This bustling city is a good central point from which to see Greece. The white marble Parthenon on Acropolis Hill is a breathtaking sight. The Acropolis is sometimes called the sacred rock. It sits on top of a 512-foot high limestone rock and was originally built to defend the city in 1500 BC, destroyed 1000 years later, and rebuilt in 450 BC.

There are three other buildings on the site besides the Parthenon. The Erechtheum is a temple honoring Athena and Poseidon. The Propylea is a monumental gateway. To its right stands the Temple of Athena Nyke or Wingless Victory. The newest building, The Acropolis Museum, houses many works of art discovered since excavation began in 1835.

At night the Acropolis is the site of the Son-et-Lumiere, or Sound and Light show. The entrance is actually across the street from the Acropolis. The first time we tried to find it we walked around the base of the Acropolis. This seems to be a lover’s lane and it was very tempting to stay and enjoy the view in the balmy air.

The show, in English, is every night unless there is a full moon. The audience sits in chairs facing the Acropolis, which is lit up from different sides at different times in various colors to illustrate a taped narrative of the history of the Acropolis. It lasts about 30 minutes.

After this it is a short walk to the Plaka. This area is about two blocks crammed full of restaurants and cafes moving straight up the hill toward the Acropolis. It is impossible to walk through the streets without waiters appealing to you to try their restaurant: “Just look at our menu. Good prices, good food, good music, come in and look around.” They say in perfect English.

Most of the restaurants are outside, but under cover. Their bouzouki music mingles in the street. We went to a Taverna with a floorshow and although they had no cover charge there was a minimum order of at least a plate of fruit. We ordered that and it was beautifully prepared. The floorshow, with several singers, a belly dancer and volunteer dancers from the audience was very good. We also tried the famous ouzo there, an anise flavored liquor.

On the whole we found Greek food inexpensive and very tasty. Meals are always served with water and bread, although at an outdoor restaurant you will be charged for the bread. Most menus have an English translation and many places show you the food in the kitchen from which you can choose.

The custom in Greece is a light breakfast, a late lunch, dinner about 9 or 9:30 and lingering over all meals.

For breakfast we usually went to a café for coffee and a pastry. I fell in love with baklava, a rich, sticky, honey pastry that is absolutely delicious. Greek coffee, or Turkish coffee, is very strong, but you can order Nescafe or American coffee at most places. For lunches we would either go to a souvlaki shop for gyro sandwiches, have a wonderful Greek salad topped with feta cheese at a sidewalk café on Constitution Square or buy from a pastry vendor on the street. These vendors are all over and sell: tiropites (cheese pies), spanakopita (spinach pie) koulari (similar to a large bagel with sesame seeds) and piroski (bread with a sausage baked inside). We also saw many vendors selling corn on the cob and chestnuts.

A nice afternoon break is a drink at one of the many cafes on Syntagma Square. Try retsina or a cordial like Metax (a sweetish brandy) or Demestica (a fine domestic wine). Even the serving of a simple glass of lemonade was an experience. We were given a silver tray with one full glass of water, another glass with a shot of fresh lemon juice in it and sugar on the side. We were expected to make our own!

One day we went to the Athinas Street food market, which was quite an experience. We didn’t see many tourists in this section, mostly just old Greek women in widow’s garb; black scarves, black stocking and black dresses, buying their fresh dinner ingredients. Butchers chopping huge pieces of meat, burlap sacks bulging with nuts, baskets of bread, barrels of olives, strings of clove garlic, wire baskets of eggs and live hens were crowded in a lively two-block area. Greece also has the world’s finest yogurt.

Shopping in Greece is almost as much fun as eating! There is a wonderful flea market near the base of the Acropolis, which is open most of the time, even on Sundays and is so colorful! There are many good buys including: brass, copper (get a big bowl to beat your egg whites in), flakti rugs, fur coats, tiles, gold jewelry, pottery copied from museum pieces, onyx, marble, alabaster, handmade sandals and handicrafts.

There are lots of interesting museums and historical sights in the city. The admission is free on Sundays although it’s impossible to hit all of them between their open hours: 10 – 4 pm. The Acropolis is also open on weekdays from 9:00 until sunset and when there’s a full moon it opens again from 8:45 until midnight.

