To appreciate Athens, it's important to be aware of the city's traumatic history. Unlike most capital cities, Athens' history is not one of continuous expansion; it is one characterised by glory, followed by decline and near annihilation, and then resurgence in the 19th century, when it became capital of independent Greece. Accounts of Athens' early days are inextricably woven with mythology, making it difficult to be sure what really happened. We do know, though, that the hilltop site of the Acropolis, endowed with two copious springs, drew some of Greece's early Neolithic settlers. Later, with the rise of city-states, the Acropolis provided an ideal defensive position, and by 1400 BC, it had become a powerful Mycenaean city. Around 1200 BC Greece fell into a long dark age, of which very little is known, but in the 8th-century BC a peaceful Athens became the artistic centre of Greece. Next came a period of social reform, followed by unrest and subsequent tyranny. Athens didn't shake off oppression until 510 BC, when Sparta stepped in to help. Following the defeat of the Persian Empire, Athens' power grew enormously. It established a confederacy on the island of Delos, demanding tributes from islands for protection against the Persians. The money was used to transform the city. This was Athens' golden age: monuments were built on the Acropolis, and drama and literature flourished. Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides; sculptors Pheidias and Myron; and historians Herodotus, Thucydides and Xenophon all lived at this time. Sparta, however, wasn't prepared to play second fiddle, and increasing hostilities triggered the Peloponnesian Wars in 431BC. After 27 years of fighting, Sparta gained the upper hand, and Athens slid from its former glory. The century wasn't a total loss, as it did produce three of the west's greatest orators and philosophers: Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Under Roman rule, Athens continued to be a major seat of learning, and Roman emperors graced the city with many grand buildings. After the subdivision of the Roman Empire into east and west, the city remained a cultural and intellectual centre until its schools of philosophy closed in 529 AD. Between 1200 and 1450, Athens was overrun by a motley crew of opportunists, including Franks, Catalans, Florentines and Venetians. The Turks invaded in 1453 and settled in for 400 years. In the early stages of the War of Independence (1821-29), fierce street fighting saw the city change hands several times between Greek liberators and Turks. In 1834, Athens replaced Nafplio as the capital of independent Greece, and King Otho set about repairing the war-torn city. Bavarian architects created a city of imposing neoclassical buildings (most of which have since been demolished) and tree-lined boulevards.

The historical event which, more than any other, shaped the Athens of today was the compulsory population exchange between Greece and Turkey that followed the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923. The population of Athens virtually doubled overnight, necessitating the hasty erection of concrete apartment blocks to house the newcomers. Along with the rest of Greece, Athens suffered appallingly during the German occupation of WWII and in the civil war that followed. The expansion of Athens accelerated during the 1950s and 60s, when the country began the transition from an agricultural to an industrial nation. The colonels' junta (1967-74) tore down many crumbling old Turkish houses and the neoclassical buildings, all the while failing to tackle the infrastructure problems resulting from the rapid, chaotic growth of the city. By the end of the '80s the city had developed a sorry reputation as one of the most traffic-clogged and polluted in Europe.

Since the 1980s, fundamental changes have taken place, the most dramatic in the 1990s. Athens has a conspicuously wealthier society, though there are still major economic disparities and a rural-city divide. Greece is fast becoming part of the global economy, with a raft of foreign investments and privitisations shaking up its notoriously Kafka-esque public sector. Greece is also becoming a major economic player in the Balkans. Authorities have embarked on an ambitious program to modernise the city, with key elements being the expansion of the road and metro networks and the new international airport at Spata. Confidence is riding high and billions have been poured into city development, and since pulling off an Olympic Games in 2004, Athens has regained some of its old glory.

Traffic can be stressful in Athens especially when hailing taxis during peak hour. Be wary of a small percentage of dishonest taxi drivers. And keep in mind that smaller museums and some tourist sights close early.Health conditions in Athens are generally excellent and tap water is drinkable. The heat in summer can be stifling, so drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration and heat exhaustion, and wear sunscreen, sensible light clothing and a hat.Like anywhere else, practise the usual precautions when it comes to safe sex; condoms are available at pharmacies and supermarkets.

There are a variety of activities in Athens to keep your fitness and fun going. Diving enthusiasts will be pleased restrictions previoulsy aimed at protecting antiquities have been eased. Numerous agencies offer charters and sailing trips, and a few provide classes.

The Agora (market) was Athens' meeting place in ancient times, the focal point of administrative, commercial, political and social life. All roads led to this bustling and crowded place, where Socrates once expounded his philosophy and, later, where St Paul disputed daily in an attempt to win converts to Christianity.

