Attractions in Athens

Athens Tourist Guide brings you an array of attractions that will live up to your expectations if you are a traveler expecting to see a beautiful well laid city with its looming heritage structures. The beauty of the city is that in its maze of concrete jungle you will find some quaint attractions in pockets of the city. You will encounter some beautiful neoclassical buildings, narrow streets snaking through the city, old fashioned cafes and Greek orthodox churches which will leave you awestruck. You can soak in the spirit of the city when you view this city from the top of Ploutarchou Street in Kolanaki by boarding the funicular railway. If you are one of the lucky few to remain on Easter Weekend you can experience the panoramic view of hundreds of people descending the hill in a procession with candles in their hands.

The Acropolis

The Acropolis is one of the must see attractions which rank the highest in the travelers book. It is also a UNESCO Heritage Site and a place full of structures belonging to the Classical age like the temple of Athena Nike the Erectheion and the Parthenon. The entry fee is 12 euros which includes a tour of the temple of Olympian Zeus, Kerameikos, Roman Agora, Theatre of Dionysus and the Ancient Agora. Students with a valid ID card from European Union Universities are allowed a free entry.

The Syntagma

Athens Tourist Guide brings you the picturesque Syntagma where the parliament is located. The old relic was a palace built in between 1836 and 1840 for the first Greek king Otto after the end of the Turkish rule. However after a few years it was converted to the Hellenic Parliament because of its desertion by the royal family and till date remains the same where parliamentary affairs are conducted. Also there is a changing of guards every hour in front of the parliament and their uniforms and walking is an amusing sight.

Lycabettus Hill

This is a 200m hill on the borders of the Kolonaki district. Its fun to reach the top either on foot or by availing the funicular railway which costs a nominal charge. There are lots of restaurants and cafes and a spectacular view of Athens. The Parthenon presents a panoramic view halfway up towards the sea with the scenic blue in between the white columns.

National Archaeological Museum

Athens Tourist Guide has chosen the National Archaeological Museum as one of the attractions not to be missed. This is a major crowd puller rated as one of the biggest museums which is always packed. The exhibits here are the treasures discovered by Heinrich Schliemann, displays of Greek sculptures and figures which dates back to 2000 BC. Their collection of murals from Santorini, the volcanic island and the remnants of Antikythera mechanism which built one of the olderst mechanical computer are not to be missed.

The Attica Zoological Park

The zoological park with has many various species of birds, reptiles and animals. This park was originally one of the Bird Sanctuaries opened in May 2000 and, has the 3rd largest bird collection in the world. They have 1100 birds of 300 species, animals bred in farms for the young visitors, and 3 distinct aviaries each for birds from 3 continents of Asia, Africa and America. In April 2001 a section called ‘World of Reptiles’ was introduced having a collection of pythons, boas, crocodiles and several other reptile species. July 2002 opened another new division called ‘Greek Fauna’ where the major attractions were Wild Cats, Wolves, Bears, Foxes etc., and February 2003 brought in the ‘African Savannah ‘ comprising of Giraffes, Zebras, Antelopes, lamas, Jaguars, Snow Leopards, the rare White Lions and several others.