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THE OFFICIAL CITY OF ATHENS MAGAZINE FOR TOURISM IN ATHENSwww.breathtakingathens.com
SUMMER-AUTUMN2009 / iSSUE04
3
EDITORIAL
7
BUSINESS NEWS
8
INTERVIEW WITH
SOPHIA PANAGIOTAKI
12
SUMMER AND AUTUMN
IN ATHENS
16
2ND ATHENS BIENNALE 2009
20
ATHENS WITH KIDS
24
ATHENS - EPIDAURUS
FESTIVAL 2009
28
ROOFTOPS WITH
BREATHTAKING VIEWS
32
THE COAST ROAD:
THE DOWNTOWN OF
ATHENIAN SUMMER
36
THE NEW DIGITAL
PLANETARIUM ATHENS
40
ENDLESS BLUE
44
SUMMER - AUTUMN
CULTURAL HIGHLIGTS
48
FOOD: GOING TO THE BEACH
FOR SOME FRESH FISH AND OUZO
52
YELLOW PAGES
54
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Breathtaking mag is a quarterly publication of the Athens Tourism and Economic Development Company
Contact:
7 Xenofontos Street, Syntagma105 57 Athens, Greece
T. +30 210 32 53 123F. +30 210 32 16 653 E. [email protected]
Production
LIVANIS PUBLISHING ORGANIZATION 98, Solonos Street, 106 80 Athens. T. 210 36 61 200, F. 210 36 17 791
www.livanis.gr
Editor-in-Chief
Giorgos Salamas
Editor
Nikolaos Dervenoulas
Art Director
Angie Paragoulia
Design Director
Charalambos Andreanidis
Editorial Team
Sakis DimitrakopoulosStavros Dioskouridis
Cover illustration
Evangelos Kaimakis
Photography
Gerasimos Domenikos Dimitris KoilalousMarianna Vergaki
Translation Proofreading
Yorgos AvgoustisDanae Seemann
Athens Tourism and Economic Development Company
President
Aikaterini Katsampe
CEO
Panagiotis Arkoumaneas
Director, Athens Convention Bureau
George N. Angelis
Business Development
Manager
Natasha Kefala
Public Relations Director
Kalliopi Andriopoulou
© Breathtaking mag. All rights reserved. Neither this publication nor any part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Ath-ens Tourism and Economic Development Company.
Where opinion is expressed it is that of the authors and does not necessarily coincide with the editorial views of the publisher of the Breathtaking mag. All information in this magazine is verified to the best of the authors’ and the pub-lisher’s ability. However, the Breathtaking mag does not accept responsibility for any loss arising from reliance on it.
THE NEW FACE OF ATHENS ON THE WEB
www.athensconventionbureau.gr
www.breathtakingathens.com
Enjoy the best of Athens with us
All you need to know about your business trip in Athens
54 5
28
THE NEW DIGITAL PLANETARIUM
48SUMMER - AUTUMN CULTURALHIGHLIGHTS
40
8
2ND ATHENS BIENNALE 2009
20
24
16
BUSINESSNEWS
SUMMER - AUTUMN IN ATHENS
SUMMER INATHENS
ATHENS - EPIDAURUSFESTIVAL 2009
ROOFTOPS WITH BREATHTAKING VIEWS
32
CAN A MAGAZINE FIT THE SOUL AND HEART OF A CITY?
When the first issue of Breathtaking mag was released, the only thing we
knew is the love we have for Athens. We wanted a magazine that we would
enjoy reading and that would also be a useful guide for its readers. This is
what ATEDCo.’s philosophy consisted of, as a company that is gradually
developing while offering the highest performance in every area of tour-
ism development in Athens. With the aim of meeting our readers’ demands,
we closely monitor market trends and constantly renew our approach, the
material and the image of our publications.
In our autumn issue, you will read all the latest business news concerning
Athenian tourism and much more. You will have the opportunity to read
an interview with the director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation
in the United Kingdom. We also offer you some excellent suggestions con-
cerning Athens, exhibitions, festivals, Athens with kids and rooftops with
breathtaking views.
Last but not least, a presentation of the New Digital Planetarium in Athens
will take your breath away.
Don’t miss the helpful yellow pages that will guide you through the city.
We hope you enjoy your read and look forward to seeing you in Athens
soon!
For more information on Athens, you can visit our brand-new
website www.breathtakingathens.com
7
EDITORIAL Panagiotis Arkoumaneas
CEO / Athens Tourism and Economic Development Company
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9
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Business News
OlyMPiC AiRliNES OFFiCiAlly PASSES iNTO MiG’S HANDS
The purchase agreement between
Olympic Airlines S.A. and Marfin
Investment Group was signed at
the Zappeion Exhibition Hall in
March. The total amount paid by
MIG is €177.1 million and includes
the acquisition of all Olympic Air-
lines assets, the share capital of
Pantheon Airways, ground han-
dling services and Olympic’s tech-
nical base. The “new Olympic” will
be flying under MIG control as of 1
October.
The signing took place during a
special ceremony at Zappeion with
the ministers of Economy and Fi-
nance, Development and Trans-
portation, as well as MIG Vice-pres-
ident Andreas Vgenopoulos. The
latter stressed that the company’s
objective is to develop a highly
competitive Olympic Airways. He
committed the company to creat-
ing a new, healthy and strong Ol-
ympic whose growth would benefit
MIG shareholders, company em-
ployees, tourism and the national
economy of Greece in general.
Olympic, which was sold to the
Greek state by Aristotle Onassis in
1974, returns to private hands after
35 years of state ownership.
ATHENS HilTON lAUNCHES NEW jUNiOR SUiTES
The Athens Hilton has recently add-
ed 16 new junior suites, thus further
increasing guest choice in luxury
accommodation. The suites were
designed by Alexandros Tombazis
with comfort, luxury and elegance
in mind. The comfort of 80 square
metres of space is enhanced by de-
tails of Italian design, such as Flos
lighting fixtures, B&B Italia sofas
and FIAM tables. The carpets were
handmade in Pakistan.
Each junior suite consists of two
separate areas: a sitting room and
dining area and a large bedroom
with a double king size bed and
spacious wardrobe. The couch in
the sitting room folds out to pro-
vide a comfortable bed to accom-
modate an additional guest. Each
suite is equipped with two Philips
LCD televisions (32” and 20”), two
balconies with a stunning view of
the Acropolis and two bathrooms,
one with a shower and one with a
steam bath.
EiGHT RAilWAy AxES TO BRiNG ATHENS ClOSER TO CENTRAl EUROPE
The EU Transport Ministers Coun-
cil recently decided to develop
eight railway lines which will bring
Athens closer to Central Europe.
This decision calls for the develop-
ment of eight railway axes, one of
which will be the Prague-Bratisla-
va/Vienna-Budapest-Vidin-Sofia-
Thessaloniki-Athens axis.
In addition, the council asked for
a Regulation Proposal to establish
the rights of passengers who trav-
el by bus or coach on internation-
al and domestic long-distance
routes. The regulation will focus on
three main issues:
-The rights of persons with limited
mobility;
-Issues related to the liability of
transport operators;
-Compensation and passenger as-
sistance in the event of journey
interruption.
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liByAN AiRliNES RESUME FliGHTS TO GREECE
After 17 years, Libyan Airlines will
resume scheduled service to Greece,
connecting Athens with Tripoli and
Benghazi with two weekly flights
(Monday and Thursday). The flights
will take place using the airline’s new,
state-of-the-art and environmentally
friendly CRJ900 Bombardier aircraft.
Libyan Airlines and its Greek agents
hope to contribute to the development
of trade, tourism and cultural relations
between the two countries, while at
the same time opening new horizons
for investment and a variety of coop-
erative efforts.
Athens International Airport wel-
comed the Libyan Airlines aircraft with
the traditional water arch salute and
greeted official guests and passen-
gers at Gate A1 with the Athens Airport
ribbon tradition symbolising the air
travel connection between the two
countries. Present on the flight were
Libyan Airlines CEO Captain Mohamed
Ibsem; His Excellency, the Ambassa-
dor of Greece in Tripoli, Petros Steph-
anou; Michael Psomas, owner of
Michael Psomas Enterprises S.A., Lib-
yan Airlines agent in Greece; and oth-
er officials and Libyan business fig-
ures. On hand to welcome the
inaugural flight at Athens Internation-
al Airport were officials from the Min-
istries of Transport and Communica-
tions and Tourism development, as
well as representatives of the Libyan
Embassy in Greece, airport manage-
ment, state organisations based at the
airport and Greek entrepreneurs and
friends of both countries.
ATHENS AiRWAyS lAUNCHES FliGHTS TO KOzANi
Athens Airways, in continuation to its
network expansion, launched flights
to “Philippos” Airport in Kozani May
21. Adding Kozani to its destinations
was part of Athens Airways’ initial
plans when it began operations and
this intention had been announced at
the end of 2008. There will be five
weekly flights. Next in line as Athens
Airways’ destinations from Athens will
be Chios, Zakythnos, Rhodes and Ke-
falonia. Starting 25 May, there will also
be a connection from Thessaloniki to
Mytilene and Chania. Since April 2, the
newly established airline company has
launched two more daily flight desti-
nations in Chania and Heraklion in
Crete.
AEGEAN AiRliNES BECOMES STAR AlliANCE’S NEWEST MEMBER
The Star Alliance Board of Directors
has approved a membership applica-
tion submitted by Aegean Airlines, kick-
ing off a 12-month integration process
to establish full membership. Upon
completion of the process, Star Alli-
ance will consist of a total of 26 airlines
(21 existing members and confirmed
new members that include Air India,
Brussels Airlines, Continental Airlines
and TAM), offering a selection of more
than 1,000 destinations in 176 countries
served by 21,000 daily flights.
As a Star Alliance member, Aegean will
have access to world markets wher-
ever there is a sizeable Greek popula-
tion, such as Australia, Canada, North
Africa and the USA. At the same time,
travellers in Greece will be able to take
advantage of the opportunities pro-
vided by Star Alliance with access to
an extensive network, smooth travel
and status recognition through fre-
quent flyer programmes.
CONTiNENTAl AiRliNES RESUMES DiRECT FliGHTS FROM ATHENS TO NEW yORK
Continental Airlines, the fifth largest
airline in the world, will once again be
offering a direct service from Athens
to its New York hub - Newark Liberty
International Airport. Flight CO105
was scheduled for daily service from
Athens starting 3 May through 8 Sep-
tember, leaving at 12 noon and arriving
at Newark Liberty International at 4:10
pm of the same day. Return Flight
CO104 departs from Liberty daily at
5:30 pm and arrives in Athens at 10:20
am the following day.
AEGEAN NAMED BEST RE-GiONAl AiRliNE iN EUROPE
Aegean Airlines, the largest airline in
terms of passenger volume in Greece,
has received two more awards. The
awards were decided by the passen-
gers themselves who rated their ex-
periences on a survey of all airlines
flying internationally. Aegean was es-
pecially honoured to receive the award
for Best Regional Airline in Europe for
2009 at a special event commemorat-
ing SKYTRAX’s 10 years of operation
held on 1 April in Hamburg, Germany.
At the same time, Aegean’s cabin crew
was named Best Cabin Crew in South-
ern Europe.
SWiSS lAUNCHES NEW SERviCE TO GENEvA
Swiss will increase its daily flights from
Athens to Geneva for the period 26 June
to 24 October. The new service is in ad-
dition to its existing daily connections.
It will operate three times a week - Tues-
day, Thursday and Saturday - and will
depart from Athens at 11:25, allowing for
timely, direct connections from Geneva
to other European destinations.
GRAND OPENiNG FOR THE NEW ACROPOliS MUSEUM
The New Acropolis Museum made its en-
trance into the elite of international mu-
seums during a grand opening lasting
one week and culminating on 20 June.
The official grand opening ceremony
took place on 20 June, though there was
extensive promotion on the mass trans-
portation system for days in advance.
Banners and posters were widely visible,
while a variety of events were staged
throughout the city. The museum’s doors
opened on 17 June for cultural journal-
ists and on 18 June for scientists and
academics, ministry officials and repre-
sentatives of foreign archaeological
schools based in Greece. On 19 June, the
museum opened to foreign journalists.
The climax of events was on 20 June
with the arrival of state political leaders,
prime ministers and international cul-
tural personalities in Athens, while the
museum and its exhibits were the subject
of international television coverage that
same day.
The public visited the museum from 21
to 23 June by booking through e-ticket-
ing, with limited entry of 2,550 people
in three daily zones over three days. Ad-
mission for the rest of 2009 will remain
at €1, while in 2010 it will rise to €5. Start-
ing in 2011, admission prices will be broken
down into categories for senior citizens,
children, students and the disabled. The
electronic booking system will specify
times for museum visits.
EASyjET CONNECTS ATHENS AND ROME WiTH A NEW DAily FliGHT
EasyJet, Europe’s leading low-fare air-
line, will launch a new daily flight to Ath-
ens from Rome Fiumicino airport this
autumn. The new route is part of
easyJet’s support of the Greek tourism
industry with a schedule of 21 flights from
major European cities to Greece.
