Last week, my parents treated the entire family to a cruise throughout Greece, including Athens, Mykonos, Crete, Rhodes and Santorini, with a side trip to Ephesus, Turkey. Athens was the starting point and certainly made for a great opportunity to appreciate what Greek civilization was capable of.
Staying at the Royal Olympia hotel, with views of the Temple of Zeus, we wandered around the city with zest - exploring the Acropolis (including the Parthenon) as well as many other landmarks dating back to the fifth-century BC.
Many don't know this, but Athens was actually the birthplace of democracy as well. In 508 BC, Athens became one of the first societies in ancient times to establish it. Democracy came from the Greek words, demos, meaning people, and kratein, meaning to rule. This form of government was used at a meeting place which the Greeks called the Assembly. Here, the citizens of Athens met monthly and discussed the affairs of state. There were no decisions made by government without first asking the Assembly. Nice concept, huh?
History lesson aside, once leaving the historic Acropolis, you're brought into a modern city with a ton of great restaurants, bars and discos. Our hotel was near the Plaka neighborhood, making it an ideal location to not only explore the ancient history of the city but also to have some great food just a few blocks away.
For more pictures from Athens, click here.
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