Athens Sports & Outdoors Tips by AndyRG Top 5 Page for this destination

The Olympic Stadium

It was built in 1982, with a capacity of 70.000. It has hosted 3 european finals (1983, 1994, 2007) and one cupwinners' cup final in 1987 -in football- European and World Championships in athletics too... It is owned by the Greek Olympic Committee.
At the picture, AEK and Olympiakos (2 greek teams) are coming inside the stadium, at the final of the Greek Cup. AEK, the team which I support (see my travelogue), won 2-1, on 27/4/2002, a happy night...
During the Olympic Games of 2004, this stadium -having the new impressive roof made by Santiago Calatrava- "lived" its most glorious moments of its own history...

Theme: Sports Watching

Even unknown sports... Olympics 2004 Review

During the Olympic Games of Athens 2004, I had the chance to see for first -and last?- time unknown to Greeks sports as badminton, hockey, baseball (as in the picture).
Most of them were hosted at a new complex of stadiums, at the place of the old airport (Helliniko Olympic Complex, which was the 2nd most important one after the Olympic Complex in Marousi).

Theme: Sports Watching

The Olympic Games of 2004 (13-29/8)... Olympics 2004 Review

A great event, a great atmosphere, a great party, inside and outside the olympic venues, as you can see...
For more details, check my personal albums...
I was so lucky to see many events in my homeland! Thanks God!

Theme: Sports Watching

Patience for good... Olympics 2004 Review

The Olympic Stadium was closed for more than 2 years, with the purpose to be renovated to host the Olympic Games of 2004. So -except other works- new seats were put and an impressive construction (roof with arcs) by -whom else?- S. Calatrava was fast made, which gave to the stadium a modern and majestical bearing.

Theme: Sports Watching

...and during the night

The atmoshere in the night becomes more magical and you don't have the taste that you are next to a sports complex...

Theme: Sports Watching

During the day...

"Stoa", "Agora" and a... sea were created outside the Olympic Stadium a few months before the beginning of the Olympic Games, according to the plans of Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.
The new "look" of that area is totally different than its old one, for our own good and luck...

Theme: Sports Watching

Athens Olympic Sports Complex

Marousi is a northern suburb 9 km of Athens (22 from the airport), where mainly lies the olympic era. Most of the stadiums are there, like the Olympic Stadium (athletics-football), the stadiums for basketball, aquatics (diving -like at the picture- water polo, swimming, synchronised swimming), cycling, tennis. You can go to Athens Olympic Sports Complex with a lot of ways, the best is by metro ("Eirini" station or "Nerantziotissa" station).

Theme: Sports Watching

Athena and Phevos!

These were the mascots of the Olympic Games 2004 in Athens, in front of the Panathinaiko Stadio. A brother and a sister (Phevos is Apollo, the brother of goddess Athena) are the symbols of participation, heritage and celebration...
The source of inspiration for Athena-Phevos was an ancient greek doll (7th c. BC), it is exhibited at the National Archaeological Museum.
Many Greeks wanted another type of mascot, they didn't like them, but we were soon got used with Athena and her brother... The mascot about the Paralympic Games was Proteas, rather more beautiful.

Theme: Other

The connection with the present...

Panathinaiko Stadio is used nowadays in special occasions (celebrations, ceremonies, concerts etc). About 70.000 people can be inside it, as in 1968 and its world record (for details, check the travelogue about AEK).
At the Olympic Games of 2004 the marathon race (finish) -the original one- and the sport of archestry surely gave more gold pages to the history of the stadium.
During the night there is illuminance of it, really nice...

Theme: Other

Pyrros Dimas, the best Greek athlete

He was born in 1971, at Himarra of Northern Epirus (it belongs in Albania). He has managed to win three golden olympic medals, in Barcelona (1992), in Atlanta (1996) and in Sydney (2000). Athens was the place for the fourth one, this time bronze...
At the picture, Pyrros, already a myth and national hero, is lifting 180,5 kg -category of 84 kg- and making another world record (Athens, 26/11/1999, World Championship).

Theme: Other