Why visit / Interesting facts:
- Tranquil oasis in the city
- Pleasant stroll
Time required: 45 minutes
Public transport:
- Blue Metro Line: Syntagma station
- Red Metro Line: Syntagma station
Address: Leoforos Amalias Street, Athens
Photos: (see more photos)
Photo: Ava Babili
Things you need to know:
- The National Gardens of Athens is located in the city center behind the parliament. It used to be the Royal Palace's (now Parliament) gardens
- Queen Amalia, King Otto's wife, commissioned the gardens in 1839. Otto was Greece's first king after its independence from Ottoman rule
- More than 15,000 exotic trees, plants and flowers were imported from all over the world and planted here. Many of them are still alive
- The government nationalized the park in 1923 and opened it to the public
- It spans 16 ha (40 ac). Its maze of shady paths with quiet dead ends, duck and turtle ponds, benches, playground and numberous statues make it an ideal place for relaxation
- The estate gives home to a Botanic Museum and a small zoo with birds, wild goats and a donkey
What to do there:
- Stroll through the park
- Relax on a bench
