The Grace of Greece by Adriana Aristizabal

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Adriana Aristizabal, Award-winning journalist writes, "I recently visited Greece, and found myself face to face with the marvelous place that attracted more than 26 million tourists this year from all over the world.  Athens the capital, evokes the very origins of civilization. The city, its streets, museums, and monuments submerge the tourist in a time warp where history, mythology, and religion intersect."

The pilgrimage begins at the arc of emperor Hadrian, located on Leoforos Vasilissis Amalias Avenue that connects with the Temple of Zeus. We walked through the pillars that remain as evidence of what once was, weaving through the ruins that lead to the Roman bathrooms. There one can see the tubs that have been perfectly preserved and which were carved in marble 20 centuries ago.

From Zeus' sanctuary the acropolis can be seen in the distance. Almost six thousand years old, it sits on a great rock and towers over the city. We decided to climb the rocky slope that would take us up to the most visited place in the world, the place that proudly flies the Greek flag...

The Greek Agora, another of the treasures in Athens, was a central plaza in the past. This place was a crossroads on which philosophers, politicians, priests, and vendors crossed paths. We toured the Stoa of Attalos museum, which keeps a grand collection of art, and in which we found a small sculpture that, according to them, belonged to the great philosopher, Socrates. We also saw a collection of tiny ceramic cups that were used to give poison to those given the death penalty.
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Source: Huffington Post