Alain Robert

PhotoCredit:travelhouseuk

Alain Robert (born as Robert Alain Philippe on 7 August 1962), is a French rock and urban climber, from Digoin, Saône-et-Loire, Bourgogne, France. Known as "the French Spider-Man" (after the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man), or "the Human Spider", Robert is famous for scaling skyscrapers.  Robert has scaled 85 giant structures around the globe including many of the world's tallest structures, most of which he has scaled using only his bare hands and climbing shoes.  

Robert began climbing as a young boy, scaling rock cliffs in the area around his home. His buildering career began at the age of 12 when he forgot his keys and was locked out of his parents' eighth-floor apartment. Instead of waiting for them to return home, he simply scaled the exterior wall to his home.  In 1982 he suffered two accidents, the first in January at the age of 19 and the second in September at the age of 20. He fell 15 metres (49 ft) on each occasion. He suffered multiple fractures and now suffers from permanent vertigo.  The doctors considered him 60 percent handicapped and told him he would not be able to climb again. However, within 6 months he was climbing again. He kept taking on more and more challenging structures and improving his skills. He polished his rock-climbing skills in the French Alps before turning to buildings.

Source: Wikipedia

Greek Islands in Top 10 Summer Destinations

You are going to have many options when planning vacationsin Greece. There are many choices to make, but perhaps the mostdifficult revolves around when to go. Are you aiming to travel Greecewhen Greece tourism is slow, or are you looking for the summer partieson the islands? The good thing about Greece travel destinations is thatmany of them are historic sites. The ruins that are thousands of yearsold will still be there whether it is February or August. Suffice it tosay that there is no bad time to go to Greece, as vacations in Greeceare rewarding regardless of the season. 

You may think that to travel Greece during the winter months means that the islands are closed completely and that there isn’t much to do around the mainland other than visit the ruins. It can get pretty cold and wet during the months of November, December and January, but often in Athens and in the islands you can catch some warmer, sunny days. The islands,and Greece tourism can experience delays or cancellations due to rough seas. The number off lights or ferries heading to the islands significantly decreases, but you can still visit the islands if you are determined. While many of the larger resorts and tourist restaurants close for the off-season on the islands, but there are smaller hotels and restaurants still open.And, many of the restaurants that are open are popular with the locals,meaning the food is likely to be better.

















Islands like Mykonos, Crete, Rhodes and Santorini attract visitors year round, and many who rent their houses out in the summer return afterwards and claim the off-season is their favorite time.You simply get all the views to yourself, and a beach can be rewarding in the winter if you don’t mind the fact that the water can be cold.Prices during the off-season, specifically in the winter, are way down and it is a good time to snatch up those cheap flights to Greece.If you are a skier, you will love Greece in the winter.The mountains on the Peleponnese peninsula and in northern Greece get their fair share of snow, and the skiing can be pretty good.Many just don’t know about it.Of particular interest in the winter are the performances at both the Athens Concert Hall and the Thessaloniki weather is fairly temperate, although it can get pretty cold at times, and winter shopping bargains are easily found.  

As with the winter months, the fall and spring months can be veryrewarding in Greece. These are great months to plan vacations in Greeceif you are looking to enjoy the outdoors. Walks or hikes through theGreek countryside in spring can be particularly rewarding. Spring flowers are blooming all over the countryside and birdwatching is atit’s best. Eco-tours are great Greek tours to enjoy outside of thesummer months. 

















If you are looking for an “outside the box” idea forGreece travel destinations, try heading to the Greek mountains in thespring and fall and take a jeep tour to some of the areas most don’tknow about. You can find a lot of great weather if you travel Greece inthe spring and fall, and you will also find great hotel rates. May andSeptember just might be the best months to plan vacations in Greece.The weather is great and prices are still pretty low. 

Alas, we come to the summer, when Greece tourism is at its peak. Itcan get pretty hot in Greece during especially the months of July andAugust. These two months are the busiest in the islands, and while theferries and flights to the islands can get pretty crowded, this is thebest season to find the most number of them. Greek festivals and events can be found throughout Greece in the summer.The Hellenic Festival is in full swing in Athens, and performances at the Odeon of Herodes Atticustheatre and on Lykavittos Hill are popular draws for both Greeks andtourists. In July, wine enthusiasts can enjoy the wine festivals onCrete. Greece travel destinations most popular in the summer are, ofcourse, the beaches. The beaches in Greece are wonderful, offering something for everyone, and island beaches like Paradise Beach have nightlife that goes well into the wee hours.

