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Discover Athens & Attica
The New Acropolis Museum 15 Dionisiou Areopagitou st, Athens, 11742
Tel. +30 210 900-0900
www.theacropolismuseum.gr
The New Acropolis Museum is literally huge, stretching over 25,000 sq. m. 14,000 of which are used as exhibition areas. While guided through the museum you will be impressed by the permanent collections, hosted in 5 different galleries. You will admire the Gallery of the Acropolis Slopes, the Archaic Gallery, the Parthenon Gallery, the Propylaia, Athena Nike, and Erechtheion Gallery and the Gallery featuring exhibits from the 5th century B.C. to the 5th century A.D.
The National Gallery – Alexandros Soutzos Museum 50 Vasileos Konstantinou st, Tel. +30 210 723-5857
www.nationalgallery.gr
It is the largest gallery in Greece, hosting 117 paintings which where registered as early as in 1878. A great number of respected Greek artists and collectors have donated works from private collections in favor of the permanent gallery collection. Some of the most important and well-known paintings hosted there are “The kissing” of Ν. Lytras, “The engagement” of Ν.Gyzis, “The concert of the Angels” of Domenicos Theotokopoulos (El Greco), “The Greek Rider” of Delacroix. For periodical exhibitions please visit the relevant website.
Athens Music Hall Vasilissis Sofias & Kokkali st, Tel. 210 728-2333
www.megaron.gr
The Music Hall of Athens City was inaugurated in 1991 and is one of the most integrated in Europe, standing out for its incomparable acoustics. It has hosted most important local and international artists having given unique performances which have attracted audiences from all over the country.
Museum of Cycladic Art & Ancient Greek Art – Goulandris Foundation 4 Neofitou Douka st, Tel. + 30 210 722-8321 to 3
www.cycladic.gr
It is one of the greatest museums in Athens City, where the private Cycladic Art collection of Goulandris Family is hosted. This museum is really worth a visit just to admire its architecture. Since 1992 the new wing of the museum has been hosted in the Stathatos Hall. For more information about permanent collections and periodical exhibitions, please visit the website of the museum.
National Archaeological Museum 44 Patission st, Tel. +30 210 821-7724
www.culture.gr
It is the most important and the biggest museum featuring ancient art exhibits. It was inaugurated in 1889 and since then it was extended in the period of the mid war. Nowadays it hosts ancient findings in areas of 8,000 sq. m.
Byzantine & Christian Museum Vasilissis Sofias Av., Tel. + 210 721-1027
www.byzantinemuseum.gr
It is a national museum of major importance, which was founded in 1914 and features over 25,000 precious byzantine and Christian artefacts. The collections include religious icons, sculptures, miniatures, murals, ceramics, textiles, manuscripts, and other findings dating from the 3rd century until nowadays. On the website of the museum you will find useful information about permanent and periodical exhibitions.
The Acropolis It is the best-known and most popular archeological zone in Athens City, bringing in mind the Athenian glory during antiquity. The pedestrian streets of the area make access to the sites very easy and touring a real pleasure. The Acropolis Museum with marvelous exhibits and views of the Acropolis Hill is now open and is a must-see.
The Parthenon This temple is today’s symbol of Athens and it was dedicated to goddess Athena. It was built and ornamented in the 5th century B.C. by Iktinos and Kallikrates, it is of Doric order and is made of Pentelic marble. In antiquity it hosted the glorious golden and ivory statue of Athena.
Erechteion The Erectheion is part of the Acropolis constructions and was built during the Golden era of Pericles, at the point where Athena made an olive tree sprout. The olive tree, which was Athena’s sacred symbol, was destroyed by the Persians, and it is said that it blossomed again when the invaders were sent away of the city.
The Ancient Agora It was a major commercial, cultural and religious centre of Athens in antiquity and was built at the foot of the Acropolis hill. Access to the ancient agora is easy, as it is close to the subway station of “Thisseion”.
Herodes Atticus Odeon The Herodion was named after its founder Tiberius Claudius Atticus Herodes, it was built in 161 A.D. and was dedicated to the memory of his wife Regilla.
The Ancient Theatre of Dionysus It is one of the oldest ancient theatres worldwide, with a capacity of 17,000 people, where in the 5th century many plays of important poets like Aeschylus, Aristophanes, Euripides, and Sophocles were put on. Parts of the theatre like the koilon and the scene were made of wood at first and in the 4th century they were reconstructed of marble.
The Panathenaic Stadium (Kallimarmaron) This stadium lies in the centre of Athens, close to the National Garden, and it is the stadium where the athletic games of the Panathenean Games were hosted. The stadium was initially constructed of wood and later it was reconstructed of marble by Herodes Atticus. The stadium took its present form in 1869-1870, it sits 60,000 spectators and it is where the first Modern Olympic Games were hosted in 1896.