EasyJet will offer daily flights from Ath-
ens to Rome, increasing its destinations
served from Athens International Air-
port to seven. The airline expects to car-
ry 550,000 passengers to Greece this
year, an 18% increase from last year’s
figures.
ATHENS iNTERNATiONAl AiRPORT TAKES EUROPEAN FiRST iN AiRPORT MARKETiNG
Once again, airline companies gave Ath-
ens International Airport a European
first for its continuous and dynamic sup-
port of their development efforts
through AIA’s innovative airport market-
ing programmes. The award was present-
ed during the “ROUTES Europe” confer-
ence, where AIA also won first prize for
the “Southern Europe - Mediterranean”
region, beating out other airports in cit-
ies such as Rome, Barcelona, Madrid,
Lisbon and Istanbul.
This double recognition is even more sig-
nificant in light of the economic crisis,
which has led to a world-wide drop in air
travel, and reflects the successful coop-
eration between the airport and the air-
lines. In 2009, AIA’s programmes brought
eight new airlines to Athens (Air Arabia,
Baboo, Cimber Sterling, Libyan, Lvov,
Transavia, Atlant-Soyuz Airlines and
soon to add Etihad, the United Arab Emir-
ates carrier) and added six new destina-
tions (Nice, Abu Dhabi, Sharzah, Tripoli,
Benghazi and Casablanca).
SMOKiNG BAN iNTRODUCED iN GREECE
Greece has introduced a smoking ban in
public areas effective on July 1. Under the
new legislation, smoking is banned in hos-
pitals, schools, in vehicles and in all public
spaces. Huge billboards advertising ciga-
rette brands will also disappear from city
centres and roadsides, as the new rules
also prohibit the advertising of tobacco.
The measures, which went into effect
Wednesday July 1, aim to fill gaps left by
previous laws creating smoking areas.
The ban does not apply to all cafes and
bars, however. Premises over 70 square
metres will be allowed to create small
smoking areas, as long as they remain
“totally separate.” Smaller establish-
ments must choose whether to accept
smokers or go entirely tobacco-free.
FREE WiRElESS iNTERNET iN GAzi
Residents of and visitors to the Gazi area
of Athens will now have free, high-speed
wireless Internet access as part of the
“Information Society” Operational Pro-
gramme. The installation of the latest
equipment at one of the main Technopolis
buildings will serve all the outdoor areas
of this multipurpose space, as well as the
main squares in Kerameikos and the
former Korean Market, making the area
one of the biggest in Greece with free wire-
less Internet access provided by a public
agency. Visitors of Technopolis and the
surrounding area can have free Internet
access provided they have the appropri-
ate equipment, such as a laptop, PDA or
mobile phone with WiFi capability.
A similar network has already been set
up through the Operational Programme
in three public areas of the City of Ath-
ens. They include Syntagma Square, Ko-
tzia Square and Thissio. The wireless
networks were established to help citi-
zens and visitors become more familiar
with high-speed Internet and to promote
the multiple functions and services it of-
fers to everyday life and work.
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Interviewwith Sophia PanagiotakiDIRECTOR OF THE GREEK NATIONAL TOURISM ORGANISATION IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND IRELAND
What is the situation in the British market at this time of economic crisis?
It is an indisputable fact that the international economic crisis and the drop of the British pound compared to the
euro have affected the British tourism market. According to official statistics from the Association of British Trav-
el Agents, there was a 6% drop in total departures by British travellers to destinations abroad during the first four
months of 2009.
It is worth noting that during the same period, that is, from January to April 2009, British arrivals in Greece marked
a 4% increase over last year. By contrast, departures toward Greece in May were down, with a total decrease of
8%. For this reason, the Greek National Tourism Organisation launched a dynamic campaign in the British market,
focusing around the slogan, “Greece: a masterpiece you can afford,” that aims to draw a larger number of visitors
to Greece.
This year, it is estimated that 65 million British citizens will travel abroad. According to discussions with repre-
sentatives of the British Tour Operators, Greece will retain third place among the most popular destinations.
Is there room for increasing Greece’s share of the British market?
If we take into consideration that about 17 million British tourists visit Spain every year, while Greece draws about
3 million visitors from Great Britain annually, it is easy to see that there is plenty of room for increasing Greece’s
share of the British market. Of course, this year, mainly because of the economic crisis, the traditional balance in
the market seems to be changing, as country-destinations outside the euro area are emerging to claim a signifi-
cant number of British tourists.
Therefore, our goal is to prove to British friends of Greece that our country has a comparative advantage over
other countries because it offers a great variety of options and a high level of service at affordable prices.
What are some of the new directions being take to achieve
greater penetration of Greek tourism in the British mar-
ket?
As I mentioned earlier, the Greek National Tourism Organisa-
tion has decided to adopt a multi-faceted strategy to promote
our country in the British market. This strategy includes:
a) multiple advertising efforts through the placement of ads
in print media, on the Internet and in outdoor locations;
b) the intensive collaboration and education of representa-
tives of some of the most important tour operators and
travel agents;
c) the staging of public events to promote Greek destinations
in the larger cities of Great Britain;
d) the hosting of dozens of visits by British journalists to our
country.
In your opinion, on which forms of tourism should the great-
est emphasis be placed?
It is well know that the Ministry of Tourism, in an effort to
extend the tourist season, has set in motion the promotion of
nine forms of tourism and categorised all of the infinite choic-
es that Greece offers its visitors.
Through city breaks, cultural tourism, holiday and seaside
tourism, touring and outdoor tourism, health and well-being
tourism, luxury tourism and conference tourism.
THEATER
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50SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS 255INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS
760UNIQUE SOCIAL EVENTS77.256PARTICIPANTS37.200ABSTRACT PAGES
17.800INVITED SPEAKERS210.000SQ. M EXHIBITION SPACE520MEDIA ACTIVITIES
4.000ACCREDITED JOURNALISTS100SKILLED PROFESSIONALS
01. ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT
02. PROFESSIONAL CONGRESS ORGANISER
03. EVENTS & DESTINATION MANAGEMENT
04. STRATEGY & COMMUNICATION
02_21X28_ADV_print.indd 1 4/28/09 5:08:13 PM
What will the impact of the New Acropolis Museum be
on the public and on the tourism enterprise commu-
nity in Britain?
The GNTO office in Great Britain and Ireland worked close-
ly with many of the British media to promote the New
Acropolis Museum. We were happy to see that there was
significant anc complimentary coverage of the New Mu-
seum, urging British citizens to visit as soon as possible.
There is no doubt that with the opening of the New Acrop-
olis Museum, Athens, as a capital, has a lot to offer its
visitors and to pique the interest of many more.
If a British person told you that he would like to visit
Athens, what are the five things you would recommend
he do that are not widely known?
In conversations with the British, I always try to give them
a feel for the “magic” of Athens, the magic of a city where
two extremes come together – the classical with the con-
temporary, the ancient with the modern, the conservative
with the radical, the East with the West. So how could I not
recommend they climb the Holy Rock of the Acropolis,
visit the Ancient Agora, the Stoa of Attalos, Kerameikos,
Thissio, Plaka, the Athens Concert Hall, Gazi, the Psiri area,
Lycabettus Hill, the Cape of Sounio? Or suggest they relax
in the magnificent hotels with thalassotherapy facilities or
the unmatched boutique hotels? They should enjoy the
delicious Greek gastronomic delights at the tavernas, the
small appetiser bars, the luxury restaurants. They should
visit our museums and our shopping districts, walk around
the archaeological sites in the centre or along the sea. As
you can see, I get carried away because it is impossible for
me to recommend only five things in Athens.
From end to end, Athens is a bewitching city, a city that
continually changes form.
OUR GOAL FOR THE BRITISH MARKET IS TO
MAKE IT CLEAR TO ALL THOSE INTERESTED
THAT GREECE IS NOT JUST A PLACE FOR
SUN AND SEA, BUT A DESTINATION WORTH
VISITING FOR THE SO-CALLED “TRUE GREEK
EXPERIENCE”
SHOPPiNG OPPORTUNiTiES THAT yOU CANNOT AFFORD TO MiSS
IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO FIND
YOURSELVES IN ATHENS AND
NOT GO WINDOW SHOPPING OR
BUY SOMETHING FROM THE HUN-
DREDS OF SHOPS. THERE IS AL-
WAYS SOMETHING FOR EVERY
TASTE AND POCKET. IN ONE OF
THE MOST CENTRAL PARTS OF
THE CITY (OMONOIA SqUARE),
YOU CAN FIND THE CENTRAL
MARKET WITH ALL KINDS OF
HERBS AND ETHNIC SHOPS. A
SHORT DISTANCE AWAY, (PANE-
PISTIMIOU STREET) THE ATTICA
ATHENS MALL IS THE PERFECT
PLACE FOR DESIGNER LABELS AT
VERY REASONABLE PRICES, ES-
PECIALLY DURING THE SUMMER
SALE SEASON. GOING TOWARDS
KOLONAKI, YOU WILL SEE SO
MANY SHOPS THAT YOU WILL
WISH YOU COULD STAY IN ATH-
ENS LONGER! YOU MUST GO TO
ERMOU STREET (SYNTAGMA),
ONE OF ATHENS’ BUSIEST SHOP-
PING STREETS. IT IS NO COINCI-
DENCE THAT ITS NAME IS DE-
RIVED FROM HERMES, THE
ANCIENT GREEKS GOD OF COM-
MERCE!
THE lAST TRAM...
...is a verse of a song that refers to
Athens’ most beloved means of
transportation. There are now two
lines that both start at Syntagma
Square: one goes to Piraeus and
the other goes to Voula. The most
idyllic route is the one in the direc-
tion of Voula because it first cuts
across the city of Athens and then
runs parallel to the sea to the south
of the city. The ride takes about an
hour and it gives you a perfect op-
portunity to admire the Athens
coastline and enjoy the nearby ar-
eas. As the ticket is valid for one
hour and half, you can take a break
along the way and take the next
tram when you are ready. All trams
are air-conditioned, making the
ride pleasant, even in summer.
THE PEDESTRiANiSED DiONySiOU AREOPAGiTOU STREET
You will find see a lot of people walk-
ing along D. Areopagitou Street at
the foot of the Acropolis, where you
can see the magnificent Parthe-
non, one of the undisputed mas-
terpieces of the Golden Age of 5th
century Classical Greece. Across
the Acropolis, you can also admire
the New Acropolis Museum in all
its shining architectural glory. Fur-
ther on in your walk through the
living remnants of history, you will
reach the many cafes of Thission,
the place that nowadays is more
like a giant coffee house and offers
a privileged view to the antiquities
abundant in this part of town. The
“great walk”, as Athenians have
called this route, does not have any
shops, as the law only allows cafes
and restaurants.
GREEK DANCES THEATRE “DORA STRATOU”
Opposite the Acropolis, on the far
side of Philopappou Hill, is the
Greek Dances Theatre of Dora Stra-
tou, where a professional ensem-
ble of 75 dancers, musicians and
singers presents folk dances and
songs from all of Greece. Musical
instruments and dancers in au-
thentic costumes offer a wonderful
spectacle and illustrate the conti-
nuity of ancient and modern Greek
tradition. The summer Attica sky
and the cool night breeze make it
an ideal place to lose yourselves in
the dream-like spectacle this thea-
tre offers. Opening times: Tue.-Sat.
9.30pm, Sun. 8.15pm.
Summer and Autumn
in Athens
17
Su
mm
er
& A
utu
mn THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS YOU CAN DO IN ATHENS
DURING THE SUMMER THAT CHOOSING WHAT TO DO
MAY PROVE qUITE DIFFICULT. AMONG THOSE THINGS,
THERE ARE SOME YOU MUST NOT MISS THAT WILL HELP
YOU GET IN SYNC WITH ATHENS AND FEEL A PART OF
THIS FRIENDLY, VIBRANT AND SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE
CAPITAL. SO PUT ON SOME SUN BLOCK, A HAT, YOUR
SUN GLASSES AND SOME COMFORTABLE WALKING
SHOES AND START EXPLORING THE CITY!
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utu
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THE NATiONAl GARDEN AND THE FOREST OF KAi-SARiANi
A walk in this Athenian spot that
is covered with trees will certainly
take a load off your mind. This spot
in none other than the National
Garden (Vassilissis Amalias Ave-
nue), with its numerous paths and
extremely tall trees. Both of these
features make it an ideal and liter-
ally very cool place to get some
shade and fresh air. You will think
you are in the countryside, rather
than the centre of the city. There
are four entrances, one on each
side of the Garden, so it will not be
hard for you to enter its magic king-
dom and refresh yourselves. An-
other place worth visiting and one
that is very near downtown Athens
(at the end of Ethnikis Antistaseos
Avenue) is the forest of Kaisariani.
Take a walk among the many trees
that grow on Mt. Ymittos: olive
trees, pines, aspens, locust trees
and cypresses. The panoramic
view of the whole of Athens is an
added bonus.
