10 Reasons Athens Might be Europe’s Greatest City

Athens is the oldest capital city in Europe, with a population of around 5 million people. With history spanning thousands of years, Greece is considered the birthplace of western civilization. The long recession has allowed Athens to transform itself into a multi-layered society influenced by European neighbors. Today, trendy restaurants and cafes sit alongside ancient ruins. The cafe and patisserie culture of Athens rivals Paris. Visitors to Athens marvel at a modern city that mingles with civilizations spanning thousands of years, from Byzantium to ancient Greece. Here are 10 reasons why Athens may still be Europe’s greatest city!
Parthenon Athens

Delicious Greek Cuisine

Greece is an incredible foodie destination. It’s meat and seafood heaven, with traditional and modern dishes galore. The country also has the best olive oil, honey, oregano and yogurt on the planet. High quality ingredients add tons of flavor to savory and sweet dishes. The oregano is so flavorful it’s worth trying to sneak through customs (shhh, we didn’t write that). Some of the patisseries and bakeries in Athens are as good as anything you’ll find in Paris or Brussels, two of Europe’s best capitals for pastries. Plaka and Monasteraki are popular spots for tourists because you can enjoy tasty food and drinks with a lovely view of the acropolis. Sometimes the touristy restaurants don’t offer the best food though. For great food that’s less touristy, but just off the beaten path, try any of the restaurants or cafes in Platia Agia Irini (Saint Irene Square), or Psiri, near Monasteraki. It’s convenient for tourists, but quintessentially Athenian, trendy and high quality. The tavernas in Psiri are fantastic for an authentic experience. It’s lovely to dine alongside live rembetika (Greek blues) music. Taverna Tou Pysiri is one of the best places to dine over rembetika music. Taverna Klimataria is another favorite. I organized a big family dinner at Taverna Klimataria to celebrate my father’s last trip to Greece, prior to his 90th birthday. Europe’s great city offers a cornucopia of culinary delights!
Athens has lots of great dessert outside baklava. Loukoumades, which are fried donuts covered in honey syrup and cinnamon are just one of the excellent treats you'll find all over Greece.
Athens has an abundance of great dessert outside baklava. Loukoumades, which are fried donuts covered in honey syrup and cinnamon, are just one of the excellent treats you’ll encounter all over Greece.
Greek salads are a favorite for those looking to eat a bit lighter.
Greek salads are a favorite for those looking to eat a bit lighter.
Greek sausages in marinara sauce- restaurant food that tasted deliciously homemade.
Greek sausages in marinara sauce- wonderfully prepared restaurant food that tasted deliciously homemade.

Great Value

Athens is one of the most inexpensive and best value European capital cities. For a major capital city, Athens is one of the cheapest in Europe for food and accommodation making it a great value for visitors. For fast food, the price of a tasty gyro in Athens is around €2.80 ($3 USD) compared to an average of £6 ($8 USD) for a mediocre takeaway sandwich in London. I’ve stayed in several excellent Athens hotels, offering amazing value outside peak summer season and holidays. Rooms are often newly renovated, comfortable and have epic views overlooking the city. Berlin also offers pretty good value in terms of accommodation for mid-range travelers. But London is far more expensive, with the equivalent room costing at least 3 times as much.

Athens is a Hospitable Capital to Tourists

Greeks are some of the friendliest and most welcoming people on the planet. If you’re out to dinner in Greece there’s an excellent chance you’ll receive a free dessert, coffee or ouzo complimentary at the end of your meal. It gives people a good feeling, and it’s good for repeat business. I wish business was always done like this everywhere! On prior trips to Greece, I randomly had someone give me their lunch on a long train ride. I was once given a free beer in an Athens bar because I’d missed the last bus. The owner rang a taxi and didn’t charge for the beer, which was unbelievably nice. My Greek aunt once invited an English backpacker she randomly met on a train ride to Olympia to stay at her house a couple nights, which the English backpacker happily accepted. Welcome to Greece! Be polite to locals, and be ready to be surprised with lovely gestures of hospitality. Europe’s greatest city should be hospitable, and Athens fits that bill!

