WEEKEND WITH 2020 APOSTOLOS THREE DAYS ATHENS CITY

At the heart of the Mediterranean, lies Athens, one of the longest inhabited cities dating back 3000 years, the
historical gem of Europe, home to some of the most important cultural and historical attractions and the essence of
all of Greece. Every step you take and every street you go to leads to a fascinating monument, or a reminder of the
grandeur of its ancient heritage and the transformations the city has gone through. It is the cradle of Western
civilisation and the beacon of the ancient world, a pleasant tourist attraction where philosophy, democracy and
theatre were born. Being in Athens is being on the same streets Sophocles used to walk in, and being in the same
place Socrates used to teach – it’s the perfect city for every history buff, and for every traveler ready to be
mesmerised by the history they’ll be surrounded with.

The appeal of Athens goes way beyond its historical ruins and ancient sites, it’s the juxtaposition of tradition and
modernity that will draw you in; how the Acropolis towers over the concrete jungle, how an ancient temple is right
next to a clubbing zone and how a ruin could be right next to a modern café. In the three days you’ll spend in Athens,
you’ll be able not only to enjoy this amount of history and culture, but you’ll also enjoy this sprawling city with its
cafes, restaurants, its food, its quirky neighborhoods, its street art, its bars, theaters, museums and much much
more… Staying three days in Athens can be a bit challenging as you might not know where to begin so here’s our
recommendation on how to spend three days in Athens!

You might be interested in this 10-day Greece itinerary.
Private Airport Transfer with Welcome Taxi
You can atu.hellas@gmail.com before your arrival, and find your driver waiting for you at the arrivals with a
welcome name sign and a bag with a bottle of water and map of the city, thus saving you all the hassle of having
to find a taxi/bus/metro.
The trip takes approximately 35 minutes.
1 Day The Acropolis is one of the most important ancient Greek monuments, and one of the most important
monuments in the world. It towers over the rest of the city and reflects its splendour and grandeur. The Acropolis
means upper city, and this is where people lived as early as 5000 B.C and used as natural defence to avoid
enemies due to its sheer size. The Acropolis is the birthplace of democracy, and one of the main influencers of
modern civilizations and has been an attraction in Athens for thousands of years. You’ll enter through Beule Gate
and then pass through the Propylaia entrance. There you can check out the Temple of Athena Nike!

Parthenon

This was built during the height of Athenian democracy and is a magnificent temple reflecting the ancient
world and was built to honour the cult of Athena the virgin.
You can walk around the exterior and admire every angle of the structure and check out the beautiful
details of craftsmanship that are on display everywhere and that remain timeless and beautiful.
The Parthenon is definitely the most photographed building on the Acropolis, the most popular and one
that reflects the magnificence of the Acropolis, Athens and Greece.
Did you know? The Parthenon means “the apartment of the Virgin and was built for the goddess Athena
Parthenos who gave the city all of its wealth.

Theater of Dionysus

This theatre built in the 4th century B.C is the oldest of the three architectural temples in the Acropolis.
This open- air theatre the birthplace of European theatre and is one of the earliest preserved in Athens. It
was used for air theatre the birthplace of European theatre and is one of the earliest preserved in Athens.
It was used for performances back then, and it’s considered the birthplace of theatre where great Greek
tragedies of Sophocles and Euripides were performed. The theatre could accommodate 17,000 spectators
and back then it was not only used for performances but also for festivals that honour god Dionysus used
for performances but also for festivals that honour god Dionysus.

Odeon of Herodus Atticus

Imagine being able to attend a live classical theatre performance in a theatre that has been functioning for over
2000 years! Today you will be sitting in the midst of ancient history as you enjoy performances, bands, plays and
the best talent in the region in an ancient theatre built in the Roman times.
It was actually built by Herodes Atticus, the Roman philosopher and teacher in memory of his wife, and you can
still visit this beautifully made theatre and attend the Athens Arts Festival, concerts, and the classical tragedies
with a marvellous acoustic experience.
Tip: Try to visit the archaeological site of the Acropolis as early as possible to avoid the crowds and the heat
especially during the summer months.
Tickets: There is a special ticket package for visiting most of ancient Athens monuments costing 30 € full and 15 €
reduced which is valid for Acropolis of Athens, Ancient Agora of Athens, Archaeological Museum of Kerameikos,
Hadrian’s Library, Kerameikos, Museum of the Ancient(There are price reductions in Schools Price Change
Unspecified).

Acropolis Museum

This is one of the museums that has always been constantly rated as one of the top in the world, with its huge
glass walkways, its high ceilings and incredible panoramic views. You not only get to learn about Athens, the
Parthenon (which it is devoted to) and all the surrounding temples, but you also get to marvel at the beauty of the
museum itself. You will be met with large glass panes that allow light to get in and illuminate the entire museum,
and also allow for wonderful views of the ancient and modern parts of Athens giving you an overall great
experience.
What to see:
Ground floor – The Acropolis Slopes which feature all ancient artifacts that were found in and around the
Acropolis, and a highlight of that collection could be the theatrical masks and vases from the sanctuary of
Nymphe.
Top floor – The Parthenon Gallery and incredible panoramic views from the glass panels as you can easily glance
over the ancient city of the Acropolis with the Parthenon being only 300 meters away. You can also watch a
fifteen-minute video that talks about the Parthenon sculpture
First floor – The Moschophoros – a painted marble statue of young man carrying a sacrificial calf. It is one of the
first examples of incorporating marble into Greek architecture.

Temple of Zeus

This triumphal arch was built to honour the arrival of the Roman Emperor Hadrian and thank
him for his benefactions for the city. It was made of fine Pentelic marble, and the design is
actually fully symmetrical, and it’s crowned by Corinthian columns and pilasters giving it a
distinct type of grace and beauty. The arch served as one of the seven gates that were used in the
defensive wall built by the Turks when there were several different attacks like the attacks by the
Albanian raiders, and it was also used as a connection between the ancient street of old Athens, to
the new, more Roman Athens. You will be able to see its effect by checking out the inscriptions
caved on the architrave where one reads “This is Athens, the ancient city of Theseus” while the
second reads “This is the city of Hadrian and not of Theseus.”

Arch of Hadrian

Plaka

You can end your day by walking around and having dinner at one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Athens, where most of the
streets are closed to just pedestrians. You will be walking around neoclassical houses, pedestrian streets, beautiful views in
one of the oldest districts in Athens. Today it has become an area full of restaurants, little taverns, jewellery stores and cafes
and you can find all types of diverse shops from normal ones to traditional ones, to more touristy ones. Lastly, you can check
out the Museum of Greek Folk Art.

Archiological cite Elefsina After breakfast we will head to Eleusis. Bordering the waters of the sea of Salamina, we will travel in reverse the final stretch of the road that Teseo made from Trecén. We will visit the sanctuary of Demeter in Eleusis and its small Museum.