PASAliMANi
You cannot enjoy your summer
visit to Athens if you do not at
least sample what Piraeus has to
offer. Pasalimani, the most cos-
mopolitan spot of Piraeus, is in
some ways similar to the French
Riviera with its many yachts that
stop there for a few days before
continuing their sea voyages. No
matter what time of the day you
find yourselves there, you will cer-
tainly be thrilled, but the best time
of the day is in the afternoon just
before sunset, when you sit on one
of the docks to have an ice cream.
You can get there by metro or tram
and then by local bus or taxi.
THE TEMPlE OF POSEiDON
The Ancient Greeks built the Tem-
ple of Poseidon, the god of the
sea, at Cape Sounio, one of the
most breathtaking sites in the At-
tica region. The route to Sounio
is most interesting, as it runs par-
allel to the sea. When you reach
your destination, you will certain-
ly understand why the ancient
Greeks were inspired to choose
that particular spot to build the
temple. The sanctity and the par-
ticularity of the place makes you
feel that you are not on land any-
more, but rather somewhere be-
tween the sea and the sky. To get
there, follow the coastal road to-
wards Anavyssos and a few kilo-
metres on, you will see the temple
standing there in all its glory.
THE NEW ACROPOliS MU-SEUM
The New Acropolis Museum main-
ly houses sculptures, and specifi-
cally those ancient marvels that
were literally bathed in natural
sunlight. The extensive use of
glass on the museum’s external
surfaces allows natural light to en-
ter the structure and transform
it. In the Archaic gallery (where
the visitor can see the finds from
the Archaic Period), the light en-
ters through 50 skylights, while
in the Parthenon gallery the light
enters through two light channels
that run along the perimeter. The
Museum gives the visitor the im-
pression that it defies gravity,
thanks to the 100 columns that
support the whole building. A vis-
it to the New Acropolis Museum
will make you truly admire the
magnificence of ancient Greek
civilisation. The best way to get
there is by metro (Acropolis
stop).
STROlliNG AROUND AND SCUlPTURE
The area around Alsos Stratou
(Army Park, near Katechaki Metro
Station) has been transformed
into a wonderful, cool garden.
While you are there, you can ad-
mire the many sculptures that are
exhibited in the open and you can
also pay a visit to the National
Sculpture Gallery (210-7235857)
that houses many works by Greek
and foreign artists. Inside the
park, you will also find a cafe bar
and playground so you can enjoy
a drink while your kids are having
a good time.
AllOU FUN PARK
Athens may not possess a theme
park on the same scale as those
in many European cities. However,
Athenians have enjoyed for some
years now a very modern enter-
tainment park. Its name is Allou
Fun Park and it opened its doors
to the public in 2002. Ever since,
along with its kid brother, the chil-
dren’s fun park Kidom, it is one of
the most popular entertainment
destinations. Visitors can enjoy
themselves with the multitude of
happenings and the endless fun
from the non-stop games and ac-
tion. Allou Fun Park is located at
the intersection of Petrou Ralli
Street and Kifissou Street and it
covers an area of 40,000 m2. It
includes a bowling centre, mini
soccer courts, internet café,
shops and the popular multiplex
Village Park.
Artistic directors XYZ (Xenia Kalpakt-
soglou, Poka-Yio, Augustine Zenakos),
who curated the 1st Athens Biennale
2007 DESTROY ATHENS, have invited
an eclectic group of curators to contem-
plate the subject of Heaven, a broad
topic that touches on notions such as
lost innocence, nature and ecology, uto-
pias and ideal communities. From this
premise, a creative dialogue begins,
which will reflect upon the theme itself
as well as the methodology surrounding
large-scale periodical exhibitions. The
diverse approaches of the 2nd Athens
Biennale 2009 team of curators will re-
tain their autonomy, while interconnect-
ing creatively and claiming a narrative
cohesion which will be further reflected
in the exhibition design by architect and
artist Andreas Angelidakis.
The multiple visual art and perform-
ance installations in public spaces will
be curated by stage director and cho-
reographer Dimitris Papaioannou and
artist Zafos Xagoraris.
Exhibitions, installations, public inter-
ventions and screening programmes
will be curated by Chus Martínez, chief
curator of MACBA, and independent cu-
rators Cay Sophie Rabinowitz, Nadja
Argyropoulou, Christopher Marinos
and Diana Baldon.
The first edition of the Athens Biennale
was a great success. The aspiration is
for the 2nd Athens Biennale 2009
HEAVEN to be even more successful
than the first, which attracted more than
50,000 visitors and was hailed by the
international press as one of the best
contemporary art exhibitions in 2007
worldwide. It was the subject of wide
coverage in such publications as Libéra-
tion, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Berliner Zei-
tung, Neue Zeurcher Zeitung and Het
Financieele Dagblad, and received pos-
itive reviews in international art peri-
odicals, such as Artforum, Frieze, Flash
Art, Art Review, Contemporary, Art in
America and Art Fairs International,
among others.
The Biennale has sprung from the ter-
rific energy that has characterised the
visual arts in Athens in recent years. Its
aim since its establishment has been to
provide a contemplative space for con-
temporary art which will produce exhi-
bitions of high quality, addressing a
wide audience and forming a channel
of communication between the local
and the international contemporary art
scenes.
Within this framework, the Athens Bien-
nale has organised conferences, pub-
lished books and formed numerous col-
laborations with international
institutions. In 2007, it founded the Eu-
ropean Biennial Network, a collabora-
tive structure that involves the Berlin
Biennial, the Istanbul Biennial, the Liv-
erpool Biennial and the Lyon Biennial
as co-organisers, and the Venice Bien-
nial, the Göteborg Biennial, the Tirana
Biennial, the Periferic Biennial (Iasi) and
the European Biennial Manifesta as as-
sociated partners. (Further information
on the Network at www.europeanbien-
nialnetwork.org.)
20 21
Exh
ibit
ion
s THE 2ND ATHENS BIENNALE 2009
HEAVEN WILL TAKE PLACE FROM 15
JUNE TO 4 OCTOBER. THE EXHIBI-
TIONS AND EVENTS OF THE BIENNALE
WILL UNFOLD ALONG THE COASTLINE
OF PALAIO FALIRO IN VARIOUS BUILD-
INGS AND PUBLIC SPACES. IT IS DE-
SIGNED AS A LARGE-SCALE, MULTI-
FACETED CONTEMPORARY ART
EVENT, WITH SEVERAL EXHIBITIONS,
ACTIVITIES, MUSIC AND THEATRE
PERFORMANCES, FILM SCREENINGS
AND SYMPOSIUMS, AND THE PARTICI-
PATION OF MORE THAN 100 INTERNA-
TIONAL ARTISTS. 2nd Athens Biennale
2009 HEAVEN inPalaio Faliro
THEATER
22
ExhIBItIoNs
The 2nd Athens Biennale 2009 HEAV-
EN is envisioned as a versatile contem-
porary art festival XYZ, the founders
and artistic directors of the Athens Bi-
ennale have invited a selected group of
curators to reflect Heaven, in a time
that arguably is one of disappointment
and conflict. The six exhibitions of the
2nd Athens Biennale 2009, designed
by architect Andreas Angelidakis, take
the form of autonomous approaches to
this broad subject that nevertheless
communicate creatively and claim a de-
gree of narrative cohesion. These six
exhibitions are complemented by a se-
ries of performative events lasting all
through the summer.
Venues.
The 2nd Athens Biennale 2009 HEAV-
EN extends along the coastline of Ath-
ens, in the areas of Palaio Faliro and
Kallithea, from the Faliro Olympic Com-
plex to the Flisvos and Batis Beaches.
the venues that the exhibitions take
place are the following:
• Esplanade Building (next to Tae
Kwon Do Court), Water Plaza, Faliron
Olympic Complex
• Esplanade
• Village Center Cinemas
• Flisvos Marina
• Faliro Park
• Flisvos Building
• Flisvos Beach
• Batis Beach
INFoRMAtIoN
Exhibition Days & hours
• 15 June – 31 July & 1 September – 4
October: Tuesday to Sunday, 12.00 –
00.00. Closed on Mondays, except
Monday 15 June, when the Biennale
opens for the public.
• 1 August – 30 August: Wednesday to
Sunday, 12.00 – 00.00. Closed on Mon-
days & Tuesdays. Closed on 15 & 16
August
tickets
• Full: 12 euro (for one visit to all
exhibitions)
• Reduced: 8 euro (for one visit to all
exhibitions, students, over 65s,
disabled and their escort, members
of Ε.Ε.Τ.Ε., ICOM, AICA, IKT)
• Unlimited Visits: 20 euro (non
transferable, valid for all exhibitions)
• Group: 100 euro (for 10 persons, for
one visit to all exhibitions)
• Reduced Group: 50 euro (for 10
persons, for one visit to all exhibi-
tions, students, over 65s, disabled
and their escort, members of Ε.Ε.Τ.Ε.,
ICOM, AICA, IKT)
AccEss
By tram:
Tram Νο4 SYNTAGMA / SEF &
Tram Νο3 VOULA / SEF
Both Lines:
Stop DELTA FALIROU
(for access to Esplanade Building
(next to Tae Kwon Do Court),
Water Plaza,
Faliron Olympic Complex).
Stop AGHIA SKEPI
(for access to Village Center).
Stop TROCADERO
(for access to Flisvos Marina, Flisvos
Breakwater, and P. Faliro Park).
Stop PARKO FLISVOU
(for access to Flisvos Breakwater,
P. Faliro Park, and Flisvos Building).
Stop FLISVOS
(for access to Flisvos Building,
and P. Faliro Beach).
Stop BATIS
(for access to BATIS).
By bus:
130 PEIRAIAS / N. SMYRNI
(Stop: AGHIA SKEPI)
A1 PEIRAIAS / VOULA
(Stop: AGHIA SKEPI)
Β1 PEIRAIAS / GLYFADA
(Stop: AGHIA SKEPI)
101 PEIRAIAS / ALIMOS / ELLINIKO
(Stop: AGHIA SKEPI)
550 KIFISSIA / SYGGROU
(Stop: FOROS)
217 PEIRAIAS / DAFNI
(Stop: AGHIA SKEPI)
By trolley:
10 TZITZIFIES / CHALANDRI
Stop: TZITZIFIES.
From there, TRAM 3,
BUSES Α1, Β1 (info line: 185)
Exh
ibit
ion
s
23
Athens with Kids Beach Fun and
Water Parks
25
Kid
s
HOURS AND HOURS CAN BE SPENT BY THE
WATER, SWIMMING IN THE SHALLOW CRYS-
TAL CLEAR WATERS, PLAYING WITH OTHER
CHILDREN AND BUILDING SANDCASTLES.
THIS CAN BE DONE EITHER AT BEACHES
OR SWIMMING POOLS. HERE ARE SOME
SUGGESTIONS FOR SWIMMING AND FUN IN
ATHENS FOR YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN.
copa copana Park
Copa Copana Park is a multi-purpose, fun
place in Athens, which hosts leisure ac-
tivities, happenings, concerts, live DJ sets,
parties and events throughout the year.
During the summer, visitors can enjoy the
pools as well as plenty of water games,
while throughout the winter; the park
hosts a unique variety of winter activi-
ties.
Copa Copana Park is the ideal place to
spend a hot Athenian summer day. It fea-
tures 17 waterslides, with various levels
from speed lovers to beginners. The “Wa-
ter Playground”’ includes a children’s pool
and children’s water-slides and a huge pi-
rate ship for kids craving adventure! If you
want a chance to relax and have fun with
your children, this is the place.
Opening Hours: 10:00-02:00
12th km Athinon Ave., Haidari
Tel: +30 210-5576006
www.copacopanapark.gr
Water Fun
One of the largest water parks on the out-
skirts of Athens, near the Corinth Canal.
Don’t miss the opportunity to see this fas-
cinating man-made canal as ships cut
their way through it. Enjoy the dew, the
swimming pools and the water slides in
this flawless water park. The big attrac-
tions are the straight Kamikaze slide, the
110 metre Black Hole, and the three mega
slides which send you on a fast, medium,
or slow breathtaking downhill slither to-
wards the pool. You will also find a shallow
pool with small slides suitable for young-
er children.
Opening hours: Daily 10:30-18:30
83km, Old National road Athens –
Corinth (150m after the isthmus),
Corinthos, Peloponnese
Tel: 27410 81400
Yabanaki Beach Park
The Yabanaki Beach Park is a perfectly
organised beach where visitors and their
children can feel the beat of the Greek
summer just a few kilometres from the
centre of Athens. There are water sports,
such as water ski, windsurf, Tubes, Banana
and Fly Fish, which offer a sense of ad-
venture, while there are restaurants with
Greek specialties, a pool bar and a café
near the water. You will also find a tennis
court, a basketball court and a playground
for children.
