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DESTINATIONS ATHENS | GREECE & CYPRUS


a travelweekly.co.uk


traditional city break won’t typically feature a boat trip to a verdant island, a heart-pumping


cycle up a mountain and a peaceful moment of reflection in a tortoise-filled garden. Yet that’s what Athens offers to the


traveller in need of both urban and unspoilt landscapes: pine tree-lined pathways and rural delights in the daytime and the comforts of city life, including an array of crowd- pleasing hotels, after dark. Here are some of the best experiences you can suggest to clients looking for a city break with a healthy dose of outdoor activities.


ELLINIKON EXPERIENCE PARK Between the glittering glass houses and all- day beach bars of the Athenian Riviera, an exciting project is taking shape: the Ellinikon. The city’s former airport has lain abandoned for about two decades, but is now becoming Europe’s largest coastal park, three times the size of Monaco. A small part of the planned park, the Experience Park, opened in December 2021. Easily accessible from Syntagma Square – it takes about 25 minutes on the metro to reach Elliniko station – the park is a fantastic place


for your clients to unwind, featuring a Zen garden with a mirror-like water feature and shady spots for yoga. It’s also designed with families in mind:


children are encouraged to play in the fountains and airport-themed playground, while adults can read a book under eucalyptus trees and relax on benches made from


recycled bits of runway in the herb garden. Book it: Newmarket Holidays’ week-long Classical Greece and the Ancient World adventure sets its Athens base in Glyfada, a glitzy neighbourhood next to the Ellinikon, giving clients plenty of time to pop out and enjoy the park. Prices start from £1,199, including flights and B&B accommodation. newmarketholidays.co.uk


HYMETTUS Better known to Athenians as ‘Trellovouno’, which means Crazy Mountain – Hymettus dominates the city’s eastern skyline. The 1,000-metre-plus peak is a popular place for Athenians to take a break: invigorating treks and cycle rides through bee-filled Aleppo pine and thyme forests are the main attraction, but daredevil climbs on sheer rock faces, home-cooked food from the


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