Athens Travel Guide
Introduction
Athens, Athina in Greek, is the cradle of Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy, and, too, a city that has been a popular travel destination since antiquity. Athens is in fact one of the oldest cities in the world, dating back more than 3,400 years. This is where Plato, and after him Aristotle, once held sway. That was at Plato's Academy and Aristotle's Lyceum, and that was when Athens was a seat of erudition and one of the world's leading centers for the arts and philosophy. There's a monumental collection of ruins here to attest to Athens' glory days, many of them preserved in their original state. Among these are temples dedicated to gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece, ruins of the mighty Acropolis where the Parthenon still looms large, numerous relics from the Roman and Persian empires, and even vestiges of the Turkish presence. Collectively, it's an archaeological treasure trove of gargantuan proportions and a tour of it a fabulous romp through ancient history, with few parallels if any in the Western world. And Athens remains today at the center of the nation's cultural and political life, having also emerged as the hub of Greece's industry and finance. There are world-class museums and galleries here, chic shopping venues, top-end restaurants, ritzy clubs and bars, a modern city center with glass towers, and everything, in fact, that one would expect in the 32nd richest and 25th most expensive city in the world.
Location
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