Athens Line (4): Melina Merkouri-Plaka
The winding medieval alleyways of Plaka, the old quarter below the Acropolis, are easily the most charming part of Athens.
Naturally, they are also the most visited, and in midsummer some streets can be packed with touts and cheap gift shops. But Plaka is also very good at concealing places of untouched delight and famous for its traditional taverns. Anafiotika, part of the old historical Plaka is the loveliest and quirkiest tiny neighborhood in Athens and it lies in northern east side of the Acropolis hill.
In the area around the station you can also visit: _Theatre of Dionysus (Dionissiou Areopagitoy Str.): The Theatre of Dionysus is a major open-air theatre and one of the earliest preserved in Athens. It was used for festivals in honor of the god Dionysus. It is estimated that the theatre was founded the sixth century BCE. It is sometimes confused with the later and better-preserved Odeon of Herodes Atticus, located nearby on the southwest slope of the Acropolis. Tel: +30 (210) 3224625 _ Odeon of Herodes Atticus: Built between 160 and 174 AD, is a typical Roman Odeon. The building was large and very luxurious. The marble concave, more than a semicircle, had a diameter of 80 meters and could accommodate 4800 spectators. In summer it hosts the Athens Festival. At 52 years of the Athens Festival, the scene of Herod Atticus hosted almost all the top names in international-and domestic-space of serious music, dance and theatre during the post-war years. Tel: +30 (210) 3241807.
