Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/604875
52 | Athens As thriving of a metropolis as ever, visitors say that the golden age of Athens is not yet over. Inhabited since the Neolithic Age, this capital of Greece and unofficial historical capital of Europe is a destination with neighborhoods of unhurried stillness and exciting whirlwinds. For instance, Psiri is a designated nightlife neighborhood, where craftsmen and boutiques call by day and ouzeries and bars bustle by night. Wealthy Kolonaki Square's cafés and high-end shopping delights, and the Thission neighborhood—between Phillipapou Hill and the world-famous Acropolis—features tavernas, more cafés, and restaurants. Not to be forgotten is the shopping avenue of Ermou Street, part of the largest pedestrian zone in all of Europe, starting behind Syntagma Square. Here, sunny days can be lost among international brands and authentic Greek goods, making for a wonderful place for visitors to begin their journeys into the past. Archeological sites in this cradle of Western civilization number over 100, with the most emblematic being the Acropolis, followed by the Theater of Herod Atticus, Theater of Dionysius, the Ancient Agora, and the sacred Erechtheion, where the original olive tree the goddess Athena gifted her city stands. No less impressive are the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian's Arch, the Parliament, and Zappeion, all spreading south of the Vasilissis Sofias. Near the National Garden, the Panathinaiko Olympic Stadium, originally constructed in 330 bce and rebuilt for the first modern Olympic Games, is a monumental testament to the longstanding architectural traditions of Greece. Farther afield is Delphi, where the mysticism of its oracle tradition feels as deep-seated and natural as the trade of the region's cheeses and olives. AThens