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The sprawling city of modern-day Athens is a far cry from the ancient village that once sat meekly at the base of the Acropolis. Athens, the capital of Greece for almost two centuries, is now home to more than 4 million residents, or more than one-third of Greece's population. The city's thousands of years of history and mythology are still abundantly evident throughout what is now a vibrant modern metropolis.
Athens is a friendly city where cafés, parks and gardens are plentiful throughout its miles of pedestrian streets. The Acropolis, Greece's finest treasure and one of the world's most important ancient monuments, is a rare wonder, containing the Parthenon temple among others — all built thousands of years ago. Just below the Acropolis, you'll find the Theater of Dionysus and the Odeon of Herod Atticus, the latter of which still hosts summer festival performances. Nearby is the ancient Agora, which was once a bustling marketplace.
The Plaka area of Athens on the northern slope of the Acropolis is made up of ancient, winding cobblestone streets that once composed "Old Athens." Most of this area is not accessible by car. The hill of Philopappou offers wondrous views of the Acropolis and the Agora. The many high hills of Athens offer views of Piraeus, the country's largest port and one of the largest in Europe.
The National Gardens offers tree-lined gardens and walkways with lakes in the vicinity. And just across the way you'll find Olympic Stadium, which hosted the first modern Olympic games in 1896. In southern Athens, there are many bars, clubs and restaurants to enjoy by night, as well as sandy beaches, coves and other gathering places to take in by day. There are endless squares and plazas where you can relax or get caught up in a variety of activities, and plenty of churches, museums and theaters to observe and explore all throughout the city.
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