Athens is where democracy, theatre and much of Western philosophy took shape, and the Acropolis still rises above the rooftops as it did 2,500 years ago. Around it, the modern capital mixes ancient ruins, Byzantine churches, metro stations full of archaeology and very good street food. Here are the facts and stories that make the city special.
10 fun facts about Athens
- Built in fifteen years: the Parthenon was built between 447 and 432 BC, under the statesman Pericles. The architects were Ictinus and Callicrates, and the sculptor Phidias oversaw its decoration.
- Hardly a straight line: the Parthenon's columns swell slightly in the middle and lean a little inwards, and its base curves gently upwards. These refinements make the building look perfectly straight from below.
- An explosion in 1687: the Parthenon stood largely intact for more than 2,000 years. Then, during a Venetian siege, a cannonball hit the gunpowder the Ottoman garrison had stored inside, and the blast tore the temple apart.
- Five sisters in the museum: the six maidens, or Caryatids, holding up the porch of the Erechtheion are copies. Five of the originals stand in the Acropolis Museum, and the sixth is in the British Museum in London.
- A museum on glass floors: the Acropolis Museum, designed by Bernard Tschumi, opened in 2009. Through its glass floors you look down onto an excavated ancient neighbourhood, and its top-floor gallery is turned to line up with the Parthenon itself.
- Where democracy met: in 508 BC the reforms of Cleisthenes gave power to the citizens' assembly. It met on the Pnyx, a hill facing the Acropolis, where several thousand men gathered to vote.
- A marble stadium: the Panathenaic Stadium, rebuilt in white marble on an ancient site, hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. It is one of the few large stadiums in the world built entirely of marble.
- A young capital in an ancient city: Athens has only been the capital of modern Greece since 1834, when the government moved here from Nafplio under King Otto.
- Guards in pleated kilts: the Evzones guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier below the Parliament on Syntagma Square and change every hour in a slow, high-stepping ceremony. Their kilt, the fustanella, is said to have 400 pleats, one for each year of Ottoman rule.
- Ancient finds on the platform: when the metro was built for the 2004 Olympics, digging uncovered thousands of objects. Many are displayed in the stations, especially at Syntagma, where a wall of glass shows layers of the city's past.
Athena, Poseidon and the olive tree
Legend says that two gods wanted to become the patron of the city: Athena, goddess of wisdom, and Poseidon, god of the sea. They agreed that each would give the people a gift. Poseidon struck the rock of the Acropolis with his trident and a spring burst out, but its water was salty. Athena planted an olive tree, which gave food, oil and wood. The people chose the olive tree, and the city took Athena's name. The Parthenon was built in her honour, and an olive tree still grows beside the Erechtheion, where the contest is said to have taken place.
Plaka and Anafiotika, explained
Plaka, on the northern and eastern slopes of the Acropolis, is one of the oldest neighbourhoods of the city, a maze of neoclassical houses, small churches and stepped lanes. Climb higher and you reach Anafiotika, a tiny cluster of whitewashed houses that looks like a Cycladic village. It was built in the 19th century by builders from the island of Anafi who came to work in the new capital. The story goes that they built at night, because a house with a roof by sunrise could not be torn down.
What to eat in Athens
- Souvlaki and gyros: grilled skewers or meat sliced from a vertical spit, wrapped in pitta with tomato, onion and tzatziki. The quickest good meal in the city.
- Koulouri: a ring of bread covered in sesame seeds, sold from street carts in the morning.
- Spanakopita: spinach and feta pie in crisp filo pastry, found in every bakery.
- Loukoumades: small fried dough balls soaked in honey syrup and sprinkled with cinnamon or nuts.
- Freddo espresso: espresso shaken with ice, the coffee Athenians drink all summer long.
Good to know before you go
- Visit the Acropolis right at opening time or late in the afternoon. In summer the hill is very exposed, and in past heatwaves the site has closed during the hottest hours.
- Wear shoes with good grip: the marble paths on the Acropolis have been polished smooth by millions of visitors and can be slippery.
- For views of the Parthenon, climb the Areopagus rock just below the entrance or walk up Philopappos Hill at sunset.
- For a day trip, head to Cape Sounion on the southern tip of Attica, where the Temple of Poseidon stands above the sea. It is at its best at sunset.
Explore Athens with World City Trail
Our Athens scavenger hunt turns these sights into a game you play on your phone. The route leads around the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum, links 10 stops and takes around two hours, with about 50 minutes of walking.
At each stop you solve a puzzle and hear a short story, at your own pace. You can start whenever you like and play in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch or Greek.
Play the Athens scavenger hunt →
Facts checked in October 2026.