Varkiza Coast
Tel: +30 210-8972414
E-mail: [email protected]
www.yabanaki.gr
24
Karavi
Karavi at Schinias beach and water sports
club is located 42 km (26 miles) north-
northeast of Athens, near the historical
city of Marathon. Karavi offers a matchless
experience for all water-sports and beach-
sports enthusiasts, as well as for those
wishing to just relax in the sun. The seven-
acre property features 100m of clean,
sandy beach with umbrellas, sun beds and
water sports facilities, and includes res-
taurants and beach bars. Private, shaded
parking accommodates 1,500 cars. The
narrow beach area and the windy shore
make Karavi the perfect beach for children.
The Water Sports School is suitable for
beginners in windsurf, water ski and wake-
board. Training is available, making this
the right place to introduce children to
these amazing sports.
198 Poseidonos Ave., Schinias Beach,
Attica
Tel: 22940 55950
www.karavi.gr
Aqua Life sport and health center
A unique sports centre offering swimming
classes for infants (8 months to 2 years
old) in order to introduce them to water
play and exercise from an early age. The
well-trained instructors of the center sup-
port the children at all times and help the
whole family to get involved in the classes.
The Aqua Life Center also offers many
other fun activities, such as advanced
swimming, ballet, soccer and many other
activities for children aged 3 to 6 years.
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri: 08:00-22:00;
Sat: 08:30-15:00
Agiou Athanasiou & Souliou streets,
Anoixi
+30 210-8004438
www.aqualifecenter.gr
Gorgones kai Mages
A multi-purpose location of creative ac-
tivities for children that meets the de-
mands of the modern family, it is the per-
fect place for fun and exercise for children
and their parents. You will find a swimming
pool and a playground, baby swimming
section and group pool-games. It is the
ideal place for children to learn how to
swim.
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri: 10:00-14:00,
16:00-21:00; Sat & Sun: 09:30-13:00
August: Closed
88 Archipelagous St., Ano Glyfada
+30 210-9606786
www.gorgoneskaimages.gr
26 27
Kid
s
28
Athens - Epidaurus Festival 2009
MUSICAL CONCERTS, THEATRICAL PER-
FORMANCES, ANCIENT DRAMAS, LECTURES
AND MANY MORE EVENTS WILL BE HELD
AT THE ANCIENT THEATRE OF EPIDAURUS,
THE ODEON OF HERODES ATTICUS AND
VARIOUS PLACES AROUND ATHENS.
Cu
ltu
re
Important artists will make their
Greek debuts during the festival
(Romeo Castellucci, Guy Cassiers,
Michael Thalheimer, Alain Platel,
Esa-Pekka Salonen) while produc-
tions of well respected international
institutions are scheduled to take
place (Brooklyn Academy of Music,
Old Vic, Festival d’ Avignon, Wiener
Festwochen). It is all happening from
June to August in Athens.
The Athens Festival is a great cele-
bration that has lasted 52 summers,
and that has hosted some of the
leading lights of theatre, music and
dance. The festival will host 61 prom-
inent productions from 15 different
countries and hundreds of artists
will perform in 10 different venues
around Athens and at the Ancient
Theatre of Epidaurus.
The festival has something for eve-
ryone: from Mitropoulos and Callas
to Rostropovich, Pavarotti, Leoni-
das Kavakos and Dimitris Sgouros;
from Theodorakis and Hadjidakis to
Savvopoulos, Protopsalti, Dalaras
and Marinella; from Rondiris and
Koun to Streller, Peter Hall, Noh the-
atre, Bunraku puppet theatre, and
the Peking Opera; from Balanchine
to Pina Bausch, and from Nureyev
and Fonteyn to Martha Graham and
Alicia Alonso.
Festival events take place in Athens
at historical venues which generate
an awe-inspiring atmosphere. In the
past few years, new venues have
been added to the festival, and the
organisers are hoping to expand au-
dience numbers so that more people
can experience and become familiar
with the events. The festival also
plays a vital part in promoting the
work of young artists.
In addition to music and theatre,
there are also showcases on dance,
collaborations among different art-
ists and art exhibitions.
The event runs throughout the sum-
mer, meaning visitors will have the
chance to see what they are inter-
ested in at the festival. The organis-
ers of the festival are hoping to rival
other European festivals which draw
big tourist numbers from abroad.
The Athens and Epidaurus Festival
is one of the most important cul-
tural institutions of Greece and
among the oldest in Europe. Through
the years, it continues to maintain
the highest artistic standards and
to attract Greek and foreign artists
of the highest levels.
29
VENuEs
• Odeon of Herodes Atticus
The Odeon of Herodes Atticus is an an-
cient open-air amphitheatre on the
southern slopes of the Acropolis. The
5,000-seat theatre, specially designed
for musical and dramatic performances
in 161 AD, was commissioned by the
wealthy Roman benefactor, Herodes At-
ticus, in memory of his late wife. Deco-
rated in marble and monumental in size,
it has served as a vital part of Greek
culture since ancient times when musi-
cians, dancers, dramatists and poets
performed in festivals to gain favour
with the gods.
• The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus
The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is
situated within the archaeological site
of the Sanctuary of Asklepios, in the
Argolis Prefecture of the Peloponnese.
It is a half-hour drive from Nafplio and
approximately two hours from Athens.
This impressive open-air theatre is fa-
mous for its virtually perfect architec-
ture and acoustics. The theatre is con-
sidered to be the best preserved
structure in Greece from the Classical
period. The theatre was built around
the mid-4th century BC and there are
about 14,000 seats total, with 54 rows
of seating.
• Pireos 260
The Athens Festival venue at 260 Pire-
os Street is situated in the Tavros dis-
trict of Athens, and shares a city block
with the Athens School of Fine Art.
• scholeion
The Scholeion Theatre is situated in the
Moschato suburb of Athens, at 52 Pire-
os Street.
• Megaron Mousikis, the Athens
concert hall
Megaron Mousikis, the Athens Concert
Hall, is situated on Vasilissis Sofias Av-
enue, next to the American Embassy. The
“Alexandra Trianti” and “Nikos Skalkot-
tas” Halls form part of the Megaron ex-
tension, the International Conference
Centre, which has been opening to the
public in stages since 2003. The Hall of
the Friends of Music is in the original
building.
• Technopolis
Technopolis is an industrial museum of
incomparable architecture, among the
most interesting in the world, that has
been transformed into a multipurpose
cultural space.
It is located at 100 Pireos Street.
• Benaki Museum Pireos St. Annex
The new Benaki Museum building is lo-
cated at 138 Pireos St., one of the central
development axes of Athens.
• Theatron, the Hellenic Cosmos
cultural centre
“Theatron,” at the Hellenic Cosmos Cul-
tural Center, is situated at 254 Pireos St.,
next to the Athens School of Fine Arts.
• Bios Cultural Centre
The Bios cultural centre is located at
84 Pireos St. in Kerameikos.
• Apo Michanis (Ex-Machina) Theatre
The “Apo Michanis Theatre” is housed in
what was formerly an industrial building
on 13 Akadimou St. in the Metaxourgio
district.
• Parnassos literary society
Info: www.greekfestival.gr
3130
Cu
ltu
re
Rooftopswith Breathtaking
Views
33
The success of something, whether it is a simple
recipe or a theatrical production, largely depends
on the ingredients. It is the same with the rooftops
of Athens. The first and most important ingredi-
ent is a view of the Acropolis. If you can see the
Acropolis, you are ahead of the game. The second
is the sea, and fortunately there is plenty of that
very near the city. If you manage to combine both,
the recipe is bound to be an absolute success and
all that is missing is a bar tender skilled in the art
of mixing cocktails.
Like every self-respecting big city, Athens offers
both roof gardens and alternative rooftops: cafés,
or dinner and drinks with a view – first and fore-
most – of the Acropolis and secondly, the sea. The
Galaxy, the Hilton hotel’s roof garden, is one of
the most renowned “top floors” of the city. Its
reputation has reached the four corners of the
earth through references in all the major tourist
guides. Those who claim the Galaxy has the best
view in Athens are justified.
Though the prices are a bit high due to its loca-
tion, the Galaxy has an excellent bar combining
luxury and quality drinks. From time to time, the
hotel hosts parties where mainstream sounds
meet a more cosmopolitan beat. Similar but on a
more classical note is the roof garden of the leg-
endary Hotel Grande Bretagne at Syntagma
Square. Its Baroque design is more reminiscent
of Versailles than the Balkans. It is open from 1
pm to 1 am and serves everything from breakfast
to nightcaps. The exceptional Mediterranean
menu was devised by famed chef Filippo Abisso,
who has earned more than a few distinctions in
cooking competitions.
32
Ro
oft
op
s
GRANDE BRETAGNE
Ro
oft
op
s
And that’s not all, as far as rooftops with a view go. Next
to the New Acropolis Museum, you will find the Divani
Palace Acropolis, featuring a magnificent view of the
Sacred Rock accompanied by the divine cuisine and
extensive variety of cocktails at the “Socrates” restau-
rant. Just beneath Lycabettus Hill, St. George Lycabet-
tus Hotel offers a terrace overlooking the Acropolis, the
Panathenaic (Kalimarmaro) Stadium and the Saronic
Gulf in the distance.
Modern meets traditional here in a unique combination
where the piano accompaniment adds an aristocratic
air to the setting. Food, drinks and a rare collection of
cigars are available from 8 pm to 1 am. Last but not
least is the President Hotel in Kifissia, where the rooftop
is graced by a swimming pool and bar. You may enjoy a
meal or drink to the accompaniment of jazz and free
jazz played by well-known Greek and foreign musicians
every Friday and Saturday evening.
In addition to the hotel rooftops, there are quite a few
restaurants and bars that migrate to higher storeys in
summer. “To Spiti (House) tou Pil Poul” in Thissio is one
of the most beautiful. The view of the Acropolis is en-
hanced by a sophisticated menu developed by the top
chefs of the city. The “Filistron” rooftop, with its tradi-
tional appetisers and “old Athens” café atmosphere, is
located in the same area. One of Athens’ most refined
haunts is “Varoulko,” located further along Pireos
Street. Chef Lefteris Lazarou has a special room in his
home to house the many awards he has won. Try the
fish-based dishes found nowhere else in the Mediter-
ranean.
The most ethnic rooftop in the city is to be found along
the back street of Agisilaou.
Known as “Meson El Mirador,” it serves perfect marga-
ritas and authentic Mexican specialties. For more of a
Greek atmosphere for friends to get together, try “The-
liseis (Desires)” (Iakhou 3, Gazi) with flavours from all
over the world and an emphasis on Mediterranean cui-
sine masterfully created by Panagiotis.
On the way to Monastiraki, try “Brachera” on Avissinia
Square (one of the best spots in Athens) for a meal or
drink. Finally, the outdoor seating area of the restaurant
“Orizontes (Horizons),” on Lycbettus Hill, could be called
the “rooftop of Athens” and is ideal for an al fresco meal
with a view.
Many of the city’s impressive bars have found their way
to the higher echelons of their buildings. The “Bios”
rooftop on Pireos Street has been popular since last
summer. It is one of the alternative haunts in the city,
drawing many of Greece’s up-and-coming artists and
musical producers.
The rooftop has been designed to resemble famous ven-
ues in Berlin and London. Innovation contrasted against
the classical presence of the Acropolis creates a unique
sensation at what is considered one of the cutting-edge
locations in the city. Many agree that the reputation of
“Mayo” rooftop in Gazi precedes it. Its opening signals
the beginning of summer.
A few streets further is the best rock terrace in the city.
“45 Moires (Degrees)” is the legendary rock club in Gazi
and one of the first in the area. Also in the neighbour-
hood, but with a more restricted view, is the “Gazaki
(Little Gazi)” rooftop on Triptolemou Street. In another
part of the city, on Panormou Street in Ambelokipi, are
two rooftop dance clubs: the swing and jazz “Santa Bo-
tella,” often featuring live music and some of the most
famous cocktails in Athens, and the funk rock “Marabu,”
where spontaneous rock parties take place every
night.
On a private level, many residents of the city’s flats have
recently started a trend of making their rooftops more
environmentally friendly.
The Athens Boutique Apartments is an example of how
a rooftop can be made into a prototypical green and
welcoming space for residents, as well as of the City of
Athens’ efforts to create “green rooftops” that turn gray
apartment building terraces into green pockets of oxy-
gen. The Athens Boutique Apartments rooftop may be
rented for special events or parties, or just to enjoy a
relaxing evening with friends.
34
GRANDE BRETAGNE
ATHENS BOUTiQUE APARTMENTS
35
37
The Coast Road: the Downtown of
Athenian SummerIT IS AN OLD HABIT. MAY COMES, TEMPERA-
TURES RISE AND THE WHOLE CITY LOOKS
TOWARDS THE COAST. NOT THAT IT LIES LIFE-
LESS IN WINTER; THERE ARE PLENTY OF LIVE-
LY SPOTS IN FALIRO, ALIMOS, KALAMAKI AND
GLYFADA YEAR ROUND.
In summer, however, it takes on a different attitude
and becomes the central point of reference. When talk-
ing about the coastal road, we mean the road along
the shoreline of the southern suburbs of Athens known
as Poseidonos Avenue.
