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Luxury specialist tour operator Planet Holidays is urging UK travellers to be one of the first to visit the state-of-the-art New Acropolis Museum when it officially opens 20 June 2009.
The New Acropolis Museum has been designed by Swiss architect, Bernard Tschumi at a cost of around 130 million Euros and work began on it in November 2004. Now complete it will hold around 4,000 artefacts and will have an exhibition space of 14,000 square metres. The previous museum that opened in 1874 was only 1,400 square metres and couldn’t hold the increasing number of exhibits that have since been found at the ancient site.
Greece is hoping that the fragmented Parthenon Sculptures, removed by Lord Elgin (their return first requested by Greece in 1833), will be reunited and displayed in context, in the New Acropolis Museum. The British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures (www.parthenonuk.com) has been campaigning for the return of the Sculptures held in the British Museum since 1984, supporting the movement initiated at that time by Melina Mercouri’s passionate appeal.
Planet Holidays is offering the three and four night city break staying at number of hotels in central Athens or by the coast. One of the properties they feature is the boutique St George Lycabettus hotel that is located in the exclusive area of Kolonaki. The hotel offers fantastic views over the Acropolis from the south facing balconies and the top floor breakfast room and is chic and contemporary, but still retains a family atmosphere having been owned by the same family since it opened.
Guests can enjoy a drink at one of the trendiest night spots in Athens, the Framebar on the ground floor and dinner at the Le Grand Balcon restaurant on the 6th floor with fabulous views of the Acropolis, as well as make use of the recently opened Sensia Spa. Treatments on offer include the unusual ‘lipolysis with red wine and black pepper’, ‘body detox with olive and green clay’ and the ‘full hot chocolate harmony treatment’ – an indulgent treat for all chocolate lovers.
As well as exploring the Acropolis and the new museum, guests can take a walk in the nearby pine forest at Lycabettus Hill and visit the cosmopolitan centre of Athens including the famous historic area around Plaka and the bustling Syntagma Square in front of the Greek parliament.
“We believe that Athens has a special appeal as a European city break. UK travellers can easily access Athens as there is a good selection of both scheduled and low cost carrier flights connecting Britain and Greece. With the New Acropolis Museum opening we are encouraging retailers to educate their clients into taking an add on stay in Athens as part of their traditional 7, 10 and 14 night stay on the Islands or the mainland” commented managing director Mathilde Robert.
“We are delighted that the New Acropolis Museum will be officially opening in a few weeks time as this will add yet another dimension to cultural tourism for Greece.”
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
