Athens4

The heart of old Athens, Plaka has an authentic charm with winding lanes, shady squares and atmospheric Byzantine churches.

This dazzling ancient citadel, perched on a hilltop rising above the city, houses some of the most impressive ancient buildings in the world. The jewel in the crown is the Pantheon, a 2,500-year-old temple dating back to 438 BC.

A unique and extraordinary 3km pedestrian promenade peppered with world-class antiquities – triumphant arches, ancient amphitheatres, Greek temples, and ‘Socrates’ Prison’.

A jaw-dropping array of antiquities – all the Acropolis’ treasures – in one very modern museum designed by starchitect Bernard Tschumi.

The closest Athens has to an oriental bazaar; from 10am each day the streets heave with every kind of stall – from antiques to clothes and bric-a-brac – then from 10pm the bars take over, making this the epicentre of Monastiraki’s nightlife.

Built by Emperor Augustus between 19 and 11 BC, the Forum was Athens’ trade centre, evolving into the city’s administrative hub by 3 BC. The two highlights are the Western Gate and the Tower of Winds, a 39-foot-high clocktower-cum-weathervane with a frieze depicting eight wind deities, thought to be the world’s first meteorological station.

Athens’ Agora and the adjacent Roman Agora were the centre of the ancient city. The many monuments here include the massive Stoa of Attalos and housing a museum.

Housed in the restored Stoa (covered walkway) of Attalos, this is probably the second most interesting museum after the Archaeological one; the most intriguing displays are the clay voting tablets with carved names, a reminder of Athenian democracy.

Antiquities galore, contemporary culture, scintillating nightlife and fantastic food: there’s something for everyone in Greece’s cosmopolitan capital that’s continuously reinventing itself.