"No wonder the gods chose to liv ..." a Athens Travel Page by leigh767

Greece. Home to Plato, Socrates, Dionysus, democracy, and the world's first theatre, to name a few. Ancient Greece may have come and gone, but the remnants today remain ever so breathtaking. It is spellbinding, to say the least, to behold the Parthenon before you, every inch of it a testament to the mastery in art and architecture of the ancient world. Be humbled before the Temple of Olympian Zeus and reflect on the Herculean efforts that it must've taken to erect the Propylaia.

Above all, treasure it, for to wander through the Acropolis is to, truly, wander through 5000 years of history.

Early April before the Easter break is fabulous-- the weather's at a comfortable 15-20C but you don't get the hordes of tourists of the summer months. The weather here can be finnicky, though, so please take note of the Packing List suggestions.

Above all, come with a mind to relax. The Plaka area next to the Acropolis in particular is an excellent spot for unwinding.

If you appreciate the Old World and love trailing the paths of the ancient, Athens is one city not to be missed. Though the little that I've seen of the non-tourist areas seems to confirm the rumours of it being congested and polluted, the side that the Greeks choose is show the world is AMAZING. If there's one place to do a solo trip and bask in the grandeur of the past, THIS is it.

Find a nice quiet corner once you scale the Acropolis and avoid the tourist groups. Stretch out with a good book with the Parthenon before you and the sun behind your back. It doesn't take much to take yourself back to the time of Plato and Socrates.

This is not, however, a completely sit-back-and-relax holiday for those who are looking for one, however. Expect to climb lots of slopes and hills because, well... if the mountain can't come to Mohammed...