History: Why Athens Might Still be Europe’s Greatest City

Athens has the oldest recorded history of any European city as the Parthenon and many other fantastic sites around the Acropolis, like the incredible Theseum, date back nearly 2,500 years to the golden age of Pericles. Athens is even older though, with a history dating over 4,000 years. Greeks are extremely proud of the fact that they’re the birthplace of democracy and ancient Greeks made a significant impact to the fields of science, math, theater and sports. Panathenaic Stadium, built for the first modern Olympics, which was held in 1896, is the world’s only active stadium made entirely of marble.
Acropolis Carytadides
Athens Temple of Hephaestus (Theseum), dedicated to the Greek god of craftsmanship, is one of the most underrated 2,500 year old buildings in the world.
Athens’ incredible Temple of Hephaestus (Theseum), dedicated to the Greek god of craftsmanship, is one of the most underrated 2,500 year old buildings in the world.
Athens new Acropolis Museum is a world class museum that was completed in 2010
Athens new Acropolis Museum is a world class facility that houses a wealth of antiquities.
Athens Panathenaic Stadium was built for the first modern Olympics in 1896 and is the world's only active stadium made entirely of marble.
Athens Panathenaic Stadium was built for the first modern Olympics in 1896 and is the world’s only active stadium made entirely of marble.

Beaches a Tram Ride Away, Unique for a European Capital

You don’t have to travel to the islands or even drive a car to relax on Greek beaches, in fact you can just jump on a tram right in front of the Greek parliament building in the center of Athens at Syntagma Square. The coastal tram line, which opened before the Olympics in 2004, will take you all along the Saronic Gulf coast to the beaches in Glyfada, Kavouri, Vouliagmeni, Varkiza and as far as Voula. The tram is modern, air conditioned, comfortable and convenient. If you rent a car in Athens (which I don’t recommend driving in Athens) your best best is to drive along the coast to the historic Temple of Sounion, which also has some great beaches. It unfortunately wasn’t beach weather during my recent visit but I enjoyed a lovely meal at Kastelorizo in Varkiza, with a lovely seaside view. Athens subway goes directly to the port of Piraeus which is also great for having a meal before catching a ferry to the islands, though not necessarily great to swim. Athens suburbs offer a long stretch of beaches and wonderful seaside cafes and tavernas, which is very unique for a European capital. Europe’s greatest city doesn’t have to have fantastic sun kisses beaches on its doorstep. But Athens offers that too!
The lovely seaside town of Varkiza, just outside Athens, is great for a meal and to swim at nearby beaches, which I unfortunately didn't get to this past visit.
The lovely seaside town of Varkiza, just outside Athens, is great for a meal and to swim at nearby beaches, which I unfortunately didn’t get to this past visit.

Picturesque Mountains Surround Athens

Athens is one of the few European capitals completely surrounded by picturesque mountains, and the only one that also has the sea as well. There’s even a mountain in the center of Athens called Mount Lycabettus, which offers the best panoramic views of the city as you have a birds eye view of the acropolis, the sea and port of Piraeus just beyond, the entire city and all the surrounding mountains. This is a breathtaking place to enjoy a meal with one of the best city views on the planet.
Athens Sunset Lycebettus
Theseum Sunset from Acropolis
Athens from the Saronic Gulf

