THE FIRST CEMETERY: A DATE WITH ATHENS’ MOST STORIED OPEN-AIR MUSEUM

Embark on a novel experience of an intimate walking discovery of the most prestigious “open-air museum” in Athens. The First Cemetery of Athens is the oldest and most important cemetery in Athens and the final resting place of many illustrious Greeks (from Prime Ministers to movie stars; heroes of the Greek Revolution; artists and bishops). Lush with pines and cypresses, this atmospheric Athenian landmark has a total area of 170 acres with 10,233 family graves and a grand tally of over 700 stone sculptures - and yet, it slips the attention of most tourists. Stroll between poetic burial monuments designed by famous neoclassical sculptors as well as modern ones. Your destination angel will reveal the history of these noteworthy Greek personalities while bringing to life storied sculptures such as the Sleeping Maiden by the famed Tinos sculptor Giannouli Halepa. Find out why this stone beauty caused such a stir. After we have explored the cemetery, we will then walk around the lively Athenian area of Mets to admire the small but beautiful residences where many famous Athenians used to live before and after the Second World War.