Athens: What is it that calls you?

You've seen its name in history books at school. You’ve heard the call of the myths. Maybe you’ve imagined the divine quarrel between Athena and Poseidon that gave the city its name. You've read about the city’s cultural revival, its arts, monuments and athletic prowess. You’ve whispered lines of poetry with its name beating the rhythm, and you’ve shared the stories you’ve learned from films, TV series and documentaries. You may not have come face-to-face with the city, but you are already intimately familiar. The City of Athens is next on your bucket list. 

The first permanent residents arrived some 5,500 years ago, making Athens one of the oldest cities in the world. It’s known for art, architecture and music, as well as its prominent place in human history. It was the crossroads of ancient philosophy and the arts, the home of Plato's Academy and Aristotle's philosophical school. It sparked the creative genius behind the world-famous Parthenon, and the home of the modern Olympic Games. 

Athens is a city written in the depths of time, a living museum that invites you to explore. You’ll discover its ancient heritage and modern street art. You’ll see the Acropolis against a blue sky at dawn, and covered in honey-colored light at dusk. You’ll attend a moonlit concert at the theatre of Herodes Atticus, and lose yourself in the Acropolis Museum where you’ll learn about the contentious history of the Parthenon Marbles. You’ll see the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier a choreographed ritual performed with great precision and pride.

You won’t visit Athens for its heritage alone. The city that gave birth to democracy has a vast language for the culinary arts. Greek cuisine is based on the Mediterranean triad of wheat, olive oil and wine. Athenian restaurants range from traditional tavernas to Michelin-starred restaurants, and cozy terraces with breathtaking views for a morning coffee. There’s street food and countless homemade tastes, handmade ice cream and underground spots that you’ll need a local to find.  Bring your appetite and leave the rest to the experts.

You don't have to be born in Athens to belong in Athens Come as you are. You are a daydreamer, a night owl, a culture buff, a sun worshipper. You are a free spirit, a beach lover, a foodie, a nomad, an explorer. You are one thing at a time. You are all things at all times. You belong in Athens.

* Implementation of a general tourism promotion campaign to promote Athens as a vibrant and authentic city (sub-project 4, Act 5034507). develop.thisisathens.org