However, don't expect a relaxing, vacation style pace. For a city that relies so heavily on the tourist trade, the majority of Athen's residents, seem rather indifferent to outsiders. The pace of its citizens is more like New York, than Nepal. Trying to hail a cab is an art form. There are so few of them, that just the look of you may be enough to send them scurrying past. If you are fortunate enough to get the attention of a Greek cabbie, be prepared to let him know where you're going. If he's not going your way, you will probably be out of luck.You see, the most interesting aspect of Athenian taxi travel is their ability to pick up other passengers on their way and charge them the same fare (no going Dutch here). Don't expect to get dropped precisely at your destination either. You'll be let off at the closest point along the route that doesn't take the driver out of his way towards the next fare. One morning after returning from an island trip, we were picked up at the ferry terminal, with all our luggage, then dropped six blocks from home, with an added surcharge for the "convenience" of having the cab at the terminal !

Athen's attraction is primarily to play peek-a-boo. If you don't have a vehicle, one good option is chartering your own taxi. Negotiate a flat price to have him take you to the primary sights, The Olympic Stadium & The Acropolis. The driver should leave you at the Acropolis for awhile and take some more fares. Arrange to meet at a certain time and be dropped off in the "Old City" of Plaka. There you'll find tons of shops, bars and restaurants. It's typically tourist, but leather goods, souvenirs and jewellery can be had quite reasonably. Compare and do a lot of bargaining with the shopkeepers, and you can find some great deals. By the time your sightseeing is done, the smog, traffic, crowds and general craziness of this metropolis will have you running for the nearby port town of Piraeus and a waiting ferry for one or more of the glorious Greek islands. Next stop, Crete !