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28/10/2009
ATHENS
The cradle of Greek
civilisation, Athens today is a bustling, frenetic, modern city with six
million inhabitants, one third of the total population of Greece. The port
of Athens, Piraeus, is very much an integral part of the city.
Although Athens is a huge, sprawling city, much of its political, historical
and administrative life is concentrated in a small area including Syntagma (Constitution)
Square, the Acropolis and Omonia Square.
According to Greek mythology, the establishment of Athens was the result of
a dispute between the goddess of wisdom Athena and her fellow gods, under
which the city was given as a peace offering. In historical terms, the city
was founded by the Phoenicians at least 2,000 years before Christ. The
founding fathers of democracy, Athenians had many times to go into battle to
defend their freedom and built up a mighty military strength.
As the leading cultural influence in the Mediterranean region for centuries,
Athens attracted considerable opposition as well as admiration. Its
intellectual dominance over the Mediterranean began to wane with the
establishment of the Byzantine Empire, eventually leading to the city being
virtually deserted and almost destroyed by Saracens in the 12th Century. By
the time the Turks gained control of Athens in the 15th Century, its
population had dwindled to only a few thousand inhabitants. Between 400BC
and 1400AD Athens had been raided, sacked, and burnt at least 30 times.
Gradually Athens was rebuilt and by the end of the 19th Century its fortunes
had greatly improved, culminating in the revival of the Olympic Games in
1896. The next period of sustained development came after World War II with
aggressive industrialisation and maritime enterprise.
The historical attractions of Athens are world-renowned. The Acropolis,
overlooking the city of Athens from the top of a rocky hillside, is the
dominant monument of ancient Greece, the site of the first temple dedicated
to the goddess Athena and the stunning Parthenon. Among the magnificent
ruins of the Acropolis, and the fascinating artefacts of the Acropolis
Museum, the ancient civilisation surrounding the Parthenon, Herod Atticaus
Odeon, Dionysus Theatre, Muses Hill, the Agora, Hephaestus Temple and the
Apostles Church come to life. In addition to its magnificent ancient
monuments, Athens has much to offer the visitor, including colourful street
markets and shops. Plus, of course, delicious Greek food such as the
speciality meze and desserts including baklava.
EXCURSION
The tour will begin from the port of Piraeus, where we will pass and admire the naval harbour of Zea, which was built in the early fifth century BC by Themistocles, to defend themselves from the Persian Empire. After a short drive we will arrive to the cradle of Western civilization and capital of Greece, the cosmopolitan Athens. A large and modern city, Athens is the site of the most incredible ruins from the ancient world. We will proceed our exciting travel through time with the visit to the famous Acropolis. Much of what you will see dates to Athen's golden age, the fifth century BC. The most famous building is the Parthenon, which was built as a temple to Athena, the patron deity of Athens. Continuing our sight seeing tour, we will see among other monuments the Ancient Agora, which was the marketplace of classical Athens and the Panathenaic Stadium, which is the only major stadium in the world, built fully of white marble. We will have a photo stop at the Stadium and then we will continue with our panoramic tour which important neoclassic monuments, such as the University, the National Library and the National Academy. Finally, we will continue by foot to Plaka, which is the oldest section of Athens and full of shops, boutiques, restaurants and side walk open air coffee shops. Still a popular residential area adorned with unique neoclassical bulidings, ancient monuments and antique shops, hosts the Old University, the Tower of the Winds, Acient Angora and the Lysicreates monument. You will have free time to browse or shop on your own before meeting again for your return the ship.
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Piraeus to Athens by Bus
Panathinaiko Stadium
Panathinaiko Stadium
Athens by Bus
Odeon of Herodes Atticus
Acropolis
Acropolis
Plaka
Kitchen Tour
Kitchen Tour
Inside Costa Victoria
Dinner Party