| Before you get too excited, read below to find some | | | | to tour some of the city's unique museums. Athens |
| great tips about travelling to Athens. If you plan | | | | has museums to suit all tastes. Whether you enjoy |
| ahead, you'll ensure that your Athens vacation is the | | | | art, culture or a modern theme, a museum awaits. |
| best it can be!Getting to Athens: Using a Greek | | | | Below is a list of the most popular museums in |
| Travel AgentYou might be frightened about using a | | | | Athens.National Archaeological Museum |
| travel agent you're not familiar with - especially from | | | | The Benaki Museum |
| a foreign country. Have no fear, using a reputable | | | | The Goulandris Museum of Cycladic and Ancient |
| Greek travel agent is probably the safest and most | | | | Greek Art |
| affordable way to schedule your visit to | | | | Kerameikos Museum |
| Athens.There are several reasons why using a Greek | | | | Museum of Greek Folk Art |
| travel agent can help your travels go more smoothly. | | | | Jewish Museum |
| One, they are very familiar with the Athens area and | | | | National Gallery |
| can direct you to the right hotel, activities and travel | | | | National Historical Museum |
| methods during your stay. A travel agent who is not | | | | Museum of Popular Musical Instruments |
| located in Greece will not always be able to provide | | | | Byzantine Museum |
| the best possible options. Second, a Greek travel | | | | War Museum |
| agent often has access to more discounted | | | | Greek Historical Costume Museum |
| packages for hotels, rental cars, cruises, resort | | | | Theatrical Museum |
| packages, tours, airline tickets, etc. So, you will | | | | Frissiras Museum of Contemporary Greek and |
| probably save money on your overall travel | | | | European Painting |
| expenses by using a Greek travel agent. Third, if you | | | | Acropolis Museum |
| run into problems during your stay, get lost or lose | | | | Athens NightlifeAthens has a nightlife that's |
| something, a travel agent who's actually located in | | | | constantly on the move. You'll never grow bored |
| Athens will be able to assist you directly. If your | | | | during your trip. In the evenings, you can dine at fine |
| travel agent is located thousands of miles away, | | | | Greek restaurants, enjoy live music, go dancing or |
| you're pretty much on your own!Ferry Schedules and | | | | whatever suits your fancy. There are theatrical |
| Travel AgentsFerry schedules are a whole other ball | | | | shows and dinner theaters where you can enjoy a |
| park when it comes to planning your trip. By using a | | | | variety of entertainment. Much of the activity at |
| Greek travel agent, you'll have access to the most | | | | night can be found in the Plaka, Psiri or Thission |
| up-to-date ferry boat schedules. Ferry boats are | | | | areas.Use the information above to make the most |
| used to travel to and from the Greek islands, so you | | | | of your visit to Athens. You can enjoy a great |
| must be able to schedule your ride at the right times | | | | getaway if you plan ahead!Touring the Museums of |
| if you plan to visit any islands while in Athens. The | | | | GreeceGreece offers hundreds of museums, |
| problem with ferry schedules is that they're are | | | | whether in the main cities, on the islands or in remote |
| usually released and changed at the last minute. So, | | | | villages. There are museums everywhere in Greece, |
| even using the Internet to research your own | | | | and they each focus on different aspects of Greek |
| schedules will not always be accurate. The last thing | | | | culture and history. Below is a list of museums with a |
| you need is to be stranded on some | | | | brief description of each. Be sure to visit a museum in |
| island!Recommended Hotels in AthensWhen planning | | | | the area of Greece you visit.Museums in Athens, |
| your trip to Athens, be sure you understand where | | | | GreeceNational Archaeological MuseumThis museum |
| your hotel is located, what rating it has and the | | | | ranks in the top ten museums in the world and |
| expense of staying there. Many hotels and resorts | | | | offers its collection display in a lovely building near |
| are available in Athens, but you want to be sure it will | | | | Alexandras Avenue. The museum has a cafe, gift |
| meet your needs. The best way to know for sure is | | | | shop and sculpture garden.The Benaki MuseumThis is |
| to talk with a travel agent and explain the type of | | | | a multi-floored museum with every level moving up in |
| room and price you desire.Great areas to stay in | | | | history. The bottom floor displays the most ancient |
