Return to Athens

Greece is famous worldwide as the cradle of human civilization. Here gods still stride the heights of Olympus and Parnassus, and Homer's heroes still sail wine-dark seas to island adventures. In Athens, preparations are under way for the return of the Olympics in 2004. Greece has a history stretching back more than 4.000 years. The people of the mainland, called Hellenes, organized great naval and military expeditions, and explored the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, going as far as the Atlantic Ocean and the Caucasus Mountains. One of those expeditions, the siege of Troy, is narrated in the first great European literary work, Homer's Iliad. Numerous Greek settlements were founded throughout the Mediterranean, Asia Minor and the coast of North Africa as a result of travels in search of new markets.

Athens is the wellspring of Western civilization, with such ancient glories as the Parthenon and the Theater of Dionysus, where works of Euripides were first performed. The ancient Odeon of Herod Atticus is the showplace each summer of the Athens Festival. Olympia, on the Peloponnesian peninsula, is the origin of the Olympic Games, first held there in 776 B.C. In 2004, the Games return, this time to Athens. The ruins of Mycenae, 600 years old when the Parthenon was built, reveal the Atreus Treasury, defense walls and monumental Lion Gate from the palace of Agamemnon, Troy's epic foe. Sparta once was the mightiest of the city-states. In Corinth, the ruins of the Agora and the Temple of Apollo are still visible.

Mous'o Ethnik-Arkheologik-(National Archaeological Museum)
This great archaeological museum, built in 1886, houses the glories of Greek civilization from the Stone Age through the Roman era. The museum is especially rich in statuary, tomb art, amphorae, friezes, and silver and gold artifacts.

Mous'o Akropolis (Acropolis Museum)
Atop the Acropolis, this small museum preserves the priceless statuary from the archaic to the classical periods, which were discovered or removed from buildings on the Acropolis to protect them from further damage from the polluted outside air.

Akropolis (The Acropolis)
An acropolis in ancient Greece was a fortified hill or cliff (the word means "high town"); many Greek towns had (and have) an acropolis.

Anafiotika
In the mid-19th century, shortly after Greek independence, a law allowed anyone to build homes on the northern slopes of the Acropolis, as long as they could do so during the hours of sunset and sundown.

Adrianos' Gate
Located on Amalia's Boulevard, it was built by Emperor Adrianus in the early second century. Behind it remain the ruins of Olympian Zeus' Temple, the largest Temple of Ancient Greece.

Tours & Trips
In Athens, the National Tourist Organization should be able to help you plan some excursions through the capital and beyond. Given the extraordinary beauty and historical interest of Greece, visitors should definitely plan to travel outside of Athens. Short jaunts by hydrofoil to the surrounding Saronic Gulf islands are an ideal way to get away. Other ferries sail from Piraeus to the islands of the Aegean Sea. To avoid the inconveniences of independent travel, you may wish to arrange an Aegean cruise.

Is Greece Safe?
The people throughout Greece are very friendly and are always willing to help. Do however be cautious and well aware of your personal space at all times. Never let someone you do not know watch your luggage and never accept rides from anyone other than official taxi drivers.

Remember: you are in another country with a different set of social rules and regulations. What might be acceptable at home is not necessarily acceptable abroad. Ask questions and find out more about your city. Learn to adapt to different cultures and customs, part of your study abroad experience is to learn more about the world around you, be open and friendly.

There is a commonly based assumption that Athens ranks as one of our most heavily polluted cities. In a list of the twenty largest and dirtiest cities of the world (which include Athens and New York), Athens doesn't feature (statistics, the UN: a prediction for the year, 2,000). Athens reputation as the most polluted city in Europe is based more on myth than on fact.

What is the local currency?
The unit of currency in Greece is the Drachmas.

Are a passport, visa, or vaccinations necessary?
No vaccinations are required. Visas only required if staying over 60 days.

How do you get there from here?
Athens has a International airport (Ellinikon Airport) with good connections to Europe and North America.

How do I get to your school?
From Athens airport (Ellinikon Airport) , you can ride a yellow and blue express bus to Syndagma Square or Omonia Plaza Square, or the blue bus to Piraeus. The fares go up and the buses run less often after midnight. Leading hotels offer scheduled bus shuttles to and from the airport.

To Athens airport: These buses both leave from Syntagma Square in front of the Macedonia - Thrace Bank or from Stadiou Street near Omonia Square.

Express Line Bus No. 091: Omonia to/from the East Terminal
Express Line Bus No. 090: Omonia to/from the West Terminal
Express Line Bus No. 19: Piraeus to/from the Charter Terminal

There is also a taxi rank at the airport and during the day the trip into the center should be less than Drs 2,000 (between 24.00 and 05.00 the tariff is double) including luggage and airport surcharges. It is a good idea to ask the taxi-driver approximately how much you will have to pay to your destination and complain loudly if it sounds extortionate. If you are obviously a foreigner there is a temptation to overcharge which is not always overcome.

How do I get around Greece?
How to get about in Athens takes a while to learn and this is where we can give you some hints to cut down on wasting precious time (and money) during your stay. There are buses from the airport (see below for details) which go right into the center of Athens, you pay Drs 160 for this (at night Drs 200) buying your ticket on the bus. Don't forget to "validate" your ticket in the little orange machine once inside, it is easy to do and there are directions. If you are confused at first, someone is sure to help you.

The tickets for city buses are available at most kiosk (periptera) or at booths near the bus stations and they cost Drs 75 each. You can find the timetables below.

There are minibuses which take you round the center of Athens and they use the same Drs 75 tickets, you can find details of their routes on the little map at the bus stops, which are red to differentiate them from the other buses.

Although bus tickets are similar to metro tickets you cannot use them on the metro. Metro tickets are sold at the stations and vary in price. All over the city you will see where the new Olympic Metro is in construction, due to finish in 1997. However the existing metro runs from Kifissia - a cool and pleasant northern suburb - to Piraeus, right to the docks where most of the boats to the islands are to be found.

What is the weather like?
Greece has a generally mild climate with cool winters (55 -60F) and hot summers (85-95F). Bring lightweight clothing, sunglasses, and a hat in summer. In winter, spring, and autumn, a raincoat or umbrella might prove handy. Casual clothing is acceptable for most places and occasions, though you might need to dress up for the better restaurants. Comfortable walking shoes are a must.

Will my electrical gadgets work?
Current is either 110 or 220 volts AC, 60 Hz. You'll find plugs with two flat pins (110 volts) or with two round pins (220 volts). Visitors from abroad who wish to operate personal small electronic items, should bring a plug adapter and a transformer.

What is the best way to phone home?
To make local phone calls most kiosks have a telephone for public use and you pay the kiosk after the all which is timed by a small meter inside the kiosk. There are telephone credit cards sold by both OTE (the Creek Telephone Company) and many kiosks (Drs 1,300). Telephone calls can also be made at the OTE offices, the most central being Omonia Square, 15, Stadiou Street or 38 Patission Street near Victoria Metro station (open 24 hours).

It is smart to obtain an overseas phone card (they are usually free-of-charge) from your long distance carrier, such as MCI, AT&T or Sprint. MCI's Worldphone Program, for example, lets you phone the US/Canada from Greece at greatly reduced rates from what you would pay from the regular charge. The long distance carrier will give you a special number to call when placing your call.

What major holidays are there in Greece?
Feb 22 / Mar 25 / May 1 / May 31 / Aug 15 / Oct 28. The school is CLOSED April 8 -19 and Dec21 - Jan 10.