The Temple of Zeus One of the largest temples of antiquity, dedicated to the Olympian God Zeus.
Hadrian’s Gate This roman monument built of Pentelic marble in 131 A.D. was created to honor the emperor Hadrian.
The National Garden It is a wonderful park in the centre of the city stretching over 160.000 sq. m. and used to be the garden of the royal residence. At the national garden there are 500 different species of plants, bushes, and trees from all over the world, as well as a small zoo, a pond with ducks, the botanical museum, a children’s library, a playground, as well as a traditional coffee shop. Stroll around and you will come across ancient monuments and busts of important figures of modern time Greece.
The Greek Parliament House The building where the royal family once lived is now used as the Greek Parliament House. It is located right above Syntagma square and is of simple and austere architecture. In front of the Parliament house is the monument of the Unknown Soldier, guarded by the Evzones.
The Arios Pagos Rock It is a semicircular site on a rocky hill where the court of Ancient Athens used to be. Right at this spot Apostle Paul preached Christianity to the Athenians.
The Zappeion Hall It was built late 1800 by the architect Th. Hansen, and its construction was financed by the Zappas cousins. It is a historical site where European congresses were hosted, election results were announced, and important political announcements took place in the past. Nowadays, it is available for exhibitions, conferences and cultural events.
Syntagma Square (Constitution Square) It is a renowned and most central square in the city. It is right below the Parliament House (former Royal Residence) and was named after the first constitution which was granted by King Otto in the mid 1800, after the people and guard of Athens rose in insurrection. It is one of the busiest spots in Athens City with a lot of shops, coffee shops, great restaurants, and bars around the area.
Lycabettus Hill It is the highest hill of Athens (277 m.) surrounded by a beautiful forest and from up there you are provided with unrestricted views of the city. At Lycabettus Hill there is an open-air concert theatre where concerts are held all summer long.
Plaka Quarter A wonderful quarter with narrow cobbled streets, quaint houses and an inspiring atmosphere, as it is right at the foot of the Acropolis. It is the perfect place for evening strolls concluding to one of the traditional restaurants or all-day coffee shops.
Monastiraki It is one of the busiest districts with a great deal of shops selling form antiques to miniatures, jewellery, souvenirs and leather items, attracting not only tourists but also locals. In Monastiraki you will find coffee shops, restaurants and bars.
Psyrri It is a district very close to Monastiraki Square and is the perfect place for a night-out for dinner and drinks. In this area you will find from traditional restaurants to coffee shops, and restaurants with international cuisine to bars and night clubs attracting people from all around Athens. The quaint streets passing from Heroon Square have a unique local flavor reminding of old Athens.
Kolonaki It is a district lying at the foot of Lycabettus Hill in the city centre and is the ideal place for shopping, dining and entertainment, as the area features boutiques and brand shops, fancy bars and restaurants, as well as popular cafés.
The Holiday Suites Athens hotel reception is always available to assist you with further information and trip bookings.
Athens Sightseeing Athens City Attractions - Athens Holiday Suites Hotel in Athens Greece
Athens is a beautiful city with a plethora of ancient and modern attractions for sightseeing, as well as museums, which all worth a visit.Athens City Museums
- The New Acropolis Museum
- The National Gallery – Alexandros Soutzos Museum
- Athens Music Hall
- Museum of Cycladic Art & Ancient Greek Art – Goulandris Foundation
- National Archaeological Museum
- Byzantine & Christian Museum
The New Acropolis Museum 15 Dionisiou Areopagitou st, Athens, 11742
Tel. +30 210 900-0900
www.theacropolismuseum.gr
The New Acropolis Museum is literally huge, stretching over 25,000 sq. m. 14,000 of which are used as exhibition areas. While guided through the museum you will be impressed by the permanent collections, hosted in 5 different galleries. You will admire the Gallery of the Acropolis Slopes, the Archaic Gallery, the Parthenon Gallery, the Propylaia, Athena Nike, and Erechtheion Gallery and the Gallery featuring exhibits from the 5th century B.C. to the 5th century A.D.
The National Gallery – Alexandros Soutzos Museum 50 Vasileos Konstantinou st, Tel. +30 210 723-5857
www.nationalgallery.gr
It is the largest gallery in Greece, hosting 117 paintings which where registered as early as in 1878. A great number of respected Greek artists and collectors have donated works from private collections in favor of the permanent gallery collection. Some of the most important and well-known paintings hosted there are “The kissing” of Ν. Lytras, “The engagement” of Ν.Gyzis, “The concert of the Angels” of Domenicos Theotokopoulos (El Greco), “The Greek Rider” of Delacroix. For periodical exhibitions please visit the relevant website.
