Athens – The Birthplace of Western Civilization

Athens – The Birthplace of Western Civilization

Author: Venkat Pasupuleti

Athens, called the birthplace of western civilization, is a city of contrasts. Classical, Byzantine, and modern history thrive side-by-side as this bustling city goes about its daily life. It is one of the oldest, largest city and capital of Greece. Athens is considered as the central to economic, financial, industrial, political and cultural life in Greece attracting tourist round the year. Athens spreads across the central plain of Attica that is often referred to as the Attica Basin and it is built around a number of hills, because of which it has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate. Visit the museums and the archaeological sites or just to taste the vibrant, Greek way of life. Athens is a fascinating city. Here's a sampling of the sights you'll want to visit there:
Academy of Athens: The national academy of Greece is a tribute to the Academy of Plato and honors the tradition of knowledge, philosophy and study in the country. The main Neoclassical complex, built in the late 19th century, is one of the central landmarks in Athens.

The National Garden: Just behind the Greek Parliament, the oasis offers over 15 hectares of land to explore at your own pace, with ancient ruins to ogle at every turn.

Syntagma Square: Syntagma Square, with the Greek Parliament in full view, is a public transportation hub in Athens and provides easy access to some of the best districts in the city. It has free WiFi.

Cape Sounion: Cape Sounion merits consideration as a must-see attraction in the capital city. The beautiful peninsula promontory offers stellar Aegean Sea photo ops and best of all, a heritage network of ancient ruins and temples.

The Ancient Agora: The Ancient Agora of Athens is the best example left in the world, with as many as twenty vital inherent monuments that date as far back as the 6th century BC.

Mount Lycabettus: With a magnificent panorama of Athens, the legendary hill is worth the short trip, especially for open air summer concerts.

The Plaka: The historic Plaka district winds around the ancient hill and features labyrinthine streets, stone and Cycladic architecture and a host of restaurants, tavernas, bars and shops.

National Archaeological Museum: Archaeology and Greece go hand in hand. From Turkey to Macedonia, the country is a goldmine for Indiana Jones hopefuls. For the absolute best of what Greece has to offer in terms of ancient relics, artifacts, monuments and documents, head to the world class National Archaeological Museum.

The Acropolis Museum: A site of eternal archaeological excavation, the Acropolis is a limitless treasure trove of remarkable relics. Built in 2008 at the base of the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Acropolis Museum is without peer, with artifacts that cover the Bronze Age to Byzantine Greece.

The Acropolis: The Great Pyramid of Giza, the Great Wall of China and the Taj Mahal: all ancient and instantly recognizable. Well, add the Acropolis of Athens to the list. So familiar and ubiquitous in grainy picture form, from humble gyro restaurants all over the world to middle school history textbooks, the mere appearance of the Parthenon startles many as they get within close range of the famous hill.

Getting down to Athens is very simple, just logon to exploretrip.com and book cheap flights to Athens.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/athens-the-birthplace-of-western-civilization-3935816.html
About the Author

Venkat Pasupuleti is an avid travel industry follower and passionate about all issues related to travel. He has years of strategic consulting, venture boot strapping and social entrepreneurship experience. He has worked on both coasts of the US and currently living and enjoying the picturesque sea, beaches and hills of the Bay area, California.

Posted in: archaeology