Jaunted - Athens

New Acropolis Museum Reopens Age-Old Debate Over Elgin Marbles

Victor Ozols — 2009-06-20T12:41:57-05:00

Today's a big day in the world of Greek antiquities, as the massive New Acropolis Museum in Athens opens its doors to the public for the first time. The fancy new building was designed by architect Bernard Tschumi, and incorporates classic and contemporary elements to display 4,000 artifacts, more than ten times the number of the inadequate old museum it replaces. The New York Times has a nifty article and slide show of the $200 million museum, which it calls "one of the highest-profile cultural projects undertaken in Europe in this decade."

Tour Athens With Nia Vardalos in 'My Life In Ruins'

cmb — 2009-06-05T14:37:06-05:00

My Life in Ruins, a new rom-com in theaters today, stars Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) as a tour guide in Athens who accidentally falls in love. The plot is as dull as it sounds, but Vardalos' character's chosen profession does provide some great vistas of the city. Taking a cue from Nia, here is our guide to the best of all that Athens has to offer:

Declaring Our Independence in Greece

egw — 2009-03-18T13:36:40-05:00

On March 25, Greece celebrates its independence as won from the Ottoman Empire as won between 1821 and 1829. The occasion is typically celebrated with military parades; New York's Greek population is even having one, albeit not until April 26th.

In the Athens airport, you can celebrate your independence every day with free WiFi via the Wiz portal. We hear you're limited to 45 minutes, though, so make sure to take full advantage (or wait to log on if you've got a long layover).

Feel free to share your airport WiFi experiences.

Related Stories:
· Independence Day in Greece [ExploreCrete.com]
· From Bengal to Nepal, Happy Diwali [Jaunted]
· Airport WiFi Map [Jaunted]

Greek Rioters Still Trying To Ruin Christmas

pbb — 2008-12-18T15:00:32-05:00

And you thought the anarchists had given up: Riots that were touched off by the killing of a teenager earlier this month, but were more broadly caused by economic concerns and growing dissatisfaction with the government of Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis flared up again today in Athens. After breeching security at the Acropolis earlier this week and continuing to chuck molotov cocktails at police, today rioters attempted to burn down Athens' new Christmas tree--new because they torched the old one last week.

Just days ago, Athens seemed poised for recovery. But today, police are again warning holiday shoppers and tourists away from downtown, partly because the teenage son of a teacher's union official was shot in the hand Wednesday night. The UK's Foreign Office recommends avoiding downtown as well. For its part, the US State Department is staying mum on conditions on the ground in Greek capital.

After the jump, four very different video looks at the December riots, now in their 13th day.

So What Makes A Place Overrated?