It stretches from the traditional refugee area of Faliro
(many refugees from Constantinople settled here) to
the up and coming Varkiza area. Poseidonos Avenue
connects to the centre through Syngrou and Vouliag-
menis avenues, as well as through Pireos Street. The
recent addition of the tram (Syntagma-Faliro, Syntag-
ma-Glyfada, Faliro-Glyfada) has made it easier for the
public to reach the coast using an alternative mode of
transport.
The coastal road literally never sleeps. Day follows night
without a break: from the beaches to the shopping dis-
tricts, then to the cafes, followed by dinner in the evening
and a night of entertainment, and back to the beach in
the morning. Faliro retains the nobility of an older Ath-
ens, or even an older Greece.
The ladies from Poli (Constantinople) take their swim
in the morning in Flisvos wearing colourful caps and
can then be seen walking along the promenade in the
afternoons. The Faliro area is one of the most quickly
developing areas. A giant mall with a multiplex cinema
and many stores has also opened there.
The new Greek National Opera House and new Nation-
al Library will be built in the former hippodrome. The
Olympic venues there are used mainly for summer con-
certs, visual arts exhibits, such Art Athina and the Ath-
ens Biennale, and for conferences.
The most representative area of the coastal region is
undoubtedly Glyfada. Its shopping district is one of the
three best in the city. Its 48 coffee shops (City, Egomio,
etc.) draw young people from all of the southern sub-
urbs. It is the only place in Athens with a golf course
and its main square functions as a focal point for the
surrounding area.
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It is worth taking a stroll along the waterfront or playing
a game at the picturesque fun park. It would also be a
crime not to visit its galleries and the famous “Chocolat”
chocolaterie. At night, Glyfada turns into an expansive
centre of entertainment with its numerous bars and clubs.
We will get to that later.
There are not a lot of sights along the coastal road. Build-
ings of architectural interest include post-modern struc-
tures designed by great Greek architects Nikolaos Valsa-
makis and Aris Konstandinidis that house many of the
night clubs. The Faliro Common State Cemetery, where
many foreign soldiers from World War II are buried, is also
of interest. It is very pleasant to walk anywhere along the
sea front, from Faliro to Glyfada, to see the giant chess
board and pieces at Edem; the old airport at Ellinikon,
slated to become a metropolitan park; to take a ride on
the tram; or to see the Olympic venues and sports centre
in Agios Kosmas. If you are athletic by nature, Agios Ko-
smas has it all: from small football pitches, tennis courts,
track and basketball courts to a go-cart track.
Nevertheless, there are two things that distinguish the
coastal road: the organised beaches and the night clubs.
This is where the sound of beach racket balls melds in
with the pulse of one of the liveliest nightlife scenes in
Europe. Organised beaches, such as Alimos, Glyfada,
Vouliagmeni, Voula and Varkiza draw the majority of Athe-
nian swimmers.
After washing off the sea salt, they head for the coffee
shops. Not just one or two, but hundreds of them: all-day
bars, such as Balux Café in Glyfada and Kitchen Bar in
Alimos, with coffee, food and drinks; for food at Dekko
South and the Pacific Room in Voula; the big clubs like
the ethnic and alegro El Pecado Isla in Voula, the Hall of
Mad in Glyfada, the Delano and the expansive Akrotiri
Boutique in Ellinikon and Shisha in Neo Faliro.
There is also Ammos Beach in Alimos near the shore and
if you like disco, dress appropriately and head for Vinylio
in Varkiza or Boom Boom in Kalithea. Extreme décor, dance
shows and large bars with a view of the sea give it all more
of a Hawaiian atmosphere than an Athenian one.
The music is generally mainstream and there are numer-
ous R’n’B parties during the week. If you want to get a
taste of real Athenian seaside nightlife, visit one of the
famous clubs where bouzouki music set locals and non-
locals on fire. If you see a large marquee and want to
experience it all, do not hesitate to enter.
The Athens coast is full of contradictions. It is a living
organism, ready to take up the city’s pulse every summer.
It is ready to welcome the millions of residents and tour-
ists who visit every week. You do not have to tour it all to
discover its virtues. Even a tram ride is sufficient.
Th
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The NewDigitalPlanetariumin Athens
Pla
net
ariu
m
41
THE NEW “NIKOLAOS VER-
NIKOS-EUGENIDES” DIGIT-
AL PLANETARIUM OF THE
EUGENIDES FOUNDATION,
ONE OF THE LARGEST AND
BEST EqUIPPED IN THE
WORLD, THIS YEAR COM-
PLETED THE SIXTH WINTER
SESSION OF THE NEW DIG-
ITAL PLANETARIUM’S OP-
ERATION.
Since it first opened its doors in No-
vember 2003, the New Digital Plane-
tarium has managed to bring science
and technology to more than 1.75 mil-
lion visitors, most of them young, us-
ing digital shows and other means. The
shows are largely the Foundation’s
own productions, created with the
help of skilled technical staff at its dis-
posal, and include digital projections
as well as big-screen IMAX films, which
are usually very expensive, major in-
ternational productions.
The surface area of the New Digital
Planetarium is very impressive, as it
is three times that of the older facility
and seats 280. The new dome-screen,
with a diameter of 25 metres and a
surface area greater than 950 sq. me-
tres, is supported by a 6.1 surround,
40,000w state-of-the-art sound sys-
tem. Image brightness and definition,
as well as the huge hemispherical
screen, give the audience the illusion
that they are being transported to
various points of the planet and be-
yond in an unprecedented, realistic
way.
The New Digital Planetarium’s main
equipment has been fully adapted to
the newest developments in audiovis-
ual technology, balancing digital tech-
nology with modern analog film pro-
jection and large format slides. The
American IWERKS TM large format
projection facility allows for the show-
ing of expensive international produc-
tions of IMAX TM- and OMNIMAX TM-
type films in 70/15 format (70mm and
15 sprocket holes per frame). This
gives an image surface 10 times large
than one found in conventional cine-
mas.
These new systems have the capacity
to project 10,000 stars as they appear
from any point on the planet, in the
solar system or from any other star
hundreds of light years away from
Earth.
42
Pla
net
ariu
m
Two New Digital Planetarium shows that
were a great success this year included
“The 7 wonders of the world,” featuring
a unique journey through space and time.
With the help of cutting-edge technology
and through digital recreation, the show
takes viewers to the past to the Great Pyr-
amid, the statue of Zeus at Olympia, the
Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Alexan-
dria Lighthouse, the Temple of Artemis at
Ephesus, the Colossus of Rhodes and the
Halicarnassus Mausoleum for a close look
at the structure of these ancient creations
so aptly classified as “wonders.”
But as Hamlet said, “there are more things
in heaven and earth than are dreamt of,”
and the show moves beyond the limits of
our small planet to bring the viewer clos-
er to the 7 Wonders of the Solar System,
as well as the 7 Wonders of the Universe.
Comets and space storms, volcanoes and
frozen planets, global clusters and star
nurseries, black holes or super nova ex-
plosions are just some of the wondrous
secretes hidden in infinite space and which
are projected onto the large planetarium
dome. The epilogue rests on one miracle
alone: that of creation, urging everyone
to reflect on our own presence in what
poet Elytis called “this small, great
world.”
Another show featured this year is “The
Death of Stars,” which focuses on one of
the mysteries of the Universe: star explo-
sions. It explains how stars, like everything
else in the Universe, are born, evolve and
at some point, die. It shows how the ex-
plosive ending of a star is simultaneously
an end and a beginning and helps us un-
derstand that without stellar explosions,
there would be no Earth, no rocks or peb-
bles, no plants or animals, and no hu-
mans.
“The Death of Stars” offers the public the
chance to take a stellar journey in the com-
pany of red giants, white dwarfs and black
holes. Viewers will learn about the life of
stars of all sizes, from their birth, through
their maturation and to their ultimate
death.
The New Digital Planetarium will endeav-
our to stay abreast of the latest develop-
ments in technology, providing a unique
experience for the young and old.
thE NEW DIGItAL PLANEtARIuM Is
LocAtED At 387 sYNGRou AVE.,
PALAIo FALIRo. FoR MoRE INFoR-
MAtIoN oN PRoGRAMMEs AND
shoW tIMEs, VIsIt WWW.EuGEN-
FouND.EDu.GR oR
PHOnE +30 210-9469600.
THE PLANETARIUM IS SERVED BY THE
FOLLOWING BUS ROUTES:
• Β2 , 550, Ε2 , Ε22 (OnASEiO STOP)
• Α2 (iASOnOS STREET STOP)
• 126 (BAnk STOP)
ALL OF THESE BUSES STOP AT THE SYN-
GROU-FIX METRO STATION (LINE 2).
43
EndlessBlue
4544
VISITORS TO ATHENS OFTEN OVERLOOK THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE CITY AND ITS SUR-
ROUNDINGS. THESE NATURAL FEATURES MAY NOT BE READILY OBVIOUS, BUT THEY ARE NOT
DIFFICULT TO FIND. AMONG THEM ARE THE CITY’S BEACHES AND THOSE LOCATED THROUGH-
OUT THE PREFECTURE OF ATTICA.
It should be noted that many of these
are cleaner than those on many is-
lands and quite a few have earned a
Blue Flag designation. So do not be
weary of the sea’s proximity to the
city. The waters are ideal for plenty
of swimming. There are three main
gulfs with shores in Attica: the Cor-
inthian, the Evoikos and the Saronic
gulfs, the latter encompassing the
greatest length of Attica’s coast.
Though there are three different bod-
ies of water, the type of beach does
not vary greatly: sandy, not too rocky
and with small or large pebbles in
some locations. It is the non-natural
details that distinguish the style of
each beach: cosmopolitan, sporty or
isolated for those who want a natural
feeling just a few kilometres from the
centre of Athens.
Start off with the most well-known
and nearest beach along the Saronic
coastline. Asteras Vouliagmenis is
the popular hotel’s beach. Awarded
the Blue Flag, it offers a range of op-
tions, though it is a little expensive.
It is 30 minutes from Syntagma
Square and is accessible on the city
bus line. You will not mind the €25
entrance fee (includes umbrella and
sun bed) because this is where the
Athenian jet set gathers.
Water sports, including jet ski, sailing
and windsurfing, are available. At
Asteras, the paramount cosmopoli-
tan beach, you also find TGI Friday’s
and Starbucks. If you do not want to
spend so much, you will find the well-
known Limanakia (“bays”) nearby.
This is a rocky area offering free
swimming in crystal clear waters. If
lifestyle is your main concern, then
another option is Kavouri. You will
find a clean, cosmopolitan beach just
in front of the Divani Apollon Palace,
with many excellent restaurants in
the area. It is an ideal location for
night swimming, as it is near the city
and hidden from street lights. Free
admission and clean waters are avail-
able at the Municipal Beach of Alimos,
near Kavouri (accessible via tram and
open daily from 10 am to 5 pm). All
you have to do is hire a sun bed and
umbrella which costs about €9 at
most beaches. Tip: The sun beds at
Alimos are free on weekdays. There
are various beaches along the coast-
al road (Poseidonos). The Asteria Gly-
fada beach charges €6 admission and
features volleyball courts and foot-
ball pitches, as well as Balux, the best
beach cafe-bar-restaurant 100 me-
tres from the water’s edge.
The two Voula beaches are also
among the most popular in the city.
They offer a bar, restaurant, changing
rooms, playing fields and water
slides. Water sports are available at
all of them. Admission is €5.50 daily
(Monday-Friday) and €6.50 on week-
ends and holidays. There is free park-
ing, umbrellas and sun beds. Next
stop: Varkiza and Yabanaki. It is just
as famous with all the amenities. Ad-
mission is €7 on weekdays and €8 on
weekends and it is open from 8 in the
morning until 8 in the evening.
Bea
ches
There are numerous organised beaches
along the coast of Athens’ southern sub-
urbs with no admission charge. One excep-
tion is the Grandbeach Club in Lagonisi
where you must be a member (with full
priviledges at €290 a year) to swim. Ana-
vysos is the next best thing. The beach in
front of the Hotel Eden is one of the most
developed. It has a playground and beach
volley facilities with a system that wets the
sand when it gets too hot. Immediately fol-
lowing is Mavro Lithari (“black stone”). The
beach bars draw mostly young people. Um-
brellas and sun beds are at the usual price
of €9. You will find plenty of beach rackets,
jet skis and a floating raft for diving. It is
about one hour from the centre; you will
need a car or you can take the KTEL re-
gional bus with frequent departures from
Pedion Areos bus terminal. For a bite to
eat, try the restaurants in the the Vlahika
area of Vari, offering a variety of meats.
Lagonisi and Saronida also have clean wa-
ters, but the surrounding urban landscape
makes for a less than idyllic swimming
spot.
The more remote beaches of Athens can
be found in Schinia. Access is by car or by
regional KTEL bus. Karavi (“ship”) is the
centre of water activities there. Windsurf-
ing, jet ski, bananas, wakeboarding and
many playing fields make up this water
sports fan’s paradise. You pay only for an
umbrella and sun bed. At the adjacent
beaches of Del Mar and Glaros, you will
meet the ultimate Athenian beach barista.
