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This was the Games’ central attraction. The existing multistadium complex was expanded and renovated to host the opening and closing ceremonies, plus tennis, gymnastics, basketball finals, swimming, diving, water polo and cycling. Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava designed the glass and steel stadium domes. There are plans to transform the surrounding area into a verdant art-filled park.

This complicated building hosted the pentathalon. It includes a 2,000-seat area for swimming, two 5,000-seat areas for riding and running and one 4,500-seat area for fencing and shooting. A temporary 5,000-seat area will also hosted badminton.

This showpiece in central Athens was built in the 4th century BC for the Panathenaic Games. It later fell into disuse, but was restored with beautiful Pentelic marble for the first modern Olympics in 1896. In 2004, it hosted archery and the Marathon finish.

Weightlifting is Greece’s most successful international sport – the team bagged five medals in Sydney. The lifting arena was one of the first Olympic venues planned for 2004, and organizers claimed that the 5,000-seat hall was the biggest venue ever built for showcasing weightlifting.

The beachside Peace and Friendship Stadium, which seats 14,000 spectators, hosted volleyball. Two coastal sports pavilions – one seating 10,000, the other 8,000 – hosted boxing, handball and Tae Kwon Do (an extremely popular sport among Greeks). Two sandy beach Kallimarmaro Stadium volleyball courts provided seating for 10,000 and 4,000.

This massive complex is on the site of Athens’ former airport, converted for 2004 into major sports facilities. It hosted basketball, baseball, softball, fencing, handball, hockey and canoe slalom. There are plans to convert the complex into a giant park which could be the largest in Europe. Though some land will be sold to developers to fund the project.

The sailing centre was the first Olympic venue to host a test event – an international regatta in 2002. Sailing events were among the most exciting competitions of the whole games, partly because of the meltemi winds, which gust reliably along the coast every August. There are plans to convert the site into a 1,170-berth marina.

Everything horsey was here, with stables for 300 horses. Construction on this centre was delayed when archaeologists uncovered a shrine to goddess Aphrodite. Post Games there are plans to build an 18- hole golf course on the site.

Canoeing and rowing competitions took place in a 2,200-m (7,300-ft) artificial lake, with seating for 14,000 spectators. Now there are plans to make the area an environmental zone, with an adjoining archaeological park, displaying Stone-Age finds uncovered during construction and finds from the nearby site of the Battle of Marathon (see Marathonas).

The cycling and mountain bike competitions were held along a magnificent route on Mount Parnitha, a stunning area of natural beauty just outside Athens, frequently overlooked by visitors.