The Parliament Building and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is at Syntagma Square, which is the center of the life of Athens. There is a changing of the guard there at twenty minutes before every hour and at 11:00 a.m. on Sundays. Around the corner is a beautiful park, The National Gardens, where something is always going on. At the entrance, across the street from the Temple of Olympian Zeus is where all the public buses seem to meet. Each route runs every twenty minutes, twenty-four hours a day.

One of the best views of the city is from Mt. Lycabettus. You can ride a tram to the top where there’s a large area to walk around, a tiny chapel and a restaurant.
There are many beautiful beaches in Greece and Glyfada is a very nice place to enjoy Greece’s mild winters and subtropical summers.

Greece is a totally unique, enjoyable place, which shouldn’t be missed. And remember, this was only Athens! There are still 170 inhabited islands to explore!

Greek Salad

Prepare: lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, onion and black olives. Add crumbled feta cheese and toss with the following dressing:

• 1/3-cup white vinegar
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• Juice of ¼ lemon
• 2/3-cup salad oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 clove garlic
• Freshly ground pepper

Shake all ingredients and use sparingly on salad.

Dolmathes

• 1½ lb. chopped beef
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ teaspoon mint leaves
• 1 cup rice
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• Parsley flakes
• Grape leaves

Boil grape leaves 15 – 30 minutes. Squeeze a few drops of lemon over entire pot during the last 10 minutes. Mix rest of the ingredients and form small oblong shapes to stuff the leaves. Cook 45 – 60 minutes in barely enough water to cover dolmathes.

Galaktopoureko

• ½ cup farina cereal
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 quart milk

Cook above together slowly, stirring constantly, allowing to come to a full boil. When thick remove from heat and add:

½ teaspoon vanilla. Cool and add: 6 beaten eggs. Stir until smooth.

Melt 1 stick of butter in a saucepan and keep handy.

Starting with 1 sheet of phyllo in buttered baking dish, leaving 1/3 out of the edges out, sprinkle with melted butter. Take another sheet and overlap on the other side. Repeat. Fold 1 sheet in half and put in center of dish. Sprinkle with butter. Repeat twice. Add farina. Top with another folded phyllo. Bring edges to top. Cover well with butter. Repeat 3 times. Brush top with butter. Sprinkle with a few drops of water. Chill ½ hour. Score top. Chill another ½ hour. Bake ½ hour at 375 degrees. Pour cold syrup over hot galaktopoureko.

Syrup: Stir below together and cook ½ hour:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 slice lemon

Baklava

Grease a 13×9″ pan. In a large bowl with spoon, combine:

• 4 cups finely chopped walnuts
• ½ cup sugar
• 1-teaspoon cinnamon

Set aside. In pan, place 1 sheet phyllo, allowing it to extend up the sides, and brush with 1 cup melted butter. Repeat to make 5 layers, sprinkle with 1 cup walnut mixture. Cut remaining phyllo to 13×9″ pieces. Make 6 more layers and sprinkle with remaining walnuts. Cut part way through to make diamond shapes. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour and 25 minutes.

Heat 12 oz. honey and pour over Baklava. Cool in pan at least 1 hour.

Nancy Geiger is a freelance writer who was a travel agent for 17 years. She also owns an online store called givitup: http://www.givitup.com/ and writes 2 daily blogs: What I Learned Teaching Sunday School and Starting an Online Store Called givitup.

She has recently published a cookbook called ‘A Bride’s Cookbook or Surviving the First Year’ http://www.abridescookbook.com/

A home buyer has a discerning eye and will pick out all the imperfections. Staging a Luxury Athens home does not take a lot of money. Just check to see if the interior needs a new coat of paint, or if you need to stage a bedroom, add a few cushions, a vase or add a design element. You need to take your personal elements out, and declutter the home. You want the Athens home to seem spacious and elegant. If you do not have these items you can lease furnishings for staging a home, or call in an expert to help. There are businesses that only deal in staging.

Stage the Athens Luxury Home

When you have everything ready then you can contact a real estate agent. You want someone who specializes in luxury homes in Athens. You want someone that can help you get the best possible price. However, before taking this step you must be sure that the home does not need a new coat of paint or any details are left undone. When you do check with a real estate agent you want to check their reputation and their track record. Don’t settle for anyone but the best of Athens real estate agents, and shop and compare different services.