If you stay late, you can enjoy one of the
frequent beach parties held there. For din-
ing, try fish or exceptional Argentinian
steaks in Marathon. An excellent spot for
diving off the rocks is to be found in Dikas-
tika, a nearby area known to local stunt
performers.
Legrena (KAPE) at Sounio are further away
but amazing. This is the best beach in At-
tica, located directly beneath the Temple
of Poseidon. It is not organised; there is a
canteen and several delectable taverna
restaurants serving fresh fish. Beaches
with waters resembling the Cyclades is-
lands can also be found in Porto Rafti, in-
cluding Agios Spyridonas, Avlaki and Erot-
ospilia. They are organised with sun beds
and umbrellas and clean. A route through
the greenery will take you to Kakia Tha-
lassa (“bad sea”) in Keratea. Locals recom-
mend “Giorgakis” for dining. Finally, Psatha
beach is ideal for adventure lovers. On the
other side of Attica, along the Corinthian
Gulf, beaches are about an hour and a half
from the centre. You can stay overnight
there or camp out. Do not forget to try the
seafood at the tavernas in the area.
Egomio, Zisimopoulou 10, Glyfada
chocolate, Zisimopoulou 7 & Ioannou
Metaxa, Glyfada
Balux café, Vas. Konstantinou 58 Β,
Asteras Glyfada
Kitchen Bar, Marina Alimos
Dekko south, L. Karamanli 4, Voula
Room Eirinikos, L. Karamanli 4, Voula
El Pecado Isla, L. Karamanli 14, Voula
hall of Mad, Diadohou Pavlou B, Marina
Glyfada
Delano, Poseidonos Av., Agios Kosmas
Akrotiri Boutique, Vas. Georgiou Β΄ 5,
Ag. Kosmas
shisha, Peace and Friendship Stadium
Ammos Beach, Palaia Loutra, Alimos
Vinilio, Leoforos Poseidonos 33,
Glyfada
Boom Boom, Thiseos and Poseidonos,
Tzitzifies
Bea
ches
46 47
48 49
Summer - Autumn Cultural Highlights
EJEKt Festival brings music’s big
names to Athens
Now in its 5th year, the EJEKT Festival
brought some of the best-known as well
as new names from today’s music scene
(pop, rock, soul, hip-hop, nu rave, elec-
tronica), to the Olympic Fencing Venue
of Ellinikon in Athens on 18 and 19 June
for an audience of every age and musi-
cal taste in a big celebration of modern
music.
Some of the artists who performed in-
cluded: The Editors, Τhe Pixies, Royksopp,
Jarvis Cocker and many more.
Rockwave Festival 2009
Celebrating its 13th year of success,
Rockwave once again presented a four-
day music festival experience this sum-
mer that promised to be more spectacu-
lar than ever, hosting some of the biggest
names on the international music scene
on two stages. The Killers, Duffy, Gogol
Bordello, Moby, Placebo, Motley Crue,
Slipknot, Tricky, Foals, Dinosaur Jr. and
many more in one of the best music fes-
tivals in Athens. It was held at Terra Vibe,
one of the biggest open air venues in the
world and an ideal location for Rockwave,
held from 27 to 30 June.
santana live in Athens
Carlos Santana, the famous Mexican lat-
in-rock guitarist, will play live in Athens
on July 8 as part of his European sum-
mer tour. Forty years after his memora-
ble show in Woodstock and 10 years after
the success of his album Supernatural
that gained him a Grammy Award, San-
tana, the musician who presents a fusion
of Latin and rock elements, visits Ath-
ens.
Linkin Park and Funeral for a Friend in
Athens
Following last year’s undeniably sensa-
tional performance, Linkin Park are back
at “the crime scene” which is no other
than Terra Stage, Athens, to give us what-
ever it is they still owe us. UK post-hard-
core band Funeral for a Friend will be the
opening act of the show. Don’t miss this
memorable live show on 21 July at Terra
Vibe in Athens.
Deep Purple in Athens
When Deep Purple head to Athens in
July, they will give us a true taste of clas-
sic rock! Ian Gillan and his unchangeable
voice will take us on a voyage that also
signifies the return of the strongest line
up of recent years. Fearless, intense, pas-
sionate, just like a flame that never stops
burning, Deep Purple continue to write
history on the hard rock scene, as they
have been doing for the past 40 years.
Don’t miss them at Terra Vibe, Athens,
on 22 July.
Cu
ltu
re
THEATER
50
Cu
ltu
re
51
singin’ in the Rain at Badminton theatre
Autumn will be ushered in with one of the most amus-
ing and entertaining musicals of all time at the Badmin-
ton Theatre from 21 to 25 October. Singin’ in the Rain
features all the style and spectacle of a golden age and
has a host of some of the best loved comedy routines,
dance numbers and songs ever written, including Good
Morning, Make ‘em Laugh, Moses Supposes, You Were
Meant For Me, and of course the most famous song and
dance number of all time, Singin’ in the Rain.
Olivier award-winning, West End and Broadway star Tim
Flavin plays Don Lockwood, the part immortalised by
Gene Kelly.
Guaranteed to lift your spirits and send you out singing
and dancing whatever the weather.
universal Ballet - Nutcracker
A world created from the elements of the most beauti-
ful fairytale will spring to the Badminton Theatre stage
from 24 to 29 November, when the Universal Ballet will
dance to Tchaikovsky’s enchanting music.
This fairytale ballet, which premiered in 1892, has in-
spired dozens of productions by distinguished choreog-
raphers and dancers and influenced popular culture. It
holds a permanent place in the repertoire of one of Asia’s
most important classical dance companies, the Univer-
sal Ballet, which has appeared on some of the major
stages around the world, including the Metropolitan Op-
era in New York. The experience and the dancing tech-
nique of the company will prove incomparable.
Faith No More live in Athens
Faith No More are one of the bands that formed the rock
sound of the’90s. The massively influential group broke
up in 1998 but announced last February they would re-
unite for a comeback tour this summer. The band from
San Francisco will perform at Lycabettus Theatre in Ath-
ens 10 August. Faith No More have so far released six
studio albums, and the ballad Easy is their best-known
and most successful song.
MGMt live at technopolis
MGMT is Andrew Vanwyngarden and Ben Goldwasser,
the two psychic pilgrims whose visit to Athens is an-
ticipated with great enthusiasm. They’ll be playing songs
from their critically acclaimed debut album, Oracular
Spectacular, featuring the tracks that have dominated
the charts over the past 12 months — Time To Pretend,
Electric Feel and now Kids — creating a massive fan base.
They will play at the Technopolis Complex on 7 Septem-
ber.
15th Athens International Film Festival
For 11 days, from September 16 to 27, the heart of cin-
ema will beat in Athens. Organised by the Athens Film
Society, the 15th Athens International Film Festival
brings the best of international cinema to the Greek
capital.
The festival was launched in September 1995 and has
continued successfully since then. The movie theatres
accommodating the festival are: Αttikon, Αpollon, Dan-
aos 1 and Danaos 2.
For more information,visit: www.aiff.gr.
the spaghetti Western orchestra
Armed with over 100 instruments, these brilliant musi-
cians perform music from the movies that made Clint
Eastwood a star. The stunning Ennio Morricone sound-
track includes The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, For a Few
Dollars More and Once Upon a Time in the West.
This ingenious gang of comic maestros underscore these
classic compositions with hilarious sound effects -- blow-
ing on bottles, crushing cornflakes, “playing” coat hang-
ers, apples, squeaky toys, rubber gloves, bicycle pumps,
nail clippers and many more - recreating every punch
up, gunshot, and jangling spur that defined the gun-
slinging west. The show is highly original and a new
genre of concert performances. Five musicians are all
multi-instrumentalists and create a full orchestra sound
playing 100 instruments. It is inventive, funny and the
musicians play the music brilliantly.
At Badminton Theatre from 16 to 25 September.
THEATER Foo
d
52
Going to the Beach
for Some Fresh Fish and Ouzo
A ROUTE THAT STARTS IN ATH-
ENS, PASSES THROUGH PINE-
COVERED AREAS AND ENDS IN
BEACHES WITH COOL OUZO
BARS, TRADITIONAL FISH TAV-
ERNAS AND BEACH BARS TO
HELP YOU RELAX IS YOUR BEST
CHOICE THIS SUMMER. SO WHY
NOT TAKE YOUR CHANCES
WITH AN AREA THAT IS KNOWN
TO FEW, BUT IS CERTAINLY ONE
OF THE MOST ENJOYABLE,
PROMISING A PLEASANT
ROUTE, A RELAXED ATMOS-
PHERE AND, OF COURSE, EX-
CELLENT FOOD. THIS AREA IS
NONE OTHER THAN THE EAST
ATTICA REGION.
On the small pebbles of the
beach...
This is a verse from the famous
song by the rebetiko composer
and singer Vassilis Tsitsanis,
who celebrated Rafina as few
others before or after him. He
used to sit in its then small har-
bour, looking at the pebbled
beach and the scurrying crabs,
while he enjoyed his favourite
ouzo with meze (a variety of
snacks) and the relaxed natural
ambience. So, it makes sense to
visit the old harbour of Rafina
and go to one of the many pic-
turesque fish tavernas and treat
yourselves to some fresh sea
food or just relax and enjoy the
sight of the ships that leave the
port heading for the nearby is-
lands. If you wish to go there
from the centre of Athens, note
that the ride takes about an hour,
either by bus, which leaves from
Pedion tou Areos or by car tak-
ing Marathonos Avenue. As you
approach Rafina, you will not be
able to see the sea, but only small
pine-covered hills. As you move
further inside the town, you will
suddenly find yourselves at a
sheltered bay. There you can en-
joy a swim at one of the beach-
es of the area (Kokkino Limana-
ki, Ble Limanaki) and you can eat
at the small harbour where all
the small fish taverns are to be
found in a row. One of the oldest
is the Tavern of Joachim
(Limanaki Rafinas, 22940-
23421). You will be heartily wel-
comed and come to appreciate
the long experience of the pro-
prietors in preparing the foods
they serve: grilled meat, fried
fish and the many exquisite hors
d’oeuvres. The Kavouria of Asi-
makis (The Crabs of Asimakis)
(Limani Rafinas, 22940-24551)
opened in 1952 and offers fine
seafood snacks and fish either
on their ground floor or on their
roof which offers a panoramic
view of the Evoikos Gulf. A bit
further away, you will find the
fish taverna Oceanis (Neraeos
Avenue & 3 Thaleias St.), which
is a stone’s throw from the sea
and offers fresh fish or, if you
prefer, fresh meat. However, if
what you like is to admire the
sea from afar, then there are two
tavernas that you should con-
sider going to. The first of these
taverns is Ta Kala Kathoumena
(8 V. Georgiou, Plastera Square,
22940-25688), which offers
mainly home-cooked meals, and
dishes inspired by the culinary
traditions of the 1922 Greek ref-
ugees from Smyrni, Turkey. The
second is Limeni (17 Plastera
Square, 22940-24750), a tradi-
tional mezedepoleio (snack bar)
where you can sit outside and
enjoy meals that are certain to
surprise you with their variety
and quality.
Where the pines flirt with the
sea
Leaving Rafina and following the
highway that runs parallel to the
coastline, you will see many
smaller summer resorts with
sandy beaches, pine trees and a
fine natural beauty. These areas
are: Neos Boutsas, Kokino
Limanaki, Mati, Zoumperi, Agios
Andreas and Nea Makri. Nea
Makri, in particular, has been
transformed during the last 20
years or so into a modern suburb
of Athens. That is due to the fact
that many Athenians are at-
tracted to this area because of
its fine beach and its vibrant
character. This pine-clad area is
a small haven and home to many
summer camps for children. It
would be a wonderful idea to
stop there and enjoy a meal at
the beach of Nea Makri or in any
other spot that you like along
the road, some with a view of
pine trees and others with a view
of the beache. All the tavernas
of Nea Makri are to be found
along the coast, like Trata
(Nea Makri Beach, 22940-
94794), the renowned tav-
erna of Klearchos, which fol-
lows a 30-year tradition in
preparing and serving exqui-
site seafood dishes. Other
pluses are its tasty hors
d’oeuvres and its cool court-
yard. At the taverna Astra
(31st km Marathonos Ave-
nue, Nea Makri, 22940-
97315) Kostas Chrysoloras
invites you to enjoy his res-
taurant’s international offer-
ings while listening to live
piano and guitar. A bit further
away Zoumberis (Zoumberi
Beach, Nea Makri, 22940-
96866) offers a well looked-
after place by the sea serving
fresh seafood.
A historical route
Marathon is situated a few
kilometres north of Nea
Makri. There you can see the
Marathon Tomb, built by the
Athenians during Classical
times to honour the soldiers
that fell in the historic Battle
of Marathon in 490 BC. After
you get a taste of history, you
can head towards the beach
of Marathon where you will
find many tavernas, ouzo
bars, and cafés to welcome
you after you enjoy your
swim. The taverna Kavouri
(Marathon beach, 22940-
55243) offers simple, nicely
cooked dishes, fresh fish and
very tasty spaghetti with
seafood or lobster, all of
which you can enjoy right at
the edge of the sea.
