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* * * FULLSCREEN PANORAMAS CONTAIN MUSIC TRACK * * *

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Nightime view of Ermou Street in Athens.

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Launched in 1982 by the French Ministry for culture, the Fête de la Musique is held in more than a hundred countries in Europe and over the rest of the world. It takes place every 21st June, the day of the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere.

In Athens the celebration lasts 3 days and it includes street rock concerts, modern and traditional Greek Music, Ethnic music, Jazz, etc. Admission is free and the events are held in various open spaces like plazas, and parks throughout Athens



Fête de la Musique
• MusicDay.gr - Official Greek web site of the event
• fetedelamusique.culture.fr - the French started this event and this is their official web site (there is an english version too)

Nighttime Skating at Syntagma Square

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Street theater at Syntagma Square

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Panoramic view of Syntagma Square at night

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Also known as Constitution Square, you will probably encounter Syntagma Square several times when you visit Athens. This is where the Parliament is located. It used to be the Royal Palace but it was converted in 1935 and the King was given another palace to stay. There is no king any more, he didn't do a good job and was let go. In front of the Parliament is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier which is guarded around the clock by the "evzoni", soldiers dressed in traditional uniforms. There is a changing of the guard ceremony at the top of each hour that is interesting to watch as the evzoni perform stylized sequences of steps and movements.

Syntagma Square is also an important transportation hub in Athens. There is a metro station, tram stop, and several bus and trolley routes that pass from here. On the lower side of the plaza there are several hotels, travel agencies, and restaurants, including a McDonalds in case you have McWithdrawal symptoms. You'll frequently encounter street parformances by musicians and theater troops here.

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Thousands of Greeks poured into the streets of Athens late Sunday to celebrate their country's victory over Germany in the final of the European basketball championships in Serbia-Montenegro.

Greece flexed beat Germany 78-62 in the final in Belgrade and was crowned European champion for the first time since 1987, sparking celebrations that echoed Greece's triumph at the European soccer championships in Portugal last year.

Greece became the first country after the Soviet Union in 1961 to reign simultaneously as European champion in soccer and basketball.

Brimming with pride and patriotism, young people paraded down major Athens avenues draped in Greek flags while car horns blared and fireworks lit up the night sky.

Most gathered at central Omonia Square, the usual gathering place for sport-related celebrations. They formed long lines of traffic swamped in a sea of blue and white, the colour of the Greek flag.

Some wept with joy while others jumped up and down as they sang the Greek national anthem.

"Who can catch us now, we are the reigning European champions in soccer and basketball," said one supporter.

In Thessaloniki, thousands gathered at the White Tower, a 15th Century structure built during Ottoman rule on the city's waterfront. A the central Aristotelous Square, fans watched the match on a giant screen chanting "Europe has turned blue."

Similar celebrations occurred in cities throughout the country and even spread to Cyprus, where hundreds of Greek Cypriots gathered in the capital, Nicosia, and danced to the tunes of Number One, the Greek entry which won the Eurovision song contest a few months ago.

"It's a massive achievement for a country of 11 million to win European titles in soccer and basketball and stage the Olympic Games, all within the space of a year," Panayiotis Fasoulas, a member of the winning team in 1987, told private MEGA TV.

Before reaching the final, Greece comfortably dispatched France in its opening match before losing to Slovenia.

Panayiotis Yiannakis' men bounced back, posting straight victories against Israel and Russia to set up a replay on Saturday with France in the semifinals. A last-gasp three pointer by Dimitris Diamantidis secured Greece a place in the final.

"It's going to be another all-night party, but we're used to it," said one TV commentator while the channel was displaying celebratory scenes from cities across the country.

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Monastiraki is one the most interesting neighborhoods of Athens. It is located at the foot of the north side of the Acropolis and this is where the old market was located. The area still retains the atmosphere of an oriental bazaar. Its streets are full of small trinket shops and every Sunday there's a huge flea market where you bargain to your heart's content over the price of antiques and any type of merchandize imaginable. It is also a favorite spot for a night out. You'll find cafes, restaurants and bars and several artisans selling theirhandicrafts line the streets until well past midnight.