ATHENS (Greece)

With thousands of years of history and mythology under its belt, Athens - named for the olive-tree-loving Athena (goddess of wisdom) - is more than a concrete jungle. It's an affable city enlivened by outdoor cafes, pedestrian streets, parks, gardens and characters aplenty.

Though its streets buzz with a unique and chaotic blend of east and west, the city once known as the 'Paris of the Mediterranean' is experiencing something of a European renaissance. As EU-driven modernization and preparations for the 2004 Olympics propel the city forward, there's a refreshing note of optimism in the air. Add its recently built metro system and airport into the mix, and you've got an old Athens with a sparkling new sheen.

Area: 15 sq mi (39 sq km)
Population: 3.7 million

Acropolis

No trip to Athens would be complete without a visit to the Acropolis. It is the most important ancient monument in the western world. Inspiring as the monuments are, though, they are but faded remnants of Pericles' city - a city of temples with colossal buildings, lavishly coloured and gilded, and of gargantuan statues, some of bronze, others of marble plated with gold and encrusted with precious stones.

The Propylaia, which formed the towering entrance to the Acropolis in ancient times, boasts an architectural brilliance ranking with that of the Parthenon. The Parthenon, however, is unsurpassed in its grace and harmony. It is the largest Doric temple ever completed in Greece, the only one built completely (apart from its wooden roof) of Pentelic marble. The Parthenon had a dual purpose - to house the giant statue of Athena commissioned by Pericles, and to serve as the treasury for the tribute money that had been moved from Delos. It was built on the site of at least four earlier temples, all dedicated to the worship of Athena. Beside the Parthenon is the Erechtheion, immediately recognizable for its much-photographed Caryatids, the six maidens who take the place of columns. The onsite Acropolis Museum houses a collection of sculptures and reliefs from the site.

Theatre of Dionysos
The enormous dimensions of the Theatre of Dionysos, on the southeastern slope of the Acropolis, give testament to the importance of theatre in the life of the Athenian city-state. The first theatre on this site was a timber affair erected in the 6th century BC. Here goatskin-clad performers sang and danced during the Festival of Great Dionysia. During the golden age of the 5th century, dramas by Aeschylus, Sophocles, Aristophanes were commissioned for the festival. The theatre was reconstructed in stone and marble by Lycurgus between 342 and 326 BC. The auditorium could seat 17,000; of an original 64 tiers of seats, about 20 tiers still survive. The 2nd-century reliefs at the rear of the stage depict the exploits of Dionysos. The two hefty, hunched-up selini were worshippers of the mythical Selinos of the oversized phallus, who charged up mountains in lecherous pursuit of nymphs. He mentored Dionysos - with whatever energy he had leftover.

Ancient Agora
The Agora (market) was the focal point of administrative, commercial, political and social activity back in the day. All roads led here, and it was bustling and crowded. Socrates could be seen expounding his philosophy, and in 49 AD, St Paul disputed here daily in an attempt to win converts to Christianity. A good place to begin an exploration of the site is in the reconstructed Stoa of Attalos, originally built in 159-138 BC; its expensive shops were a popular stamping ground for moneyed Athenians. In the vicinity is the Agora Museum, where there's a model of the Agora upstairs along with a collection of finds from the site. The Temple of Hephaestus, on the western edge of the Agora, dates from 449 BC and is the best-preserved Doric temple in Greece. To the northeast of the temple are the foundations of the Stoa of Zeus Eleutherios, one of the places where Socrates spoke to the masses.

Near the southern entrance of the market is the Church of the Holy Apostles, which was built in the early 11th century to commemorate St Paul and his teachings. Have a look at the Byzantine frescoes inside.

Tower of the Winds & Roman Agora
The octagonal marble Tower of Winds, built in the 1st century BC by Syrian astronomer Andronicus, was several monuments in one: it served as a sundial, weather vane, water clock and compass. Each side of the monument represents a compass point and has a relief of a figure floating through the air, depicting the wind associated with that point. The weather vane, which disappeared long ago, was a bronze Triton that revolved upon the top of the tower.

The Roman Agora, though little more than a heap of rubble to the average eye, does hold an interesting nugget or two. Its entrance is through the well-preserved Gate of Athena Archegetis, flanked by four Doric columns. To the right of the entrance are foundations of a 1st-century public latrine, and in the southeast area are the foundations of a propylon and a row of shops.

National Archaeological Museum
Despite all the pilfering by foreign archaeologists in the 19th century, this museum, which opened in 1874, still has the world's best collection of Greek antiquities. Straight ahead from the entrance foyer is the museum's tour de force, the Hall of Mycenaean Antiquities, is filled with gleaming gold. The star attraction is the Mask of Agamemnon. The Neolithic Collection includes finds from Thessaly, as well as pottery, figurines and jewellery from Troy, and the Cycladic Collection includes the largest Cycladic figurine ever found. Other rooms hold archaic, classical, late classical, Hellenistic and Roman period sculpture; bronze; pottery; and other exquisite objects and antiquities, including elaborately decorated mummy cases. Of particular note is the Thira Exhibition, consisting of spectacular Minoan frescoes unearthed at Akrotiri on the island of Santorini.

Benaki Museum
This museum saw its start in 1931, when Antoine Benaki turned his family house into a museum and presented it to Greece. It houses a sumptuous and eclectic collection from Europe and Asia, including Bronze Age finds from Mycenae and Thessaly; two early works by El Greco; ecclesiastical furniture brought from Asia Minor by refugees; pottery, copper, silver and woodwork from Egypt, Asia Minor and Mesopotamia; and a stunning collection of Greek regional costumes.

The Keramikos
The Keramikos was the city's cemetery from the 12th century BC to Roman times. It was discovered in 1861 during the construction of Pireos (the street that leads to Piraeus). Remains still stand of the city wall, which was built by Themistocles in 479 BC and rebuilt by Konon in 394 BC. The wall is broken by the foundations of the Sacred Gate, through which pilgrims from Eleusis entered the city during the annual Eleusian procession, and the Dipylon Gate, which was the city's main entrance. It was also the top spot for prostitutes, who touted their services to jaded travellers. Heading away from the city, the Street of Tombs consists of an astonishing array of funerary monuments, and their bas-reliefs call for a close look. This avenue was reserved for the city's prominent citizens, while the ordinary folk were buried in the bordering areas. To the left of the Keramikos, the Oberlaender Museum displays stelae and sculpture from the site, as well as an impressive collection of vases and terracotta figurines.

National Gardens
The delightfully shady National Gardens, featuring subtropical trees and ornamental ponds with waterfowl, are a nice refuge from the heat of the summer months. They were formerly of royal status and were designed by Queen Amalia. The botanical museum houses interesting drawings, paintings and photographs.

Piraeus
The busiest port of Greece and Royal Olympia Cruises major Hub to the Aegean Sea cruises.

Since the era of Themistokles and Pericles, Piraeus has been the center of the transit trade of the Athenian Republic. It was Themistokles who convinced the Athenians to move their seaport from Faliro to Piraeus, thus opening a new chapter in the history of the city.

The development of the port over the past decades resulted in the flourishing of new business activities in the city and the greater vicinity

Saronic Gulf
The Saronic Gulf islands are located very close to Athens with regular ship connections many times a day.

Ithaca - Louis Cruise Lines

7 day Greek cruise itinerary

7 day , 3 and 4 day Greek Isles & Turkey Cruise
on board Louise Cruise Lines