No city in the world combines ancient and modern quite like Athens. Its energetic streets bustle with cutting-edge arts and culture, political debate, and contemporary living, just as they have done for millennia. The Acropolis, looking down from its lofty limestone hill, is a constant reminder of the Greek capital’s pioneering role in the civilisation of Europe. Not that you’ll need one, with all those temples and theatres and world-class museums to wander around — even the city’s 1950s shopping arcades are based on 2,000-year-old architecture.

Athens’ classical ruins are complemented by the charm and bustle of its historical neighbourhoods, including the whitewashed houses of Anafiotika, the Byzantine buildings of Plaka, and the grand 19th-century facades of the public buildings in Syntagma Square. Meanwhile, revitalised areas like Kerameikos, Koukaki, and Monastiraki have rebounded from Greece’s economic travails to become some of the continent’s most exciting urban districts, thriving hubs of contemporary culture, tech, and enterprise.

Athens International Airport (ATH), 20 miles outside the city, is very well connected to the city centre. The journey takes around 40 minutes, whether you make it on the metro line or suburban railway, take the direct bus service, or drive it in a car or taxi. With so many public transport options at your disposal, car hire isn’t particularly necessary in Athens. The three metro lines are well integrated with the city’s tram and bus services, as well as its overground railway stations. The trams are a good way to reach the beaches, while Piraeus port is a major hub for cruise liners and ferries to the Greek islands.

Athens enjoys sunshine and warm temperatures almost all year round. The city gets quite hot in August, which is also the month many locals go on holiday. For less blazing temperatures and fewer crowds, March to early June and September to November can be wonderful times to stay in an Athens apartment; even the sea stays warm late into the autumn. With so much going on, you can come across religious, traditional, and cultural festivals at any time of year. Look out for the street celebrations of Carnival in February and Independence Day on March 25, not to mention the Athens Epidaurus Festival, an unmissable three-month celebration of the performing arts, which takes place starting in June. Cinema is also a big deal here. There are free open-air showings throughout the summer, while autumn and winter bring a whole calendar’s worth of film festivals.

Filopappou Hill

The Hill of the Muses is an easy walk from Dionysiou Areopagitou, the promenade that links many of Athens’ archaeological wonders. But this forested park has plenty of ancient ruins of its own, including the Monument of Philopappos at its peak, brought together by a marble walking path designed by a modernist architect in the 1950s. It’s a shaded retreat from the city streets — and a fantastic spot to watch the colours of sunset light up the Acropolis.

Pangrati

Pangrati might not have the edge of some of Athens’ hottest neighbourhoods, but more than makes up for it with an old-school artsy feel. Come here for the sights — the Kallimarmaro stadium, the city’s grandest cemetery, the Goulandris Museum of Contemporary Art — then stay for the cosy cafés and the alleys full of vintage shopping.

The Attica coast

Take a tram along the coast and you’ll find any number of sandy beaches fringed with bars, restaurants, and boating marinas. Some of the closest are due south from the city, including Alimos (only five miles from Syntagma Square) or, a little further along, the beaches of Glyfada, which have become social hotspots.