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01 THE OFFICIAL CITY OF ATHENS MAGAZINE FOR TOURISM IN ATHENS www.breathtakingathens.com SUMMER-AUTUMN2009 / ISSUE04

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THE OFFICIAL CITY OF ATHENS MAGAZINE FOR TOURISM IN ATHENSwww.breathtakingathens.com

SUMMER-AUTUMN2009 / iSSUE04

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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

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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

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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

6

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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.

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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”

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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

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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!

16

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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.

Page 11: Breathtaking Mag 05

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

Page 12: Breathtaking Mag 05

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

Page 13: Breathtaking Mag 05

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

Page 14: Breathtaking Mag 05

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

Page 15: Breathtaking Mag 05

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

Page 16: Breathtaking Mag 05

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

Page 17: Breathtaking Mag 05

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

Page 18: Breathtaking Mag 05

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

Page 19: Breathtaking Mag 05

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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38 39

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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Page 21: Breathtaking Mag 05

40

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.

Page 22: Breathtaking Mag 05

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

Page 23: Breathtaking Mag 05

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

Page 24: Breathtaking Mag 05

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

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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

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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.

Page 27: Breathtaking Mag 05

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

Page 28: Breathtaking Mag 05

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

Page 29: Breathtaking Mag 05

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

Page 30: Breathtaking Mag 05

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

Page 31: Breathtaking Mag 05

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

Page 32: Breathtaking Mag 05

“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

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

21x28 english.pdf 9/4/08 4:24:55 PM

Page 33: Breathtaking Mag 05

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

E: [email protected]

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