Athens

Athens is the capital of Greece. Named after the Greek Goddess Athena, it is one of the most famous cities in the world. It is the center of economic, financial, industrial, cultural and political life in Greece and Balkans. The city is a leading business center in Europe. The Olympic games was born in the city. It was the leading city in Greece during the greatest period of Greek civilization. Considered as the cradle of Western civilization, Athens was a powerful city-state and a renowned center of learning. It is now a lively metropolis with well-designed infrastructure.

Area & Location: Situated across the central plain of Attica, Athens is located at 38°00' Latitude North and 23° 43' Longitude East. It is surrounded by Mount Aegaleo in the west, Mount Parnitha in the north, Mount Penteli in the northeast, Mount Hymettus in the east and the Saronic Gulf in the southwest. The city, which covers a total area of 38 sq. km has a population of 3.7 million.

Tourist Attractions: Being a cultural and ethnic melting point, Athens is a popular tourist destination.

Transportation: Athens Mass Transit System, one of the most modern transportation systems consists of large bus fleet and trolley fleet. Athens Metro is one of the effective underground Mass Transit systems in the world. Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport is the main access to the city. The bus service that consists of a huge network of lines operated by normal buses, electric buses and natural gas run buses is another mode of transportation in the city. The tram that runs from Syntagma Square to the southwestern suburb of Palaio Faliro includes its public transportation.

Hotels:Tourists who reach the city from far and wide choose the star hotels for accommodation. It is home to a vast number of five and four-star hotels. The main hotels in the city are Residence Georgio, Aphrodite Astir Palace, Hotel London, Best Western Hotel Museum, Stanley Hotel Athens and Alassia Hotel Athens.

Places of Attraction: The city, the sixth most visited capital in Europe has number of historical monuments and architectures that magnetize the tourists. The Syntagma Square -the largest square of the city and the site of the former Royal Palace is the main landmark of the city. Athens is famous for the number of hills. Lykavittos is one of the tallest hills of the city. National Archaeological Museum of Athens, Benaki Museum in Pireos Street, Byzantine Museum and the Museum of Cycladic Art and Acropolis Museum are the important museums in the city that preserve the cultural and historical artifacts of the country. Athens Planetarium really enthralls the visitors especially children. The nearby islands of Salamina, Aigina, Poros, Hydra and Spetses are the sites of natural beauty that are often visited by tourists.