Great Public Transportation and one of Europe’s Best Airports

Most European cities have great public transportation and Athens’ is on par with Berlin and London. Athens had a new state of the art international airport, subway line and coastal tram line built prior to the 2004 Olympics. Public transportation in Athens busts the myth that the city is a backwards and inconvenient place to visit. Athens is easy to get around and very tourist friendly, as electronic metro boards and announcements alternate between Greek and English. Despite the Greek alphabet, Athens is a great city to visit for English speakers. Great public transportation should be a hallway of Europe’s greatest city. Athens ticks this box too!
A typical Athens metro stop- clean, efficient and reliable.
A typical Athens metro stop- clean, efficient and pretty reliable.
Some of Athens subway stations double as museums, with antiquities showcased behind glass, unique even in Europe.
Some of Athens subway stations double as museums, with antiquities showcased behind glass, unique even in Europe
Athens modern Venizelos International Airport happily welcomes visitors from around the world.
Athens modern Venizelos International Airport happily welcomes visitors from around the world.

Athens Massage

Athens offers fantastic value for massages! Full body oil massages in Athens start at just 20 ($21 USD). That’s significantly cheaper than the USA and many other countries. Bell and I enjoyed a relaxing full body couples massage in the same room for 40 ($42 USD) by Greek masseuses. Massages are professionally done, with proper draping. A variety of options include Swedish relaxation, deep tissue, lomi lomi, Thai massage, reflexology and a mixed variety of massages. Like many things in Greece, a generous amount of oil is used in a Greek oil massage! If you walk around Ermou street in the afternoon, there are women handing out fliers for the massage houses. These are reputable establishments that generally provide great service. I’ve had a few massages in Athens along Ermou Street, and one of them was possibly the best I’ve had in my life, for just 20! The Greek masseuse combined a variety of techniques, from Swedish to lomi lomi, alternating between a relaxing full body oil massage, to stretching my arms and legs. She used her elbows to apply deeper pressure. I felt extremely relaxed afterwards.

Thai Massage and Hammam Spas in Athens

An Athens massage is a great way to begin your trip after a long flight from the USA. It’s also great after a day or two of walking around the city, to get some pampering for your legs and body. There are a variety of massage parlors in Athens, especially along Ermou Street. Massage providers are generally Greek or Thai, and the Thai providers are also professional. You’ll have to look beyond Ermou Street if you’re looking for nuru or tantric massages, which are not as common in Athens compared to some other European cities like Budapest (Budapest spas are great, and it’s also one of Europe’s best value cities for Nuru massages). Prostitution is legal in Greece, so sexual services generally take place at licensed brothels, away from massage parlors. European massage websites tend to be very direct about all the services they will offer. For even more luxury and pampering, there are a variety of Hammam spas in Athens. These Turkish style baths offer massages, steam rooms and Turkish style soap scrubs. Check reviews on google and find establishments that match your budget. This is a great option for a romantic couples trip or honeymoon in Athens!

Athens’ Ports of Piraeus and Rafina are Launch Pads to Explore Idyllic Greek Islands

The Greek islands are one of the world’s most popular destinations to vacation. There are around 6,000 islands in Greece, but only 227 are inhabited. You can visit some of the uninhabited islands on day trips, which are fantastic for pristine beaches or archeological sites, like Delos (The “Athens of the Greek islands”). Idyllic villages hanging above the sea, mouth watering gastronomy and breathtaking sunsets over sun kissed beached make this a popular vacation destination for celebrities too. Santorini, Mykonos and Rhodes are three of the most popular islands. Especially in summer, they draw huge throngs of tourists, also because many of the large cruise ships dock there. There’s good news for those that want to avoid the crowds – there’s plenty of other islands! And you can also plan a trip to the most popular islands outside summer, when crowds drop off significantly and prices are cheaper. Visitors can book a cruise, tour, or plan your own trip to the Greek islands by searching sites like Ferry Scanner. Greece is a popular tourist destination so English is widely spoken, especially on well visited islands. That means you shouldn’t have a problem putting together your own itinerary. Visitors are spoiled for choice on which Greek island to visit. Here are highlights on 25 popular and hidden gems! Europe’s greatest city should offer amazing vacations that are close proximity. That’s absolutely the case with Athens!

Where to Stay in Athens?

