Athens, Capital city in Attica, Greece
Athens is the capital of Greece in the Attica region, a large city spread across hills and flatlands where modern residential zones mix with ancient remains. White residential buildings with flat rooftops cover the slopes surrounding the historic center where narrow pedestrian lanes wind between squares planted with orange trees.
The settlement emerged in the third millennium before Christ on the Acropolis rock before becoming a major city state of antiquity. After centuries under Byzantine, Frankish and Ottoman rule it was chosen as capital of independent Greece in the nineteenth century.
Street cafés remain open late into the night while locals sit on pavements engaged in conversation or people watching. On Sundays families gather for lunch in neighborhood tavernas where tables often stay occupied for several hours and young children play between courses.
Summer brings heat exceeding thirty degrees so many visitors plan morning visits and avoid afternoon hours. The city center can be explored on foot though slopes between neighborhoods may tire the legs.
Wild tortoises inhabit the paths of the National Garden near Parliament and often emerge between the feet of visitors resting in the shade. Small Byzantine chapels stand hidden in residential courtyards and open their doors only on specific feast days for neighborhood residents.
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