There really just isn’t a bad time to travel Greece. The ruinsspread throughout the country will be there any time of year, and whenit comes to weather, well you just take advantage of whatever you get.When planning vacations in Greece, it can be as simple as decidingwhether suntanning and swimming in the Aegean Sea is your main focus,then go from there.

Source: destination360.com

Luxembourg City **

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a small country surrounded by Belgium, France and Germany, and its history has been inextricably linked with that of its larger neighbours. It is largely made up of rolling hills and forests.

Luxembourg has been under the control of many states and ruling houses in its long history, but it has been a separate, if not always autonomous, political unit since the 10th century. Today, Luxembourg is a hereditary Grand Duchy with a unicameral parliamentary system. 

Luxembourgish, the national language, is akin to German. German is the first foreign language for most Luxembourgers and is used in the media. French is the administrative language.  The economic structure of Luxembourg is based mainly in banking, insurance, and the steel industry. Agriculture and wine production are also important.

Many of Luxembourg's speciality dishes are of the type one would expect in a forested country. They include jugged hare and Ardennes ham. Trout and pike, fresh from the country’s rivers, also feature regularly on menus here.  Luxembourg shares the Moselle valley with Germany and the local white wines are well known and popular. Like other northern European countries, Luxembourg also produces popular brands of beer.

Source:europa.eu

Gewurztraminer ****

Gewurztraminer is the most typical Alsatian wine. Gewûrz means "spicy" in german. It is the main characteristic of Gewurztraminer. Traminer means "coming from Tramin", a small city in south Tyrol of Austria where the grape is coming from. Gewurztraminer is the name of a grape but also the name of the wine made from the grape!

Gewurztraminer was first grown in Alsace around the 19th century. The grapes now cover roughly 20% of the vineyards in the region. Gewurztraminer replaced a grape called Klevener or Savagnin. Nowadays klevener wines can only be found in the village of Heiligenstein and around. Klevener is a dry white wine with slight spicy flavor while less aromatic than Gewurz, it sould be drunk young.

It is obviously in Alsace where Gewurztraminer grapes give the best results. The wine is delicious, fruity and with strong aromas, a very perfumed and flowery bouquet. Gewurztraminer is sweeter than Riesling, which is a dry wine.

Thick and rich wine, which can age, Gewurztraminer is better with sauerkraut, sausages and the Alsatian cheese Munster, curry seasoned dishes, chinese and mexican cooking and other spiced dishes. A Gewurztraminer can even be served as a dessert wine.

Gewurztraminer is better when served at 10°C (50°F). Gewurztraminer can last up to 10 years in their best years. 

Source:terroir-france

Leberkase (Leberkäse) ***

Leberkäse is a traditional German food made from mixed ground meats baked into a loaf. Essentially, Leberkäse is the German version of meatloaf, featuring traditionally German ingredients, including liver and pork. Some German restaurants offer this delicacy on their menus, as do German butchers, and it can also be made at home and ordered from specialty companies that supply various European food treats.

In German, “Leberkäse” literally means “liver cheese.” One could suppose that the name is a reference to the fact that Leberkäse contains liver and that it can be used sort of like a cheese, but more likely, the term comes from a Middle High German word meaning “loaf.” You can also see Leberkäse spelled as Leberkase or Leberkass.

Austria and Switzerland also serve Leberkäse, reflecting the cultural exchange in this region of Europe, and some regions have their own special Leberkäse recipe, turning it into a local delicacy. In Bavaria, for example, Leberkäse contains no liver at all, only corned beef and bacon, while other producers include veal liver, other pork products, veal itself, and a variety of other meats. Onions are typically included in Leberkäse as well.

To make Leberkäse, cooks grind the meats they are using together with the onions to create a uniform blend, and then pack the ingredients into a loaf pan for baking. The Leberkäse is baked until it develops a crispy crust, with the outside remaining tender and pink. Leberkäse can be served hot, or eaten cold in a variety of ways. Leberkäse sandwiches with mustard, for example, are very popular in Berlin, and some people also like to pan-fry this food as a snack.

Culinary historians believe that Leberkäse dates to the mid-1700s, although it is hard to pin down precise information about its origins. Like other meatloaves, Leberkäse was undoubtedly developed as a way to use up scrap meats efficiently. Making Leberkäse would also be less expensive than using high-quality cuts of meat for roasts, making meat accessible to people in the lower classes who could not afford it otherwise. The dish may also be related to sausages, dishes made from ground meats packed into casings.

