The original building of the University of Athens and the National Library, Athens. Photo: Sophia Yiannakou
The Secret of Happiness is Freedom. Welcome to The Athens Key!
What is The Athens Key? The Athens Key is a travel companion for Athens and all things Greek, in English, designed having in mind a potential visitor to our hometown. We look for, inquire into, and suggest places, events, services, shops, museum shows, curiosities in Athens, as if a good friend from abroad was about to visit Greece for a short while and was asking for our advise on how to best plan their stay. Why The Athens Key? For decades now, and up until recently, during the official ceremony of welcoming a foreign dignitary, the Mayor of Athens would hand them the Golden Key of Athens in a well-staged photo opportunity. It used to be a somewhat exaggerated gesture, in recognition of a goodwill visit, and signified that the guest would always be welcome back to the city as a friend. So, as citizens of Athens who love our hometown and have nothing to gain from sharing this love, to you who dropped by, we offer you The Athens Key, without the hoopla and the decorum, but from the bottom of our heart! Independent! We should note here that we are not supported from, financially aided, or endorsed, in any form, by any official or unofficial state or local government agency, nor have we ties or affiliations with any enterprise that could possibly influence our opinion or alter our objectivity. At the same time, we cannot and do not claim to have included all that is worth seeing in Athens, nor that our coverage is complete. Finally, if you come across a service or a product featured here in a clearly marked advertisement by an affiliate company or organization, please purchase it through one of our links and help us support the website financially. Thank you in advance! Enjoy! Why Do You Travel?
In general, there are are three major factors affecting a person's decision to travel: - Leisure, or the need to escape from routine and get some well-needed relaxation, in the form of sunbathing, swimming, partying, flirting, eating well, shopping, and in general recharging one's batteries, and - Tourism, or the need to explore new places, see breathtaking landscapes, delve into history, admire art, visit museums, meet people, try their cuisine and their culture, see as many things as possible in the limited time most of us have, and can afford, during our vacations. - Business, strictly, or in combination with leisure. The frequency in which we travel, due to the time available, the funds at hand, but also our personalities, determine the weight that each of these two major factors play in our selections. Much the same as Northern Americans prefer Florida or Mexico for leisure, as the closest to home destinations to find warmth, sun and relaxation, Northern Europeans prefer Greece, Italy, Spain or Portugal for the very same reasons. Many of these people may opt for an all-inclusive package, anchor in a major hotel offering all amenities, and have a good time at a mostly fixed price. They know that since the destination is relatively close to their home, they can always come back for a more thorough visit, to explore the country. The further away one visits from, the more expensive the trip generally is, the less chances that the trip may be repeated any time soon, so, the more experiences the traveler wishes to collect from the visit. This is the type of traveler the Athens Key attempts to assist, by offering information and choices, so that one may create their own menu of experiences while in Greece. Plan your travel on your own, relying on your experience and the advice of friends or trusted sources, including The Athens Key. This way, you will enjoy the absolute independence, make optimum use of your financial resources and utilize every single day according to your own interests and needs. Look for our newest listings on ebay!
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