Choose an Athens Real Estate Agent Carefully

Ask the right questions. For instance, you should ask what they plan to do to market your Athens home. You definitely want an agent who is going to be proactive and one who has many contacts. Then research the value of comparable homes and find a realistic price for your home. If possible look for an independent appraisal. Remember, if your price is high then you have room to negotiate.

Once your luxury Athens home is on the real estate market you want to keep in touch with the real estate agent and talk about any offers that come along. If you have not received offers then you should revise your selling price, and continue to look at maintenance issues that may rise.

Don’t be impatient, when you know what you are selling then you will get the best price, and selling will not be hard and will be a much smoother process.

Additional Articles:  Savvy Tips For Selling Luxury Real Estate In Athens

And, as you would expect in such a historical city, there is much to see and do in Athens. There are sights aplenty; activities abound, so much so you could easily get lost trying to work out what to do next. Instead allow us to suggest things for you. The unmissable sites of Athens

Acropolis of Athens

First up is the world famous and historically important ‘Acropolis of Athens’. This ancient monument was a symbol of the wealth and power that Athens could wield. Made rich by the strength of its navy many riches were spent in beautifying the city – and this astounding Acropolis is one the best examples. The marbled sculptures of the Ancient Greek Parthenon, found high on the Acropolis itself, are a sight that should not be missed.

The New Acropolis Museum

This giant museum has only just opened its doors to the public, and is doing so to wide acclaim. Able to not just view the Acropolis of Athens from its viewing balcony, the museum also plays host to a wide selection of ancient treasures found around the region of Athens.

Panathinaiko Stadio

Think Athens and Olympics and you may well think of the fantastic games of 2004 that were hosted there but Athens was also the birth place of the modern Olympics (much like it also helped birth the ancient version).

Athens hosted the first ever modern Olympics in 1896 and it was this purpose built stadium that did it. In 2004 it also played host to the fencing and the end of the marathon.

Hiring a car in Athens opens up a world of touring opportunities. You can obtain a car hire Athens service at the airport or in several downtown locations.

Athens night life

Of course not everything in Athens is about history. It is a very vibrant and modern city, developing and growing all the time. One of the biggest attractions to many people is the night life that Athens is able to ensure.

Athens plays host to a wide variety of clubs, pubs, bars and theatres. So no matter whether you are looking for traditional Greek cuisine or something even more exotic again, Athens is sure to have what you are looking for.

Read more Athens travel information at car hire Athens and learn more about airport pickups at car hire Athens Airport

Luxury home buyers are discerning and expect excellent quality. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to achieve a fresh look. Be careful not to overcapitalize.

Check if interiors need a new coat of paint. Skillful use of accessories such as cushions and vases can be effective in giving your home a lift. Declutter to accentuate a sense of spaciousness and get rid of shabby furniture and curtains. You can even hire furniture and plants until you sell.

When the home and gardens are in order, approach a real estate agency. One who specializes in luxury real estate in Athens would be ideal. Check their reputation and track record. Don’t settle on the first real estate agent you meet. Decide if you are going with a sole agent or if you will list your property with a number of agents.

Find out what strategies they propose for marketing your property. You want someone who is proactive and who has a strong network of contacts. Research current values in your area and settle on a realistic asking price.

You may be able to arrange an independent appraisal to give you a starting point. The aim is to start higher so you have room to come down in price. Find out what the agent’s fees are. These are often negotiable, especially on a luxury property.

Discuss whether it’s best to auction the property, put it on the open market or if there are other options. You need to be guided by the real estate agent who is the industry professional, but choose someone you feel you can work with. Set ground rules for communication and inspections but allow some flexibility as well.

When your luxury property is officially for sale, keep in touch with the real estate agent. Discuss any offers. If there are no offers or if you need to sell, review your position. Be clear on your bottom line. Continue to maintain the property so it is ready for inspection by prospective buyers.

Being savvy about selling your luxury real estate in Athens will get you a better price. It will also make the selling process less stressful and ensure a smoother process for all concerned.

Ian Baker writes for the European Real Estate Network, a network of real estate agents specializing in luxury residential real estate throughout in Western Europe.

Of course, there are many places to visit in Athens, and there are also many activities to partake of. Here are a few suggestions we have as to the most important attractions you want to see.