In regions where Leberkäse includes liver, the dish may not be to everyone's taste. Liver has a very distinctive flavor which some people find too intense. For people who want to explore Leberkäse without encountering liver, Bavarian-style Leberkäse is highly recommended, as it usually does not contain liver.

Source:wiseGeek

Discover Carcasonne *****

Carcassonne, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a beautifully restored fortified town, particularly famous as a Cathar stronghold during the Albigensian Crusades.

Visitors here cannot fail to be fascinated by the area's history. In the early 13th century the Catholic Pope launched a crusade against the Cathars. Languedoc was targeted as a Cathar stronghold and local people sought sanctuary in the impregnable hilltop fortresses where they endured many months of siege before succumbing. Many of the "heretics" were killed or burnt at the stake and the surrounding region was devastated. The proud ruins of many of these legendary fortresses, such as Quéribus and Peyrepertuse can be seen to this day, offering visitors an intriguing glimpse back in time as well as striking panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.

Carcasonne was lovingly restored in 1853 and today would not look out of place in a fairytale with its drawbridges and pointed towers. The town is actually divided into 2; the walled, medieval heart of the "Cité" and the commercial "Ville Basse" below. Most visitors head straight for the Cité and their first impressions are the splendid double ramparts surrounding the town, interspersed by 53 towers. Within the walls is the Château Comtal, built in the 12th century as home to the Trencavels, vicomtes of Carcassonne. Today there are guided tours and educational activities as well as a permanent exhibition about the restoration of the Cité.

Nearby, in the Place de l'église, is the Basilica of St-Nazaire. Described as "the jewel of the Cité" the cathedral was founded in the 11th century. Originally built in a Romanesque style, the gargoyles and more recent alterations give the building a more Gothic appearance.

A "petit train" regularly departs from the Porte Narbonnaise to give visitors a tour of the turrets and ramparts. And nearby, just outside the city walls is the Museum of the Middle Ages where visitors can enjoy a scale model of the city as well as interactive exhibits.

Source:ezinearticles

Quiche ****

In French cuisine, a quiche (English pronunciation: /ˈkiːʃ/) is a baked dish that is based on a custard made from eggs and milk or cream in a pastry crust. Usually, the pastry shell is blind baked before the other ingredients are added for a secondary baking period. Other ingredients such as cooked chopped meat, vegetables, or cheese are often added to the egg mixture before the quiche is baked. Quiche is generally an open pie (i.e. does not contain a pastry covering), but may include an arrangement of tomato slices or pastry off-cuts for a decorative finish.

Although quiche is now a classic dish of French cuisine, quiche actually originated in Germany, in the medieval kingdom of Lothringen, under German rule, and which the French later renamed Lorraine. The word ‘quiche’ is from the German ‘Kuchen’, meaning cake.^[1] The Lorraine Franconian dialect of the German language historically spoken in much of the region, where German Kuchen, "cake", was altered first to "küche". Typical Alemannic changes unrounded the ü and shifted the palatal "ch" to the spirant "sh", resulting in "kische", which in standard French orthography became spelled "quiche."^[2]

To this day, there is a minor German influence on the cuisine of the Lorraine region. The origin of Quiche Lorraine is rural and the original Quiche Lorraine had a rustic flair: it was cooked in a cast-iron pan and the pastry edges were not crimped. Today, Quiche Lorraine is served throughout France and has a modern look with a crimped pastry crust. Consumption of Quiche Lorraine is most prevalent in the southern regions of France, where the warm climate lends itself to lighter fare. The current version of Quiche Lorraine served in France does include cheese:either Emmental or Gruyère. Unlike the version served in the United States, the bacon is cubed, no onions are added and the custard base is thicker.^[4] 

 ^{Source:Wikipedia}

^{Yummy: Recipe} 

The Atomium, Belgium ***

At first glance, the Atomium looks like a candidate for the World's Largest Roadside Attractions. And why not? It puts the World's Largest Baseball Bat and the World's Largest Bicycles to shame. Yet the city fathers of Brussels would hasten to tell you that, far from being an example of kitsch, the Atomium is a lasting symbol of the 1958 Brussels World's Fair and Belgium's answer to the Eiffel Tower or the Statue of Liberty. 