Athens Music Hall Vasilissis Sofias & Kokkali st, Tel. 210 728-2333
www.megaron.gr
The Music Hall of Athens City was inaugurated in 1991 and is one of the most integrated in Europe, standing out for its incomparable acoustics. It has hosted most important local and international artists having given unique performances which have attracted audiences from all over the country.
Museum of Cycladic Art & Ancient Greek Art – Goulandris Foundation 4 Neofitou Douka st, Tel. + 30 210 722-8321 to 3
www.cycladic.gr
It is one of the greatest museums in Athens City, where the private Cycladic Art collection of Goulandris Family is hosted. This museum is really worth a visit just to admire its architecture. Since 1992 the new wing of the museum has been hosted in the Stathatos Hall. For more information about permanent collections and periodical exhibitions, please visit the website of the museum.
National Archaeological Museum 44 Patission st, Tel. +30 210 821-7724
www.culture.gr
It is the most important and the biggest museum featuring ancient art exhibits. It was inaugurated in 1889 and since then it was extended in the period of the mid war. Nowadays it hosts ancient findings in areas of 8,000 sq. m.
Byzantine & Christian Museum Vasilissis Sofias Av., Tel. + 210 721-1027
www.byzantinemuseum.gr
It is a national museum of major importance, which was founded in 1914 and features over 25,000 precious byzantine and Christian artefacts. The collections include religious icons, sculptures, miniatures, murals, ceramics, textiles, manuscripts, and other findings dating from the 3rd century until nowadays. On the website of the museum you will find useful information about permanent and periodical exhibitions.
Archaeological Sites & Attractions in Athens City
- The Acropolis, the Parthenon, the Erectheion, the Ancient Agora
- Herodes Atticus Odeon
- The Ancient Theatre of Dionysus
- The Panathenaic Stadium (Kallimarmaron)
- The Temple of Zeus
- Hadrian’s Gate
- The National Garden
- The Parliament House
- The Arios Pagos Rock
- Zappeion Hall
- Syntagma Square
- Lucabettus Hill
- Plaka Quarters
- Monastiraki
- Psyrri
- Kolonaki
The Acropolis It is the best-known and most popular archeological zone in Athens City, bringing in mind the Athenian glory during antiquity. The pedestrian streets of the area make access to the sites very easy and touring a real pleasure. The Acropolis Museum with marvelous exhibits and views of the Acropolis Hill is now open and is a must-see.
The Parthenon This temple is today’s symbol of Athens and it was dedicated to goddess Athena. It was built and ornamented in the 5th century B.C. by Iktinos and Kallikrates, it is of Doric order and is made of Pentelic marble. In antiquity it hosted the glorious golden and ivory statue of Athena.
Erechteion The Erectheion is part of the Acropolis constructions and was built during the Golden era of Pericles, at the point where Athena made an olive tree sprout. The olive tree, which was Athena’s sacred symbol, was destroyed by the Persians, and it is said that it blossomed again when the invaders were sent away of the city.
The Ancient Agora It was a major commercial, cultural and religious centre of Athens in antiquity and was built at the foot of the Acropolis hill. Access to the ancient agora is easy, as it is close to the subway station of “Thisseion”.
Herodes Atticus Odeon The Herodion was named after its founder Tiberius Claudius Atticus Herodes, it was built in 161 A.D. and was dedicated to the memory of his wife Regilla.
The Ancient Theatre of Dionysus It is one of the oldest ancient theatres worldwide, with a capacity of 17,000 people, where in the 5th century many plays of important poets like Aeschylus, Aristophanes, Euripides, and Sophocles were put on. Parts of the theatre like the koilon and the scene were made of wood at first and in the 4th century they were reconstructed of marble.
The Panathenaic Stadium (Kallimarmaron) This stadium lies in the centre of Athens, close to the National Garden, and it is the stadium where the athletic games of the Panathenean Games were hosted. The stadium was initially constructed of wood and later it was reconstructed of marble by Herodes Atticus. The stadium took its present form in 1869-1870, it sits 60,000 spectators and it is where the first Modern Olympic Games were hosted in 1896.
The Temple of Zeus One of the largest temples of antiquity, dedicated to the Olympian God Zeus.
Hadrian’s Gate This roman monument built of Pentelic marble in 131 A.D. was created to honor the emperor Hadrian.
