Ancient Sites And Amazing Shores

Want to mix a lively city break with a classic Mediterranean island escape? Go to the Greek capital

- Alice Barnes-Brown

Home to myths and misbehaving gods, Athens is Europe’s oldest capital. It has been at the heart of what it means to be Greek for more than 3,000 years, and something within its spirited streets draws me in. Maybe it’s ‘philoxenia’, or ‘love to strangers’, the Greek concept of hospitality. I benefitted as soon as I boarded the Aegean flight, when smiling stewards relieved my in-flight nerves with Kretikos white wine.

Great for INDEPENDENT EXPLORERS

If you can handle a two-hour bus journey out of Athens, the sunset views at Cape Sounion are breathtaking. Best enjoyed from the pool at the neighbouring Grecotel; capesounio.com

The first stop on any Athens tour is always the Acropolis. I get to the South Entrance early in the morning, so I’m at the top of the hill in time to watch the city come to life at my feet. Built in the 5th Century BC, the Parthenon is the Acropolis’ most famous resident, but the smaller monuments that surround it are equally fascinating. In the Agora archaeological complex, I stumble upon a perfectly preserved mini-Parthenon called the Temple of Hephaestus, built around 450BC. Apparently, it owes its mint condition to constant use – and, perhaps, the fact its namesake god is a stonemason.