Think of Athens and the first things that spring to mind are ancient ruins and camera-toting
crowds (before they hotfoot it to the island-bound ferries at the port of Piraeus that is).
It's true the Acropolis is ever present and during summer the city thrums with schools of
holidaymakers. But there's much more to the Greek capital than temples and tourists. We've
looked beyond the admittedly awe-inspiring Parthenon and explored the city's modernist marvels
from circular school to colonnaded embassy. We've combed the cobbled streets for independent
boutiques offering straw hats hand-thrown ceramics and golden jewellery - all proudly Made in
Greece. When you're feeling peckish choose between traditional family-run tavernas and
contemporary restaurants spicing up classic Greek dishes. Attica is a region of riches and of
course some of the nearby islands are simply too good to miss - so we've included a short and
sharp list of our top stopovers. For now though strap up your sandals and allow us to
introduce you to this chaotic but ever-so-charismatic city.
