Study Abroad in Athens...

With a history spanning more than 3,000 years, Athens played an unmatched role in the early development of western civilization and was the site of one of the world's earliest democracies. In ancient times, Athens was a powerful city-state and a center of art, learning and philosophy. Today, it is the political, cultural, financial and commercial center of modern Greece.

Students of all levels and subject fields come to Athens to study abroad. The College Year in Athens (CYA) program examines the history of ancient and medieval Greece, and compares and contrasts it with the Greece of today. Directed field study and study travel - integral components of the program - bring students into direct contact with the sites, monuments, landscape and people that have shaped the world as we know it.

Students of philosophy, architecture, classics and archaeology are drawn to Athens for its illustrious history and inspiring structures. Scholars believe that the rock of Acropolis is the site of the first settlement of Athens. Hundreds of years later, during the golden age of Pericles from 495-429 BC, the Acropolis came into its full glory. Many enduring monuments were constructed during this time, including the Parthenon, which was designed by the architects Iktinos and Kallikrates and adorned with hundreds of magnificent figures created by the sculptor Phidias. His statue of Zeus in Olympia was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Home to Aristotle's Lyceum and Plato's Academy, Athens flourished during the 5th and 4th centuries BC. The dramatists Aeschylus, Aristophanes, Euripides and Sophocles, the historians Herodotus, Thucydides and Xenophon, the philosopher Socrates, and the poet Simonides all lived in Athens during this period.

Athens experienced times of decline and recovery until, in the 1830s, the city re-emerged as the capital of the newly established Greek state. Famous 19th century neo-classical landmarks include the Athens Trilogy, comprised of the Library, University and Academy, and the Greek Parliament. In 1896, Athens was the site of the first modern day Olympic Games, and 108 years later hosted the 2004 Summer Olympics. Kallimarmaro, also known as the Panathenaic Stadium, is a replica of the ancient Athenian stadium - the only major stadium constructed entirely of white marble from Mount Penteli, the same material used for the Parthenon.

Athens is a prime destination for international scholars and researchers in all disciplines of archaeology. The city has retained a vast variety of Roman and Byzantine monuments, as well as a smaller number of Ottoman monuments reflecting the long history of Athens. One of the world's main centers of archaeological research, it has numerous archaeological libraries and laboratories. The city is home to the Demokritos laboratory for Archaeometry, the Archaeological Society and a number of prestigious museums, including the National Archaeological Museum, the Cycladic Museum, the Epigraphic Museum, the Byzantine Museum and the museums at the ancient Agora and Acropolis.

The Athens Metropolitan Area consists of 73 densely populated neighborhoods that extend in all directions across the city and into the suburbs. In the past 10 years, Athens' infrastructure has undergone major improvements, including expansion of the Athens Metro System, and completion of the Attiki Odos Motorway and the Proastiakos Rail, improving access to many areas.

Formerly the meat-packing district, the neighborhood of Psirri is now home to artists' spaces, galleries, and restaurants featuring live music known as "rebetika." For the avant garde, the liberal and the laidback, Athens' former industrial zone, Gkazi, also has a vibrant cultural scene.

In addition to the Olympic Games, Athens has hosted the UEFA Champions League final twice, in 1994 and in 2007, at the Athens Olympic Stadium. Club sports popular among Athenians include football, basketball, volleyball and swimming. Athens is at once a true outdoor museum of ancient Greece and the capital of a thriving EU member country. It is easy to walk through the city and discover its various attractions. With its fascinating history, excellent climate and vibrant culture, Athens is an engaging destination for students of many disciplines.

---

ONLINE RESOURCES
IIEPassport.org: www.IIEPassport.org
Study Abroad Funding: www.StudyAbroadFunding.org
Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program: www.iie.org/gilman
College Year in Athens: www.cyathens.org
Greek Ministry of Culture: www.culture.gr/war/index_en.jsp

---

Find study abroad programs in Athens

Find study abroad scholarships in Greece

Explore Other Featured Cities

Find out more about studying in Greece.