The old Greek capital Athens will add some unique Mediterranean and Eastern European flair to your vacation in Europe. Athens is a large sprawling city that’s vibrant and full of history. You can make your way to the world famous Acropolis and Pantheon, two of Ancient Greece’s important cultural and historical sites. There are a handful of smaller sights along the path of the ruins in this area and a museum if you want to learn more about what you’ve been seeing all day. The Pantheon and Acropolis are two destinations you simply have to put on your vacation list in Athens.
There is also the central market where you can go and pick up groceries if youre staying in a hostel or with friends who like to cook or grab a ready made meal in the area yourself. Its a lively place, particularly in the morning hours and where you’ll find all sorts of produce, meats, and other local delicacies on sale. Its an experience for all kinds of travelers and one that kids will also find enjoyable. Once you been to both he market and the ruins of the Acropolis and Pantheon you can learn more about what you’ve seen and Greek history at the National Archeological Museum. Its here where you’ll learn about the mysterious Minoans, a group of people who worshiped the bull-God and were a dominant power across the Aegean Sea.
While there is certainly a lot of history, ruins, and museums in Athens, you can see some live culture at the Plaka district. This neighborhood, located at the based of the Acropolis hill is a great place to book a hotel or hostel and were you can go shopping to find more than just the major brand name stores. Plaka is the part of town perfect for lounging and enjoying your time off of work on your vacation. Some good times to eat in the Plaka area are mornings where you can enjoy an big Greek breakfast or later in the evening for a dinner with wine and other spirits. The Greeks are a lively people and its not uncommon to see people hanging out in restaurants while singing and dancing into the late night.
The National Gardens are also a quiet time away from the hectic city life of Athens and if you’re vacationing there in the summer a good place to slow down and cool off from the summer heat. The National Gardens are also a cheap day out in the city and you can enjoy a picnic while watching everyone else stroll lazily through the lush gardens. In addition to the plant life there is a small zoo at the National Gardens which is a good place to unwind or see something different while youre there. Children will most likely appreciate the tiny zoo and the gardens are a good place to get some exercise before heading back to the fast pace of Athens.