Tastes obviously differ regarding the aesthetic appeal of a giant molecule. Still, the Atomium is an impressive structure when viewed from close up. It stands 332 feet (102 meters) high and consists of nine spheres of 59 feet (18 m) diameter connected by tubes measuring 94 feet (29 m) in length and 10 feet (3 m) thick.  Escalators connect the spheres, most of which contain science exhibits. An elevator (said to be Europe's fastest) leads to an observation gallery and restaurant in the topmost atom.

Source: europeforvisitors

Yann Tiersen *****

Guillaume Yann Tiersen (born June 23, 1970 in Brest, Brittany, France) is a French musician who is best known for being the composer of the soundtrack for the popular 2001 movie “Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain”. He has received classical training at several musical academies, including those in Rennes, Nantes, and Boulogne.

His music is mostly instrumental, decorated with piano, accordion, harpsicord, violin, mandolin, bass, guitar, banjo, melodica, toy piano, typewriter, vibraphone and various rhythm instruments. Yann Tiersen has also collaborated with vocal artists like Claire Pichet (“Le Phare” and “Rue Des Cascades”), Elizabeth Fraser (“Les Retrouvailles”) and Shannon Wright (“Yann Tiersen and Shannon Wright”). Other musicians he has worked with include The Divine Comedy, Noir Désir, dominique A., Francoiz Breut, Les Têtes Raides, The Married Monk and Sage Francis

Source:last.fm

La petite Venice, Colmar ****

If you have been to Colmar...

...from the bridges over the Lauch, beyond Rue St-Jean, there are attractive views of Colmar's "Little Venice", with picturesque old houses and willow-trees lining the river, and the tower of St Martin's church.

Padua, Veneto, Italy ****

Padua (Italian: Padova listen (help·info), pronounced [ˈpadova], Latin: Patavium, Venetian: Padoa) is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 (as of 2008^[update]). The city is sometimes included, with Venice (Italian Venezia), in the Padua-Venice Metropolitan Area, having a population of c. 1,600,000.

Padua stands on the Bacchiglione River, 40 km west of Venice and 29 km southeast of Vicenza. The Brenta River, which once ran through the city, still touches the northern districts. Its agricultural setting is the Pianura Veneta. To the city's south west lies the Euganaean Hills, praised by Lucan and Martial, Petrarch, Ugo Foscolo, and Shelley.

The city is picturesque, with a dense network of arcaded streets opening into large communal piazze, and many bridges crossing the various branches of the Bacchiglione, which once surrounded the ancient walls like a moat.  Padua is the setting for most of the action in Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew.

Source:Wikipedia

Tapas *****

Tapas (IPA: [ˈtaˌpas]) is the name of a wide variety of appetizers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. They may be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or warm (such as chopitos, which are battered, fried baby squid). In North America and the United Kingdom, as well as in select bars in Spain, tapas has evolved into an entire, and sometimes sophisticated, cuisine. In these countries, patrons of tapas restaurants can order many different tapas and combine them to make a full meal.

The serving of tapas is designed to encourage conversation because people are not so focused upon eating an entire meal that is set before them.  Also, in some countries it is customary for diners to stand and move about while eating tapas.

Source:Wikipedia
 

Strasbourg, Alsace, France *****

Strasbourg (pronounced: [stʁazbuʁ]; Alsatian: Strossburi, [ˈʃd̥rɔːsb̥uri]; German: Straßburg, [ˈʃtʁaːsbʊʁk]) is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in north-eastern France. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin department. In 2006, the city proper had 272,975 inhabitants and its urban community 467,375 inhabitants. With 638,670 inhabitants in 2006, Strasbourg's metropolitan area ("aire urbaine") (only the part of the metropolitan area on French territory) is the ninth largest in France. The transnational Eurodistrict Strasbourg-Ortenau has a population of 884,988 inhabitants.^[5]

Strasbourg is the seat of several European institutions such as the Council of Europe (with its European Court of Human Rights, its European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and its European Audiovisual Observatory) and the Eurocorps as well as the European Parliament and the European Ombudsman of the European Union. Strasbourg is an important centre of manufacturing and engineering, as well as of road, rail, and river communications. The port of Strasbourg is the second largest on the Rhine after Duisburg, Germany.^[6] The city is the seat of the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine.

Strasbourg's historic city centre, the Grande Île ("Grand Island"), was classified a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1988, the first time such an honor was placed on an entire city centre. Strasbourg is fused into the Franco-German culture and although violently disputed throughout history, has been a bridge of unity between France and Germany for centuries, especially through the University of Strasbourg, currently the largest in France, and the co-existence of Catholic and Protestant culture.

Source: Wikipedia

Leuven, Belgium ****

Leuven (Dutch, pronounced [ˈløːvə(n)] (help·info); French: Louvain, often used in English, German: Löwen) is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium. It is located 26 kilometers (16 miles) east of Brussels, with as other neighbouring cities Mechelen, Aarschot, Tienen, and Wavre.

The township comprises the historical city of Leuven and the former municipalities of Heverlee, Kessel-Lo, a part of Korbeek-Lo, Wilsele and Wijgmaal.

It is home to Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest brewing group and one of the top five largest consumer goods companies in the world; and to the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, the largest and oldest university of the Low Countries and the oldest Catholic university still in existence.

Source: Wikipedia

Staying in Leuven

Antipasti ***

Antipasto (plural antipasti), means "before the meal" and is the traditional first course of a formal Italian meal. Traditional antipasto includes cured meats, olives, roasted garlic, pepperoncini, mushrooms, anchovies, artichoke hearts, various cheeses (such as provolone or mozzarella) and peperone (marinated small green bell peppers, not to be confused with pepperoni). The antipasto is usually topped off with olive oil.

Many compare antipasto to hors d'oeuvre, but antipasto is served at the table and signifies the official beginning of the Italian meal. It may be referred to as a starter, or an entrée outside the United States and English Canada.

Source: Wikipedia
 

Zürich, Switzerland ****

Zürich or Zurich (see Etymology below) is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zürich. It is located in Eastern Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zürich. While the municipality itself has 380,500 inhabitants, the Zürich metropolitan area is an urbanised area of international importance constituted by a population of nearly 2 million inhabitants.^[1] Zürich is a mixed hub for railways, roads, and air traffic. Both Zürich Airport and railway station are the largest and busiest in the country.

Permanently settled for around 7,000 years, the history of Zürich goes back to its founding by the Romans, who, in 15 BC, called it Turicum. During the Middle Ages Zürich gained the independent and privileged status of imperial immediacy and, in 1519, was the place of origin and center of the Reformation in German-speaking Switzerland, led by Ulrich Zwingli.^[2]

Zürich is a leading global city and amongst the world's largest financial centres.^[3] The city is home to a large number of financial institutions and banking giants. Also, most of the research and development centers are concentrated in Zürich and the low rate of tax attracts overseas companies to set up their headquarters there. According to several surveys from 2006 to 2008, Zürich was named the city with the best quality of life in the world as well as the wealthiest city in Europe.^[4][5][6]

In addition to being Switzerland's main commercial centre, Zürich is sometimes called the Cultural Capital of Switzerland.^[7] An impressive number of museums and art galleries can be found in the city, among which the Swiss National Museum and the Kunsthaus.^[8] Zürich also hosts one of the most important theatres in the German-speaking world.^[9]

 ^{Source: Wikipedia}

Hotels in Zürich

Knokke, Belgium *****

Knokke (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈknɔkə]) is one of a group of communities that are all grouped in the administrative community Knokke-Heist, in the province of West Flanders in Flanders, Belgium. Knokke itself has 15,653 inhabitants (2003).

Knokke is the most North-Eastern seaside resort of the Belgian coast. It lies close to the Dutch border and is separated from the Dutch territory by the Zwin, a beautiful and extremely interesting natural reserve.  It is famous for its beaches, and for the dike system to which it owes its origins. 

Knokke came into existence because of the construction of dikes that were meant to protect the area around the 'Zwin' sea-arm. Originally a simple vacation haven for the city folk of Brussels in the early 1800s, artists such as James Ensor, Alfred Verwee and others, started to frequent the small hamlet to paint its beautiful vistas. The artists rented a small miller's cottage and founded the Cercle des Artistes in 1880. It gradually became a resort town with upscale clientele, restaurants and shops.

Knokke also has one of Belgium's ten casinos with art by Keith Haring, Rene Magritte and Paul Delvaux. The Kroonluchterzaal (Chandelier room) contains a 6 ton chandelier made of Venetian crystal. The chandelier has a diameter of 8.5 m and is 6.5 m high. Some 22,000 pieces of glass were used and 2,700 lamps light up the main hall. It was created by Architect J. Selis and designer Al. David.

