DK Travel : Athens

Athens is simultaneously known as the Classical, marble-pillared cradle of Western civilization and as a modern urban sprawl of concrete and traffic. Between the extremes lies a kaleidoscopic city, where the influences of East and West entwine in the markets, cafés and tavernas, built upon ancient ruins and rubbing shoulders with gold-leafed Byzantine churches.

National Gardens

The huge, shady National Gardens are an unexpected green refuge in parched central Athens. They were originally planted in 1839 as the Royal Garden of Queen Amalia, who had her horticulturalists bring in 15,000 domestic and exotic plants, many of which remain. The garden was opened to the public in 1923. Many statues dot the garden. It also has a small zoo, a duck pond and a playground. (see National Gardens)
National Historical Museum

Greece’s first parliament building, this is now a museum specializing in the War of Independence.
National Library

One of the important Neo-Classical trio of downtown buildings (see Athens University and Academy of Arts). Venture in to admire the library’s gorgeous reading room.
National Opera

The acoustics aren’t great and the Megaron Moussikis draws far more international stars, but the loyal generations who come in furs and lacquered hairdos will always feel at home here.
National Opera

A little moth-eaten, but this place is still beloved by Athenians.
National Parliament Building

The imposing building was constructed in 1842 as a palace for Otto, Greece’s first king after independence. Over the next 70 years, it suffered neglect and in 1923, during a housing shortage, it acted as a homeless shelter. After the return of parliamentary government in 1926, the building was gutted, renovated and reopened as a single-chamber council for parliament. Today it is the scene of debates that range from the hilariously surreal to the stultifyingly boring, viewable on state television via a live video link. Its library can be visited.
National Theatre

The majestic outlines of Hadrian’s Library served as the model for this fine Neo-Classical building’s façade. Performances by the National Theatre troupe are Greece’s finest.
National Theatre

Home of the Greek National Theatre Company, whose performances of the classics are renowned.
Nemea

This was the site of the first labour of Herakles: the slaying of the Nemean lion. The lion’s skin was impenetrable, so Herakles strangled the beast, then skinned it and kept its pelt as a coat of armour. This is one of several legends connected with the founding of the Nemean Games, which formed part of the Panhellenic Games. The highlight of Nemea is walkingthrough the great stadium where the contests took place.
Neo-Classical, 1821–Early 20th Century

After defeating their Ottoman conquerors, Greece began rebuilding itself, turning to the well-proportioned forms of their great Classical forebears. Many of modern Athens’ most important buildings were constructed on this model, notably the University of Athens, the Academy of Athens and the National Library.