General information and History

04 Panoramic view of Athens.jpg

Athens is the capital of Greece and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica periphery and it is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. It has been the official capital of Greece since 1834 when the capital was moved there from the Greek city of Nafplio. The Greek capital has a population of 745,514 (in 2001) within its administrative limits and a land area of 39 km2. The urban area of Athens extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3,130,841 (in 2001) and a land area of 412 km2. According to Eurostat, the Athens Larger Urban Zone (LUZ) is the 7th most populous in the European Union (the 4th most populous capital city of the EU) with a population of 4,013,368 (in 2004).
A cosmopolitan metropolis, modern Athens is central to economic, financial, industrial, political and cultural life in Greece and it is rated as an alpha- world city. In 2008, Athens was ranked the world's 32nd richest city by purchasing power and the 25th most expensive in a UBS study.

Neighborhoods :
Athens is also a fun city to live in, but like all large cities it can be a bit confusing and impersonal at first. Some of the most famous neighborhoods of the city center :

• Omonoia : is the oldest square in Athens. It is surrounded by hotels and fast food outlets, and contains a train station used by the Athens Metro and the Ilektrikos, appropriately named Omonoia Station.

• Syntagma : is the capital's central and largest square, lying adjacent to the Greek Parliament (the former Royal Palace) and the city's most noted hotels. Ermou Street, an approximately one kilometer-long pedestrian road connecting Syntagma Square to Monastiraki, has traditionally been a consumer paradise for both Athenians and tourists.

• Plaka, Monastiraki, and Thission : Plaka lying just beneath the Acropolis, is famous for its plentiful neoclassical architecture, making up one of the most scenic districts of the city. It remains a traditionally prime tourist destination with a number of picturesque tavernas, live performances and street salesmen. Nearby Monastiraki , for its part, is well-known for its string of small shops and markets, as well as its crowded flea market and tavernas specialising in souvlaki. Another district notably famous for its student-crammed, stylish cafés is Theseum or Thission , lying just west of Monastiraki. Thission is home to the ancient Temple of Hephaestus, standing atop a small hill.

• Kolonaki : area, at the base of Lycabettus hill, is full of boutiques catering to well-heeled customers by day, and bars and more fashionable restaurants by night, but at other points also a wide range of art galleries and museums. This is often regarded as one of the more prestigious areas of the capital.

• Exarcheia : located north of Kolonaki, has a mixed reputation as the recent or current location of the city's anarchist scene and as a culturally active student quarter with many cafés, bars and bookshops. Exarcheia is home to the Athens Polytechnic and the National Archaeological Museum; it also contains numerous important buildings of several 20th-century styles: Neoclassicism, Art Deco and Early Modernism.