Basic information about Athens

Athens is located in southeastern Greece, in the coastal prefecture of Attica. The city is surrounded on three sides by the Parnitha, Egaleo and Pendeli mountains, and on the fourth side by the Aegean Sea. Almost all year round Athens is warmed by the bright Balkan sun. The Greek capital has a very peculiar and complex topography, created by plains and 12 hills.

Can you tell the story of Athens in two words? The first mention of the city, named after the Greek goddess of war and wisdom, dates back to the 15th century B.C., which is the approximate date when Athens was founded.

During its centuries-long history, the current capital of Greece has experienced periods of prosperity and oblivion, passing through the Trojan and Peloponnesian Wars, Roman rule, the Crusades, the Ottoman invasion and World War II.

Athens now has a population of over 3 million people. The state language is Greek. The monetary currency of Greece is the euro (EUR).