Greece – Culteuropa

NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM, ATHENS

If you can tell your oinochoe from your loutrophoros, there’s no place like the Athens Arcaeological Museum. Rows and rows of amphorae stretch into the distance, legions of Kourai and Koroi stare back impassively at the tourists, and grotesque dwarves snarl and sneer from inside their glass prisons.
Impeccably renovated and beautifully lit, the permanent collection is mostly confined to the ground floor, but the vases and other pottery upstairs is probably the most impressive section apart from the Mycenean gold treasures such as the Mask of Agamemnon. In many respects this museum plugs the gaps in Ancient Greek art history that the Parthenon and its environs don’t really satisfy. Because it’s a short way from the centre it probably gets passed over by the kind of tourists who see Athens as a sprawling gas chamber with one sight, worth a morning’s detour en route to Piraeus port. But it’s well worth coming here for the afternoon at least.

Five-star attraction: Agamemnon’s mask and the gold cups are indisputably awe-inspiring, but we particularly enjoyed identifying the different vases from our Greek art book.