egw — 2008-12-16T13:21:32-05:00

<![CDATA[<img src="/files/5957/sadsuitcaselady.jpg"> This time of year, it can be fun to throw around the word "overrated" in its pop-culture sense--for example, a lively debate about the most overrated movie of 2008. (As opposed to, "Bernie Madoff's investment prowess was, in retrospect, overrated.") But what makes a trip or a destination overrated? For the Los Angeles Times' Leon Logothetis, it's all about the people you meet. Logothetis singles out cities like Prague and Athens for particularly negative interactions with the locals; in Paris, no one would speak English to him even when they were able, and a cab driver ripped him off in Moscow. We tend to believe people in other countries were not put there for our own edification, but everyone has his own yardstick for determining whether a place is overrated. We'll get started with a few of ours right here; won't you <a href="http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/12/16/114137/82/travel/So+What+Makes+A+Place+Overrated%3F#postform">add yours in the comments</a>? First and Foremost: Hype: This can be a very personal scale, although many destinations come packaged with universally recognized "You're gonna love it!"s. We went to New York City for the first time too young to be exposed to the hype, but for many first-timers, that initial cloud of bewilderment never lets up. If no one you know has been to a city like Bilbao, you could end up loving it. (Or did we just overhype it right there?) Comparative Demand: Logothetis mentions the masses of tourists who "move along the Charles Bridge like zombies" in Prague, and while it doesn't seem fair to completely discount a place because everyone else is there, high-season crowds can put the most seasoned traveler off. Long lines can create Disney-sized anticipation or Sartre-esque ennui. And those crowds may suggest something more damning to a destination: That beyond the tourist track, there isn't much of a public life for visitors to join. Responding to the LA Times article, Village Voice columnist Michael Musto came up with his own list, and of Vienna he writes, "What a snoozy town of old farts! I swear by 9 pm, there isn't a light on in the whole place. You could crap into a streetcorner garbage can and be the most exciting person in town." Money, or This Way To The Egress: As much as Logothetis comes off as a bit of a Scrooge in his Moscow tale, it's hard to go to a place where the attractions are free and truly deem it overrated. He's not just being cheap: Destinations that entice you there specifically with the intent on getting you to spend money are tourist traps, but destinations that promise an unforgettable experience for your money are overrated. That's the difference between South of the Border and, say, Iceland, where Foreign Policy warns "you wont run into Björk in a bar." Related Stories: · <a href="http://travel.latimes.com/articles/la-tr-overrated7-2008dec07?content=p%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Ci%3Etravel%40latimes.com%3C%2Fi%3E%3C%2Fp%3E&single_page=y#show">Athens Overrated? Yes, and There's More Such Travel Spots</a> [LAT] · <a href="http://blogs.villagevoice.com/dailymusto/archives/2008/09/the_most_overra.php">The Most Overrated Destinations In The World</a> [Village Voice] · <a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=3921">World's Most Overhyped Vacation Spots</a> [Foreign Policy] · <a href="http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/10/3/13170/1564/travel/Celeb+Dining+Travel%3A+Three+Mexican+Restaurants+in+New+York+Better+Than+Dos+Caminos">Three Mexican Restaurants in New York

Tourists Reappear as Riots Abate in Athens, But Tension Remains

Victor Ozols — 2008-12-14T13:12:23-05:00

It's been eight days since the killing of a 15-year-old boy by police in Athens touched off riots across the country, and things are finally starting to calm down. The AP reports that open-topped buses filled with tourists have returned to the city's famous historical sights, while the bars and cafes in the Thissio district, with its sweeping views of the Acropolis, are once again packed with patrons. The scene was quite different a week ago, when angry youths clad in red-and-black - some of whom identified themselves as anarchists - took to the streets to protest the killing by overturning garbage cans, looting stores, and scuffling with police. While most Greeks deplore the violent tactics of the rioters, a significant number of citizens have legitimate grievances against the government, not only about the police shooting, but a host of economic and social issues as well. It's sad to think that the country that created the basic fundamentals of philosophy and rule of law could degenerate so dramatically. Perhaps the rioters and government officials both need to take a tour through the Parthenon and other ancient centers of Greek justice, democracy, and scholarship for a reminder of the heights their nation was once able to reach, and ought to aim for again.

[Photo: destination360.com]

Related Stories:
· Greece Calm After 8 Days of Riots [USA Today]
· Democracy in Athens Temporarily On Hold [Jaunted]
· Riot Coverage [Jaunted]

Democracy In Athens Temporarily On Hold

pbb — 2008-12-09T17:22:54-05:00

OMG, Greece! The land of dank tavernas, crumbling temples and ouzo pounding, cigarette huffing Paris Hilton exes is going absolutely bananas right now, after the funeral of the 15-year-old shot by police Saturday.

Gangs of red-and-black-clad anarchists are roving the streets of Athens, smashing windows and chucking molotov cocktails at cops, while smaller interest groups are using the unrest to rally for their pet causes. Some rioters even burned the city's Christmas tree, a total dick move.

While tourists were spared the full force of the violence until now--at least as long as they stayed indoors--the riots are now touching everyone: A strike will completely shut down all airports in the country Wednesday, and hotels came under heavy assault on Monday. The brutes didn't even spare a life-sized diorama of The Nutcracker!

[Photo: xamogelo]