Athens is the capital and largest city of .
Athens is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica periphery and it is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. The cityis widely referred to as thecradleofWestern civilizationand the birthplace of democracy, largely because of its cultural and political impact on theEuropeancontinent and in particularthe Romans.In modern times, Athens is a large cosmopolitanmetropolisand central to economic, financial, industrial, maritime, political and cultural life in Greece.Its compact downtown, north of campus, is alive with clubs, bars, restaurants, galleries and – of course – record stores;Broad Streetin particular is lined with arty shops.