Spiros Louis Olympic Stadium (Athens)
Deep in the fabric of history in Greece lay the foundation of the Olympics as we see them today. With a little less nudity and a lot more technologically advanced stadiums for world class athletes to compete in, Athens remains at the forefront of Olympic stages.
Located in Athens, the Spiro Louis Olympic Stadium known as “Spiros Louis” was designed in 1979 and officially opened in 1982. Named after the first modern Olympic marathon winner in 1896, “Spyros Louis” has been home of some of the most coveted sporting events in world wide history.
Unveiled in time for the 1982 European Championships in Athletics, it soon hosted the 1991 Mediterranean Games, the 1997 World Championships in Athletics, the 1996 Summer Olympics and most notably the 2004 Summer Olympics.
With a capacity for over 74,000 people the famous stadium has housed famous musical artists such as Michael Jackson, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, U2 and most recently the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Nearby food, fun and famous sites keep thousands of tourists a year visiting Greece and the beautiful “Spiros Louis” Stadium.
Transportation
Metro
Located in Maroussi of northern Athens, the “Spiros Louis” is connected the OAKA Complex and is most commonly traveled to by way of the metro system. Around 9 kilometers away from Athens City Centre the complex is easily reached by both the Irini and Neratziotissa metro stations that continuously straight through and all around surrounding Athens.
Taxi Service
TripAdvisor’s top rated means of travel and information is the local Spiros Taxi Service. Not an officially licensed travel agency, the locally run Taxi Service has been ranked for its impressive cityscape knowledge and insightful tours around Athens. As if their five out of five star rating didn’t set them apart from other taxi services, rolling in Spiros Taxi Service’s standard Mercedes Benz taxi cab might do the luxurious trick.
Places to Stay
NJV Plaza Hotel
Not all of the beauty held in Athens Greece is historic, for example the NJV Plaza Hotel. Located in downtown Athens, the NJV Plaza Hotel is among 250 hotels throughout Greece but is one of the few crowned “Five Star”. Both luxury and seclusion embody the NJV as there are only 159 guest rooms and 23 suites to be filled unlike most packed hotels in the country’s capital. Fully equipped with a high end restaurant and bar, the beautiful plaza also understands the business needs for some visitors offering numerous conference centers and private offices. Spacious and conveniently placed in Syntagma Square provides lucky guests with not only the view of designer linens and technology, but a breathtaking view of the ruins of Acropolis.
Grande Bretagne Hotel
A creative blend of historical and futuristic features is why the gorgeous Grande Bretagne Hotel is atop many travelers choices as a place to rest their heads. With more than 320 rooms that include junior suites, deluxe suites, grand suites and even presidential suites, there is no question why the Bretagne Hotel demands the title “Grande”. An impressive 4.6 out of 5 star rating is backed up by the array of white and black marbled bathrooms, designer furniture sprinkled about refurbished antiques and the rare opportunity for a personalized butler. Guests will have a choice of seven different restaurant/bar choices including the rooftop Garden that overlooks scenic Athens and its nearby historical beauties.
Other notable hotels near Spiros Louis Stadium: Olympic Hotel, Civitel Olympic and Athens Habitat.
Food and Fun
Funky Gourmet Restaurant
Contemporary in style but tastefully Greek, Funky Gourmet in Athens earns a TripAdvisor’s five out of five star rating. Capturing a 2013 Award of Excellence, Funky Gourmet encompasses delicious Greek cuisine within an appropriate ambiently “Funky” setting. Well known for it’s decadence and seclusion, the 97% voted recommendation statistic had many satisfied customers raving about the artistic architecture and imaginative creations in each and every dish.
Strofi Tavern
Overlooking the wondrous ancient Acropolis, the restaurant known as Strofi in downtown Athens is among the top rated native Greek food experiences. Whether a romantic honeymoon setting is to your liking or a traditional relaxing meal, the menu is equally pleasing. The rooftop terrace displays true beauty and privacy with perfect views of city life and the Parthenon. Their world famous Tzatziki entree and wine menu affirms the impressive TripAdvisor 4.5 out of 5 stars along with a 2013 Certificate of Excellence.
Golden Hall Mall
Of course what exotic trip is complete without a little shopping? Greece’s renowned Golden Hall Shopping Mall is just a hop skip and a taxi fare away from the Spiros Louis Stadium. From high end fashion to luxurious jewelry both local and visiting men and women flock to the capital city for this shopping experience. If shops from Adidas to Michael Kors and everything in between doesn’t intrigue you, meal choices are similarly difficult to make as Golden Hall offers traditional mall food court options as well as four star restaurants filled with the same amount Greek passion that they have for their fashion.
