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Bypass other tavernas lining the port and head to the end of the bay and this favourite of the Athenian cognoscenti. Enjoy the view over a poikilia (mixed plate) of fresh seafood and veggie treats.

Only ancient classics are performed in this famous amphitheatre (see Epidauros).

The 4th-century BC Theatre of Epidauros is one of the best sites in Greece, marvellously preserved and with astounding acoustics (see Hellenic Festival (Jun–Sep)). Outside the theatre is the sprawling Asklepion, an ancient spa and resort devoted to Asklepios, the god of health.

Housed here is one of the world’s most precious collections of ancient inscriptions, including the official records of early Athens, carved on stone and marble slabs. It’s a fascinating trove of Athenean lore, and the most important exhibits include: a decree by the assembly of Athens ordering the evacuation of the city before the Persian invasion in 480 BC; a sacred law concerning temple-worship on the Acropolis; and a stele carved with accounts of the construction of the Erechtheion at the Acropolis some 2,400 years ago.

The “Blessing of the Waters”, when ports, boats and beaches are blessed, and young men dive for crosses cast into the water by priests; it’s a year’s good luck for the successful divers.

The shopping street. Start at the top, with designer boutiques and department stores, then make your way down to the funkier end, most obviously when Sunday’s flea market (see Athens’ Flea Market) fills the street. Beyond it are loads of quirky used-furniture, antique and speciality shops.

A good central option for a short stay, located on one of the city’s busiest streets. Rooms are quiet and tastefully furnished, and offer a wide range of facilities. Rooms above the seventh floor have Acropolis views.

Euripides was the last of the great triumvirate of Greek tragedians. He wrote radical reinterpretations of the ancient myths in which humans bore their suffering without reference to the gods or fates. His most famous plays, The Bacchae and Medea , are about mothers murdering their children.

Greece’s second-largest island is so close to the mainland you can reach it by bridge. There are several trains a day from Larissa station in Athens to Chalkida, Evia’s central city. The spine of mountains running north to south and dotted with villages offers great weekend trekking, and if you go by car midweek you’ll likely have its beaches and the thermal spas at the northern tip to yourself.

Huge Evia is the perfect island for hikers, with green mountains and long trails winding through inland villages. At the northern tip, posh resorts cluster around restorative thermal springs. (see Evia)