First you’ll need a play to stay. Book well reviewed accommodation with free cancellation as soon as you can given how busy Athens currently is. Then if plans change, you can always cancel your booking!

Luxury

The Grand Bretagne is a historic 5 star hotel in Athens with history dating over a century. Rooms have marble bathrooms and some have balconies facing the Acropolis and the daily changing of the guard at the Parliament. From their Roof Garden Restaurant you can see the original Olympic Stadium and Acropolis. The Grande Bretagne Spa offers a thermal suite, complete with herbal bath, grotto, ice fountain, couples retreat and indoor pool. Guests can even pamper themselves with ouzo oil massages. view of the Acropolis from the Grand Bretagne Hotel in Athens

Mid Range

The Artist Athens

The Artist Athens is one of my favorite boutique hotels in the Pysiri district of central Athens. It recently opened in summer 2018. So everything is brand new, with plush bedding and comfortable well appointed rooms. If you book a suite on an upper floor you’ll have a view of the Acropolis. Many of the lower floor rooms have nice views of a lovely 17th century Orthodox Church next door.
A delicious breakfast at the Artist Athens, consisting of Greek omelet, fresh squeezed orange juice, latte & bread basket with croissants. Also pictured is a Byzantine church view from the third floor bedroom.
Athenaeum Grand Hotel is a modern hotel offering a comfortable stay at a good price. Rooms and suites are fitted with hardwood floors, nice furnishings and a modern bathroom. All rooms even include use of a smartphone that’s programmed with a guide to Athens, that you can use while touring the city. Beds are really comfortable and the breakfast buffet is great quality. We enjoyed our stay there.

Budget Hotels

Selina Athens Theatrou

One of the best hostels in Athens is Selina Athens Theatrou . Selina is global chain of hostels located around the world. They also offer co-working spaces for digital nomads. Asides from shared rooms, the property also offers private rooms with en-suite bathrooms, balconies and comfortable mattresses. This is the perfect stay for solo travelers as the hostel organizes nightly fun events like welcome drinks on their rooftop terrace, tsiporou (raki) tasting and pub crawls on weekends. Selina Athens Theatrou offers a roof top terrace restaurant and bar with stunning views of the Acropolis and all around Athens. The property is located 500 m from National Theater of Greece and 801 m from Monastiraki Square. Among the facilities of this property are a restaurant, 24 hour front desk service and free WiFi. The accommodations also features a shared lounge, kitchen, cinema and co-working space.

Still Athens

Still Athens is one of my favorite budget stays in central Athens. Mattresses are comfortable, rooms are well appointed, and they also feature an espresso machine. Located in the Athens City Center district of Athens, just off Athinas Street, Still Athens is located less than 1 km from Monastiraki Square, at the foot of the Acropolis. It’s just 5-minute walk from Ermou Street-Shopping Area and 1.1 mi from Roman Agora. Owner and operator Alex Diamantis is extremely friendly, giving his guests the best tips on what to see, where to eat and where to drink. Breakfast is included and provided upstairs at a nearby pizzeria. Air-conditioned rooms provide a city view and come with a desk and free WiFi.

Budget Faliro and Athens Area Beach Hotels

Athens is one of the few capitals in Europe to have beaches. You can even catch the Athens coastal tram to the beaches from Syntagma Square (home of the Greek parliament) going towards the seaside town of Voula. If you want to stay on the beach in Athens, consider the Poseidon Hotel in nearby Faliro Beach or a Glyfada Beach area hotel.

Want to travel to Athens Very Cheap?

Play the credit card points game to earn dirt cheap international flights with everyday spending. There’s really no catch as long as you’re responsible with credit. We take advantage of credit card bonus sign ups on a variety of cards we cycle through. This saves us thousands each year on travel. If you need tips on this email [email protected] and I can assist you in saving big money on travel!