The taverna Tria Adelfia
(Three Brothers) (Marathon
beach, 22940-55261) pre-
pares authentic seafood
snacks, which are served, as
is the norm in this area, right
next to the sea. The wine
presses of Bairaktaris (285
Marathonos Avenue (37th
km. – Patitiria Area, 22940-
55261) is a historic place with
a unique ambiance built a
short distance away from the
beach and artfully restored.
Its specialties are grilled
meat and traditional dishes
(roast lamb served in a
grease-proof paper instead
of a plate). The Naias (17 Po-
seidonos St., Marathon
beach, 22940-56204), an-
other taverna by the sea, is
the ideal place to enjoy an
impeccable service and ex-
quisite fresh fish, a variety
of ouzo snacks, spaghetti
with lobster or with shrimp
and grilled meat. The taverna
Psaras – Dimelis. D. (Marathon
beach, 22940-55237) is yet
another taverna where you
can treat yourselves to fresh
fish, stuffed calamari and oth-
er wonderful delicacies in a
pleasant environment with a
view of the sea.
The taverna Faros (Light-
house) is built right next to the
sea and is another place that
offers fresh fish. It is a beauti-
ful establishment that allows
you to enjoy fine snacks, a va-
riety of seafood and as much
ouzo as you like.
Deep in the most beautiful
gulf of Attica
A short distance from Mara-
thon is Schinias, a long beach
with an organised beach sit-
uated near a magnificent
pine forest that makes a very
attractive destination for
those who enjoy swimming.
The sea is shallow and the
beach is sandy. Those who
love water sports and par-
ticularly windsurfing will
have a great time, as there
are usually strong winds in
the area.
The beach of Schinias was an
Olympic venue; the Schinias
Olympic Rowing and Canoe-
ing Centre hosted the rowing
and flat-water canoeing
events in the 2004 Olympics.
Schinias is a favourite among
Athenians and many spend
all day on this quiet beach.
There are many small taver-
nas, ouzo bars, cafés, beach
bars and water parks in the
area. You can also watch
beach volley tournaments and
many other water activities.
One of the most well-known
places to eat is the Karavi
(Boat) (198 Poseidonos Ave.,
22940-55950), a fantastic
place with coconut trees,
wooden deck-chairs and um-
brellas. In the morning, it
serves fresh juice, sorbet, ice
cream, beer and coffee, but
you can also find all kinds of
sandwiches and burgers. The
hamburgers, grilled chicken
and fresh meatballs that chef
Yannis Geldis prepares are not
only unique, but very healthy
as well. Lastly, the taverna
Glaros (Seagull) (Schinias
beach, 22940-63384) is situ-
ated in the middle of the beach
and among the dishes offered
are grilled fish, seafood snacks
and exquisite ice cream.
53
THEATER
54 55
Yellow Pages
BANKSMajor international banking institutions,
credit card companies and ATMs in and around
Athens are plentiful and easy to access.
Banks are open to the public Monday through
Thursday 08:00 to 14:30 and Friday 08:00
to 13:30, except on public holidays. The
“Open24” Bank (Eurobank) is open mornings
and afternoons, as well as on Saturdays.
Foreign currency may be exchanged for eu-
ros at most Greek and foreign banks and at
exchange bureaus located in the city center.
Bring your passport when exchanging mon-
ey as you will need it for the transaction.
Traveler’s checks and credit cards issued by
major companies are also widely recognized
and an accepted means of purchasing items
in Athens.
ClOTHES AND SHOE SizESFor an easier shopping experience, you can
check our list of the Greek equivalents for
American and European sizes.
ClOTHES
GR USA UK IT
36 extra small (XS) 6 32
38 small (S) 8 34
40 medium (M) 10 36
42 large (L) 12 38
44 extra large (XL) 14 40
46 extra extra large (XXL)
16 42
SHOES
GR USA UK
36 6 3.5
37 6.5 4
38 7.5 5
39 7/W 8.5 6
40 7.5/W 9 6.5
41 8.5/W 10 7.5
42 9/W 10.5 8
43 10 9
44 10.5 9.5
COST OF liviNGAthens is a city that offers numerous temp-
tations as far as consumer products are con-
cerned. Below is a list with indicative prices for
a number of everyday products and services:
• Museum tickets €4-12
• Theater tickets from €20
• Cinema tickets €7-10
• Sandwich from €2
• Souvlaki from €1.80
• Big bottle of water €1
• Greek coffee “to go” from €1
• Cappuccino coffee at a café €3,5-5
• A refreshment at a kiosk €0.70
• Drink at a bar from €6
• Full meal (starter, main dish, dessert, not
including drinks) between €20-40 1.5
hour ticket for all means of transport (met-
ro, buses, trains) €1
SHOPPiNGIf you come from a country outside the Eu-
ropean Union and spend a minimum of €120
on the same day in the same store, you can
benefit from a tax refund. Ask for your in-
voice or receipt and the tax-free receipt. Do
not forget to get your invoices or receipts
stamped at the airport.
You can also find duty free shops at Elefth-
erios Venizelos Airport and at the Port of
Piraeus.
ElECTRiCiTyTech Specs Voltage 220v
Frequency 50Hz
HOliDAySCalendar of Traditional and National Holi-
days in and around Athens
• October 28 - “OHi” Day commemorates the
day the Greek dictator Metaxas said OHI, or
“no,” to the Italian ultimatum which asked
Greece to allow Italian forces to use Greek soil
for military operations or otherwise face war.
• December 25 & 26 - Christmas
• january 1 - The feast of St. Vassilis
(Greek Santa Claus), New Year’s Day
• January 6 - The Epiphany
• Clean Monday (Ash Monday) -
movable feast
• March 25 - Greek Independence Day
• Orthodox Good Friday - movable feast
• Orthodox Easter - movable feast
• Orthodox Easter Monday -
movable feast
• May 1 - Labor day and the Feast
of the Flowers
• August 15 - Assumption
of the Virgin Mary
HOSPiTAlSMany public hospitals and a few private ones
operate in Athens. The Emergency Depart-
ments at public hospitals work on a rotation
basis. To find out which hospitals are on duty
at any particular time, dial 1434. Treatment
in public hospitals is free of charge.
iNTERNET ACCESSThere are numerous internet cafés in Athens
which are usually open all day long and are
very reasonably priced. You can also use the
public internet WiFi connections in Syntag-
ma Square, Kotzia Square and Theseion
(WiFi public hotspots). Athens wifi is a wire-
less hotspot based on 802.11b/g (WiFi). You
can easily connect to the Internet while you
are sitting on a bench or enjoying your cof-
fee. The connection is free provided that
you chose the wireless network (SSID) ath-
enswifi and type the number which appears
on your screen. The connection speed is
quite fast and the capacity is 4Mbps.
MOBilE PHONESUsually mobile phones automatically con-
nect with the Greek network. You can also
do it by yourself by choosing the option “net-
work selection” on your mobile to get man-
ually connected.
Your mobile phone operator will inform you
about charges for calls received from your
own country or for the ones you make while
in Greece (local and international calls).
TECH SPECS
GSM
Band 900MHz
1800MHz
Of course, a cheaper solution is to get a Greek
mobile telephone number as soon as you ar-
rive in Athens and use this during your stay.
You can buy a new SIM card even from the
kiosks on the streets and the cost is €5.
PHARMACiESPharmacies can be found throughout Ath-
ens. For overnight service, there are always
one or two pharmacies open in every district.
For pharmacies on call, dial 1434.
TiMEAthens is in the Eastern-European time-
zone, which means two hours ahead of Green-
wich Mean Time. Additionally, Athens has
daylight-saving time, meaning that during
spring and summer (from March to October)
the clocks are put forward one hour.
POliCE• Emergency call: 100
• Tourist police: 171 (information
available in English, French and
German)
• Tourist Police Headquarters:
+30 210 69 77 386,
+30 210 69 24 929
• Airport Police: +30 210 35 30 000
info
56 57
WEATHER AND CliMATE
Athens is an ideal year-round city destination with comfort-
able and favorable climate conditions for travel and sight-
seeing. Rainfall is minimal (estimated at just 40 cm or 16
inches per year) and Helios, the sun god in Greek mythol-
ogy, smiles upon its streets over 300 days a year. The sum-
mers (June through August) are dry and hot with temper-
atures ranging from 78° to 94°F, or 20° to 34°C, and are
recommended for diehard sun worshippers. Seasonal
winds, known as meltemia, may accompany some hot days
depending on the climatic conditions. September is often
considered the ideal month for both urban activities and
nearby island day trips with temperatures ranging from
70° to 83°F, or 20° to 28°C.
The Mediterranean climate makes for mild winters and even
milder autumns in low-lying areas (such as Athens) with
the coldest temperatures reported in January at a very
temperate 41° to 55° F, or 5° to 13°C. Christmas in Athens
is a delight considering you can take in the city’s lights and
attractions at a relatively comfortable 45° to 50°F, or 7°
to 14°C. Snowy, icy days are few but within reach atop the
surrounding mountain peaks. In Athens, sunshine and out-
door living is almost always a given- no matter what time
of the year.
Listed below is a month-by-month breakdown of average
temperatures and precipitation in Athens. (Source: world-
weather.org and Hellenic National Meteorological Service)
• Jan: 5.2° - 12.5°C / 41° - 54.5°F 5.69 cm / 2.2 inches rainfall
• Feb: 5.4° - 13.5 °C / 42° - 56.3°F 4.67 cm / 1.8 inches rainfall
• March: 6.7° - 15.7 °C / 44° - 60.26°F 4.07cm / 1.6 inches rainfall
• April: 9.6° - 20.2° °C / 49° - 68°F 3.08 cm / 1.2 inches rainfall
• May: 13.9° - 26.0 °C / 57° - 78°F 2.68 cm / 1.05 inches rainfall
• June: 18.2° - 31.1 °C / 65 - 88°F 1.06 cm / 0.4 inches rainfall
• July: 20.8 ° - 33.5 °C / 69 - 92°F 0.58 cm / 0.2 inches rainfall
• Aug: 20.7° - 33.2 °C / 69 - 92°F 0.6 cm / 0.2 inches rainfall
• sep: 17.3° - 29.2 °C / 63 - 85°F 1.39 cm / 0.5 inches rainfall
• oct: 13.4° - 23.3 °C / 56 - 74°F 5.26 cm / 2 inches rainfall
• Nov: 9.8° - 18.1 °C / 50 - 65°F 5.83 cm / 2.2 inches rainfall
• Dec: 6.8° - 14.1 °C / 44 - 57°F
6.91cm / 2.7 inches rainfall
WEiGHTS AND MEASURES
Greece uses the metric system, as do the majority of
European countries. The UK and the U.S.A. use the
imperial system. The conversion table below may be
useful.
METRiC SySTEM UK / USA (iMPERiAl)- 1 gram (g) 0.0353 ounce
- 1 kilo(gram) (kg) 2.204 pounds
- 1 centimeter (cm) 0.393 inch
- 1 meter (m) 3.281 feet / 1.093
yard
- 1 kilometer (km) 0.621 mile
- 1 centiliter (cl.) 0.021 US pint /
0.0176 UK pint
- 1 liter (l) 0.264 US gallon /
0.220 UK gallon
- 1 liter (l) 2.1 US pints / 1.76 UK
pint
UK/USA (IMPERIAL) METRIC
SYSTEM
- 1 ounce (oz) 28.349 grams
- 1 pound (lb) 0.453 kilo (grams)
- 1 inch (in) 2.540 centimeters
- 1 foot (ft) 0.304 meters
- 1 yard (yd) 3 feet-0.914 meter
- 1 mile (mi) 1760 yards-1.609
kilometers
- 1 US pint (pt) 0.473 liter
- 1 UK pint (pt) 0.568 liter
- 1 US gallon (gal) 3.785 liters
- 1 UK gallon (gal) 4.456 liters
Temperature in Greece is expressed
in degrees Centigrade. But if you
come from the United Kingdom or
the United States, you’ll find our con-
version tables useful.
DEGREES CENTiGRADE FAHRENHEiT-10°C 14°F
-5°C 23°F
0°C 32°F
5°C 41°F
10°C 50°F
15°C 59°F
20°C 68°F
25°C 77°F
30°C 86°F
35°C 95°F
40°C 104°F
FAHRENHEiT DEGREES CENTiGRADE10°F -12.2°C
20°F -6.7°C
30°F -1.1°C
40°F 4.4°C
50°F 10°C
60°F 15.6°C
70°F 21.1°C
80°F 26.7°C
90°F 32.2°C
100°F 37.8°C
110°F 43.3°C
info
58 59
TRANSPORTATiONThe Athens-Piraeus Electric Railway
Company/Metro Line 1 (ISAP)
Referred to as Metro Line 1, the Athens-
Piraeus Electric Railway Company, or
ISAP, runs between Piraeus and Kifissia
and connects to Metro Lines 2 & 3, the
tram and bus routes at hub stations.
