Thissio

Thissio is also known as Thiseio. Those are the traditional names of a neighbourhood in downtown Athens. The Temple of Hephaestuswas mistakenly called Thiseion after the mythical figure Theseus, which is why the neighbourhood became known as Thiseio.

There are a few famous places that may be entered or seen from Thissio, with a great many places being walking distance from the area. From Thissio, you may enter the Ancient Agora of Athens, the Temple of Hephaestus, the Kerameikos Archaeological Museum and the Stoa of Attalos. The national observatory sits atop Nymphs' Hill in Thissio. It is a public institution and is one of the oldest research institutions in Europe. The observatory is easy to spot from the Acropolis because it is on a hill and has a dome top.

Getting To Where You Are Going

From Thissio, you may get to the Acropolis, to Mouseion Hill, to the Philopappos Monument and to the Pnyx. The Pnyx is another historically significant place. As early as 507BC, the Athenians used to gather at the Pnyx and host their assemblies, and is ergo one of the earliest sites where democracy was invented.

You may also gain access to the Adrianou street, which is a very long street that starts in Thissio and leads all the way up to the Acropolis museum. Along the street, you will find nothing but shops for tourists and restaurants. Crime used to be a problem in the area, but it now has frequent police patrols, so you will be okay if you are careful.

From the Thissio, you may find the main street that leads you to the holy rock called the Apostolou Pavlou. Go up to see the sacred rock, and on the right, you will see the Thissio outdoor cinema, though you will need to speak Greek in order to fully appreciate the movies. However, they do occasionally run English-speaking movies with Greek subtitles.

What You Need To Consider

If you are going to visit some of the historic sites, you are going to have to do a lot of walking and a fair amount of climbing, so make sure you wear comfortable shoes. It is also an area where the weather needs to be on your side for you to fully appreciate it. If it is cold or rainy, it may spoil your experience. Crime is not a massive issue, but they should still be wary. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants, so you will not go hungry or thirsty in Thissio.