subject: A Vacation in Athens [print this page] A Vacation in Athens A Vacation in Athens
Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world, and is the largest city in Greece with a history spanning back over 3400 years. The city is named after Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, peace, strategy and reason. The Parthenon was built as a place to worship Athena as mythology was an every day part of life in Ancient Greece. Today, the Parthenon is one of the most visited places in the Athens.
The architecture in Athens is a perfect mixture of days long since past and modern times. Take a walk in the historic triangle, and in the old neighborhoods for glimpses of old mansions. Head to Kolonaki to see how the prestigious people of Greece live. Kolonaki is a neighborhood and shopping area hugging Mount Lycabettus, full of cafs, boutiques, galleries and more.
Out of the center of Athens rises Mount Lycabettus. To reach its summit you can hike if you like, or you can take the Lycabettus Funicular (a small train that takes you to the peak). At the top of this mountain is a theater, a 19th century chapel and a caf looking out over the beautiful city below.
Athens is home to many great people in history, such as philosophers Socrates and Plato. It held the first modern Olympics Games held in 1894. Athens did not host another Olympics Games until 2004. The games are held in the Athens Olympic Stadium also known as the Spiridon "Spiros" Louis Stadium (named after the man to win the first modern Olympic marathon race in 1896). In the 2004 Olympics, all games except the archery competition were held at this stadium. The archery competition and the finish of the Marathon were held at the Panathinaiko or Panathenaic Stadium. This is the only stadium in the world that is built entirely of white marble.
There are many things to visit and learn about in the city of Athens. As the city is so old, there is very much history and the climate is generally mild, so any time you choose to travel to Athens you should have nice and pleasant weather.
