Many tourists’ trip to Athens consists of a quick visit to Plaka, the Acropolis, and Acropolis Museum before hopping on a ferry to the islands. But a new joint initiative between the Ministry of Tourism, the Municipality of Athens, and Google aims to change that and promote Athens as a year-round, more sustainable destination. The new web-based experience called “Athens. The city is the museum” is spearheaded by Executive Creative Director for Google Creative Lab CEE, Steve Vranakis, and aims to make Athens itself the living, breathing “museum.”
Well, how?
A series of experiential audio tours will help Athenians and tourists discover Athens’ true gems, including its street art scene, diverse culinary experiences, music, architecture, and many vibrant yet lesser-known neighborhoods, all through the lens of authentic Athenian stories. “Athens. The city is the museum” is meant to inspire you to explore neighborhoods that may have previously felt inaccessible but offer a more authentic taste of life in Greece’s modern capital. Visit athens.withgoogle.com to experience it yourself!
According to the creators and Ministry of Tourism, “This new collaboration is intended to strengthen the collective effort of the Greek Government, the Ministry of Tourism, and the Municipality of Athens to create a new and sustainable model of tourism development in which Athens will become an attractive destination 356 days a year. By seeing Athens through a different scope, the country’s capital is reintroduced as an “always alive” city which, through its rich historical and cultural identity, itself becomes the museum.” If you visited Athens “off-season,” you’ll experience a vibrant city – and might even enjoy it more without the summer crowds and heat bearing down on your back.
Of “Athens: The city is the museum,” Vranakis explains that it “is the creative result of our joint effort to see Athens from a different perspective and a more environmentally friendly outlook: the image of a modern and constantly evolving city, with unique, unexplored sides and with the authentic stories of its inhabitants.”
The “Athens: The city is the museum” campaign was launched with a video and a first walk through the hip neighborhood of Metaxourgio, providing a glimpse of urban life with audio content that includes descriptions at various recommended stop points.
How it works:
The content is accessible through a destination site athens.withgoogle.com. From there, people can access the campaign video and audio walks. Once the user selects an audio walk from the webpage (athens.withgoogle.com), they will see a map appear where walk stops are marked with a numbered ‘pin’ as part of a recommended walking route. A dotted line will show them how to make their way to the start of the walk, but they will also have the flexibility to select any stop along the route and automatically be re-routed to get there directly. On each stop on the walk, they will be able to hear stories, interviews, and audio installations connected to the actual place.
Get walking!