a sunny, yet cool, december friday in athens!Today is Friday, December 6th, 2019. The forecast calls for a sunny day, with temperatures in the low 60°s F! This is still a good time of the year to visit Athens, and Greece in general, mostly for tourism and maybe not a vacation, since temperatures are cold for swimming, yet the city is bustling with energy and events, facilities are less strained to respond to unreasonable high numbers, hotels, restaurants and service establishments offer a better service at a better price.
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So, be happy, and don't worry! Wear your carefree mood, take a collapsible umbrella along just in case, and wander around in the Athenian neighborhoods. Visit some of the many museums or the several archaeological sites worth paying a visit to, take some pictures to help you cherish the memories and show-off to your friends, enjoy the aroma of a cup of coffee or a refreshing drink in one of the many coffee shops that line the Athenian streets, or better still, taste the delicious and healthy Greek cuisine. Kalimera from Greece!
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Welcome to The Athens Key!
The Athens Key is a travel companion for Athens and all things Greek, in English, designed for the potential visitor to our hometown. From the research to the text to most photographs, we strive to highlight the most interesting landmarks of this historic city worth seeing, but also some of the lesser known, quaint, yet ever so intriguing, attractions. We tirelessly look for, and suggest, places, events, services, shops, museum shows, curiosities in Athens, as if a friend from abroad was about to visit for a short stay and was asking for our advise on how to best plan their visit. 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. Well, we ran out of gold, and our city is now in need. But, as citizens of Athens who love our hometown and have nothing to gain from sharing this love, to you who dropped by, we decided to offer you The Athens Key, without the hoopla and the decorum, but from the bottom of our heart!
We should note that we are not supported from, or financially aided by any official or unofficial state or local government, we have no ties or affiliations with any enterprise that could possibly influence our opinion or alter our objectivity. At the same time, we can not and do not claim to have included all that is worth seeing in Athens, nor that our coverage of the subjects is complete. Enjoy! Ion Frantzeskakis, Editor & Publisher
© 2019 Ion Frantzeskakis, Athens, Greece. All rights reserved in all media. |
Athens: A Hot City that is always a Cool Destination!
Athens International Airport, El. Venizelos, (ATH) was named 3rd Best Airport in the World for 2019, following Hamad International, Qatar and Tokyo International, Japan, by AirHelp, an organization that specializes in air traveler rights, and seeks compensation in cases of delays or cancellations. The airports are rated based on on-time performance, service quality, and food and shopping options. AirHelp’s data comes from multiple commercial vendors, along with its own database, plus 40,000 passenger surveys collected in 40 countries during 2018.
In 2018, the city of Athens was named World Book Capital, chosen by UNESCO for the quality of its activities, supported by the entire book industry. The program included meetings with writers, translators and illustrators, concerts, thematic exhibitions, poetry readings and workshops for publishing professionals and aims to make books accessible to the city’s entire population, including migrants and refugees. Members of the Advisory Committee also praised Athens’ cultural infrastructure and its expertise in organizing international events. Similarly, Athens was awarded the 2018 European Capital of Innovation Award at Web Summit, Lisbon, Portugal.
Athens International Airport, El. Venizelos, (ATH) was named 3rd Best Airport in the World for 2019, following Hamad International, Qatar and Tokyo International, Japan, by AirHelp, an organization that specializes in air traveler rights, and seeks compensation in cases of delays or cancellations. The airports are rated based on on-time performance, service quality, and food and shopping options. AirHelp’s data comes from multiple commercial vendors, along with its own database, plus 40,000 passenger surveys collected in 40 countries during 2018.
In 2018, the city of Athens was named World Book Capital, chosen by UNESCO for the quality of its activities, supported by the entire book industry. The program included meetings with writers, translators and illustrators, concerts, thematic exhibitions, poetry readings and workshops for publishing professionals and aims to make books accessible to the city’s entire population, including migrants and refugees. Members of the Advisory Committee also praised Athens’ cultural infrastructure and its expertise in organizing international events. Similarly, Athens was awarded the 2018 European Capital of Innovation Award at Web Summit, Lisbon, Portugal.
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Recent years have seen a surge of art galleries, collectives and nonprofit art organizations built for leaner times. The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, designed by world-renowned architect Renzo Piano, is now fully functional, and has fast become a cultural beacon for the Greek capital.
