Athens ticks all the travelling boxes

THINK outside the box and experience new and old around every corner in the delightful Greek capital - and now is the best time for Aussies to visit.

Visitors to the Acropolis Museum experience another age as they walk among exhibits. Picture: Escape

THINK of Greece and it's likely your mind will turn to turquoise waters, golden beaches and the hedonistic lifestyle of the famous islands.

Discerning travellers have been flocking to the Greek isles for years to savour a little piece of paradise punctuated by sunny skies, spectacular sunsets and stunning scenery.

But there is more to Greece than its seaside retreats, not least its famous capital, Athens. The birthplace of democracy is a thriving metropolis steeped with history, culture and contrasts. Old meets new on almost every street corner, with statues and monuments harking back to the city's colourful past and sparkling new hotels, restaurants and shopping precincts pointing to its future. Fine Grecian cuisine delights diners at city restaurants.

Icons such as the Parthenon and the first Olympic stadium of the modern era bring joy to the most jaded traveller. Art galleries and museums packed with ancient and modern artefacts attest to the Athenian belief that this was the cradle of civilisation. And people-watching in Syntagma (Constitution) Square allows visitors to soak up the culture as well as take in the changing of the guard at Parliament and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Greek pride soared after the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, when the city showed all it had to offer. But its confidence took a knock during the recent global financial crisis, when its economy plummeted.

Now is the time
Despite the doom and gloom caused by tough financial times and the resulting violent protests, it seems there has rarely been a better time for Australians to visit Athens.

The price is good considering the high Aussie dollar, more airlines than ever are flying there, tourism operators are tripping over themselves for your business and the standards of service and choice and quality of restaurants and hotels are at a premium.

Almost four million people live in Athens, out of Greece's total population of about 11 million. And you will be hard-pressed to find one that isn't intensely proud of the Parthenon perched on the Acropolis. With good reason, for the Parthenon is not just a historic wonder dating back to 438BC and the most important surviving structure of ancient Greece, it is a focal point of the city, day and night.

Dedicated to the goddess Athena, the temple stands imposingly during the day and is hauntingly floodlit by night. Most parts of town have their unique view of the Acropolis complex, which is to Athens what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris or the Harbour Bridge to Sydney.

The excellent new Acropolis Museum displays, in airconditioned comfort, some of the treasures that once decorated the temple. Noticeably absent, though, are most of the Parthenon Marbles that were sold to the British Museum in London in the 1800s and are the ongoing focus of a so-far unsuccessful Greek campaign to bring them home.

History buffs are spoilt for choice in Athens, with about 50 galleries and museums, mostly based in the commercial precinct within easy walking distance of each other. Highlights include the War Museum and the Byzantine, National Archaeological, and Cycladic and Ancient Greek Art museums. Also worth consideration is the Benaki Museum, a collection of Greek works of art from prehistoric times to the modern day that offers a glimpse into Greek culture though the ages.

And then there's the shopping
If the retail bug bites, the up-market Kolonaki precinct is home to fashion powerhouses such as Prada and Dolce & Gabbana, and more affordable options such as Zara and H&M. Stop for a coffee break and some café culture on your way to the Monastiraki flea markets, stocking everything from secondhand records to street wear, and fake designer sunglasses to antiques.

The first Olympic stadium of the modern Games, built in 1896, seats 70,000 people and is still used for sports, concerts and events. Sports buffs won't find it hard to imagine the best athletes of their day battling it out in a contest that inspired the biggest sporting event on Earth that we now witness every four years. Even if sport is not your thing, the architecture, historic monuments and eerie ambience of a stadium built entirely from marble so long ago is well worth a look.

Most of the major sights of Athens are accessible by an easy-to-use metro train service that runs underground and connects the city with the port and the airport. Taxis are also a good option, but a word of warning: Athenian taxi drivers are notoriously dodgy and known to take unwitting tourists for a ride financially as well as literally. Avoid a disappointing experience by getting on the front foot with drivers from the start, negotiating your fare before you get in and sticking to it. Watch the meter or tell the driver you are not paying any more than the mutually agreed tariff.

