about Athens
Set on the Acropolis hill, ancient Athens was founded 3000 years B.C. It was named after the goddess Athena, who won the town in a competition with god Poseidon. The home-city of Socrates and Pericles is now a huge metropolis with a population of more than four million people. Contemporary Athens combines the images of modern urban sprawl with open-air markets, Byzantine churches, lively taverns and narrow streets. Steeped in mythology, yet smoggy and grimy, the capital of Athens is a sociable city packed with outdoor cafes, pedestrian alleys, parks and gardens. If you are after shopping in the afternoon, you might be surprised by the local tradition to shut down shops around 2 pm. That is for a reason; the hottest hours are a perfect time for a long break. However the city returns to life around sunset when temperatures drop and the fiesta begins.