Every year, Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards crown the world’s best holiday destinations. When it comes to culture, there’s one city in Greece that packs an extra punch.

In Tripadvisor’s rankings, Athens was crowned as one of the world’s best cities for tourists looking for a cultural break.

A spokesperson said: “Once known for smog, traffic and tacky architecture, Athens is a city reformed thanks to fortunes brought by the 2004 Summer Olympics.

“Spotless parks and streets, an ultra-modern subway, new freeways, an accessible airport and all signs in perfect English make the city easily negotiable.

“Meriting more than a stopover en route to the islands, sophisticated Athens sites include many pillars of Western history, from the Acropolis to the Temple of Olympian Zeus, as well as treasures in the National Archaeological Museum.”

As the heart of one of the world’s most powerful ancient civilisations, Athens has an incredible range of monuments to explore.

The Parthenon, which towers over the Greek capital, is the city’s top-rated attraction on Tripadvisor.

A former temple, the Parthenon was dedicated to the goddess Athena during the fifth century BC.

Nowadays, tourists can explore the ancient temple and learn more about the thousands of people that worshipped the goddess.

Athens Acropolis is an UNESCO World Heritage site and the most complete ancient Greek complex left standing.

A tourist wrote on Tripadvisor: “Make sure you visit. Simply amazing, views are spectacular and entrance fee very reasonable.”

The National Archaeological Museum houses some of the most important artefacts from Ancient Greece.

Many of the sculptures in the museum’s collections date from around 500 BC and offer tourists a glimpse into the past.

But Athens isn’t just about its history, and tourists can also learn about modern Greek culture.

At Athens Central Market, tourists will be able to purchase Greek delicacies such as toasted nuts, pastries and fresh fruit.

The National Museum of Contemporary Art exhibits contemporary and modern art from Greek and international artists.

Children will love the National Garden, which is home to several wild animals, including turtles.

Direct flights to Athens are available from several of the UK’s major airports including Heathrow and Manchester.

Temperatures are hottest in July and August when it can peak in the high 30s or even reach 40.

Tourists that want to explore the city’s archaeological highlights might want to visit in spring or autumn to avoid the heat.

A trip to Athens could also be combined with a trip to one of Greece’s famous islands such as Santorini or Crete.

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