Athens was 7th Best European Destination for 2018, in online polls conducted by the European Best Destinations organization, whose purpose is the promotion of culture and tourism in Europe, and works alongside with the biggest tour operators in Europe covering 355 destinations. Ever since its participation in this competition, Athens has ranked among the top most favorite destinations of travelers worldwide. With a recorded history of 3,500 years, the Greek capital is constantly undergoing urban renewals to keep up with the evolution of time. Athens lives up to all the hype! |
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center.
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Greece was voted "2019 Destination of the Year" by over 10,000 ASTA travel professionals in the U.S.A. The Greek islands topped the list of the 20 “Best Islands / Favorite Islands in the World”, by the readers of Condé Nast Traveller 21st Annual Readers’ Awards 2018, due to their “extraordinary scenery and people.” To top it off, Greece was voted as the “Best Country in the World” by the readers of the luxury travel magazine. Crete is TUI’s top holiday destination for European travelers this year, and Greece is the second country of choice after Spain, according to the holiday bookings made through the largest leisure, travel and tourism company in the world. According to TUI, vacationers from Europe this year rank Greece’ largest island Crete first in the destination list. Three of the five most popular destinations for Germans are found in Greece: Crete, Rhodes and Kos. Greece is also very popular among Northern Europeans. For Norwegians, Swedes, Danes and Finns, Greece is the number one holiday destination.
Travel, Cruises, Sailing & Yachting, Car Rentals, Tours & excursions
Plan your travel or vacations in Greece 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 best use of your financial resources and utilize every single day according to your own interests and needs.
Accommodation
Check Hotels in Athens and all over Greece by using the reliable search and booking engine of Booking.com, or browse through each and any of our pages and rely on the accommodation suggestions we offer close to most places of attraction.
Accommodation
Check Hotels in Athens and all over Greece by using the reliable search and booking engine of Booking.com, or browse through each and any of our pages and rely on the accommodation suggestions we offer close to most places of attraction.
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Car Rentals
For the best prices and availability among the most reputable car rental companies worldwide, including car rental and pre-booked taxi services, visit Rentalcars. Cruises Choose among several schedules, destinations, dates and offers among the luxurious and reliable cruises to leisurely explore the Mediterranean Sea! Find your passion and follow your dreams on a Mediterranean Cruise by Princess Cruises. Cruising the Med with MSC Cruises means being at arm's reach of the best in culture, tradition and monuments that have for centuries enriched its shores. Destinations Browse through select places you are able to visit on an excursion from Athens, accessible by land, sea or air. Some ports of call are popular with most cruises to the Eastern Mediterranean and certainly accessible by the sailing boat or motor-yacht you may charter! Crete, Corfu, Heraklion, Mykonos, Rhodes or Santorini by sea, or Corinth, Delphi, Epidavros, Olympia or Marathon by land, a multitude of destinations await your selection! Eating Greek - The Mediterranean Diet Greece is the birthplace of the Mediterranean Diet, the balanced diet that keeps you healthy and gives you a long life. A delicious cuisine, which comes as a combination of indigenous, ancient practices and recipes, along with hundreds of Mediterranean influences resulting in a delicious tasty, hearty and healthy menu of choices. |
Hadrian's Arch, Athens.
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Check out our pages for Bakeries, Olives & Olive Oil, Ouzo, Tsipouro & Meze, Farmers' Markets, Juice Bars, Greek Cuisine but also International Cuisine, Bistros, Pastry Shops, Street Food, etc., and bon appetit!
Excursions & Tours
There are several tours and excursions, for a few hours or for a couple of days, organized or not, that one can take using Athens as a base of operations. iVenture Card combines the best attractions, tours and experiences into one pre-paid attractions pass to save you time and money. You choose what you want to do and when you want to do it, simply present your pass on arrival for cash-free entry – simple! Athens Unlimited Attractions or Athens Museum Pass, there are several plans to chose from! There are also several tours available, such as Classical Tours including Corinth, Epidavros, Mycenae, Olympia, and, of course, Delphi. Finally, at GetYourGuide, they’re on a journey to transform ordinary trips into extraordinary ones. They are your guide, bringing you personal experiences. Wherever your travels take you, they’ll show you the unique and unmissable things to do in your destination. Creating memorable moments has never been easier.
