Photo Credits: @This is Athens
What could be a better fit than the city that gave birth to symposia? Those hospitable gatherings of the mind where innovative ideas were traded by ancient thinkers and memorable experiences were shared. As a historic world capital and vibrant knowledge hub, the innate spirit of Plato’s Symposium still burns brightly in Athens today, making for spirited and fruitful international meetings and exciting events. Athens has built upon its proud intellectual legacy to emerge as an agile modern city with a forward thinking heritage that delivers a safe, resilient, sustainable and socially responsible destination for residents and visitors alike.
There is a number of magnificent historical sites worth visiting very near to the Royal Olympic Hotel (walking distance): Acropolis Museum 300m | The temple of Zeus 300m | Roman Agora 1km| Acropolis of Athens 1,2km
Source: Visit Greece | Athens
Greek cuisine has four secrets: fresh ingredients of good quality, proper use of herbs and spices, the famous Greek olive oil and its basic simplicity. Greek olive oil deserves a special mention. Present in almost all Greek dishes, and in most of them in abundant quantities, it is of excellent quality and very nutritious.
Local flavours of the Greek Cuisine
Walks to various places in Athens, museums, neighbourhoods, but also shopping, bars/cafes, etc. may be found here
Athens is the city of ideas. Some of humanity’s most exciting ideas were born in Athens. In terms of cultural life, Athens is a unique case internationally. It is probably the only place in the world where you can discover a city more than 2.500 years old integrated into a contemporary metropolis. This exceptional past is coupled with a vibrant contemporary cultural life full of highly acclaimed events all year round. To make things even better, Athens offers a lively and vibrant nightlife with a wide variety of bars, clubs and restaurants. And let’s not forget that Athens is the city of olive trees, wine, honey and various herbs such as oregano, basil and thyme – an opportunity to taste the highly distinguished Mediterranean cuisine. Athens Events Calendar Cultural Events and Music Festivals in Greece
Athens is famous for its vibrant nightlife. The Athenians like to party and will do so almost every night of the week. The choices are plenty and they appeal to all tastes and lifestyles. In general, things get started pretty late; after midnight for bars and clubs and after 10pm for dinner at the city’s tavernas, restaurants and bar – restaurants. In Greece, life is for living and leaving your worries behind. The result is a good – hearted, energetic city with bars and restaurants to match. Hip areas include Gazi, Psirri, Metaxourgio, Monastiraki, Theseion and Kolonaki. Traditional Greek evenings can be spent in Plaka.
The establishment of Athens as a city dates back to mythological times. The city’s history is still evident throughout Athens in the form of many Ancient, Roman, Byzantine and modern monuments. Today’s capital integrates the ancient and medieval history into the contemporary era. Monuments can be found all around the city center, side by side with contemporary constructions such as buildings, roads and train stations.
Acropolis The Parthenon, a monument that constitutes the symbol of Greece worldwide, has been standing on the “sacred rock” of Athens, the Acropolis, for thousands of years. The Parthenon along with the other monuments of the Acropolis, are all excellent pieces of art, reflecting the Classical period and the Golden Age of ancient Athens in the 5th and 4th centuries B.C. The Acropolis Museum Designed by Bernard Tchumi in collaboration with Michalis Photiadis; the sparkling new museum, since its opening in June 2009, has already become the city’s top attraction and is expected to become one of the most visited and “must see” museums worldwide. The museum, which exhibits approximately 4.000 artefacts, allows the sculptures to be viewed in natural light, with special glass and climate-control measures, protecting them from sunlight. The most impressive part of the museum is its top floor, where visitors will be able to view the frieze and then look out of the windows to view the Parthenon itself. Odeon of Herodes Atticus At the footsteps of the Acropolis, the Odeon was built in 161 A.D. under Tiberius Claudius Atticus Herodes. To date concerts, plays and ballets have been performed. The natural setting of Herodeion, with its marvelous arcades, the Parthenon as a backdrop and the moon up in the sky will certainly fascinate you. Ancient Agora
The Museum of Cycladic Art is dedicated to the study and promotion of ancient cultures of the Aegean and Cyprus, with special emphasis on Cycladic Art of the 3rd millennium BC. It was founded in 1986, to house the collection of Nicholas and Dolly Goulandris, an extensive and unique private collection of prehistoric art from the Cycladic islands as well as ancient Greece. Benaki Museum The Benaki Museum ranks among the major institutions that have enriched the material assets of the Greek state. It houses 30.000 items illustrating the character of the Greek world through a spectacular historical panorama covering several periods ranging from the Prehistoric, Ancient and Roman periods to the Byzantine and the contemporary Hellenic period. Hellenic Cosmos Cultural Center of the Foundation of Hellenic World A living museum, an ultramodern cultural center, where visitors can learn about history, culture and sciences through interactive exhibitions, educational programs, virtual reality shows and documentaries.
*Content partly by This is Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau
