Athens, a city full of history and a must see destination when travelling to Greece, is not an easy city to visit. What at first sight can appear just an agglomerate of cement, where the green spaces are few and far between, with heavy traffic and smog not much different from any other modern metropolis, is in fact a very interesting city with many picturesque corners and archaeological sites just there to remind you of its important past. You need time to visit Athens to fully appreciate a city with such cultural heritage. More than three million people live in the large conglomerate, almost a third of the total Greek population, therefore you must not be in a rush if you want to appreciate what Athens has to offer. The narrow streets at the foot of the Acropolis and the old central areas of the Greek capital have preserved the most suggestive corners with obvious oriental influences; the urban scenery is broken by small Byzantine churches and elegant buildings of classic style built in the 19th century, ruins from classic history and jewels of incomparable beauty. The famous temples that have commanded the city from the top of the Acropolis for 25 centuries are impressive. The Plaka district, one of the most ancient and characteristic areas in Athens, is one of the most visited not only because of its position at the foot of the Acropolis but also because it is the place to find the traditional Greek tavernas, typical restaurants to dine at the sound of traditional music, the lively bars and cafes and the charming souvenir shops. To find some suggestive spots in this tourist mayhem you just need to find those quiet streets nearby, narrow tiny streets made of steps on the northern side of the acropolis and pretend that you are very far from the metropolis. At the edge of the of the archaeological area and the Plaka there is the heart of the ancient Turkish district that still has some characteristic corners of oriental influence. At the centre of the square (platia Monastiraki) the Byzantine church of Pantanessa that was built in the 10th century has been modified many times since then. The building with the cupola is the Bazar Mosque which was built in 1759 and today is the museum of Greek Ceramics. West of the square, the narrow streets with no access to cars are packed with little souvenir shops and good bargains. Here, it is still possible to find objects from the local traditional crafts, mainly copper, silver and cast iron items, and little antique shops selling interesting objects for everyday use. There is also a charming flee market on Sunday mornings. Athens is a place of many facets and can offer to the person willing to look hard enough a fantastic experience in a journey between ancient and modern times.