Walking through the history of the “Themistoclean Wall”

History and culture are as ingrained in the heart of Athens as marble and mortar. Steeped in history, Athens is a cosmopolitan ancestral city, land of great philosophers and leaders. At the lower level of Divani Palace Acropolis, you will find the artifacts of the”Themistoclean Wall”.

The “Themistoclean Wall” was named after the great Athenian Politician and General, Themistocles. His traits and skills on military and naval power were instrumental in ensuring Greece’s victory from its greatest threat, the Persians. Its construction started in 461 B.C., which followed Themistocle’s death.

Acropolis

(about 500 meters from the hotel, a 7-minute walk)

The Acropolis is an ancient citadel located on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens. Build in 5 B.C. by Pericles, it contains the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historical significance, with the most famous being the Parthenon. Also known as sacred Rock, this UNESCO world Heritage site is definitely synonymous with Athens.

New Acropolis Museum

(only 250 meters from the hotel, a 4-minute walk)

The first Museum was on the Acropolis, which was completed in 1874, however, due to the growing volume of archaeological treasures discovered the need for a new museum was created.

Operating since 2009, the modern Acropolis Museum, houses every artifact found on the Sacred Rock and on the surrounding slopes, from the Greek Bronze Age to the Roman and Byzantine Greece.

Herodium Theater

It was built in 161 AD by the Athenian magnate Herodes Atticus in memory of his wife, Aspasia Annia Regilla. It was originally a steep-sloped amphitheater with a three-story stone front wall and a wooden roof made of expensive, cedar of Lebanon timber. It was used as a venue for music concerts with a capacity of 5,000. It lasted intact until it was destroyed and turned into a ruin by the Heruli in 267 AD.

The audience stands and the orchestra (stage) were restored using Pentelic marble in the 1950s. Since then it has been the main venue of the Athens Festival, which runs from May through October each year, featuring a variety of acclaimed Greek as well as International performances

Plaka

(750 meters, about a 10-minute walk)

Plaka is the old historical neighborhood of Athens, clustered around the northern and eastern slopes of the Acropolis, and incorporating beautiful neoclassical architecture.

Most of the streets have been closed to automobile traffic. It is now an area of restaurants, Jewelry stores tourist shops, and cafes.

Though it is quite commercialized it is still a neighborhood and arguably the nicest neighborhood in central Athens.

Monastiraki Flea Market

(1.4 km, about 18 minutes on foot)

Shopping in Athens is a favorite pastime and the Flea Market at Monastiraki is one of the best places to buy about anything. The area is home to clothing boutiques, souvenir shops, and specialty stores, and is a major tourist attraction in Athens for bargain shopping. The best day to stroll around the streets of Monastiraki is on a Sunday morning, where you may also combine it with a walk towards Psiri area, which hosts a number of galleries and vintage stores.

National Gallery of Greece

(2.6 km, about 30 minutes on foot)

Impressive and fully renovated the National Gallery of Greece opened its doors again in March 2021 to celebrate the occasion of the 200th anniversary from the beginning of the Greek Revolution.

Here visitors will find a treasury of modern Greek art, from the post-Byzantine years to the present day: 20,000 works of painting, sculpture, engravings, magnificent collections proving that Greek Arts in the 19th century, followed the movements of the European avant-garde.

Athens has one more museum that will very soon belong in the circle of the great museums of the European Capitals.

Benaki Museum

(metro M2, allow about 20 minutes)

The Benaki Museum has several sites, but the main one is the former Benaki family mansion in central Athens.

The museum houses Greek works of art from the prehistorical to the modern times, an extensive collection of Asian art, hosts periodic exhibitions and maintains a state-of-the-art restoration and conservation workshop. Although the museum initially housed a collection that included Islamic art, Chinese porcelain and exhibits on toys, its 2000 re-opening led to the creation of satellite museums that focused on specific collections, allowing the main museum to focus on Greek culture over the span of the country’s history.

Syntagma Square

(1.5 km, a 20-minute walk, or metro M2, 10 minutes)

Syntagma Square or Constitution Square is the central square of Athens. It is located in front of the 19th century Old Royal Palace housing the Greek Parliament since 1934. Syntagma Square is the most important square of modern Athens from both a historical and social point of view, as it is at the heart of commercial activity and Greek politics.

International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos

Athens International Airport is 36 km from the hotel and easily accessible, with direct trains from Acropolis metro station.

The journey by car takes about 30 minutes.