The Acropolis

This is the first attraction you must see. The Acropolis of Athens is the most important symbol of Athens. At one time it was a great symbol of wealth, and power. Athens was a rich city, made so by the navy that brought many riches to the city, and so much of that wealth was spent on Acropolis. The Parthenon is a part of the Acropolis and one of the most amazing aspects of this building are the marbled sculptures. This is one building in the Acropolis that should not be missed.

The Acropolis Museum is also a Must See

This is a wonderful new museum of Acropolis which is already known worldwide and recognized for it’s great beauty. The museum houses many ancient treasures which have been found in different areas of the city.

Next head over to the Panathinaiko Stadium. This was the birth place of the ancient Olympics, but also of the modern. It was here that the games of 1896 that this stadium was built for, and later where the 2004 games were also held.

When you really want to see everything that Athens has to offer you probably want to hire a car. When you rent an Athens car then you have more options as to the attractions you can see. You see not everything is about history in Athens. This is also a very vibrant modern city which is always developing. There are many interesting night clubs, restaurants, pubs, and shopping areas you want to visit while in the city, and the best way to see these is by car.

**Related Articles:  Things to See and Do in Athens

Athens Acropolis – Always a Spiritual Place

Even before these great buildings were built the site was considered a sacred place. It was the Neolithic people that settled here around 3500B.C and built smaller shrines for their deities. Around 1400B.c. it was a residence for the kings of Athens. During the 6th century B.C. the first Athena temple was constructed and thereafter the ‘Citadel of the gods.’

The Acropolis hill of Athens is still today the most important area of the Capital of Greece. It is located in the oldest part of the city and is now a highly trafficked tourist area, and one that should not ever be missed. There are general admissions tickets that are valid for all the archaeological sites of Athens, including the Acropolis, the museum, ancient Agora, the theater of Dionysus Kerameikos, the Roman Agora, and the Olympieion.

During the summer months there is a well known event which is known throughout Greece and the world. This is the Athens Festival, and at this time ancient dramas, music, operas, and ballet are performed here. In fact the Theater of Herodes Atticus built in the 2nd century is said to have fabulous acoustics.

**Related Articles: Acropolis of Athens – A Marvelous Achievement of Greek Civilization

The amazing Acropolis is perched upon a limestone mount towering above the city of Athens. The ruins of the Acropolis consist of the Erechtheum, the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, and the magnificent Parthenon.

The name Parthenon means “virgin’s chamber,” and was dedicated to the virgin Athena, the goddess of wisdom and patroness of Athens. The Parthenon was erected between 447 and 432 B.C by order of Pericles, and is considered one of the most perfectly proportioned buildings of all time. So precise was the Parthenon’s architect, Ictinus, that a discernible indent was incorporated into the straight lines of the structure’s long sides to lend the effect of appearing even straighter from a distance.

Long before the now-ruined buildings on the hill were constructed, the site was considered a sacred place. Around 3500 B.C, Neolithic people settled upon the hill and built small shrines to their many deities. By 1400 B.C, it had become the residence for all subsequent kings of Athens. In the sixth century B.C, the first temple honoring Athena was constructed here, and henceforth the “Citadel of the Gods” was considered a goddess shrine for many centuries.

The Acropolis hill, or the “Sacred Rock” of Athens, is the most important site in Greece’s capital, centrally located in the oldest section of the city. The site is a bustling tourist destination all year round and is nearly impossible to miss. A General Admission ticket is valid for all the archaeological sites of Athens: the Acropolis site and museum, Ancient Agora, Theater of Dionysos Kerameikos, Olympieion, and the Roman Agora.

Greece’s primary artistic event, the summertime Athens Festival, presents ancient dramas, operas, music, and ballet performed by local and internationally acclaimed artists. The 2ndcentury Odeon of Herod Atticus on the south slope of the Acropolis has legendary acoustics.

Muhammed Khaled is working as an assistant lecturer in a civil engineering faculty and has special interests in traveling and destinations…As well, he is the owner of Travel Spotlights blog where you can discover some quick reviews and information about top tourist attractions and destinations around the whole world that really worth visiting.

Athens Has Many Namesakes Throughout the World

In fact, many cities use the relationship they have with Athens to attain a higher standing of knowledge and culture. In and out of Greece, many towns and cities have even incorporated some form of the Athens name into their own. In fact, there is an Athens for every four of the major compass points, Even American states carry the nickname of Athens.

