Syntagma Square
Syntagma Square or Constitution Square is the main square in Athens and
has a metro station, the Greek Parliament building, hotels, cafes, and a post
office.
Syntagma Square
Photo by Donna Dailey
The main square of Athens, Constitution Square (or Plateía Syntagmatos in Greek), is one that every visitor should see – and at some point probably will. The metro station is one of the busiest in the city, and the square has newspaper kiosks selling foreign papers, several hotels, banks, ATMs, and currency exchanges.
There’s also a main post office, though its street address is Mitropoleos 2, just round the corner at the south-west corner of the square. Syntagma Square also has public toilets, and some outdoor sculptures to enjoy. In addition, this is where the X95 bus to and from the airport stops, along the southern side of the square, and local buses too.
Syntagma Square
Photo credit: puthoOr photOgraphy on Visualhunt
Small gardens, shady cafés and a fountain down one side all make for a pleasant break for Athens’ office workers at lunchtime, and for visitors too. You’ll pay a little more for your coffee but it’s the perfect place to hang out and people-watch.
Hotel Grande Bretagne
The Hotel Grande Bretagne on Syntagma Square
On one side is the distinguished Hotel Grande Bretagne, almost a tourist attraction in its own right. Richard Strauss, Elizabeth Taylor and Sir Winston Churchill have been among the guests. Churchill would have remembered the experience as it was during World War II and an attempt was made on his life there!
Our Pick of the Athens Guides
Greek Parliament Building
The hotel was built in 1862 as an annexe to what was then the royal family's summer palace and is now the Greek Parliament Building, or Vouli, at the top of the square. In front of this is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, guarded by the Greek soldiers known as Evzones, whose Changing of the Guard ritual is one of the most popular tourist attractions. It is an impressive, precise and dramatic routine, with the guards dressed in their colourful traditional costumes.
The Changing of the Guard on Syntagma Square
Syntagma Square Metro Station
Syntagma metro station, the hub of an ever-expanding system, not only provides many useful transport links but also offers visitors a glimpse of what lies below the busy streets of the modern
city. It features a display of archaeological finds uncovered during the
excavations of the transport system, and a diorama of the square as it would
have looked in the past.
Some other Athens pages
Athens Airport car rentals include Alamo/National Car Rental, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt, all with offices at the airport.
If visiting Athens it helps to know when major events and public holidays take place, as some shops and attractions may be closed, but to be there at times like Easter can make for a magical trip.
This beginner's guide to Greek architecture explains how to tell your Ionic from your Doric columns, and what to look for in temples and Byzantine churches.
If you're wondering where to eat in Athens and Piraeus we have a few suggestions including some favorites around the Acropolis, Omonia Square, and Syntagma.
The Greece Travel Secrets guide to the original Athens Olympic Stadium, built for the 1896 Olympic Games and open to the public for jogging and photography.
Ten Fun Things to Do in Athens include eating in the Central Market, watching the sun set over the Acropolis and seeing one of the world's oldest theatres.
The beach resorts of Athens are easily reached from the city and also close are Cape Sounion with the Temple of Poseidon, ancient Marathon and Rafina's port.
The Athens Museum of Cycladic Art houses a remarkable collection of Cycladic figurines and other items and is one of the best museums in Athens.
The National Archaeological Museum is one of the best things to see in Athens, and the best museum in the world for seeing Greece's archaeological treasures.
Easter in Athens is, like everywhere in Greece, the biggest religious celebration of the year and this page tells you what to expect over the Easter weekend.
The Athens War Museum is a fascinating look at Greek history through the lens of warfare from ancient battles to the Greek War of Independence and World War II.
The Changing of the Guard in Athens takes place outside the Parliament building at the top of Syntagma Square and is a must-see for visitors.
Athens, an Eater's Guide to the City, is published by Culinary Backstreets, who do walking food tours in Athens and the book recommends the best places to eat.
Piraeus is the port of Athens from where many ferries to the Greek islands depart, and it also has an Archaeological Museum and the Hellenic Maritime Museum.
Amusing children in Athens is easy as there is lots to do including a children’s museum, planetarium, beaches, and easy excursions to the nearest islands.
Greece Travel Secrets lists the ten best museums in Athens, with the top two being the National Archaeological Museum and the Acropolis Museum.
Greece Travel Secrets visits the Monastiraki Flea Market, followed by Sunday lunch at Sigalas on Monastiraki Square
The Athens Agora or ancient market is a must-see site and one of the best things to do in Athens with its restored arcade building, the Stoa, and its museum.
Athens International Airport is east of Athens city centre with its own Metro train station, buses to Athens and Piraeus, taxis and car rental offices.
In My Athens on Greece Travel Secrets travel writer Mike Gerrard describes what he loves about Athens including the Acropolis and eating!
This drive around Attica offers visitors high hills, beach resorts, small villages and classical sites like Marathon and the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion.
The Pnyx hill near the Acropolis is one of Athens' true hidden gems, a place to wander freely away from the crowds and discover ancient places and mysteries.
The Athens Acropolis has the city's most iconic building, the Parthenon, along with other historic buildings and is where the Elgin Marbles were taken from.
Athens culinary tours are among the food walking tours offered by an unusual company, Culinary Backstreets.
Athens' Benaki Museum is one of the city’s top museums with an outstanding collection, especially of Greek and Egyptian artefacts, in a beautiful mansion.
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