sounio, Piraeus or Mikrolimano. Creative fish dishes can also be found at many tavernas and restaurants in Kolonaki, Syntagma, Mets, Koukaki and Pagrati.

The Greeks are known for their love-of-life lifestyle. The choices are plenty and they take full advantage of it! They like to party and will do so almost every night of the week. After midnight bars and clubbing are full and after 10:00 p.m. Athenians come for dinner at the city’s tavernas, Athens Restaurants and bar-restaurants.

Parties and fun are not only for clubs, cafes or tavernas. Parties are alive at the beach, too. Athens, Greece, has a nearby coastline with a wide variety of beaches within a relatively short distance from the centre of the city. There you can relax admiring the golden sand or the rocky lagoons. Athens has a string of beaches that begins in Pireaus and like any city the further you get out of town the better the beaches are. The best beaches are located along the south-east coast in the Glyfada district, and the beaches north-east of the city near the Marathon district are very peaceful. You can also find some nice beaches along Athens’ east coast near Rafina, a smaller seaport near the city. However, most of the time, these beaches are very crowded even if the most of them are “private”, meaning that you will have to pay an entrance fee to enjoy swimming.

If you are interested in hiring a car for your trip to Athens or anywhere in Greece and need guidance in terms of vehicles or any other special requirements then our reservation agents will be happy to assist you. Contact us directly by calling +44 (0)113 880 0748 or emailing us at [email protected] and we will get right back to you.

Having worked in the car rental industry for over 15 years, he really knows his stuff. Rob heads up our marketing department and as a keen traveller, always has a new location to talk about. Particularly if there is a golf course nearby.

Robert Gillespie

Traveller

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