On foot, only on foot!
Getting to know any city should begin with a walking tour, but for Athens this is an absolute requirement. For a first visit, it is best to choose the triangle between Syntagma, Omonia and Monastiraki squares. From time to time look up at the sky, and if the Acropolis is turned to you with its northern side, then you are still in the very center of the Greek capital.
Syntagma itself (Constitution Square) is the main reference point; the parliament building, formerly the royal residence, faces onto it. In front of it is a monument to the Unknown Soldier, next to which guards keep an eternal watch.
Omonia - Concord Square - is the oldest square of modern Athens and is still awake 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Omonia's clearly pulsating rhythm is sustained by the main city arteries flowing into it - Stadou, Panepistimiou, Agiou Konstantinou, Pireos and others. It is said that Athenians consider it their duty to stop by Omonia on Saturday evening to buy a fresh Sunday newspaper.
Monastiraki is considered the soul of one of the most colorful Athenian districts bearing the same name. The square itself is noisy with an endless bazaar, seemingly designed to confirm the words of Chekhov's hero that "in Greece there is everything." In any case, the shops in Monastiraki have, if not everything, then a lot - from antiques to second-hand goods.
Slightly closer to the foot of the Acropolis, the Plaka district is nestled - a labyrinth of narrow, stone-paved streets and alleys framed by stair railings, steep staircases, well-kept green gardens, small houses comfortably proportioned to human scale, shops, tables set right on the sidewalk, souvenirs - from the simplest to the most refined. And of course, wines, ouzo and tsipouro (anise and grape vodka), appetizing dishes and aromatic coffee... And what names the establishments have! For example, "Nefeli" ("Cloud") - it is, indeed, located at the very top of the staircase that ends Panos Street, and in its cozy garden you can feel yourself in seventh heaven - with the same glass of ouzo in hand. And "Palea Taverna tou Psara" ("Old Fisherman's Tavern"), where even far from the sea you can fully enjoy its bounty? Stroll leisurely through the streets of Plaka and you will certainly find your own favorite, unlike any other, tavern or coffee shop.
Right here, on Kydathineon Street, there is a wonderful museum - the Children's Museum. It features a full reconstruction of a children's room of long-past times with all authentic details - from furniture to the stove. Children can even try on old clothes and amuse themselves with toys. Can you imagine their delight? On Plaka ("plaka" means "stone slab" in Greek) there are also museums for adults, especially for those interested in Greek folk art and music.
Even closer to the Acropolis, right against its cliffs, is Anafiotika - a district once settled by people from Anafi, a small island in the Aegean Sea. When the first king of Greece, Otto (formerly Prince Otto of Bavaria), decided to build himself a palace - remember Syntagma! - he demanded the best masons that could be found in the country. And Anafi had been famous since time immemorial for its builders - not only throughout the Cyclades islands, but also throughout mainland Greece. Upon arriving in Athens, the craftsmen quickly realized that they would have to settle in the capital for a long time, and so decided to build themselves a small copy of their native places. Thus, at the foot of the Acropolis, above Plaka, there appeared amazingly white, almost doll-like houses, exactly replicating the appearance of the dwellings the islanders were so accustomed to. I am sure that after visiting this charming corner of the Greek capital, you will certainly want to visit at least one of the Aegean islands.
Writing about the Acropolis itself is pointless. You simply have to see it.
Yes, in walking tours around Athens you cannot do without another necessary word - "stoa" - a partially covered gallery, a passage connecting neighboring streets. In modern Athenian stoas, there truly is something mysterious and attractive, creating the atmosphere of a theatrical set. Although they arose, one must suppose, from the most practical considerations: in the hot Mediterranean summer, every bit of shade counts! Is it not for this reason that a cozy restaurant, a hospitable coffee shop, a store closest to home, and even an office may be hiding here?! In ancient times, the stoa located near the ancient market of the Agora (now the Athenian district of Thissio) was the place of activity of the philosopher Zeno, the founder of the Stoic teaching.
And what if you do want to ride?
In the center of Athens it is quite easy to get lost, and in that case you can use the services of a taxi with complete confidence - it is surprisingly cheap here, and its drivers navigate with inimitable skill even along the narrowest streets of the old city, which seem to be packed with cars to the point of complete impassability. Just keep in mind that in different areas of Athens there are many identical street names, so asking to be taken, for example, to Aristotelous is useless unless you say which part of the city it is in.
