Ancient Athens

It has been said that Athens has contributed more to civilization than any other single city, housing the great thinkers and writers of the ancient world: Socrates, Euripides and Plato. The name of the city is borrowed from myth, from the goddess Athena - daughter of the god Zeus - who was born as a fully grown woman, clad with armour and sword. Located through the city are statues of Athena - the goddess of wisdom - a warrior-guard to the headquarters of ancient civilisation. Before you start your journey you may want to do some research on these writers and their plays, poetry and philosophy. Check out ASDA Entertainment for books on Plato and Sophocles, and other Greek legends.

Today, Athens is a modern, smoky city with popping motorbikes, businesses, restaurants, bars and cool nightclubs. However, standing in the background are the famous Acropolis and The Parthenon, prominent monuments from Ancient Greece.

The Parthenon is a temple built as a tribute to Athena. Its original building was burned down during the Persian invasion in the 5th century BC and was resurrected on the Acropolis of Athens. Over the centuries and through its phases of colonisation it has played the role of mosque, and Christian church. It is renowned for its columns that appear to loom inwards, and are architecturally the reason so much of it stands today. It is a crucial link to the roots of Ancient Greek culture, and a must-see when getting to grips with the past.

The Parthenon stands amidst the Acropolis. Although Greece has many of these high-built fortified cities, the stature of Athens’s sacred Acropolis has the most celebrity. The Parthenon and the other monuments that sit on the Acropolis were built by Pericles in the fifth century BC as a tribute to the intellectual and progressive movement of the many philosophers who stayed there.  Acropolis was also a place of refuge - in fact up until 150 years ago, parts of the Acropolis was still inhabited.

These sites are iconic and rooted in the consciousness of modern-day Greece; in snow-globes, on postcards and calendars. It’s a mega tourist zone, with visitors climbing the rocky steps in flocks and droves. It’s certainly worth both the trek and the time, but best to do an early-bird visit to avoid the human traffic. It is also recommended that you make the visit during spring, when flowers are said to grow through the cracks in the ancient stone and ruins, and making up some good views.

Keeping in theme with the older version of this city, Athens has a village-type quarter called Plaka, just to the edge of the Acropolis and it’s about as traditional as you’ll find in a city capital like this. It has many tavernas with old-fashioned Greek cuisine, folk museums, and a host of jewellery shops along the little alleys, like the Byzantino Jewelery Store that sells unique, decorative pieces from the Byzantine era; another token of ancient times.

If you're planning on a trip to Athens, then take a look at ASDA's new travel website for information and plenty of booking options. Meanwhile, AA Travel provides travel insurance to suit your holiday.