Athens, Greece is a stunning city that is well-known for its Ancient Greece culture, its modern art and architecture and for being the birthplace of democracy. The first mention of Athens was in Homer’s Iliad. He mentioned it as “the city of Cecrops” For this reason, we know that the city had already been established for a long time and at that time, it was ruled by King Cecrops who arrived from Crete.
Athens Is One Of The Oldest Cities In The World
Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world. It was founded around 3,000 BC by King Cecrops and it has been home to countless civilizations since then. For example, Athens was the birthplace of democracy, which meant that all citizens were allowed to participate in government decision-making processes. You can learn more about how this worked at places like The Acropolis Museum or the Agora Museum of Classical Civilization (which may have been where Socrates taught).
One reason why Athens’ history is so important is that it gave birth to many different types of art forms: poetry and drama; sculpture; architecture; music; dance; painting on canvas instead of walls! There are plenty more things too…
The Best Athens Attractions
The Acropolis is both a sight to see and a symbol of Athens. It’s one of the most important ancient sites in Greece, and it’s been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Acropolis is also home to the Parthenon, which was built in honor of the goddess Athena; this structure is considered one of the greatest accomplishments in Greek architecture.
If you’re visiting Athens for only a few days, I highly recommend taking time out from your busy schedule to see this monument firsthand: not only will it give you some insight into ancient Athenian culture, but also help you understand why so many people want to visit Athens year-round.
The best time to visit this historic site depends on what kind of experience you’re looking for; if all you want is an up-close look at incredible ruins with no crowds around them, try going early morning or late afternoon on weekdays when tour groups aren’t allowed onto these grounds (though there may still be some other tourists wandering around).
However if there’s something about being amongst throngs of people that appeals more than having solitude while exploring fantastic architecture then go during high season (summer).
You Can Go See Some Of The Oldest Art In History
The Acropolis is one of the most famous places in Athens. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to some of the oldest art and architecture in history. You can see the Parthenon, which was built around 437 BC as part of a massive building effort meant to celebrate Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war strategy.
This temple was designed by Ictinus and Callicrates, who used a frieze with 160 metopes showing scenes from Greek mythology on its inner walls., while on its outer walls they carved metopes depicting battle scenes that were later replaced by those depicting mythological battles after an earthquake seriously damaged them in 475 AD.
You’ll also want to check out other sites like Hadrian’s Arch (built during Roman times), Temple of Olympian Zeus (dedicated to Zeus), Temple Erechtheion (dedicated for Athena), Hephaestus Fountain (now called Fountain of Nymphs) and Propylaea Gatehouse (once part of an entrance into ancient Athens).
It Has Some Of The Most Beautiful Architecture
The Parthenon and the Temple of Olympian Zeus are just two examples of the many incredible temples that Athens is famous for. The Parthenon, built between 447 and 438 B.C., is arguably the most famous Greek temple; it was constructed in honor of Athena and serves as her main temple.
Many people know about this particular building because it was featured on a US postage stamp in 1984. In addition to being an architectural masterpiece and symbol of Ancient Greece’s greatness, this structure also played an important role in history: It housed a golden statue of Athena which decorated its inner chamber until it was stolen by Lord Elgin during his tenure as British Ambassador from 1801 to 1805 (and which he sold off piece by piece).
The Food Is Delicious
The food here is fresh and diverse, with a wide range of options that are affordable, unique and healthy. One of my favorite things about the cuisine here is its diversity. You can find everything from traditional Greek dishes to international cuisines ranging from Indian to Korean or even American barbecue. The ingredients for these recipes come directly from local farms, which means they’re always organic and incredibly fresh!
Another thing I love about the food here is how affordable it is compared to many other places around the world (including America). For example: if you want some good ol’ fast food style burgers, there are hundreds of locations where they’re only $3-$5 each.
Depending on where, you order them at various restaurants/fast food chains throughout Athens city limits as well as nearby suburbs where prices might vary slightly but still remain relatively cheap compared with most other places across America (especially when comparing prices such as these).
If you were on the fence about visiting Athens, hopefully this article has convinced you that it’s a must-see destination. The city is rich with history and culture, and there are so many fantastic things to do no matter what your interests are.
Not only that, but we’ve already established that the food is to die for! If you can find a good place to stay (I recommend checking out Airbnb), I definitely think you should consider adding Athens to your bucket list of places to visit.