Ancient and Modern Athens

The city that heralded the miracle of the Golden Age of Pericles in the 5^th century BC, the capital of Greece, the land that forged the notion of democracy, Athens is the obvious starting point to an unforgettable tour of western civilization. The city’s rich history, documented on every step of the Acropolis of Athens, on every piece of marble gracing the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, the Propylaea. A rocky outcrop that takes the breath away at each gaze. And at its feet, the new Acropolis Museum. An architectural jewel that hosts the best of what the human spirit and genius has every conceived, an open embrace that awaits its famed sister marbles to welcome them home again.

From there, towards the city center and the National Archaeological Museum, one of the largest in Greece with over 11,000 exhibits and finds from all corners of the Greek world. Then on to Syntagma Square and the Greek Parliament with its impressive Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the vibrant heart of the modern city, the Athens of today. To the city’s most cosmopolitan quarter, with its elegant shops and countless dining options, out tour reveals the pulsating energy of the city and its inhabitants, who choose to live their lives at a spirited pace in a flurry of activity.

We next take the road to the Panathenaic Stadium, the famed “Kallimarmaro” stadium that hosted the first modern Olympic Games, revived in 1896, its gleaming white pentelic marble imposing under the Athenian skies. Just opposite stand the National Gardens, an oasis of Mediterranean flora that is a welcome respite in the center of the bustling city for both locals and visitors alike. The Zappeion Megaro Hall stands proud in the center of the Gardens, one of the city’s most important and impressive neoclassical buildings that is inextricably linked to the modern history of the country. On our route, we’ll pass through the picturesque Plaka area, a neighborhood synonymous with the tradition of the land, an urban masterpiece at the foothills of the historic rock of the Acropolis that is imposing in its architecture and layout. Still in the historic city center, the tiny area of Psyrri, one of the city’s oldest districts just north of its more famous neighbor Monastiraki, presents a harmonious merging of yesterday and today. And just before we finish our city tour, we head up Lycabettus Hill to gaze out at the city from above: beautiful, illuminated, noble. A unique blend of history, tradition and a contemporary way of life.