Athens It is one of those cities full of history, not in vain it owes its current name to the goddess Athena. The Acropolis is the place that comes to mind when we think of Athens, a city in ancient Greece, where we can imagine living as they did centuries ago. But Athens is more than this. They are lively neighborhoods and a Greek culture that is transmitted at every step in the city.
If you're thinking about go to Athens on vacationSurely you have already put the Acropolis on your itinerary. Without a doubt there is much to see in this ancient city, with vestiges of ancient temples and a lot of history to know. But we will tell you about many more things to see, because Athens has a history but one is also a city full of interesting corners.
The Acropolis
La Acropolis of Athens It is enough for a single trip to this city, and it is that it is its main attraction, the place that everyone wants to see once they arrive in Athens, and the best of all is that we will see it well, because it is located at the top up a hill and lit up at night. This city on the top was the place of the main places of worship and its situation is due to defense issues, since these high places were easier to defend. It is true that the Acropolis has been destroyed and even looted over the centuries, but with what is preserved today and has been restored we can get an idea of what the times were like in ancient Greece.
El Parthenon is the most representative building of all, where the statue of Athena Parthenos, the protector of the city, was kept, which measured twelve meters and is no longer there. In addition, this Parthenon had huge columns and friezes in which different scenes could be seen represented in full color. Another of the buildings not to be missed is the Erechtheion, with the columns in the shape of a woman that are the Caryatids, which are not the originals but copies. The originals are in the New Acropolis Museum safely.
Plaka Old Quarter
Once we leave the Acropolis, we can go through the Plaka neighborhood, the oldest in town and today one of the most touristy. A charming place with cobbled streets and old buildings. The perfect place to find many small shops with typical souvenirs and bars with food also typical of the city. If you want to soak up the authentic in Athens, enjoy the Plaka neighborhood.
The lively Monastiraki neighborhood
If you like the Plaka neighborhood, near the Acropolis, you will also find Monastiraki, a very lively place, ideal for shopping. The monastirak marketi is the closest thing to a souk that you can find, with stores where there are all kinds of articles and where you will have to haggle to get everything. Here we also find a place with some interesting visits, such as the Tzisdaraki mosque or Hadrian's Library.
The views from Mount Lycabeto
In any city worth its salt there is a special place to have panoramic views of it. In Athens it is Mount Lycabettus, which means Wolf hill, for the large number of them that inhabited it in ancient times. Nowadays we can walk up without problem, but for those who do not want to do so much exercise, it is also possible to go up by car or funicular. It is an ideal show if we go at sunset, because there are great views of the Acropolis and the rest of the city.
The Panathenaic Stadium
The Panathenaic Stadium is an essential place for sports fans, and this stadium is the place where the first Olympics, in 1896. It is a symbolic place, since in the same place, in 330 a. A small stadium was built for sports competitions. The visit has an audio guide to learn more details about the stadium, and we can walk through the stands and even get on the podium.
The Odeon of Herod Atticus
This building was built no less than in the year 161 to perform musical auditions. It is an odeon that is located at the foot of the Acropolis, so it is close to the vast majority of things we want to see. It has marble-clad walls, and was built with the capacity to house about five thousand people. The best thing about this space is that today events and theatrical performances continue to take place in it. The truth is that to see it inside you have to go to one of them.