Athens - Surroundings

This site of Achárnes was occupied from Mycenaean times, and in the classical period, as Acharnai, it was a place of some consequence. It is the setting of Aristophanes' comedy "The Acharnians". The village is reached from Omónia Square by way of Vathis Square and Liossion Street. 3km/2mi south of Achárnes, on the west side of the road, is a Mycenaean tholos tomb.

The ancient acropolis was on a hill to the west, 12km/7.5mi from Athens.

The American School of Classical Studies Fund, located in Athens, perform digs in Greece. They often hold seminars on archeological topics.

In the Athens Railroad Museum various locomotives and coaches can be admired. The oldest rolling stock in the museum dates from the second half of the 19th C., and includes some trains used by the Greek King George I and the Ottoman Sultan Abdul Aziz. In recent years some old steam locomotives and trams have been lovingly restored. Old railroad equipment and models complete the display.

13km/8mi south of the Athens city center is the coastal town of Ayios Kósmas. The town gets its name from a former monastery, the church of which stands on a rocky promontory. Traces of settlements here go back to the third millennium B.C. Some researchers believe that this was the site of the ancient Kolias Akra, where Persian ships were destroyed after the battle of Salamis in 480 B.C.

The Omorphi Ekklisía or "Beautiful Church" is a 12th C. domed cruciform church which owes its name to its graceful proportions and its handsome exterior of carefully fitted dressed stone. In the 14th C. a chapel was built on to the south side and a painter of considerable quality, probably from Salonica, embellished the interior with fine frescoes, which were restored in 1957.

The church is located in the suburb of Galátsi, 8km North of Athens city centre.

Prominent figures from Greek history have been recreated at the Wax Museum of Greek history in Ioannina.

Situated at an altitude of 460m/1,510ft on the north side of Pentélikon, on the road from Drosiá to Néa Mákri, is the village of Dionysius, one of the most popular resorts around Athens. On the outskirts of the village is a sanctuary of Dionysos, which belonged to the ancient city of Ikaria, home of Thespis, who produced the first tragedy in Athens in 534 B.C. The introduction of vine-growing was attributed to King Ikarios.

The Marika Kotopouli Museum is housed in the former holiday home of actress Marika Kotopouli, and contains temporary exhibits of modern art. The house is an attraction worth visiting regardless of the exhibits. It has been restored by the municipality and is known for it's distinctive architecture and beautiful interior.