Athens is everything the Greek isles are not. If you want to lay your butt on the beach, then by all means hop on that ferry and enjoy. But if you’re looking to mingle, stay inland. On your first visit, it’s worth strolling through Plaka. This neighborhood, the city’s oldest, is situated at the bottom of the Acropolis—which means “high city” in Greek, as early settlers built on elevated surfaces to prevent invasion. But now that there isn’t a need to rear swords, culture vultures are much later to rise. Restaurants don’t even get busy until 10 p.m. In the summer, Athens’ coastline is famous for open-air restaurants and seaside bars. Dinner continues past midnight, and the nightlife rages until the wee hours. It’s then when the cabs become scarce and the traffic becomes congested. What more would you expect from the birthplace of civilization?