About ATHENS by Archaeologous
About Athens by Archaeologous
When, as a 12 year old girl, growing up in Japan, I had visions of ancient Athens and the ancient Greek lifestyle. Now, I live here in Greece and work at tour specialist, Archaeologous, assisting others with day tours to appreciate this legendary historical 3,400 year old city. Athens has it all. There are monuments left us reflecting the brilliance of the age of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. There are museums, Blue Flag beaches, flea market shopping at Monasteraki, experiencing the amazing Plaka as you look up at the Acropolis, and all the time walking past Byzantine churches and ancient pillars sticking up from the earth as if witnesses from the ancient times. Yes, Athens is a mega world class vacation destination for explorers, historians, and vacationers of the world.
I had a fascination with Athens and started reading about the Acropolis, the Parthenon, Socrates teaching in the Ancient Agora and democracy being formulated in the same arena. Later in Bible study classes it was told that St.Paul had many missions speaking in places such as the Mars Hill, and the same Ancient Agora area.
Then I finally got to Athens, the capital of Greece since l834, I immediately took a guided tour and played tourist in these legendary world favorites. (The great thing about antiquity is that what I found brilliant 30 years ago is still here and highly recommended now). When you look up to the cliff side of the “sacred rock” as the Acropolis is called, you, I, everyone gets a warm feeling knowing you are looking at an “ode to a brilliant time”.
Athens is named after the Goddess Athena, who as the legend goes won the contest for the city by giving an olive tree compared to the gift by the God Poseidon. Athens is considered the “birthplace of civilization”. The commonly known most brilliant thinkers of the planet Socrates, his student Plato and his student, Aristotle all had their schools here. One of the most important civilizations of the planet flourished here and you can see the 3,400 year history as you visit the Panathenaikon (Olympic) Stadium Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Nat’l Archaeological Museum, Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, Hadrian’s Arch, the Parthenon, the sacred entrance Propylaea, Erechleion, Temple of Athena, the ruins in the Ancient Agora and much more as you tour Athens today. Even in the underground train station, where there are mini museums of the excavated finds while digging the new transportation system, you are reminded that there is history “everyplace” in Athens
There is something for everyone, from the classy
neighborhoods of
Kifisia, Marousi, Kolanaki, and Melissia to the ancient Plaka, Psysri, and
Monastaraki villages below the Parthenon.
If you are arriving by air: a 35 minute drive will put you into the “centre of town” near the Syntagma Square. At this point you will be in walking distance of many popular tourist sites.
If you are arriving by cruise ship, the drive into town is only 20 minutes.you an hop on a train from either location.