In general, Athenian taxi drivers drive with the dashing of a smuggler fleeing pursuit. And the tricks of some of them are reminiscent of the best pirate traditions. Here is a story told to me by a Greek colleague. As they say, believe it or not.
Imagine: a police officer at Athens airport witnesses the following picturesque scene. A taxi driver, in the dark of night, is putting a miniature Japanese man into the spacious trunk of his Mercedes. A kidnapping? Human traffickers at work?
It's much simpler. A clever driver, hoping to make some easy money, convinced five gullible tourists that without his help they would not get to the city center by any means until morning. He tried so hard that a frightened guest from Asia, for whom there was no room in the cabin, agreed to travel in the trunk. With full payment by the meter.
Athens at night is an endless field of activity for lovers of various kinds of entertainment. They are so diverse and inexhaustible that listing them is simply pointless. Countless bars work all night long, and music plays for every taste. In addition to what you can hear in any other European city - jazz, rock and roll, pop - here you will also find something that, apart from Greece, cannot be found anywhere else. This is folk music performed on traditional instruments. And no one will be surprised if you join the common dance in one of the bouzouki taverns. If you have enough strength to dance until morning, then with the first rays of the sun you can go to one of the two Athenian hills, Philopappos or Lycabettus, to overlook the amazing city from above, which, despite everything, remains true to itself and calmly strides through the centuries.
What is the Olympics, Athens-style
Now the capital of Hellas is living under the sign of the Olympic Games, which it will host next year. The mayor of Athens, Dora Bakoyannis, does not doubt for a second that everything will be ready on time. "Although the city is currently going through not the easiest period: it has completely turned into a construction site," she tells the magazine "Europe". Yes, Greece, the smallest of all Olympic host countries, finds it difficult to prepare and hold such an international event, because in addition to members of the Olympic "family" itself - athletes, coaches, team staff, journalists - the city expects 1.5 million spectators who are going to cheer for their favorites.
"We are well aware of the burden that will fall on the shoulders of all city services in this regard," says D. Bakoyannis. "And therefore we are preparing with all due seriousness. Public transport workers, road builders, waste collection units, and landscapers are all participating. During my visit to Moscow this summer, I had the opportunity to learn a lot of useful things about how the Russian capital prepared for the 1980 Olympics. This experience will be very useful to us."
Answering a question in the spirit of the times - how will the safety of participants and guests of the Olympics be ensured? - the mayor of Athens emphasizes that this aspect is given paramount importance. More than 600 million euros are allocated for the necessary measures, and among the consultants on this issue are representatives of leading law enforcement agencies and experts who ensured peace and calm in Sydney, Barcelona, Atlanta and other Olympic centers. Successful exercises have already been carried out, during which a variety of scenarios for countering intruders were practiced.
Among other aspects of preparing for the Games, D. Bakoyannis particularly highlights measures that can make the capital of Hellas a city convenient for people with physical disabilities. "So far Athens is not one of the megacities where disabled people feel comfortable. I know this problem firsthand: my mother can only move in a wheelchair. For me, solving this issue is a matter of honor also because it was one of the points of my election program. We will do everything necessary to adapt the city to the needs of such people. The fact that Athens will host the Paralympic Games will be a great help in solving this issue. Funds allocated by the European Union will also help," says the mayor of the Greek capital.
The organizers of the 2004 Olympics have repeatedly emphasized that the human dimension of the Games is of particular importance to them. As for Athens, it has always strived to be a city that kind and cheerful people built in order to feel comfortable in it. And now they remain the same, despite some inconsistencies - hectic transport, crowds at bus stops, commuter migrations of residents of bedroom districts and other ailments inherent in large cities. But here a modern and very beautiful metro has appeared, with the help of which you can get in a matter of minutes to amazingly picturesque suburbs like Kifissia and even to Piraeus - the sea gates of Athens, a city practically merged with the metropolis, but remaining administratively independent.
In short, the capital of Hellas has managed to preserve a lot on its long path from the past to the future. And its next steps along the road to eternity look quite promising.