Athens

Athens is the capital and largest city of Greece, located in the southern part of the country near the Aegean Sea. The city lies in the Attica region and is surrounded by mountains, while its urban area extends toward the coast and the Saronic Gulf. Athens has a long history that reaches back thousands of years. In ancient times, it became an important centre of political life, philosophy, art and learning.

The Acropolis, a rocky hill rising above the historic centre, contains monuments such as the Parthenon and remains one of the city's best-known landmarks. Athens also played a major role in the development of democracy, particularly during the classical period of the 5th century BCE. Although the modern city is much larger than the ancient settlement, archaeological sites remain closely integrated with its contemporary urban landscape.

Athens has a Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and mild, wetter winters. Because the city is surrounded by mountains and lies close to the sea, local conditions can vary between different parts of the metropolitan area. Modern Athens is the country's main political, economic and cultural centre. It hosts the national government, Parliament, universities, museums and many cultural institutions.

The city is also an important transport hub, connected by roads, railways, metro lines, buses and the nearby port of Piraeus. Athens experienced major urban growth during the 19th and 20th centuries, especially after becoming the capital of the modern Greek state in 1834. Today, its streets combine ancient monuments, neoclassical buildings and modern neighbourhoods. This mixture reflects the many historical periods that have shaped Athens and helps explain why the city remains an important reference point for the study of ancient Greek civilisation.