Jyvaskyla is known as the Athens of Finland, and is named as such, because it is considered a city of learning, as Athens once was. It is in the city of Athens that the important teachings of Aristotle, Plato and Socrates were first known. Boston is known as the Athens of America, and Bogota Colombia is known as the Athens of South America. All of these cities are nicknamed Athens for similar reasons.

Even Russia Has an Athens

For instance, the Russian city of Tomsk was known for its emphasis on education and when WWII came about every 12th person was a student, so it was named the Athens of Siberia. Florence in Italy was known as the Athens of the middle ages and was the birthplace of the Renaissanse. This was another period of cultural change, and education for Europe and happened during the 14th and 15th centuries.

.There have been many other Athenian cities which have also been of cultural significance to the world, like the Indian city of Madurai, Sarospatak in Hungary, and even Lexington Kentucky.

Every city aspires to deign the name of Athens if only as a nickname. They wish to be associated with this great Greek city and this is why so many people wish to come to Athens to see such an important part of the world.

**Related Articles: Athens – The City Other Places Want to Be

The writer Charles Caleb Colton once said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and this saying has now found its way in to common usage. Its message is clear and almost undeniable – and something that must make Athens feel a proud city.

The capital of Greece – and the country’s largest city to boot – is one of the world’s oldest cities with recorded history going back around 3400 years. In that time it has been a center for arts, philosophy and architecture and has been admired and copied from afar.

Such is the reputation of Athens that other cities around the world often try to use it to boost their own standing. In total, there are 28 cities or towns outside Greece that have incorporated Athens into their nickname.

There is an “Athens” for each of the four major compass points (including a bonus historical Athens of the West) as well as an “Athens” for many different countries, eras, American states and hemispheres.

Each has their own reason for the nickname – although some, such as the Scottish town of Troon being known as the ‘Athens of Ayrshire’ – are a little less clear.

Jyvaskyla – the ‘Athens of Finland’ – is so named because it is a city of learning, as Athens was once with the teachings of philosophers Plato, Aristotle, Socrates and many others; still popular material in curriculum today. The Massachusetts capital, Boston, is known as the ‘Athens of America’ and Colombia’s capital, Bogota, is the ‘Athens of South America’ for similar reasons. Edinburgh – the Scottish capital and the ‘Athens of the North’ – was a major center during the Enlightenment in the 18th century – while another American city (Nashville, Tennessee) is known as the ‘Athens of the South’ because of an abundance of colleges and universities in the area.

The Russian city of Tomsk had a high emphasis on education and by the outbreak of World War II every 12th citizen was a student – causing it to be dubbed the Siberian Athens.

The Italian city of Florence holds the title of the ‘Athens of the Middle Ages’ as it is considered to be the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance – a period of great cultural change and achievement in Europe from the end of the 1200s to the start of the 17th century.

Other Athenian cities with cultural significance include the Indian city of Madurai (the Athens of the East), Sarospatak in Hungary (the Athens of the Bodrog – a river that runs through Hungary and Slovakia) and Lexington, Kentucky (Athens of the West).

With all this attention and willingness to be associated with the Greek capital, it’s clear to see the reason why so many flights to Athens are jam-packed with tourists wishing to see the sights that have inspired so many places around the world.

The information contained within this article is the opinion of the author and is intended purely for information and interest purposes only. It should not be used to make any decisions or take any actions. Any links are included for information purposes only.

The Athens Apprentice Proved even Greater than Daedalus

Due to his many commitments he took an apprentice, the son of his sister Perdix, whose name was Talos. Daedalus soon feared that this new apprentice would become even greater than himself. It was Talos who invented the compass and the potters wheel. Other items that Talos invented were the toothed saw. However Daedalus could not contain his jealousy and murdered the young man by throwing him from the walls of the Acropolis.

It is said that Athena turned Talos into a partridge. Talos’s mother was devastated, and committed suicide. In remembrance, the Athenians built a small shrine. Daedalus was tried for his crime and was banished from the city.

Daedalus Flees to Crete

He wandered to Crete and the court of King Minos where he also became famous for building the wooden cow for the queen. He is also said to have built the Labyrinth that held the Minotaur. In the end he invented his own wings to carry him away from Crete with Ikarus.

Some historical scholars say that Daedalus was never an Athenian, but the citizens of Athens, so wanted such an intelligent man to be a part of Athens that they created his birth story and made him a son of Erechtheus.

**Related Article:  Daedalos in Athens and Crete