| Athens include Makrianni, Plaka, Thission, Syntagma, | | | | items.The Goulandris Museum of Cycladic and Ancient |
| Koukaki and Monastiraki. These are within walking | | | | Greek ArtThis Athens museum offers a great |
| distance of many of the major attractions and sights | | | | collection of old Cycladic art. It opens daily except |
| in Athens, so you can avoid driving downtown as | | | | Sundays and Tuesdays.Kerameikos MuseumThis |
| much as possible. Also these areas all border the | | | | museum is located at the ancient Athens cemetery |
| Acropolis and its surrounding archaeological park. | | | | at the bottom of Ermou. It's just past the |
| Shops, restaurants, taxis, ferry ports, buses, etc. are | | | | Monastiraki Flea Market. The museum has |
| all nearby these areas as well.Below is a list of some | | | | tombstones and pottery.Museum of Greek Folk |
| great hotels in Athens, some being upscale and | | | | ArtHere you'll find wood carvings, embroideries, |
| others being family-oriented or inexpensive.Avra | | | | jewelry and traditional folk art. There are also |
| RafinaThe Avra Rafina is a great three-star hotel | | | | fabulous ceramic collections.Jewish MuseumThe |
| that's located near the ferries. It's a great place to | | | | Jewish Museum in Athens offers a display of artifacts |
| stay if you want to be away from the city life of | | | | and art from Jewish communities. You can also learn |
| Athens and take a visit to the islands.Hotel Athens | | | | about the Holocaust here, which makes the visit |
| PlazaThis is a fine hotel that has a building on | | | | worthwhile.National GalleryAt the National Gallery you'll |
| Syntagma Square as well as one building that sits | | | | find a terrific collection from Greek painters and also |
| away from the Grande Bretagne. It's elegant and the | | | | international artists, which includes some impressive |
| price shows it!Armonia Hotel The Armonia Hotel is | | | | sculptures.National Historical MuseumIf you love |
| located out of the center of Athens at a quiet beach | | | | learning about the history of war, you should |
| location. It's close to the airport with easy access to | | | | definitely visit the National Historical Museum. Here |
| cruise ships and ferries. The rooms are of high | | | | you'll get to learn about the Greek War of |
| quality, and it offers a swimming pool.Electra Palace | | | | Independence and see some fabulous artifacts from |
| HotelThe Electra Palace Hotel is an A-category hotel | | | | the war.Museums on the Greek IslandsThere are also |
| that has been renovated recently. It has an indoor | | | | some great museums on the Greek islands. Every |
| pool, comfortable rooms and great views of the | | | | island has its own history and culture. The museums |
| Acropolis. The location is in the Plaka and only two | | | | display these differences. Here are some popular |
| blocks from Syntagma Square.Astor HotelThe Astor | | | | island museums along with a brief description of |
| Hotel is an A-category hotel that is located only a | | | | each.Archaeological Museum of ChaniaThis museum is |
| half a block from Syntagma Square. It offers a | | | | located in the Venetian monastery of St. Francis and |
| delicious breakfast at the restaurant, a roof garden, | | | | offers many treasures such as prehistoric artifacts |
| gift shop and more! A conference room is also | | | | from caves, finds from the city of Chania, Minoan |
| available for meetings. The rooms are well-furnished | | | | finds from Chania and coins and jewelry from historic |
| and have central heating, air conditioning, color | | | | times.Archaeological Museum of CorfuHere you'll find |
| television and radio. Upper-level rooms have | | | | interesting exhibits from the excavations of the |
| balconies.Athens Cypria HotelThis hotel is located on a | | | | ancient town of Corfu, Cassiopi and |
| small street just a couple of blocks from Syntagma | | | | Thesprotia.Archaeological Museum of ParosThis |
| Square, and near the shopping street that welcomes | | | | museum was founded in 1960 and offers visitors a |
| pedestrians - Ermou. It's also close to the Plaka and | | | | chance to see archaic and classical sculptures as well |
| the archaeological sites.The Adams HotelThe Adams | | | | as pottery and sculptures from the Neolithic up to |
| Hotel is family-owned and operated. It has been | | | | the Roman period. Also, there's a Mosaic floor that |
| completely renovated and all rooms now have | | | | dates back to Roman days.Archaeological Museum of |
| television, bathrooms, air conditioning and some have | | | | RhodesThis Rhodes museum is located in the |
