Arrived in Athens after nearly 40 hours of travel from Australia.....no thanks to our travel agent who must have organised the worst flights available. Needless to say we won't be using her again but would not allow our dream trip to be ruined. Picked up from the airport and taken to the 5 star Grand Bretagne.......home for the next 3 nights. So excited and ready to explore this ancient city.

Our hotel overlooked Syntagma Square and we had fantastic views of the Acropolis day and night from the restaurant. It felt surreal sitting eating breakfast looking at this amazing sight. Dominating Syntagma Square is the Greek Parliament building and in front of it is the Monument of the Unknown Soldier, guarded by the Evzones in traditional costume. Watching the changing of the guards was a major highlight – all the pomp and ceremony has to be seen to be believed.

Athens is the historical capital of Europe, with a long history, dating from the first settlement in the Neolithic age. In the 5th Century BC (the "Golden Age of Pericles") – the culmination of Athens’ long, fascinating history – the city’s values and civilization acquired a universal significance. Over the years, a multitude of conquerors occupied Athens, and erected unique, splendid monuments. In 1834, it became the capital of the Modern Greek state and in two centuries since it has become an attractive modern metropolis with unrivalled charm. A large part of the town’s historic centre has been converted into a 3-kilometre pedestrian zone (the largest in Europe) where it is easy to wander around locating ancient buildings down hidden alleyways or stopping at one of the many cafes.

We all come to see the Acropolis.... and it does not disappoint. Even if you don't care about archaeology or the fact that if it were not for the ancient Greeks you might be living in a far less civilized way, you can't come to Athens and not visit the Acropolis and see the Parthenon.. If you do nothing else on your visit to Athens, this is the one thing you should do.

Start at the temple of Olympian Zeus (6th c. B.C.), one of the largest in antiquity and close by Hadrian’s Arch (131 A.D.), which forms the symbolic entrance to the city.From there you climb up to the sacred rock of the Acropolis, the site of some of the most important masterpieces of worldwide architecture and art, the most renowned of which is the Parthenon temple which of course one must have the obligatory photo taken in front of!!. Apart from this, also impressive are the Propylaea, the temple of the Athene Nike and my personal favourite, the Erechtheion. While at the top you get the most magnificent sweeping views of the city.

Only 300m away from the sacred rock of Acropolis stands the impressive Acropolis Museum, one of the most important contemporary works of architecture in Athens. It is made of steel, glass and concrete and it houses 4,000 priceless finds from the Acropolis monuments that represent its history and function as the most important religious centre of ancient Athens. As you walk in you can look through the glass bottom floor and see excavations that are still being undertaken.

The “core” of the historic centre is the Plaka neighbourhood which has been inhabited without interruption since antiquity. When you walk through the narrow labyrinthine streets lined with houses and mansions from the time of the Turkish occupation and the Neoclassical period (19th c.), you will have the impression of travelling in a “time machine”. You will encounter ancient monuments, such as Hadrian’s Library (132 A.D.) and scores of bigger and smaller churches. We spent hours getting lost and then finding little treasures as well as coming across the Agora-Athens Central market where you can watch people buying and selling fresh vegetables, meat, fish etc. There are hundreds of shops from kitchy tourist to the workshops of some really great artisans and of course several good restaurants where you can sit outside and watch the world go by.

Other places of interest included the beautiful National Garden (40 acres), south of which stands the impressive Zappeion Mansion (1874-1888) which is now used as a cultural centre. Also the Panathenaikon (Kallimarmaro) Stadium, where the first Olympic Games in modern history were held (1896) and is still used as the official finish for the marathon.

Well we have had an action packed 3 days – not nearly long enough – but have already seen so many magnificent ancient sights I cannot wait to see what is to come as we head to Piraeus to join our cruise ship.

Enjoy the photos and Bon Voyage.........