Greece’s Economic Crisis

Greece has been mired in a rough economic stretch, with overall unemployment at 25% and youth unemployment at 50%, but hopefully the country is past the worst of it. Despite tough times, Greece is still a welcoming country that’s safe to travel to. And the more time I’ve spent in Athens over the years, the more I believe it’s one of Europe’s greatest cities. If you haven’t already visited Athens, try and visit in the next couple years as the city will most likely become more expensive to visit in the very near future!

Other Useful Articles We’ve Published on Greece:

How to Spend the Perfect Week in Greece 5 Great Tips for Visiting Athens Tips for Visiting Naxos: Best of Greece Reasons You Will Love Chania, Crete 6 Fantastic Greek Islands to Visit I recently returned from spending 3 and 1/2 weeks in Europe, almost exclusively between Berlin, London and Athens. All cities I’ve previously visited on multiple occasions. I left feeling Athens was my favorite of the three. We’ve also visited almost every European capital, and the more I’ve gotten to know Athens, the more I love it. Modern Athens, which mingles with the remnants of civilizations spanning thousands of years from Byzantium to Ancient Greece, is truly one of the greatest cities in the world. I recently published an article on Great Property Locations in Greece to Establish European Residency. The article covers great destinations through the Greek islands and mainland. It also touches on some of Athens best neighborhoods including Kolonaki, Koukaki and seaside beach towns like Glyfada, Faliro and Voula. There’s so much to experience in Athens, so this list only scratches the surface. If you have questions on how to spend your vacation in Greece or maximizing credit card points, email me at [email protected] and I can assist you!

About the Writer and this Website

Alex Kallimanis is a UCF graduate who grew up in the Orlando, Florida area before living in destinations like Australia, the Netherlands, Ireland and east coast destinations like Boston and Washington, DC. I’m also a Greek citizen that has made 15+ trips to Greece. As a travel journalist and travel consultant, I enjoy assisting readers with getting amazing experiences and value from their trips. I’ve visited 67 countries and counting. Alex working on his computer along the beach in Sanibel Island, Florida My wife of 19 years, Bell, is an Australian scientist working in cancer research. We first met in a hostel in Brugge, Belgium while backpacking Europe solo after college. You can read more on that story in our about page if you’re interested. I encourage you to browse some of the other destinations we’ve covered for helpful tips. I also share advice in our resources page that could save you thousands on travel costs! Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. We receive a small commission when you book or sign up through these links and it costs you nothing extra. When it suits you, please use them, as it helps us help you! We never promote any services that we don’t use ourselves. 

Author

  • Alex&Bell

    Alex and Bell originally met while solo traveling after finishing university in 2002, in Brugge, Belgium. Alex grew up in the USA and Bell hails from Australia. During our nearly 20 year marriage we've lived around the world, including spending six years living in the Netherlands and Ireland. We have traveled to nearly 70 countries and enjoy giving readers authentic and quality travel tips. Alex is an award winning travel journalist and travel planner, who also freelances for other outlets. Bell is an award winning PhD scientist who currently works for a non-profit lung cancer advocacy research organization called Lungevity. Happy travels and if you have any questions leave a comment or drop an email!

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16 thoughts on “10 Reasons Athens Might be Europe’s Greatest City

  1. Fabulous photos and update on Athens. I have not been there in a very long time and you have made me move Greece up my bucket list again. I would love to retire on a Greek island!!!!

    1. Thank you!! So happy you’ve added a return visit to Greece to your bucket list, and a possible retirement on a Greek island! Best of luck building towards this! 🙂

  2. Great post – and so true. I haven’t been to Greece since I was a child, but I would love to go back to Athens. History is a given – so much incredible ancient history to discover. And Greek food is also delicious. Must admit I’ve never explored Athens’ beaches though. I’ll have to put it on my list for next time I go there!

    1. Hey Katie! Thank you for the compliment! Yes Greek food, the ancient sites and the nearby beaches in Athens are wonderful!

