Athens

Join the increasing number taking short breaks to Athens and experience a city transformed during a long and glorious history. Once just an acropolis, Athens is now a vibrant, fast-paced megalopolis, showcasing some of the western world's most significant monuments.

Most of the major sights reside within a very walkable area within and surrounding the oldest quarter, Plaka. Rising up south of the Plaka is the grandfather of all attractions, the hill of Acropolis - an irresistible port of call on all city breaks to Athens - whose treasures are as famous today as they were in ancient times.

Along with the grand, 2,400-year-old Parthenon, its slopes hold the equally elderly Theatre of Dionysos, where once over 10,000 people applauded classical spectacles.

Don't miss the best-preserved monument in the city, the Tower of the Winds, which began keeping time with a sundial and water clock in the first century BC. Short breaks to Athens are synonymous with ancient relics and to the north, the National Archaeological Museum houses enough Greek riches to rank as one of the best in the world.

In a valley near the hill of Areopagus, you'll find the ruins of the Ancient Agora (market), the political and commercial hub of old Athens.

History aside, it doesn't take much effort on a city break to Athens to look past the city's grubby veneer and find a thriving destination with atmosphere, excellent dining, pumping nightlife and a number of charming old districts to explore.

Kolonáki, a stylish district roosting on Lykavitós' slopes, provides well-heeled café culture with delightful scenery - on a clear day you can see across to the Acropolis, and the area is also great for shopping. A visit to the flea market near Plateia Monastirakiou is to experience Athens at its best - vibrant, passionate and colourfully chaotic.

If the hustle, bustle and high traffic levels get all too much, don't worry. Many travellers taking short breaks to Athens find the city a convenient stopover before relocating to one of the hundreds of idyllic Grecian islands.