Flights to Athens with Air France from ZAR 9,646*

Travel to Athens and take a journey into the heart and soul of Western civilization

Athens is a small city with a population of just under 700,000, but its influence far outweighs its size. Seen by many as having played a key role in the development of Western civilization and democracy, the heyday of the city-state of Athens was in the 4th and 5th centuries BC. The Greek capital underwent successive waves of occupation by Macedonians, Romans, Franks, Catalans and the Ottomans to name a few.

With Air France you can travel to Athens on regular flights from Johannesburg or Cape Town. Greece is in the same time zone as South Africa and uses the Euro. Its climate is characterized as Mediterranean, with low annual rainfall, hot Summers and pleasantly warm Spring and Autumn weather. Avoid booking airplane tickets to coincide with European school holidays (July/August), as Greece is a popular holiday destination for Northern Europeans. The country is a member of the Schengen Area, so the usual customs formalities apply.

Athens is obviously best known for its gems of classical architecture, above all, the Acropolis, an ancient citadel complex which contains a number of buildings. Instantly recognizable is the Parthenon, but the Temple of Athena Nike and the Erechtheion are also very beautiful, and somewhat less crowded. Just across the way from the Acropolis, the Areopagus offers views over the Agora and the Temple of Hephaestus, one of the best preserved ancient temples in Athens. The Agora also occupies an important place in early Christian religious heritage too, being the scene of a famous sermon preached by the Apostle Paul.

If your stay in Athens is only a brief one, one way of gaining an overview of the history of the city and the wider region in a short space of time is to visit the National Archaeological Museum. Its collection of Ancient Greek artefacts is absolutely second-to-none, making it one of the most significant museums in the world.

Modern Athens - often overlooked in favour of its classical counterpart, the modern city has a charm all of its own.

Visitors can easily forget that Athens is a living city that is about so much more than its archaeological remains, stunning as they are. A journey around the city will reveal hidden and not-so hidden gems. Syntagma square is the location of the Greek Parliament, the city's most exclusive hotels and the scene of the iconic changing of the guard, Greek style! Ermou Street, which connects the square with the district of Monastiraki, well-known for its second-hand market, has become one of the world's most exclusive retail addresses. Further to the northeast, the Panathenaic Stadium is a striking reminder of Greece's sporting heritage. This was the main venue for the first Olympic games of modern times in 1896 and was built on the site of the original stadium used for the athletics events of the Panathenaic games, an ancient Athenian sporting contest. The new stadium was built from marble taken from the old.

Athens is surrounded by a number of large mountains which provide a striking backdrop to the city as well as opportunities for rock-climbing, hang-gliding and mountain-biking! Still not convinced? Air France's special flight offers may help you make your mind up…