Top 5 places to see in Athens

Today’s Athens is a bustling city where the past and the present meet at every step. Athens attracts many tourists due to its pleasant climate, excellent traditional cuisine, culture and history.

1. Acropolis

The most beautiful and famous temple in Athens, a symbol of Greece, is located on this hill. It dates back from the V^th century BC and reflects the beauty, wealth and power of Athens. The stairs at the entrance, called Propilaea, were built by architect Mnesicles. In south-west there is the Ionian temple of Nike Aptera, which has been recently restored. The Parthenon and other buildings on the Acropolis were built by Pericles in the V^th century BC. The Parthenon was built by Iktinos Kallicrates  to house a huge statue of Athena. Today it is the world's most imitated building and it is in an ongoing process of restoration.

2. The Temple of Zeus

The Olympic Temple of Zeus, called Olympeion, is located at 500 meters from the Acropolis and it is built with marble from the Mount Pentelus. It is 96 meters long and 40 meters wide. It had 104 columns, each 17 meters in height. Only 15 of these columns remained. Hadrian dedicated the temple to Zeus.

3. The National Archaeological Museum

This is the largest museum in Greece and one of the largest in the world. The museum houses over 20,000 exhibits, including the most important historical vestiges around the country. It offers a complete view of the Greek civilization, from prehistoric times to the late Roman period. The museum is located in an imposing building that on its 5 stories houses Prehistoric Antiquities, sculptures, collections of vases and minor arts, metalwork collection and Egyptian Collection and the Middle East. Also, the museum features an impressive collection of photographs and a library of rare books.

4. Theater of Dionysus
This is the world's first theater built in stone and is the birthplace of the Greek tragedy. Here have been played works by Aeschylus, Sofocles, Euripides and Aristophanes. The theater dates back from the Roman Empire, had a capacity of 17,000 spectators and had 64 rows of seats, out of which 20 have remained to this day.

5. Piraeus
This is the largest port of Greece, dating from the time of Temistocles. It gained importance when Greece became a naval power. It covers 8 km and consists of 3 ports. The harbor area is particularly important and has great streets, squares and parks.