There are several tours and excursions, for a few hours or for a couple of days, organized or not, that one can take using Athens as a base of operations. iVenture Card combines the best attractions, tours and experiences into one pre-paid attractions pass to save you time and money. You choose what you want to do and when you want to do it, simply present your pass on arrival for cash-free entry – simple! Athens Unlimited Attractions or Athens Museum Pass, there are several plans to chose from! There are also several tours available, such as Classical Tours including Corinth, Epidavros, Mycenae, Olympia, and, of course, Delphi. Finally, at GetYourGuide, they’re on a journey to transform ordinary trips into extraordinary ones. They are your guide, bringing you personal experiences. Wherever your travels take you, they’ll show you the unique and unmissable things to do in your destination. Creating memorable moments has never been easier.
Ferries to the Greek Islands
For ferries to the islands of the Greek Archipelago, book through AFerry, the world's leading ferry website and the industry front-runner in booking technology, offering a simple way of easily booking ferry tickets online to make your way to Greek dream islands such as Santorini, Mykonos, Corfu, or Hydra. or through the Greek specialist Let's Ferry!
For ferries to the islands of the Greek Archipelago, book through AFerry, the world's leading ferry website and the industry front-runner in booking technology, offering a simple way of easily booking ferry tickets online to make your way to Greek dream islands such as Santorini, Mykonos, Corfu, or Hydra. or through the Greek specialist Let's Ferry!
Flights
You may wish to search for and book a flight to Greece via Aegean Airlines, or within Greece via Aegean Airlines or Olympic Air, an Aegean Airlines subsidiary. Alternatively, and for international flights anywhere in the world, anytime, try OneTravel, a travel website offering Flights, Hotels and Packages to top destinations throughout the world, as well as Greece, and one of best recognized Online Travel brands in the US and internationally.
You may wish to search for and book a flight to Greece via Aegean Airlines, or within Greece via Aegean Airlines or Olympic Air, an Aegean Airlines subsidiary. Alternatively, and for international flights anywhere in the world, anytime, try OneTravel, a travel website offering Flights, Hotels and Packages to top destinations throughout the world, as well as Greece, and one of best recognized Online Travel brands in the US and internationally.
Sailing & Yachting
Can one charter a motor-sailer, a motor yacht or a sailing boat, barefoot or with a skipper, to cruise the magnificent Aegean Archipelago or the green islands of the Ionian sea? Need we say yes? Visit our page Sailing & Yachting in Greece!
Can one charter a motor-sailer, a motor yacht or a sailing boat, barefoot or with a skipper, to cruise the magnificent Aegean Archipelago or the green islands of the Ionian sea? Need we say yes? Visit our page Sailing & Yachting in Greece!
Tickets
For skipping the lines and getting your admission tickets to the Acropolis of Athens, but also the Acropolis Museum, the Museum of Cycladic Art, the Benaki Museum, and several other attractions and activities in throughout Greece, visit Tiqets, an innovative ticketing platform that is revolutionizing the way visitors discover, buy and use tickets for museums, shows and attractions and thus makes culture more accessible.
For skipping the lines and getting your admission tickets to the Acropolis of Athens, but also the Acropolis Museum, the Museum of Cycladic Art, the Benaki Museum, and several other attractions and activities in throughout Greece, visit Tiqets, an innovative ticketing platform that is revolutionizing the way visitors discover, buy and use tickets for museums, shows and attractions and thus makes culture more accessible.
The Temple of Hephaestos, Athens.
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The Gate of Athena Archegetis, entrance to the Roman Agora of Athens.
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Among Our Pages
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Within the Resources of The Athens Key, take a look in the Basic Architectural Terminology as well as the 3 Orders of Architecture for better following the descriptions of the ancient temples but also the Byzantine churches.
Also, see a short biography of the great romantic poet and philhellene Lord Byron. Check our Brief History of Athens, and the Greek Pantheon pages. They may remind you of key-facts that may be useful in better utilizing information that can be found throughout our website and during a potential visit to Athens. For a page full of travel resources, including links to flights to Greece or within Greece, hotel, villa, or home rentals, cruises, yachting and sailing, car rentals, tours and excursions, visit this page, and you are half way to Athens already! For a selection of bags, suitcases and travel accessories, check Luggage, featuring some of the very best luggage products from the world's largest manufacturers, at the best prices. |
The Rider from Delphi, National Archaeological Museum, Athens.
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In our constant quest to improve and enhance the effectiveness of the Athens Key we keep making additions and navigational changes here, within the technical limitations of the platform, and our own abilities. We hope you'll find the changes practical and effective, but, if not so, we would love to hear your input and suggestions!
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