By Christopher Bagley

My recent trip to the city confirmed that most of the hype is legit. But Athenians like to point out that city’s unique brand of dysfunctional dynamism has been there all along, even though outsiders are only now paying attention. For travelers who favor unpredictability over prepackaged gloss, Athens is a kind of round-the-clock discovery zone, a place where extreme contradictions are taken for granted.

By Katherine LaGrave

...when you don’t have enough time to leave the mainland, or just want a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, where can you go? Do as the Athenians do and start in the cosmopolitan seaside district...

By Chrysanthe Tenentes

Beyond its preeminent collection of Greek and Roman ruins, Athens is teeming with vibrant neighborhoods dotted with colorful graffiti, modern structures, and a crop of significant 21st-century designs.

By Eleni N. Gage

I didn’t need the kids to be a certain age to handle Athens. I needed to grow mature enough to manage my expectations without bending the city, and everyone’s experience, to fit my plans. The lesson of the souvlaki was not to try to do too much too fast. My new game plan would involve picking a few key things that would interest them (and me) and see them at a leisurely pace.

By Rachel Howard

The revival of Europe’s classical capital has attracted plenty of artists, curators and digital nomads. But it’s entrepreneurial young Athenians who are opening pop-up restaurants, design collectives and guesthouses, regenerating derelict buildings... Athens fizzes with an intense energy that burns bright into the night.

By Charly Wilder

There are places we live and places we visit, and then there are the other places. Places we return to, where we put down roots, but not strong enough roots to hold us — places that change us, that we haunt and are haunted by. Nowhere embodies this for me more than Athens, a city I’ve watched shift and evolve, endure crisis and chaos and economic collapse, and yet emerge from the wreckage as one of the continent’s most vibrant and significant cultural capitals...

By Rob McGibbon

The strong educational aspect to Athens makes it a more meaningful break with children, but these days it is also a safe and friendly city with a young, energetic vibe. 

By Chris Leadbeater

Longing for one last blast of warmth before winter sets in? Look no further than Athens. Summer lingers in Athens, which basks in a glow of 68F (20C) as October slips into November. A wide range of flights also make it a feasible destination.