Amalia

A hologram of politician and museum patron Lambros Eutaxias (1905-1996) greets visitors at the Museum of the City of Athens in downtown Klafthmonos Square.

Open from sunup to sundown, seven days a week, the National Garden is a 24-hectare park in the center of Athens offering a delightful respite from the hustle and bustle of the city.

António Zambujo, a songwriter, guitarist and singer from Portugal's Beja, a city in the Alentejo region decorated by a spot on UNESCO's representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity, will take the Istanbul stage on Jan. 24 as part of a world tour to promote his latest album, "Do Avesso" (Of the Flip Side).

Is Athens a successful city? Given everything such a simplistic definition entails, I would say that, yes, it is. I also believe that most Athenians would vote it as their top favorite if they were asked to, despite all its ills.

Repair work on the leaky glass dome that covers the Greek Parliament building in Athens which began last month is to continue until the autumn. Scores of workers are involved in the project to fix the dome, which also requires the use of a large crane. The construction of the building, which was designed by German architect Friedrich von Gartner, began in 1836 and ended in 1842.

One of the Greek capital's most overlooked historic monuments, Pyrgos Vassilissis, or the Queen's Tower, in the suburb of Ilion, is a beautiful example of Gothic architecture built by Queen Amalia in 1854 after the plot was purchased from two Britons who wanted to develop a model farm.

One of the Greek capital's most overlooked historic monuments, Pyrgos Vassilissis, or the Queen's Tower, in the suburb of Ilion, is a beautiful example of Gothic architecture built by Queen Amalia in 1854 after the plot was purchased from two Britons who wanted to develop a model farm.

The National Gardens are 38 acres of green in the center of Athens. Directly behind the Greek Parliament building (old Palace) the gardens were once annexed to the palace and the site of the Royal Gardens.