When you decide you need a break from the city hustle, join locals and fellow travelers for a respite at the National Gardens, located right in the center of Athens. It is an eclectic, but serene scene, as Fodor's illustrates, "Here old men on the benches argue politics, police officers take their coffee breaks, runners count early-morning jog laps, and animal lovers feed the stray cats that roam among the more than 500 species of trees and plants, many labeled." There is a playground to keep the kids occupied, a café to keep everyone hydrated and a duck pond (inhabited by an army of ducks looking for some bread handouts).
The National Gardens are open daily, and entrance is free. However, be aware that the atmosphere of the Gardens changes considerably when the evening rolls around: "At night, it becomes a spot for prostitutes, gay cruising, and pickups, but by daytime it is a wonderful little oasis in the city center," says Frommer's.