These are some of Athens’ most underrated mythical spots

A Cretaceous limestone hill in the heart of Athens, Mount Lycabettus stands at 277 metres above sea level. It happens to be the highest point in central Athens, although it is often ignored by visitors in favour of the Acropolis, which it overlooks. The Mount’s name probably stems from the wolves that populated the area in ancient times, seeing as lykos (λύκος) means wolf in Greek. 

In Greek mythology, the hill appeared after the goddess Athena dropped a rock from Mount Peletis she had been carrying to build the Acropolis. After a raven bought her some bad news, she accidentally dropped the rock and it became the Mount we know today. It is a beautiful hilltop covered in some stunning local fauna and flora and the view at the top alone is enough to make you want to reach the summit. To find out more information about visiting Mount Lycabettus, head to their official website. 

About 40 minutes outside of central Athens stands the majestic Temple of Poseidon. Located in Cape Sounion, the temple appropriately offers stunning views of the crystal clear waters. Evidence of temples in the area date all the way back to the 11th century B.C., however, experts place this specific temple at about 700 B.C. It is widely accepted that the original Archaic era temple that stood at this spot and was made of tufa was destroyed in 480 BC after the Persians invaded Greece under the leadership of Xerxes I. The temple was rebuilt after the Greeks defeated the Persians, under an initiative from Pericles. Its location is intentional; it makes sense to honour the God of the seas and weather in a spot where it would have been very visible from incoming ships.

The Pnyx was an important gathering space in 5th century Athenian society, where people would come together and hold assemblies, thus making it a pillar of the early days of Athenian democracy. The place would have been structured around this early form of democratic legislature to facilitate debate and public speaking. The Pnyx as a space embodies some fundamentals of Ancient Greek democracy such as ἰσονομία or “the equality of legal rights”, ἰσηγορία or “equal speech” and ἰσοπολιτεία or “the equality of civic rights”. Meaning any Athenian citizen (which only actually included free men born of Athenian parents) had the right to express their views on all kinds of political, social or economic issues concerning the city. 

Located only 1km west of the Acropolis, the Pnyx is an easily accessible site to visit. It’s a truly fascinating place to visit and a perfect way to learn more about the origins of Athenian democracy. 

This 1st century monument stands atop Mouseion Hill and serves as both a memorial and mausoleum in memory of Philopappos, a prince of the Kingdom of Commagene. When he died in 116, his sister’s grief was such that she wanted to have this monument built to honour his memory. The two-story structure of the monument is very impressive and gives an insight into Philipappos’ life and his high standing in Athenian society. The exact date of the damage to the building cannot be pinpointed but it is suspected to be sometime in the 15th century. Before that, the monument was intact. Only a fragment is seen today but it remains an impressive and often overlooked edifice to see while in the Greek capital. Further, the views of the city from the monument are very impressive and make for a fantastic sunset watching spot. Mouseion Hill is located in the centre of Athens, just southwest of the Acropolis making it very easy to find.

Keeping with the underrated theme of the article, we are suggesting you stay in one of Athens’ most overlooked areas: its riviera. There’s nothing quite like staying along the shimmering turquoise waters, away from the crowds of the city centre. Grand Resort Lagossini offers the very best of the Athenian Riviera, with excellent facilities, wonderful swimming pools and impeccable restaurants sprinkled throughout the resort.