How to spend top weekend in Athens - ideas on extraordinary attractions and sites

Athens is, without a doubt, a very popular destination, so it’s getting harder and harder to find a place, where you won’t find yourself surrounded by other travellers. However, such places still exist. The Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Acropolis are the main antique landmarks of the city, so every day thousands of tourists arrive there to admire the precious places of interest. Luckily, not many travellers know that it is possible to see the abovementioned landmarks from another place, namely, from Hadrians Arch. It slightly reminds of the Triumphal Arc in Rome, so the arc alone is worth a visit as an interesting historic landmark. These ancient gates offer breath-taking views of the Acropolis and surrounding landmarks.

If you like walking and find exploration of the mountains amusing, there is one more entertainment in Athens for you – ascension to Mount Parnitha. This is the highest mount in the city, so a climb to it normally lasts a whole day, after which travellers are usually offered to sleep on the top. Such a trip will be very interesting as sides of the mount are covered with dense pine forests. During a walk, travellers will see rare plants and mysterious caves. After a long day of walking and sleeping in the open air, you will be able to see sunrise on the top of the mount – a truly unforgettable and breath-taking view. Those, who are not ready for camping and crave for more comfort, can sleep in a comfortable house on the mount, where they can also enjoy delicious home-made food.

If walks in the mountains are not enough, it’s high time to search “the Blood of Hercules”. Red wine with this quite an unusual name is produced by Nemea winery, which is located in an Athens’ neighborhood. According to some data, the winery has been there for more than a thousand years. The wine is made in accordance with centuries old methods, some aspects of which are kept in a secret. Nevertheless, guests are always welcome at the winery. Visitors can sample the wine and purchase the sorts they like, including the legendary Blood of Hercules. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

One more way to get closer to the antique world of Athens is to walk on the Panathenaic Way. Just like thousands of years ago, the road is paved with gravel. It starts near one of the city’s doors and reaches the Acropolis. In antique times, locals used this road during the Panathenaia festival that is dedicated to Athena. Nowadays, everyone is welcome to walk on the ancient road, but note that the road is quite long and not everyone might have enough strength to walk on it from the beginning till the very end.

If you want to visit one of the most sacred and romantic places of the ancient Greek city, head to Cape Suonio. There are many interesting legends connected to this picturesque place. Ancient Greeks considered it a holy place and used it to worship Athena and Poseidon. Later, fishermen and farmers started appearing on this site. Nowadays, only ruins of their houses remind of that period. Peaceful and calm atmosphere of this place has become the major attraction of the cape. Usually not crowded, Cape Suonio offers fascinating panoramic views of the sea.

There is a not very famous place of interest in one of the noisiest tourist destinations of Athens. This is the legendary Prison of Socrates, the place where the great philosopher spent last days of his life. At a glance, the prison looks like an ordinary cave, so many inexperienced travellers simply neglect it and pass the prison by. It is not hard to find the Prison of Socrates – it is located near the foot of Filopappos Hill not far away from the Acropolis. Here attentive travellers will notice a small niche with rusty grating carved in the rock. According to a legend, imprisoned Socrates lived in that cage.