The total travel time from the first to
the last stop on Line 1 is less than an
hour. The electric railway runs daily
from 05:00 to 00:15
For more information dial:
1440 or +30 210 32 48 311;
www.isap.gr
ATTiKO METRO (METRO liNES 2 & 3)One of the charms of modern Athens
is the new underground metro (its con-
struction made headlines when ancient
artifacts were found underground and
halted its progress). You will see many
of these ancient artifacts in special ex-
hibits incorporated into the design of
the stations Two lines (Metro Line 2 and
3) serve 23 stations. From start to fin-
ish on each line (2 & 3) is 20 minutes
or less. At peak hours trains run every
three minutes. Attiko Metro runs daily
from 05:30 to 00:15. On Fridays and
Saturdays operating hours are extend-
ed to 02:00.
For more information:
+30 210 51 94 012;
www.amel.gr call
HEllENiC RAilWAyS ORGANizATiON (OSE)Domestic and international departures
from Athens and Thessaloniki with con-
nections to major railways. Main sta-
tions are:
• Peloponnisou +30 210 51 31 601
• Larissa +30 210 52 97 777
(serves northern Greece and
international routes)
For more information dial:
1110;
www.ose.gr
PROASTiAKOS(SUBURBAN RAil)This new high-speed rail system offers
access to Irakleio and Neratziotissa,
near the Athens Olympic Sports Com-
plex. A connection can be made to the
Kifissia-Piraeus ISAP line. It also gets
you to Kifissia, the hub of business in
northern Athens; Doukissis Plakentias,
an important urban residential area;
Pallini and Kantza in the eastern part
of the greater Athens area; and Koropi,
a center of industrial development. A
new route to Corinth has just been ini-
tiated with plans to extend the network
with added routes to Lavrio, Rafina, and
Chalkida for easier mobility. It also
serves Athens International Airport.
The suburban rail runs daily from 06:00
until 12 midnight. The line from Neratz-
iotissa station to the Airport and back
to Neratziotissa station runs 24 hours
a day every 30 minutes.
For more information:
+30 210 52 72 000;
www.proastiakos.gr
BlUE BUSES OASAThe blue bus network consists of more
than 320 lines connecting the city cent-
er to all the Athens suburbs and to Pi-
raeus. OASA provides information on
the best way to reach a destination by
dialing 185. Blue buses run daily from
05:00 to 00:15.
For more information:
www.oasa.gr
ATHENS SiGHTSEEiNG PUBliC BUS liNE NO. 400The Athens Sightseeing Public Bus Line
No. 400 makes stops at the city’s top
sightseeing spots. Schedules from
June to September are from 07:30 to
21:00, every 30 minutes. The duration
of the round trip is 90 minutes. The
ticket costs 6 euros and can be pur-
chased only on the bus. The ticket is
valid for 24 hours and provides for un-
limited travel on the Athens Sightsee-
ing Public Bus Line and all modes of
public transport.
For more information:
call 185;
www.oasa.gr
info
THERMAl BUSES S.A. (ETHEl)The Ethel buses are the core lines that
connect the Athens and Piraeus city
center s to the centers of surrounding
municipalities. The renovation of the
core Athens bus system resulted in hun-
dreds of new buses, many of them pow-
ered by natural gas. There are several
express bus routes to and from Athens
International Airport. Thermal buses run
daily from 5:00 to 23:00.
For more information:
call 185 or +30 210 88 36 076;
www.ethel.gr
TROllEy OR ElECTRiC BUSES (ilPAP)The old yellow trolleys of Athens’ past
have been replaced by cutting-edge pur-
ple and yellow trolley buses with digital
displays. The trolleybus is just one more
means of transport to take you where
you want to go in Athens. Trolleybuses
run daily from 5:00 to 00:30.
For more information:
call 185 or +30 210 88 36 076;
www.ethel.gr
iNTERCiTy BUS COMPANy OR ASSOCiATiON OF BUS OPERATORS (KTEl)The Greek bus companies, or KTEL, serve
destinations outside Athens and have a
dense network throughout Greece. Al-
most every city and village has a local
KTEL with routes to main centers and to
Athens. There are two bus terminals: Ki-
fissou 100 serves the Peloponnese
(+302105124910) and western Greece;
the Liossion 260 terminal serves central
and northern Greece (+302108317109).
For more information:
call 1440;
www.ktel.org
TRAMEcologically and environmentally friend-
ly, with a view of the Saronic Gulf, the
Tram connects the center of Athens with
the coastal neighborhoods of Glyfada to
the east, and Piraeus to the west. Three
station hubs along its routes connect
passengers with Metro Lines 2 and 3 and
one station connects to the Electric Rail-
way (ISAP), or Metro Line 1. Total waiting
time during peak hours is a mere 8 min-
utes. The Tram operates from Monday
to Thursday 5:00 to 00:15 and from Fri-
day to Saturday on a 24-hour basis
For more information:
www.tramsa.gr
60
herakleidon Museum – Experience in
Visual Arts
16 Herakleidon St., Thission
Nearest Metro: Monastiraki
Telephone: +302103461981
Website: www.herakleidon-art.gr
Opening Hours:
Tue to Sat 13:00-21:00;
Sun 11:00-19:00; Closed Monday
Admission: €6
Jewellery Museum – Ilias Lalaounis
6 Karyatidon St., Athens
Nearest Metro: Acropoli
Telephone: +302109221044
Website:
www.lalaounis-jewelrymuseum.gr
Opening Hours: Thu-Sat 08:30-16:30;
Sun 11:00-16:00; Wed 09:00-21:00
Mon-Tue: Closed
Admission: €5
Jewish Museum of Greece
39 nikis, Athens
Nearest Metro: syntagma
Telephone: +30210 32 25 582
Website: www.jewishmuseum.gr
Opening Hours:
Mon to Fri 09.00-14.30;
Sun10.00-14.00;
Closed Saturday
Admission: €5
Museum of Islamic Art
22 Agion Asomaton St., Athens
Nearest Metro: Monastiraki
Telephone: +302103251311
Opening Hours:
Tue, Thu, Fri, Sat, Su 09:00-15:00;
Wed 9:00-21:00; Closed Monday
Admission: €5
Museum of Greek children’s Art
9 Kodrou St., Athens
Nearest Metro: Acropoli
Telephone: +302103312621
Website: www.childrensartmuseum.gr
Opening Hours: Tue to Sat:
10.00-14.00; Sun: 11.00-14.00;
Mon: Closed
Admission: €2
Museum of Modern ceramics
4-6 Melidoni St., Athens
Nearest Metro: Monastiraki
Nearest Rail: Thissio
Telephone: +302103318491
Website: www.potterymuseum.gr
Opening Hours:
Mon to Fri 09:00-15:00;
Sun 10:00-14:00;
Closed Saturday
Admission: €3
National Archaeological Museum
44 Patision Ave., Athens
Nearest Metro: omonoia
Nearest Rail: Viktoria
Telephone: +302108217724
Opening Hours:
Tue to Sun 08:30-15:00;
Mon 13:00-19:30
Admission: €7
National Art Gallery – Alexandros
soutzos Museum
1 Michalakopoulou &
50 Vas. Konstantinou , Athens
Nearest Metro: Evangelismos
Tel.: +30 2107235857 -
+302107235937-8
Website: www.nationalgallery.gr
Opening Hours: Mon to Sat
09:00-15:00; Sun 10:00-14:00;
Closed Tuesday
Admission: €6.50
National historical Museum
3 stadiou st., Athens
Nearest Metro: Panepistimio
Telephone: +302103237617
Website: www.nhmuseum.gr
Opening Hours:
Tue to Sun 09:00-14:00;
Closed Monday
Admission: €3; Sunday: Free
Numismatic Museum
12 Panepistimiou Ave., Athens
Nearest Metro: syntagma
Telephone: +302103643774
Website: www.nma.gr
Opening Hours:
Tue to Sun 08:30-15:00;
Closed Monday
Admission: €3
War Museum
Vasilissis sofias Avenue & Rizari
street, Athens
Nearest Metro: Evangelismos
Telephone: +302107215035
Opening Hours:
Tue to Sun 09:00-14:00;
Closed Monday
Admission: Free
MUSEUMS
Archaeological Museum of
Kerameikos
148 Ermou St., Athens
Nearest Metro: Monastiraki
Nearest Rail: thissio
Telephone: +302103463552
Opening Hours: 08:00-19:30
Admission: €2
Archaeological Museum of Piraeus
31 Charilaou Trikoupi St., Piraeus
Nearest Rail: Piraeus
Telephone: +302104521598
Opening Hours: 08:00-15:00; Closed
Mondays
Admission: €3
the Railway Museum of Athens
4 Siokou St., Athens
Nearest Metro: sepolia
Telephone: +302105126295
Opening Hours:
Tuesday-Friday 09:00-13:00
(Wednesday 17:00-20:00);
Saturday-Sunday 10:00-13:00;
Closed Mondays
Admission: Free
B&M theocharakis Foundation for
the Fine Arts and Music
Vasilissis sofias & Merlin street,
Athens
nearest Metro: Syntagma (Line 2 & 3)
Telephone: +302103611206
Website: www.thf.gr
Opening Hours: 10:00-18:00; Closed
Tuesday; Thu-Fri 10:00-22:00
Benaki Museum
Koumpari street& Vasilissis sofias
Avenue, Athens
nearest Metro: Syntagma (Line 2 & 3)
Telephone: +302103671000
Website: www.benaki.gr
Opening Hours: 09:00-17:00;
Thu 09:00-00:00; Sun 09:00-15:00;
Closed Tuesday
New Benaki Museum
138 Pireos St., Athens
Nearest Metro: Kerameikos
Nearest Rail: Petralona
Telephone: +302103453111
Website: www.benaki.gr
Opening Hours: Mon-Tue Closed;
Wed, Thu & Fri 10:00-18:00;
Fri-Sat 10:00-22:00
Byzantine & christian Museum
22 Vasilissis Sofias St., Athens
Nearest Metro: Megaro Moussikis
Telephone: +302107232178,
+302107211027
Website: www.byzantinemuseum.gr
Opening Hours: 08:30-15:00;
Closed Monday
Admission: €4
cycladic Art Museum
4 neofytou Douka St., Athens
Nearest Metro: Panepistimio
Telephone: +302107228321,
+302107228322
Website: www.cycladic.gr
Opening Hours: 10:00-17:00;
Thu 10:00-20:00; Sun 11:00-17:00;
Closed Tuesday
Admission: €7; Monday €3.50
Frissiras Museum for contemporary
European Art
3 & 7 Monis Asteriou, Plaka
Telephone: +30 2103234678
Nearest Metro: Acropolis
Website: www.frissirasmuseum.com
Opening Hours:
Wed to Fri 10:00-17:00; Sat & Sun
11:00-17:00; Mon & Tue Closed
Admission: €6
Goulandris Natural history Museum
13 Levidou St., Kifissia
Telephone: +30 210 8015870
Nearest Train: Kifissia
Website: www.gnhm.gr
Opening Hours: Mon to Sat
09:00-14:30; Sun 10:00-14:30
Admission: €3.50
Greek Folk Art Museum
17 Kydathinaion St., Athens
Telephone: +302103229031
Nearest Metro: Syntagma
Opening Hours: Tue-Sun 10:00-14:00;
Closed Monday
Admission: €2
info
“Technopolis” of the City of Athens provides: Access to the disabled, Coffee bar, 20 WC, nearby parking.
Operating hours: Weekdays and Weekends 10.00-22.00. (Operating hours may be modified without notice)
Access: Trolley: Line 21 (from Omonia Square),OASA Busses: 035, 049, 811, 815, 838, 914, B18, ?18, 731, 031.Train: Station “Thision”.Metro: Station "Keramikos".Contact:Technopolis City of Athens, 100 Piraeus Str., 11854 Gazi, AthensTel: 210-3461589 and 210-3467322, Fax: 210-3413228http://www.cityofathens.gr/dimotikoi-foreis/texnopolis-dimoy-athinaionMail: [email protected]
Technopolis hosted hundreds events from May 1999 to present such as:Visual Art - Photography - Technol-
ogy - Sculpture -Conferences - Seminars, International Festivals - Concerts - Theatrical and Dance
Events- Business Forums -Educational Programs -Product presentations
Concert Alkistis Protopsalti
Dance Festival
ARTS Exhibition Athens Video Art Festival
BABEL Comics Festival
Íikitaò Êaklamanis
CITY OF ATHENS
CITY OF ATHENS
CULTURE TO THE NEIGHBOURHOODS
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Athens
The City to Share Your IdeasSome of humanity’s most exciting ideas were born in Athens, and from here they were shared with the world.
This could be due to the fine weather. Or the inspiring scenery. Or, if you prefer, the Athenian attitude towards life.
Whatever the reason, great ideas seem to have always reached the most distant places when coming from this unique
place of Europe. Enhanced by its state of the art venues and facilities, Athens today can meet the demands of any event
and always deliver an impeccable result.
Bring your meeting to Athens. Get inspired. Share your ideas.
T: +30 210 32 53 123
F: +30 210 32 16 653
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