Source: Wikipedia

Favorite seaside resorts at Knokke-Heist

Culinary Use of Kale ****

Kale or borecole is a form of cabbage (Brassica oleracea Acephala Group), green or purple, in which the central leaves do not form a head. It is considered to be closer to wild cabbage than most domesticated forms.

Kale freezes well and actually tastes sweeter and more flavorful after being exposed to a frost.  Tender kale greens can provide an intense addition to salads, particularly when combined with other such strongly-flavored ingredients as dry-roasted peanuts, tamari-roasted almonds, red pepper flakes, or an Asian-style dressing.

In the Netherlands it is very frequently used in the winter dish stamppot and seen as one of the country's traditional dishes, called Boerenkool.  In Ireland kale is mixed with mashed potatoes to make the traditional dish colcannon. It is popular on Halloween when it is sometimes served with sausages. Small coins are sometimes hidden inside as prizes.

A traditional Portuguese soup, caldo verde, combines pureed potatoes, diced kale, olive oil, broth, and, generally, sliced cooked spicy sausage. Under the name of couve, kale is also popular in Brazil, in caldo verde, or as a vegetable dish, often cooked with carne seca (shredded dried beef). When chopped and stir-fried, couve accompanies Brazil's national dish, feijoada.

A whole culture around kale has developed in north-western Germany around the towns of Bremen, Oldenburg and Hannover as well as in the State of Schleswig-Holstein. There, most social clubs of any kind will have a Grünkohlfahrt ("kale tour") sometime between October and February, visiting a country inn to consume large quantities of boiled kale, Kassler, Mettwurst and schnapps. These tours are often combined with a game of Boßeln. Most communities in the area have a yearly kale festival which includes naming a "kale king" (or queen).

Curly kale is used in Denmark and Holland, Sweden, to make (grøn-)langkål, an obligatory dish on the julbord in the region, and is commonly served together with the Christmas ham (Sweden, Holland). The kale is used to make a stew of minced boiled kale, stock, cream, pepper and salt that is simmered together slowly for a few hours. In Scotland, kale provided such a base for a traditional diet that the word in dialect Scots is synonymous with food. To be "off one's kail" is to feel too ill to eat.

Kale is a very good source of iron, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin K and Carotenoids (which provide vitamin A).

Source: Wikipedia

A recipe for yummy gruenkohl-mit-kasseler-kochwurst.

Athens, Greece *****

Athens (pronounced /ˈæθɨnz/^[2]; Greek: Αθήνα, Athina, IPA: [aˈθina]), the capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery; as one of the world's oldest cities, its recorded history spans around 3,400 years.

The Greek capital has a population of 745,514 (in 2001) within its administrative limits^[1] and a land area of 39 km² (15 sq mi).^[3] The urban area of Athens extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3,130,841 (in 2001)^[1] and a land area of 412 km² (159 sq mi).^[3] According to Eurostat, the Athens Larger Urban Zone (LUZ) is the 8th most populous LUZ in the European Union (the 4th most populous capital city of the EU) with a population of 4,013,368 (in 2004).^[4] A bustling and cosmopolitan metropolis, Athens is central to economic, financial, industrial, political and cultural life in Greece and it is rated as an alpha- world city.^[5] It is rapidly becoming a leading business centre in the European Union. In 2008, Athens was ranked the world's 32nd richest city by purchasing power ^[6] and the 25th most expensive^[7] in a UBS study.

Classical Athens was a powerful city-state. A centre for the arts, learning and philosophy, home of Plato's Academy and Aristotle's Lyceum,^[8][9] It is widely referred to as the cradle of Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy,^[10][11] largely due to the impact of its cultural and political achievements during the 5th and 4th centuries BC on the rest of the then known European continent.^[12]

The heritage of the classical era is still evident in the city, represented by a number of ancient monuments and works of art, the most famous of all being the Parthenon, widely considered a key landmark of early Western civilization. The city also retains a vast variety of Roman and Byzantine monuments, as well as a smaller number of remaining Ottoman monuments projecting the city's long history across the centuries. Landmarks of the modern era are also present, dating back to 1830 (the establishment of the independent Greek state), and taking in the Hellenic Parliament (19th century) and the Athens Trilogy consisting of the National Library of Greece, the Athens University and the Academy of Athens. Athens was the host city of the first modern-day Olympic Games in 1896, and 108 years later it welcomed home the 2004 Summer Olympics.^[13]

 ^{Source: Wikipedia}

***Hotel search in Athens by my fav. search engine ;)