Myths and Monuments
While the Parthenon stands as a monument to cultural achievement, the structures raised around it memorialise personal myths. Emperor Hadrian created the Olympeion, a sanctuary dedicated to Zeus, and in return Athenians erected Hadrian’s Arch in order to honour their ruler. Herodes Atticus, who held the rank of Roman consul after his father, built an open-air theatre in memory of his wife. And second century Athenians dedicated a marble mausoleum to honour the city’s benefactor, Julius Antiochos Philopappos. For decades, these sights had languished in the shadow of the Acropolis. But Bernard Tschumi’s bold and beautiful Acropolis Museum, which opened in 2009, transformed the ugly duckling district of Koukaki into a swan. This renewal extends to the National Museum of Contemporary Art taking in tree-lined pedestrianised zones with a lively café and bar culture.
You won't run out of beautiful monuments to take in while you wandering through this neighbourhood.
Photo: Thomas Gravanis
We'd describe the Dionysiou Areopagitou Promenade as a 'living monument'.
Photo: Thomas Gravanis
Dionysiou Areopagitou Promenade
A traffic ban in 2003 transformed this from one of the city’s noisiest and busiest streets to its most charming promenade. Linking Hadrian’s Arch to Philopappou Hill, Dionysiou Areopagitou is popularly described as an ‘open air’ museum but ‘living monument’ is more apt for its lively, spontaneous street life. Here you can literally stroll between ancient and modern Athens: Dionysiou Areopagitou is lined on one side by ancient monuments like the Theater of Dionysus and Odeon of Herodes Atticus and on the other by outstanding modern architecture, from the gorgeous art deco apartment building at No. 17 to the neoclassical Meropeio Foundation and church of Agia Sofia.
Areopagus Hill
The best view of the Acropolis, as well as the city, is from a rock formation about 300 metres to its west. It’s also where the Apostle Paul chose to preach in Athens. The climb isn’t particularly steep but it can be precarious, not least because the millions of people who have climbed the rock have worn its steps smooth. (Tip: wear sneakers.)
It’s known as Areopagus, which loosely translates to "the rock of Ares". This is where ancient Athenians held their highest court (Greece’s modern-day Supreme Court is known as the Areios Pagos) and where, according to one version of Greek mythology, Ares, god of war, was tried before the gods for killing one of Poseidon’s sons. If you’re an early riser, avoid the crowds at sunset and enjoy a spectacular sunrise.
Climb up this hill for the best Acropolis views around.
Photo: Thomas Gravanis
People taking a walk towards Philopappos Hill.
Photo: Thomas Gravanis
Philopappou Hill
Philopappou, or the Hill of the Muses, is one of three forested peaks facing the Acropolis that each played an important role in ancient Athens. The Athenian Assembly met on the Pnyx, while the third was known for a sanctuary dedicated to the Nymphs. These wooded hills cover a total area of some 180 acres. Some of the most delightful scenery is along a stone-laid path winding through the shallow canyon between these hills. Excavations here have uncovered the Koile Road, the primary route for transporting merchandise between Athens and the harbour of Piraeus in antiquity. Look closely and you’ll see the tracks left by carts on the rock surface, seamlessly blended with the arty street furnishings and ingeniously-designed pathways designed by Greek architect Dimitris Pikionis in the 1960s.
Ilias Lalaounis Jewellery Museum
The perfect museum for those who prefer their history lessons to sparkle. In a handsome building that once served as the workshop of Ilias Lalaounis, Greek jeweller to the stars, this museum tells the story of adornment through the ages. The glittering collections are based on motifs and artefacts from the Stone Age, the Minoan civilization and Byzantium, all the way to the 20th century. The most eye-catching items are the massive gold pieces, almost like armour, displayed on life-sized mannequins: huge circular plates dripping with gold discs, and a thick serpent twined from neck to breast. But it’s in the foyer that you’ll find this museum’s rarest showing: a fully functioning artists’ studio, where resident gold and silversmiths follow traditional techniques, including Lalaounis’ trademark practices of hand-hammering, hand-weaving, filigree ‘embroidery’ and granulation.
“The perfect museum for those who prefer their history lessons to sparkle.”
Make your way to Drakou Street to explore one of Athens' best bar areas.
Photo: Thomas Gravanis
Pedestrian Drakou Street
The expansion of the Athens public transport system has created a metro and tram hub at Syngrou-Fix station, transforming a humdrum collection of cafes along pedestrianised Drakou Street into one of the liveliest bar scenes in Athens. Students from the nearby Panteion University bolster the youthful vibe, while the arrival of several cooperative cafes has injected an edginess into this once-staid, working-class district. On weekends especially, after-hours traffic jams up the area as clubbers cruise past 24-hour eateries for a bite to eat before heading home.