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General Info 3
 Gregarious, hospitable and
relaxed, Athenians enjoy life to the full. As in
any other major city, visitors will come across
people from all walks of life, most of whom are
very friendly and willing to offer assistance.
Athens is a city of hedonists and consumers who
are proud of their capacity to enjoy life. Late
at night, people are out all over the city, and
this is one of the first things that strike
visitors. The excellent climate allows Athenians
to indulge in their favorite pastime -
socialising - outdoors nearly all year round.
The city is replete with coffee shops and snack
bars ranging from the very basic to the very
chic. Athenians, like most Greeks, view dining
out late in the evening as one of their main
forms of entertainment. Literally thousands of
traditional tavernas serving delicious,
inexpensive food can be found throughout Athens
and Attica. In addition, there are hundreds of
restaurants serving a wide variety of
international cuisine. And of course there is
the ubiquitous Greek souvlaki! Visitors will be
surprised and charmed by the energy with which
Athenians engage in conversation about politics,
football and, perhaps not unsurprisingly,
philosophy. Cultural events including dance and
theatre, recitals, concerts, international trade
shows, conferences and symposia -many of which
held in beautiful greek luxury hotels- public
lectures, gallery exhibits, sports events and
marathons, an integral part of life in this
bustling cosmopolitan capital. Built in 161 BC,
the Odeon of Herod Atticus at the foot of the
Acropolis provides one of the most important
open-air venues for staging the annual Athens
Festival, featuring music concerts and dance
troupes from around the world. Superb
performances of ancient and modern drama are
staged at the Herod Atticus Theatre. The
National Theatre of Greece stages drama
performances in modern Greek with English
translations provided. Undoubtedly the pride and
joy of the city's cultural life, the Athens
Concert Hall comprises a modern theatre, concert
and conference hall with spacious reception
areas, exhibition space and a 500-seat recital
hall. The Megaron Hall is a 2,000-seat
auditorium hosting operatic, dance and drama
performances almost daily. Perched high on its
namesake hill in the centre of the city, the
4,000-seat open-air Lycabettus amphitheatre
hosts a variety of concerts by contemporary jazz
and pop artists, as well as chamber orchestras,
mainly during the summer. In the past two
decades sports in Greece went through a major
revival with a large number of modern sports
facilities constructed in and around the
capital. For golf aficionados there is an
18-hole golf course at the affluent seaside
suburb of Glyfada. The endless list of available
sporting and leisure activities includes tennis,
gliding, horse-riding, bird-watching, sailing,
skin-diving, water-skiing, hiking, bowling. |