      One thing I unfortunately didn’t do on my recent trip to Athens was just to sit down and enjoy a great meal with a view of the acropolis lit up at night- it’s another stunning thing to do. The Reason I didn’t was that I was caught up with a conference, otherwise this is a must when you’re a leisure traveler in Athens.

      We did have drinks one night at a bar called Skyfall which had a great terrace with an amazing view of the acropolis lit up. Places like this exist all over Athens and really add to the magic. Yes, definitely go back and enjoy all this!

  3. Superb article on wonderful Athens!

    You wrote it so well and your information was spot on…..Athens is an underrated city and one needs at least 3-4 days to completely appreciate her hidden wonders, delectable restaurant scene, amazing beaches with those amazing pristine turquoise waters and not forgetting her electric nightlife!!

    Ahhh such a great read!

    Thank You!!

    1. Hi Costas! Thank you so much for reading, commenting and for the compliment!

      Yes, you definitely need a minimum of 3-4 days to do Athens justice. In my various trips to Greece over the years I’ve been fortunate to have spent over a month in Athens and the longer I’ve spent the more I like it.

      The Olympics were heavily criticized for the debt in brought Greece, but the upgrades to the infrastructure have kept Greece on par or surpassed other European capitals in terms of public transport and a wonderful international airport. Athens is a better city to visit now than it was 15 years ago when I first visited. These may be dark times for many Greeks but there’s better days ahead for the people, hopefully soon!

  4. Hi Alex & Bell,

    Thank you for replying 🙂 I agree that the infrastructure has helped the city a lot in terms of transportation and the airport is Top notch….even for a small country like Greece.
    I’ve been visiting Athens since 2000 and immediately fell in love! I became a permanent resident in July 2012 and love it even more now….I feel too many people get hypnotized by the media and automatically make up their minds so I’m so thank full that you guys are setting the record straight.

    It always pleases me when I find likeminded people who share in my love and passion for Athens….let’s not stop ever…

    Have a wonderful evening and speak or tweet soon!!!!

    Best,

    Costas

    1. Hi Costas,

      Thanks for your reply as well! That’s wonderful that you’re now a resident of Athens and enjoying life there! Congratulations on taking the plunge to being an expat in Greece!

      I think too many cities are short sighted about *some* of the Olympic debt. I wouldn’t mind our current home of Boston bidding for the Olympics as an excuse to update some of the infrastructure here. Though this city only needs modest updates, but the Olympics are also good advertising for visiting an area. Most Europeans who visit Boston really like it, but a lot of people outside the USA have also never heard of it or don’t realize it’s only a 5 hour bus ride from New York City and very easy to combine the two on a visit to the USA.

      I have a lot of family in Athens and it’s always great spending time with them on my visits. Anyways, thank you again for reading, we’ll be in touch, and enjoy life in Athens!

      Yiasou,
      Alex and Bell

  5. Very true and good tips! We spent a week in athens (during the banking crisis vote and aftermath) and we couldn’t have been happier. The sites were amazing, food was delicious, and people were so nice. We definitely enjoyed Athens!

    1. Thanks for sharing, Amanda! That was a really interesting time you were in Athens for. There were a lot of celebrations in Greece after that controversial vote, but then there was also the cap on withdrawing 60 euro from ATM’s per day and a lot of worry in the country. Apparently the ATM limit has been lifted. So glad you still had a wonderful time in Athens, I can’t wait to return yet again!

