Things to do in Athens

The Acropolis is filled with ancient monuments for you to admire. The Parthenon is by far the most superior of all ancient Greek monuments and most symbolic of the power that was once held by Athens. Be sure to throw in the Herodes Atticus Theatre and the Theatre of Dionysus, all located within the same area, where the works of Sophocles, Euripides and Aristophanes were first performed. Nowadays the theatres continue to be used for live music and theatrical shows.

For an authentic taste of Athens life, make sure you join the Athenians at one of the city’s buzzing flea markets. Practice your bartering skills with the locals and see if you can pick up some bargains along the way. One of the most popular is Monastiraki flea market, especially worth a visit on Sundays. Find anything from antique items to clothes and general junk.

Just 70 kilometres south of the capital and you hit the shoreline. During summer weekends, beaches are packed and so is Cape Sounion, where stands the Temple of Poseidon, built as a sanctuary to the sea god in the fifth century B.C. It’s worth ploughing through the crowds to get there. The main ferry terminus is in Pireás (eight kilometres south of the city), where you can jump on international and inter-island ferries and within hours you can be basking on a sun-drenched paradise. Athens is great to visit, but the Greek islands are out of this world.