Attica

Attica is the cradle of democracy and today home to more than a third of all Greeks. A vacation in Attica usually begins beneath the Acropolis in Athens, but it also leads to the Riviera with its swimming coves, to the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, and to car-free islands like Hydra, just an hour away by ferry.

Landscape Between Mountains and Bays

The peninsula is framed by mountains: Hymettus, Penteli, Parnitha and Egaleo encircle the basin where Athens and Piraeus have grown together into a single metropolis. To the south, Attica tapers off into a long coastline, the Athens Riviera, with bays like Vouliagmeni and its warm thermal lake. To the east lie the Mesogia, a plain of vineyards and olive groves, as well as the ports of Rafina and Artemida. The region also includes the Saronic Islands and the island of Kythira south of the Peloponnese. In the west lie Elefsina and the port of Piraeus, while to the north Mount Parnitha rises with its fir forests and a national park.

Athens: Antiquity and the Present

The Acropolis towers over the city with the Parthenon, the Erechtheion and the Temple of Athena Nike, a symbol of classical antiquity and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The modern Acropolis Museum at its foot displays the original sculptures, the Caryatids, and offers a view through glass floors onto excavated residential districts. The ancient Agora with the Temple of Hephaestus, the Theater of Dionysus, the National Archaeological Museum with the Mask of Agamemnon, and the Benaki Museum round out the program. In the maze of lanes in Plaka and in the former island-style quarter of Anafiotika, the pace is leisurely; in Psyrri and Exarchia it is lively, with bars, street art and rembetiko venues. From Lycabettus Hill you look out over the sea of rooftops all the way to the water at sunset. If you have more time, visit the Kerameikos, the ancient cemetery with grave stelae, and the Panathenaic Stadium, where the first modern Olympic Games took place in 1896. Kolonaki at the foot of Lycabettus is the elegant neighborhood with galleries and boutiques, and in Piraeus you can look out over the harbors from Kastella Hill.

Attractions in Attica Outside Athens

At Cape Sounion, the columns of the Temple of Poseidon stand on a cliff, famous for its sunset; Lord Byron carved his name into the marble here. At Marathon, a burial mound commemorates the battle of 490 B.C., and the church of Daphni Monastery preserves mosaics from the 11th century. Eleusis was home to the sanctuaries of the Mysteries, and Brauron, near Artemida, to the sanctuary of Artemis. Among the most popular destinations in Attica are the Saronic Islands: Aegina with the Temple of Aphaia and pistachio groves, Poros with its clock tower, car-free Hydra with its captains' mansions and donkeys, and Spetses with horse-drawn carriages and pine forests. The east coast around Rafina and Artemida tempts with fish tavernas by the harbor and beaches that Athenians love to visit on weekends. Around Vari in the south, pine forests stretch all the way down to the coast.

Food and Drink

Athens is a fantastic place to eat, from souvlaki on Monastiraki Square to modern tavernas in Koukaki. Typical dishes include meze such as taramosalata, keftedes and fried zucchini, along with resinous retsina, traditionally made from Savatiano grapes grown in the Mesogia. In Piraeus and Mikrolimano, just-caught fish is served. At the Central Market on Athinas Street you can watch everyday life unfold, and on Aegina you will find pistachios in every variety. In summer, Athenian life moves to rooftop terraces and open-air cinemas like Cine Thission, with a view of the Acropolis.

Getting There and Best Time to Visit

Athens International Airport is located in the Mesogia and is connected to the city center by metro, suburban rail and bus. Ferries to the Aegean islands depart from Piraeus and Rafina, and from Piraeus also to the Saronic Islands. Within Athens, the metro and tram, which runs all the way to the coast, are convenient. The best time to visit is April through June as well as September and October; in July and August, temperatures often climb above 95°F. For the major archaeological sites, a combination ticket and an early start before the heat sets in are recommended.