Greece

Athens is the capital and largest city of Greece, home to the national government and parliament on Syntagma Square. By contrast, Thessaloniki is the major city of northern Greece, Heraklion is the capital of the island of Crete, and Patras is a key port in the Peloponnese—none are the national capital. One of the world’s oldest cities, Athens is famed for the Acropolis and the Parthenon and is often called the cradle of democracy. After Greece won independence, the capital moved from Nafplio to Athens in 1834, reclaiming its classical prestige. Memory tip: think A for Athens, A for Acropolis, and Athena—the city’s patron goddess—points you to Greece’s capital.