In the ancient times, Agora happened to be the seat of political, commercial, administrative and social activity, the religious and cultural centre, and the seat of justice of Athens. It was only early in the 6th century, in the time of Solon, that Agora became a public area. During this time Peisistratus removed the other houses, closed wells, and made it the centre of Athenian government. He also built a drainage system, fountains and a temple to the Olympian gods. Cimon later improved the agora by constructing new buildings and planting trees. In the 5th century BC there were temples constructed to Hephaestus, Zeus and Apollo.

Buildings and structures of the classical agora included:

• Peristyle Court
• Mint
• Enneakrounos
• South Stoa I and South Stoa II
• Heliaia
• Strategeion
• Colonos Agoraios
• Tholos
• Agora stone
• Monument of the Eponymous Heroes
• Old Bouleuterion
• New Bouleuterion
• Temple of Hephaestus
• Temple of Apollo Patroos
• Stoa of Zeus
• Altar of the Twelve Gods
• Royal stoa
• Temple of Aphrodite Urania
• Stoa of Hermes
• Stoa Poikile

Many buildings were added later to this site. Those in place by the 2nd century included:

• The Middle stoa which sat across the sanctuary, in front of the Heliaea
• A small Roman temple was added in front of the Middle stoa.
• An Altar of Zeus Agoraios was added just to the east of the Monument to the Eponymous Heroes.
• The Temple of Ares, dedicated to Ares, the god of war, was added in the north half agora, just south of the Altar of the Twelve Gods.
• The Odeon of Agrippa and accompanying gymnasium were added in the centre of the agora.
• The substantial Stoa of Attalos was built along the eastern edge of the agora.
• A collection of buildings were added to the south-east corner: the East stoa, the Library of Pantainos, the Nymphaeum and a temple.

Standing amidst the hustle and bustle of the city life of Athens, is the Cape Sounion in Attica which mermerizes the tourists with its serene beauty. The area takes pride in its temple of Poseidon which stands overlooking the sea. You have to make your way up the hill through gift shops and a restaurant to this residence of Lord Poseidon.

The statue of Poseidon is now in the safe hands of the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, but the temple makes the presence of the Lord felt and it seems that the Temple of Poseidon, with its magnificent view of the Aegean, serves the role of sea watcher from the high promontory. Beneath the promontory of Poseidon, there is a small resort area offering several hotels and anchorage for yachts.

The temple was built by Pericles during the Golden Age of Greece and flaunts the plain Doric style. When you reach the top, you stand at one point of a magical triangle which the ancient Greeks enjoyed – from Sounion, you could see the Temple of Aphaia on the island of Aegina, and the Acropolis itself.

Tourists can reach Sounion easily by bus from Athens, or by organized day tours. Though sunset happens to the preferred time to visit Sounion, you can be an early bird if you want to avoid rush. When going up the hill, be careful on the alternately rough or slippery rocks. Also it is advisable to be on guard as there are no guard rails, chains, or anything similar for protection against a steep fall. Again, be prepared to face strong winds on the height.

Notoriously known as the concrete jungle, Athens, the capital of Greece, however, has no dearth of green spots where people can seek solace and refuse from the fast pace of urban life. In fact, if you take a walk in the area around the Acropolis and the large Philopapou Hill, located at a short distance away, you might as well get a feel of being in a forest. Let us take a look at some significant parks and gardens of Athens:

Philopappos Hill:
Philopappos was the grandson of the King of Commagene and a well-known donor of the city, having made a large number of significant bequests. On the top of the legendary Hill of the Muses, lies the burial monument of great Gaius Julius Antiochus Philopappos. Philopappos Hill offers enough greenery for nature lovers to take a stroll around, relax or click pictures.

Zappeion Garden:
Zappeion Garden, taking pride in the awe-inspiring Zappeion Hall (which is at present an exhibition hall), is open from sunrise to sunset. The Hall building itself was erected solely for the purpose to host the first modern Olympic Games in Athens.

Lycabettus Hill:
Lycabettus hill is an ideal starting point for many significant venues of Athens. You can view the Acropolis and the grandiose Olympic Stadium from above and then through a pedestrian path lined with century-old trees you can head towards the Mediterranean coast. The Lycabettus also has an open air theatre at the top which holds concerts and various other events during the summer months.

National Gardens:
Patronized by Queen Amalia, the National Gardens, displays a multitude of strolling paths, large shady trees, cool ponds and lots of greenery.

The Village Entertainment Park:
The Village Entertainment Park, as the name suggests, is an ideal spot for recreational activities right from shopping, dining, wellness to outdoor activities. The park features varied facilities like picnic tables, Mediterranean vegetation, spacious retail area with everything on fashion, news, books, music and electronics stores. The complex also comprises some 20 indoor cinemas, a multitude of cafes and restaurants, plus an outdoor playground for children, which annually hosts a number of children’s events.

Athens, the capital of Greece is considered to be the hub for arts and philosophy. It is well known for its democratic government as well as its cultural gains that influenced the whole of Europe. This city attracts a whole lot of tourists because of its wonderful beautiful monuments. The tourists are also advised to plan their trip and also book their hotels in advance before visiting Athens. It is considered to be the centre of economic, financial, political and cultural life in Greece. Basically, this city is an integral part of Greece. Below are the description of a few places that are a must watch for the tourists. One must definitely include these in their itineraries.

Lycabettus Hill
Lycabettus is basically a limestone rock with a height of around 1,000 feet. This rock gives a wonderful view of the entire city and is partially floodlit. You will have to trek a bit to reach the peak but the effort is worth it. There are small shops as well as restaurants up there. You’ll even come across a church.

The Agora
Agora is famous for its temple of Hephaestus. Earlier it was a spot where the military people assembled together to note down their duties and follow the orders given by the Emperor but now it is well known for its market place as well as minor monuments and the colonnade housing the museum.

Piraeus
Piraeus, situated in the outskirts of Greece is a wonderful port city with a population of around 175,695 people. This place can be extremely relaxing. If you still wish to explore this place then you may visit the Nautical Museum or Piraeus Museum.

National Archeological Museum
National Archeological Museum was established in 1829 is located in the Exarhia area in central Athens between Epirus Street, Bouboulinas Street and Tositsas Street. It is well known for its wonderful collection of Greek artifacts. This Museum attracts a lot of tourists and is considered to be a pride for Greece.

Cape Sounion and the temple of Poseidon
Cape Sounion is located at the southernmost tip of the Attica peninsula. Try to visit this particular place at the time of sunset. The view that it provides is breath taking. This spot basically contains the ruins Greek temple of Poseidon.