Athens and the Greek Islands, what a combination! A very historical area located in the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. Most of the Greek Islands are east of Athens and in the Aegean Sea. The Greek Dark Ages lasted from 1200-800 BC, the Classical Antiquity period began after that. The 320-145 BC years were known as the Hellenistic period. After that, Greece was conquered by the Romans. There many historical sights scattered all over mainland Greece and the islands. A visit for a few weeks or more is very worthwhile.
Athens is the capital of Greece, the name originates from the Greek goddess of wisdom, Athena. The most famous historical site in Athens is the Parthenon, located on a rocky hill in the center of the city and is known as the Acropolis. There are daily tours and well worth your time… Take lots of photos and enjoy. While you are there, a visit to the Acropolis Museum is a must, you will always learn something you didn’t know before. The area below the Acropolis is known as Plaka. There are many narrow streets, restaurants and shops. You should not miss the National Archaeological Museum, it has countless exhibits about Greek prehistory. You should also visit the parliament buildings and watch the changing of the guard, this ceremony happens every hour during the day. Speaking about ancient Greek history, you should not miss the Panathenaic Stadium, this is a very large stadium that seats more than 60,000 people. If you are fit the Philopappou Hill in Athens is a great climb, you can view the entire city from there. Be very careful when using the subway or public transportation, keep your belongings close to your chest. Take the tourist bus around the city, each bus has a guide and they explain the history. Finding a great place to eat is no problem in Athens, go to a different place every day.
The Greek Islands
There are day tours available to some of the nearby Greek Islands. Some of the other islands are further away and usually you should stay overnight. There are many hotels on each island, you can prebook your accommodations below. Each island offers a different experience, these islands include Santorini, Mykonos, Corfu, Rhodes, Kos, Hydra, Paros, Naxos, Samos, Milos, Chios, Syros, Patmos and many, many more.
