Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 12.1. The Parthenon
Modern Athens is at its most elegant display in and around Kolonaki Square, with el-
egant restaurants, shops, and apartment buildings. Reminders of Turkish Athens (the time
of the Ottoman conquest: 1460-1832) are found in the Monastiraki area, where at least one
former mosque has been converted to a museum. The Athens of national unity and inde-
pendence is celebrated in Syntagma Square. The Parliament building is here and also the
tomb of the Unknown Soldier, guarded by evzones, soldiers in flared white kilts and pom-
pom shoes. And Athens' liveliest nightlife area is located in the Plaka. The tired traveler
can find shade and a quiet restaurant in daytime Plaka.
Shipboard travelers arrive in Athens' port city, Piraeus, a busy ferry and freight ship
harbor. This is the Piraeus of ancient times, when Athens built protective walls from the
harbor to the city to ward off enemy attacks. The walls are long gone, and today a railroad
connects Piraeus to Athens. If anything, Piraeus's streets are busier than Athens', and many
buildings and shops are downright squalid. But a short and inexpensive train ride from Pir-
aeus's central station can bring the visitor within walking distance (or a short taxi ride) to
places on the wise traveler's must-see list. But for those who come without the protective
cocoon of a guided tour, it is useful to remember that the crush of Athens, with its sights
and sounds, can overwhelm the visitor, especially those who have come to find the Greece
of antiquity.
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