The city
Athens, one of the oldest cities in the world, is the largest city and the capital city of Greece.

Classical Athens was the birthplace of many prominent philosophers such as Socrates, Pericles and Sophocles and a centre for the arts, learning and philosophy.
The heritage of the classical era is still evident in the city and is represented by a number of ancient monuments and works of art.

Athens hosted the Olympic Games in 1896 and then the Summer Olympics in 2004.

The Climate
The city is known for its typical mediterranean climate. Precipitation is sparse during the summers and mainly occurs from mid-October to mid-April. The city experiences snowfalls on a yearly basis but with no significant disruptions. Summers can be extremely hot with average high temperatures of around 33.5 C, with occasional heatwaves causing temperatures to rise above 40 C. Spring and autumn are known to be the ideal seasons for sightseeing.

Tourism in Athens
Travelers from all over the world see Athens as a popular destination since antiquity. Due to the 2004 Olympic Games the city’s infrastructure and social amenities have improved tremendously over the past decade.

South African citizens can get flights to Athens by visiting BestFlights.co.za

Entertainment
Athens plays host to a variety of romantic, open air garden cinemas an is home to 148 theatrical stages and a great variety of music venues, attracting world-famous artists all year round.

The Athens festival is held in summer (from June to September) at the open air Roman Herodus Atticus Odeon. {This festival, established in 1955, is one of Europe’s major festivals.Since it was established in 1955, the Athens festival became one of Europe’s major festivals.} Offering anything from opera, modern and classical music, dance and theatre, performed by various Greek and foreign artists and groups.

Banks and ATM’S in Athens
In Athens you will find a bank or an ATM in almost every corner. Therefor, as long as your bank account is fine, you will never have a problem to get cash from the 24 hour ATM machines. Credit cards are accepted by almost all hotels, restaurants and shops throughout the city.

Shopping
You will find souvenirs, Greek art, old books as well as antiques at the flea market in the tourist areas such as Plaka and Monastiraki. While having a view of Acropolis, the ancient Agora, you can enjoy refreshments at one of the many cafes or restaurants in Andrianou street. In Athens you will also find a multitude of jewelers shops that sell reproductions of ancient Greek jewels in traditional and modern designs.