General Information

Athens is the capital of Greece and one of the biggest tourist destinations as well as the economic, cultural and administrative centre of Greece.

Today the wider region of the capital occupies almost the 1/3 of the total population of Greece and amounts in 3.827.624 habitants.

Athens is a modern and famous city, since it is considered to be one of the most historical regions in Europe, while it is known in the entire world for its historical monuments that were rescued through the centuries.

The visit in Athens offers a unique experience. A "travel" in the history of 6.000 years. It begins from the important monuments and masterpieces of art of antiquity and middle ages and leads to the architectural heritage of the 19th and 20th century.

Athens has one international airport, A.I.A. Eleftherios Venizelos, where almost all the major airlines operate, connecting Athens with worldwide destinations through direct flights or connections. Also, all civil airports in Greece (either on the mainland or the islands) are linked with Athens International Airport. The Airport was inaugurated in 2001, during the preparation of the country for the Olympic Games in 2004, and is one of the most modern airports in Europe.

Access to and from the airport is served by the following means of transportation:

• Metro: The airport is accessible via Metro Line 3 (Aghia Marina-Athens International Airport), which passes by Syntagma Square (center of Athens). For more information click here.
• Bus Services (OSY): Four bus routes connect directly Athens and Piraeus with the airport. All buses set down passengers at the Departures Level and depart from the Arrivals Level, between Exits 4 and 5. For further information, please call 11 185.
• Car: you can choose to rent a car during your vacation. You can find rental companies in the airport as well. Click here to get directions or view predefined routes.
• Taxies: are available at Exit 3, at the Arrivals Level. For legitimate charges click here.
• Suburban Rail: via the suburban rail the visitor may be transported to the port of Pireaus, the Athens Central Railway Station (Larissis Station) and Kiato. For further information, click here or cal 14511

Useful telephone numbers

Hellenic Tourism Organization: +30 210 87 07 000, www.visitgreece.gr
Police: 100
Athens Police: 1033
Ambulance Service: 166
Fire Department: 199
Poisoning First Aid: 210 77 93 777
Duty Hospitals and Clinics: 14944
Tourist Police: 171, 210 6977386

Hot spots

• Syntagma square
• Akropolis
• Museum of Acropolis
• Odeon of Herodes Atticus
• Zappeio Garden
• National Garden
• Monastiraki Square
• Thiseio
• Plaka

Mythology

According to the mythology, the city took its name from the goddess Athena, who became the protector of Athens, after a "battle" with the god of sea, Neptune. Concretely the first king of Athens, Kekropas, was to decide who would be the protector of the city. The two gods would each give a gift and whoever made the best would become protector. First, Neptune struck his trident in the soil and presented itself a stream with water. Afterwards Athena struck her spear in the ground and presented itself a small olive. Kekropas was intrigued but impressed by the gift of Athena and decided to choose her gift and her as protector of city. Thus Athens took its name.

History

In the antiquity it was developed in a big economic and cultural centre of the city-state of Attica. Political thought, theatre, arts, philosophy, science, architecture and so many other versions of human intellect reached their apex during that period.

The first king of the city, according to the mythology, was Kekropas at the 2nd or 3rd millennium b.C. The first legislator was Drakon, who established in the 7th century b.C. the Draconian Laws, written in plates of marble. The legislation of Drakon was succeeded by the laws of Solon.

Klisthenis, reformer of Athens, applied the equality against the law. At the "Golden Season" of Greece from 500 b.C. up to 300 b.C. Athens was a very important centre of culture and intellect in the European space. What we call today "Western culture" is based in many of the ideas and the practices of ancient Athens.

Pericles undertook the leadership of Athens around 462-461 b.C. He removed from Areios Pagos the monitoring of the administration and the employees and assigned it in the Parliament of Five hundred. The policy of Pericles consolidated the Athenian hegemony.

Athens became capital of new Kingdom of Greece in 1833. Its economic growth began at the second half the 19th century, with its nomination as capital of the country. The construction of factories and the foundation of industries made it a powerful pole of attraction of population of the entire Greece. Its central geographic played an important role to its growth, as it made Athens a road, railway and marine transport junction.

source: http://el.wikipedia.org/