Adrianou 24

Monastiraki

telephone or fax: 

Web: http://www.culture.gr

open hours:08:30-15:00

prices:

The Acropolis is the most important ancient monument in the Western world. Crowned by the Parthenon, it stands sentinel over Athens, visible from around the city. Marble monuments gleam white in the midday sun and take on a honey hue at dusk, while at night they are brilliantly illuminated. A sudden glimpse of this magnificent sight will lift your spirits.

entry from Dionysiou Areopagitou or Theorias

Anafiotika

telephone or fax: 

Web: http://www.culture.gr

open hours:08:00-19:30

prices:

The importance of theatre in the life of the Athenian city-state can be gauged from the dimensions of the enormous Theatre of Dionysos on the southeastern slope of the Acropolis. The first theatre on this site was a timber affair erected in the 6th century BC, where goatskin-clad performers sang and danced during the annual festival in Dionysos' honour.

Dionysiou Areopagitou

Makrigianni

telephone or fax: 

Web: http://www.culture.gr

open hours:08:00-19:30

prices:

Despite all the pilfering by foreign archaeologists in the 19th century, this museum still has the world's best collection of Greek antiquities. The museum, which was damaged in the 1999 earthquake, was totally overhauled and reopened in 2004. The collection has been rearranged thematically and is beautifully presented with labels in English and Greek.

28 Oktovriou-Patission 44

Exarhia

telephone or fax: 

Web: http://www.culture.gr

open hours:13:00-19:15

prices:

This exceptional private museum houses the biggest private collection of Cycladic art in the world. The original building was custom-built for the collection, and the finds are beautifully displayed and well labelled. Although the exhibits cover all periods from Cycladic to Roman times, the emphasis is on the Cycladic era from 3000 BC to 2000 BC.

Neofytou Douka 4

cnr Leof Vasilissis Sofias & Neofytou Douka

Kolonaki

telephone or fax: 

Web: http://www.cycladic.gr

open hours:10:00-16:00

prices:

Wunderbar is a good place to start if you want to discover this student-bohemian neighbourhood of Athens. This lounge bar and cafe is situated right on busy Exarhia Square. There are plenty of casual, cool and moderately priced bars and eateries nearby if you want to kick on.

Exarhia

Themistokleous 80

telephone or fax: 

The bouzoukia, commonly called skyladika (doghouses) because of the crooning singers, are a Greek institution. Pricey, smoky and a tad sleazy, they are nonetheless packed out most nights. If you're feeling game, try veteran Remeo+ but be warned - prices can be outrageously inflated if you sit at a table, with bottles of whisky sold at exorbitant prices.

Kaliroïs 4

Makrigianni

telephone or fax: 

open hours:-

More than a cafe-bar, this multifaceted venue promotes urban culture, new media and the visual arts and is popular with the alternative crowd. The cafe hosts DJ sets and screens artsvideos while performances, exhibitions, film screenings and other events are held invarious parts of this former paint factory.

Gazi

Pireos 84

telephone or fax: 

Web: http://www.bios.gr

This delightful taverna is a little off the beaten track but it's worth seeking out. The menu has Cretan influences and an eclectic selection of regional Greek cuisine, including game and unusual dishes like the hearty and tender pork kotsi (shank). There are extra tables next to the church across the road, and a sister restaurant in Exarhia.

Vasiliou tou Megalou 50

Rouf

at the end of Gazi

telephone or fax: 

This is one of the few remaining old-style tavernas in the Psiri neighbourhood, serving a range of tasty mayirefta (casserole or baked dishes), grills and reasonable house wine. It's cheap and cheerful with colourful quirky murals and interesting old pictures. There's courtyard dining in summer and an ambient basement with barrels along the wall.

Aischilou 12

Psiri

telephone or fax: 

open hours:10:00-02:00

A great rooftop terrace with stunning views of the Acropolis makes Filistron a special place for dinner on a warm summer's night. The food won't disappoint either. Offerings include a simple, tasty range of traditional mezedes such as grilled cheese, village-style sausage and meatballs in spicy tomato sauce.

Apostolou Pavlou 23

Thisio

telephone or fax: 

Web: http://www.filistron.com

Athens is renowned for its flea market. Everything is for sale, from binoculars to bouzouki, wigs to welding gear. Here you'll also find that Greece leads all Europe in the manufacture and sale of religious kitsch.

The state-of-the-art international airport is the primary gateway to Athens for most visitors, and - for transit passengers - it even has its own museum! In addition to flight, a well-run bus system, trains and ferries from the islands and Italy are also popular methods of arrival. Piraeus is 10km southwest of central Athens, it is the busiest port in Greece with a bewildering array of departures and destinations, international and domestic. The largest of its three harbours is the Great Harbour (Megas Limin), on the western side of the Piraeus peninsula, which is the departure point for most ferry, hydrofoil and catamaran services; Zea Marina (Limin Zeas) and the picturesque Mikrolimano (Small Harbour), lie on the eastern side. Make sure you know exactly where your vessel is leaving from.

The sparkling new metro system has made getting around the centre of Athens relatively painless, and the extension of the whole network should ease the city's notorious traffic congestion. Athens also has an extensive bus and trolley (electric cable bus) network that was upgraded for the 2004 Olympics.