Photo credit via flickr by csath07.
Athens is a rambling city stretched out among the Greek mountains. It has been home to the people of Greece for over 3000 years and is often referred to as being the cradle of Western civilization and the place where democracy was invented.
If you are thinking about visiting Athens, which is surely one of the most beautiful seaside destinations in Europe, as well as looking up the best hotels and inquiring about Athens airport transfers, you will naturally want to know what kind of activities and attractions are available in the city. Well, it’s your lucky day because I have put together a list of some of the best tourist attractions in Athens. Here you go:
The National Garden
Photo credit via flickr by PROSharon Mollerus Follow.
The National Garden is the beating heart of the center of Athens. This lush 38-acre green space is the perfect place to visit if you want peace and quiet or a relaxing family day out.
As well as being home to thousands of trees and almost as many plants, the national garden also has its own zoo, Botanical Museum and a pond where you can feed the ducks.
The New Acropolis Museum
Photo credit via flickr by Chris Brooks.
You can’t go to Greece without doing something Acropolis related, so may I suggest the New Acropolis Museum? This impressive museum, which is perched high on a hill overlooking Athens, is home to an impressive collection of Greek architecture and ancient sculptures dating back thousands of years.
With no less than five floors of exhibits on show, you could easily spend your whole trip browsing the beautiful offerings at the museum!
Temple of Olympian Zeus
Photo credit via flickr by George Rex.
The Temple of Olympian Zeus is the biggest temple in the whole of Greece, and it’s probably fair to say that it is one of the most impressive on the planet too.
The huge ancient complex was built over a staggering seven centuries and was commissioned by Peisistratos in 515 BC. Unfortunately, the building was seen as being oppressive, due to the tyranny of Peisistratos, and work on it was stopped. After that, work on the temple was stopped and started a number of times before being completed in 132 BC, when it was dedicated to the legendary god Zeus.
The National Archaeological Museum
Photo credit via flickr by Xuan Che.
If you’re an art buff, you’re sure to be bowled over by the National Archaeological Museum, which has exhibitions dating from the present day to ancient times. It is also home to an impressive collection of Neolithic art, which isn’t the kind of thing you’ll get to see in the average museum.
Erechtheum
Photo credit via flickr by Aleksandr Zykov.
The Erechtheum is a stunning temple made entirely of Pentelic marble. It is situated at the Acropolis, and it is one of the mist iconic pieces of Greek architecture of all time. Dating back to 405, at one time the temple was dedicated to Poseidon, Polias, and Erechtheus. If you visit the Erechtheum, you can visit the shrine to Athena, the Porch of Caratids and the western cella, among other things.
When visiting any of these wonderful attractions, be sure to take your time and savor every moment!