The City
Europe's Most Surprising Capital
Athens is a city of extraordinary contradictions. The Parthenon — still the most perfect building ever constructed — presides over a city of five million people, a thriving restaurant scene, world-class museums, and neighbourhoods that pulse with creative energy.
Monastiraki, Psyrri, Koukaki, Exarcheia, Kolonaki — each neighbourhood has its own distinct character. Athens is not a city to be seen in a day; it is a city to be lived in, even briefly.
Culture & History
The Acropolis & Beyond
The Acropolis Museum is one of the finest museums in the world — a glass-and-concrete masterpiece housing the sculptures of the Parthenon in extraordinary clarity. The National Archaeological Museum holds the greatest collection of ancient Greek art on earth.
But Athens's cultural life extends far beyond antiquity. The city has a thriving contemporary art scene, some of Europe's most exciting restaurants, and a nightlife culture that begins at midnight and ends at dawn.
Food & Dining
A City at the Table
Athens has undergone a culinary revolution. A new generation of chefs — many trained abroad and returned home — are reinterpreting Greek cuisine with intelligence and ambition. From the tavernas of Monastiraki to the tasting menus of Kolonaki, Athens eats extraordinarily well.
The Central Market (Varvakios Agora) is one of Europe's great food markets. The street food — souvlaki, spanakopita, loukoumades — is among the finest in the Mediterranean.