The National Garden It is a wonderful park in the centre of the city stretching over 160.000 sq. m. and used to be the garden of the royal residence. At the national garden there are 500 different species of plants, bushes, and trees from all over the world, as well as a small zoo, a pond with ducks, the botanical museum, a children’s library, a playground, as well as a traditional coffee shop. Stroll around and you will come across ancient monuments and busts of important figures of modern time Greece.
The Greek Parliament House The building where the royal family once lived is now used as the Greek Parliament House. It is located right above Syntagma square and is of simple and austere architecture. In front of the Parliament house is the monument of the Unknown Soldier, guarded by the Evzones.
The Arios Pagos Rock It is a semicircular site on a rocky hill where the court of Ancient Athens used to be. Right at this spot Apostle Paul preached Christianity to the Athenians.
The Zappeion Hall It was built late 1800 by the architect Th. Hansen, and its construction was financed by the Zappas cousins. It is a historical site where European congresses were hosted, election results were announced, and important political announcements took place in the past. Nowadays, it is available for exhibitions, conferences and cultural events.
Syntagma Square (Constitution Square) It is a renowned and most central square in the city. It is right below the Parliament House (former Royal Residence) and was named after the first constitution which was granted by King Otto in the mid 1800, after the people and guard of Athens rose in insurrection. It is one of the busiest spots in Athens City with a lot of shops, coffee shops, great restaurants, and bars around the area.
Lycabettus Hill It is the highest hill of Athens (277 m.) surrounded by a beautiful forest and from up there you are provided with unrestricted views of the city. At Lycabettus Hill there is an open-air concert theatre where concerts are held all summer long.
Plaka Quarter A wonderful quarter with narrow cobbled streets, quaint houses and an inspiring atmosphere, as it is right at the foot of the Acropolis. It is the perfect place for evening strolls concluding to one of the traditional restaurants or all-day coffee shops.
Monastiraki It is one of the busiest districts with a great deal of shops selling form antiques to miniatures, jewellery, souvenirs and leather items, attracting not only tourists but also locals. In Monastiraki you will find coffee shops, restaurants and bars.
Psyrri It is a district very close to Monastiraki Square and is the perfect place for a night-out for dinner and drinks. In this area you will find from traditional restaurants to coffee shops, and restaurants with international cuisine to bars and night clubs attracting people from all around Athens. The quaint streets passing from Heroon Square have a unique local flavor reminding of old Athens.
Kolonaki It is a district lying at the foot of Lycabettus Hill in the city centre and is the ideal place for shopping, dining and entertainment, as the area features boutiques and brand shops, fancy bars and restaurants, as well as popular cafés.
Shopping and Leisure
Shopping
The shopping areas of Kolonaki, Monastiraki, and Ermou Street near Syntagma Square are ideal to go on a shopping spree.
Leisure Not very far from the city centre about 25 and 30 km each lie the beaches of Glyfada and Voula. They are fully equipped with umbrellas and sunbeds, water sports facilities and nice seaside tavernas.
Another wonderful coastal area is the Flisvos Marina. You will stroll around gazing at the sea and the luxury yachts, you will go shopping and relish excellent food and a plethora of leisure activities. For more information visit http://www.flisvosmarina.com.
Not far from Athens you will also find the regency Casino Mont Parnes as well as the Loutraki casino.
You will discover wonderful archaeological sites in Attica not far from Athens. Visit the Temple of Poseidon in Sounio and where you can gaze at the lovely sea views, the archaeological site in Vravrona, with a temple dedicated to the goddess Artemis, and the Elefsina archaeological site. You may also travel to the Saronic islands (Aegina, Hydra, Poros and Spetses) which are very close to Athens. Ships to the Saronic depart from Piraeus port, easily reached by subway.
Leisure Not very far from the city centre about 25 and 30 km each lie the beaches of Glyfada and Voula. They are fully equipped with umbrellas and sunbeds, water sports facilities and nice seaside tavernas.
Another wonderful coastal area is the Flisvos Marina. You will stroll around gazing at the sea and the luxury yachts, you will go shopping and relish excellent food and a plethora of leisure activities. For more information visit http://www.flisvosmarina.com.
Not far from Athens you will also find the regency Casino Mont Parnes as well as the Loutraki casino.
You will discover wonderful archaeological sites in Attica not far from Athens. Visit the Temple of Poseidon in Sounio and where you can gaze at the lovely sea views, the archaeological site in Vravrona, with a temple dedicated to the goddess Artemis, and the Elefsina archaeological site. You may also travel to the Saronic islands (Aegina, Hydra, Poros and Spetses) which are very close to Athens. Ships to the Saronic depart from Piraeus port, easily reached by subway.
The Holiday Suites Athens hotel reception is always available to assist you with further information and trip bookings.