  6. Wow I couldn’t agree more! I’m Greek and have been to Athens several times over the years, but this most recent time it felt like I was in an entirely different city! I kept saying to my partner this is the coolest city ever! We both agreed it’s cooler and edgier than both Berlin and London (interesting you said the same), and far less gentrified! We loved Plaka and of course the views from restaurants at Monasteraki with the Acropolis lit up at night are just magical. We even stumbled across the Irene square which was even cooler and hipster like, and the classy graffiti scrawled all over the city just adds to the cool arty effect. The flea market is amazing, and we were pleased to find healthy juice bars everywhere at reasonable prices! The big national park was amazing, as is the closeness to the beach…and yes all the surrounding mountains just add to the picturesque appeal…I’ve always said Greece is the most beautiful and under-rated place in the world without a hint of bias! 😉 I mean, a massive mountain in the middle of the city offering the best views of sprawling athens? Where else in Europe is this?

    The friendliness and Greek hospitality astounded me also…as I’d also had made assumptions about fiery Greeks…really I was blown away by how nice everyone was. And with all the new shops and bars one would never guess there was a crisis of austerity. Even the seediness of certain areas was appealing. I simply love the revamped Athens and kicked myself for bypassing it for so many years to the just go to the islands…apart from the modern edginess there are so many archeological and cultural spots in one place you can’t go wrong for sightseeing! Not to mention all the amazingly tasty bakery goods and freddo espressos, and yummy gyros for so cheap…we came back to London and had to face bland expensive food again plus the sanitisation of chain stores everywhere like Costa, Pret and Eat on every corner….urgh!!

    1. Hi Evie. Thanks so much for your thoughtful, detailed and very interesting comment! We just returned from a 2 week family trip to Greece and it was wonderful. It was our first time going to the beautiful island of Naxos. I also accompanied my 89 year old father to his birthplace near Olympia and we visited my grandparents grave. I had never visited their grave before and it was very emotional and special going with my dad, especially since it might be his final trip to Greece. He was such a trooper on the trip and it’s wonderful he’s still able to travel Trans-Atlantic at his age.

      Athens was a fantastic time and we absolutely loved dining with passionate rembetika musicians performing live in the Pysri area. We even explored the graffiti in what some consider the “anarchist” neighborhood of Athens, Exharcheia. Wow, that area has some really cool hangouts and it’s too bad we didn’t have time to grab a drink in one of them. There’s so much cool stuff to do in Athens that we didn’t even make it to one of the cool ouzeris, asides from Brettos, which is Athens’ oldest distillery and being in Plaka, very touristy.

      We feel your pain on returning to bland chain food. We know the chains you mentioned well given we’ve been to London and used to live in Dublin. We even have Pret in DC too. Everywhere is slowly becoming the same. Happy travels and thanks so much again for the awesome comment! 😀

  7. I just came back from my first time Athens and Peloponnese vacation and aside from the incredible peloponnese, Athens is such a marvelous and amazing city. I mean, just wow. It far exceeded my expectations although my expectations where definetly not low to begin with.

    I love the city, its energy, its great views, its great food, its gorgeous architecfures and monuments and indeed the fact that athens is surrounred by both all surrounding mountains and sea. And axide from all its monuments I have to make a special note on the Acropolis. It left me in such awe and is dominating the views from many parts of the city. Truly stunning. At night also its a beacon of light.

    While among cities I liked Rome and Berlin alot and London much less so, I believe Athens took the prime spot and i will come back soon. Bottom line marvelous city

    1. Thank you for sharing your impressions of Athens with us, Anthonie!

      Glad to hear you enjoyed Greece so much and Athens exceeded your expectations! That does seem to be a common feeling about Athens 🙂

      London and Athens are so different. We like London as well, but among other things it lacks beaches and mountains in its city limits. So London doesn’t have striking natural beauty surrounding it the way Athens does.

      Happy travels!

  8. Athens and all of Greece is simply Beautiful. One of the greatest countries in the world, with rich history, culture, architecture, food, the Greek language, adventure. And home of the Ancient Fathers of Mathematics, Psychology, Philosophy, Ancient & Modern Medicine and so on.

    1. The region has indeed contributed so much to civilization. And today Greece is an inspiring place for artists to work – whether you’re a writer, painter, photographer, videographer – there’s so much material to work with.

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