Then there is the food. Suffice to say there is a lot more to Greek fare than moussaka and souvlaki. If you like eating out, get ready to give your tastebuds a treat. Greeks like their food and they like it fresh, late in the evening and in big portions.

Fresh fish, octopus, cheese and olives of top quality are to be found throughout the land, all washed down with agreeable local white and red wines, or Mythos, the national beer. Souvlaki and gyros - meat, tomato, onion and tzatziki sauce stuffed inside pita bread - can be bought at cafes in most city streets but for an authentic experience, try Thanasis souvlaki bar near the northeast corner of Monastiraki, where you will wolf down your meal surrounded by more locals than tourists. And it would be foolish not to sample the world-class grilled haloumi, offered in cafes and restaurants. It will literally melt in your mouth.

Dionysos, in the shadow of the Acropolis, is a classy restaurant offering one of the best views of the icon you will find, as well as any local delicacy you can think of. You could easily spend hours taking in the view over a coffee, wine or meal.

Hotel with a view
Most of the city's up-market hotels boast stunning views of the Acropolis from their balconies, bars and restaurants. The Hilton Hotel has panoramic views of the Acropolis from its rooms and popular rooftop bar and restaurant, one of the places to see and be seen by Athenian VIPs. Locals pay for the pleasure of using the hotel's grand outdoor swimming pool and former US president Bill Clinton is among a host of dignitaries to have kicked back in the 220sq m presidential suite with a jacuzzi tub looking out to the Acropolis.  If you are not lucky enough to be staying in style, you can soak up similar spectacular views by buying a drink or meal at any of several bars and restaurants.

Most friendly and helpful locals will be happy to give directions or pass on their knowledge of their town. Many Athenians speak good English, especially the younger generation but, as in most countries, trying out some of the local dialect goes a long way.

For a bird's-eye perspective of sprawling Athens, walk, drive or take a cable car to the top of Lykavittos Hill for 360-degree views. cent of Greeks are Christian, quaint St George Church straddles the centre of the hill surrounded by viewing platforms and balconies that offer neat views of the Acropolis, Olympic Stadium, harbour, surrounding mountains and countless other city sights from 295m high.

If you have time, a trip out of town to Cape Sounion, 69km southeast of Athens, is a favourite among locals and tourists alike. It's quite a drive, especially in peak hour, but well worth the investment in time if only for the spectacular sunset to be seen through the Temple of Poseidon overlooking the sea.

Lord Byron once visited the temple, wrote about its opulence and apparently carved his name on one of the giant columns. The temple is roped off from tourists now so there is no chance of getting close enough to see the romantic poet's graffiti. But it's easy to see why he came to admire a well-preserved piece of Greek treasure on a stunning backdrop that mounts a welcome relief from the hustle and bustle of the Greek capital.

Hydra day trip
For other day trips out of Athens, there are frequent, albeit often late, fast ferries that can spirit you away to nearby islands or the major tourist havens.

A ride to picturesque Hydra costs about j50 ($70), takes about two hours and offers a change of scenery, with lusher vegetation than Athens and much of the Cyclades islands along the way. Once you're there, forget about cars and motorbikes, everything moves by foot - including the pack mules still used to transport goods from one end of the island to the other. Hydra is all cafes and craft shops by a truly picturesque harbour.

Musician Leonard Cohen once called the island home and it is still a popular hangout for arty folk. A steep climb up the village steps affords a great view over the sleepy getaway and out to sea. There are no sandy beaches but there are plenty of places to dive into the ocean for a refreshing dip after a spot of bushwalking or hill climbing.

On the way to Hydra, most ferries stop at Paros, another holiday island dotted with pretty hills, redtiled roofs and yachts buzzing around the harbour. If that's not enough to convince you, think of what's on Athens' doorstep - islands, resorts and, of course, the rest of Europe.

What more convincing do you need?

Highlight list
 - The Parthenon by day or night.
 - The 1896 Olympic Stadium, where the first modern Games were staged.
 - Museums such as the Benaki, and the Cycladic and Ancient Greek Art Museum.
 - A gyro from a street vendor or café such as Thanasis souvlaki bar.

The writer was a guest of Qatar Airways and the Athens Hilton

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