Athens, Greece

Welcome to the cradle of Western civilization, a place that was a destination for cultured tourists before a lot of countries were even born. Athens today is a mix of ancient and modern, with 2,500-year-old monuments standing cheek-by-jowl with neoclassical buildings and high-rises, old tavernas and fast-food outlets, craftsmen's shops and souvenir outlets. By far the country's biggest city, Athens is home to about 5 million Greeks (a full 40% of the country's population), and for decades had a reputation as a crowded, congested, polluted place. Construction for the 2004 Olympic Games did much to improve things, adding new Metro (subway) lines and roads that help alleviate some of the traffic, and a series of wonderful pedestrian-only streets that link the city's most venerable sites.

Even though you're probably here to see "the glory that was Greece," don't ignore the life of the modern city. Your best moments may be spent sipping a tiny cup of thick Greek coffee at a small cafe, or losing yourself in the Plaka, the city's oldest continuously inhabited section, and getting to know its shops, churches, shady courtyards, and monuments. Our advice: Explore the city slowly, and resign yourself to the fact that you won't have time to see everything in your 1 or 2 days here. Climb to the Acropolis, enjoy a leisurely lunch at an outdoor cafe, get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the streets, and then make plans to return, as the Greeks say, tou chronou (next year).

Coming Ashore in Athens:

Cruise ships dock at the port city of Piraeus, about 11km (6¾ miles) southwest of Athens. There's not much to do in Piraeus unless you're a ship nut (it's one of the world's great ports), so you'll want to head into Athens.

Getting Around in Athens:

To get from Piraeus into Athens, you can take the Metro (www.ametro.gr), grab a taxi, or take one of the buses most cruise lines offer for a fee. We recommend the Metro, to which you can walk from the pier. Tickets cost 1€ ($1.32). Take it to Monastiraki Square, which will put you within sight of the Acropolis, the Ancient Agora, and the Plaka neighborhood.

If you're taking a taxi, bargain with the driver. For reference, the fare from Piraeus to Syntagma Square in Athens should be about 10€ ($13.25). The trip can take a while, as traffic is often bad.