| balconies with a terrace. It's located on a quiet street | | | | Medieval building of the Hospital of the Knights and |
| in the Plaka, and is only a block from Kydatheneon | | | | contains collections of classical and Roman sculptures, |
| Street. Although not fancy, the renovation helped | | | | Mosaic floors from the Hellenistic period and |
| this hotel tremendously with comfort and | | | | more.While in Athens, Greece you will want a cell |
| appearance!Cecil HotelThis hotel is in a neo-classical | | | | phone for use and with the local GSM service you'll |
| building located in old Athens. It's near the Ancient | | | | be amazed at how much better the service is in |
| Market and the New City Market. The central | | | | Athens than back home. Virtually everywhere in |
| pedestrian street is also nearby. The Lycabettus Hill, | | | | Athens and Greece, yes even islands and mountains, |
| the Syntagma, the Acropolis and the Philopappus are | | | | is covered by superb GSM cell phone service. With a |
| all near as well.Hotel AttalosThe Hotel Attalos is | | | | local service provider all your incoming calls are 100% |
| located near the Monastiraki Flea Market and Metro | | | | free and calling the states is just $.84 / minute. Or, to |
| Station, and only a five-minute walk to the Acropolis | | | | be 100% sure, you can rent a satellite phone and as |
| and Plaka. It offers air conditioning for the rooms, | | | | long as you can point it to the southern hemisphere |
| breakfast and a rooftop cafe where you can view | | | | you'll get service across Europe. Free incoming calls |
| the Parthenon.St. George LycabettusThis is a deluxe | | | | day and night from every country on earth and only |
| hotel that has its own restaurant, bar, swimming pool | | | | $1.99 to call any country, always.For more information |
| and more. It's located in Kolonaki and is only a | | | | on renting/buying these type of phones and getting |
| 15-minute walk to Plaka. Rates are really good if you | | | | this type of super low cost service take a look at or |
| travel in August.The Hotel HiltonThe Hotel Hilton is a | | | | call 800-514-2984 inside the States or 925-686-9945 |
| deluxe hotel with four restaurants, a health club, | | | | from outside. They ship worldwide and are based in |
| shops, in-house movies and more! There are many | | | | California.Cell phone use overseas. In 99% of the |
| great features about this hotel, but if you stay here, | | | | world the local cellular service standard is called GSM. |
| you'll have a long walk to the Plaka.Hotel Divani | | | | We use this in the states as well. When combined |
| AcropolisAnother hotel in the deluxe category, the | | | | with a SIM CARD (which usually goes under the |
| Hotel Divani Acropolis offers a restaurant, great | | | | battery of the phone) the phone is able to |
| rooms, a roof garden, a pool, air conditioning and | | | | communicate and the SIM CARD also holds the |
| heat and conference facilities. It is only a five-minute | | | | telephone number and memory for pre-paid credit. |
| walk to the Acropolis and the Plaka.The Athens | | | | Rates can be extremely low using this system. For |
| CentralThis is a lovely hotel located in the Plaka that | | | | example in 99% of all SIM CARDS incoming calls are |
| has been renovated to a more modern style. It | | | | free and calls to the states can cost a trifle. Such as, |
| offers a great view of the Acropolis and city from | | | | from the UK to the USA 7 cents/minute, from Israel |
| the roof garden and many of the rooms. The rooms | | | | 22 cents, from Australia 27 cents. Yes, USA Dollar |
| have air conditioning and television. The hotel has low | | | | cents! There are today even prepaid service |
| rates also.Hotel Royal OlympicThe Hotel Royal | | | | providers in the USA offering rates of 10 cents per |
| Olympic is located only ten minutes from the | | | | minute to call anywhere in the US to any type of |
| Syntagma and the Plaka. It offers air conditioned | | | | phone. No contracts, no credit card checks, no bills. |
| rooms with satellite television, a restaurant and bar, a | | | | Pre-paid always means no minimums no contracts, no |
| garden pool and more!Athens IntercontinentalThis is | | | | obligations. You only pay for the calls made. You'll |
| another deluxe hotel with in-house movies, a health | | | | need an unlocked GSM tri-band or quadband |
| study, shops, a bank, four restaurants, etc. It is | | | | UNLOCKED phone. You can buy factory unlocked |
| located 20 minutes from the Plaka if you go on | | | | phones and sim cards for more than 170 or the 193 |
| foot.Museums in AthensWhile in Athens, don't forget | | | | countries on earth from Tel. |