Rebuilding the ruins

Many tourists see Athens as a launching pad for visiting the beaches and cute whitewashed buildings of the Greek islands. And the Aegean archipelago can be a great escape, especially during the nation's current economic crisis.

But those willing to put Athens on their itinerary could be rewarded with bargains on everything from restaurants and hotels to souvenirs, if they are willing to step into the heart of the recession.

For some, the risk of strikes and protests against Greece's tough austerity measures isn't worth it, especially since many have turned violent.

For others, the risk is small in one of the world's oldest cities, which offers ancient landmarks such as the Acropolis with its 2,500-year-old marble temples.

German tourist Dorothea Lueddeckens didn't worry about the risk of upheaval. "Probably it's more dangerous to be on a German autobahn. Protests don't suddenly come out of thin air," she said. The 44-year-old professor said she, her husband and three children also chose Greece to help a struggling country, knowing it relies heavily on tourism - which provides more than 15 percent of annual economic output.

The Greek government is reaching out to visitors, reducing sales tax on all tourism-related spending, while scrapping landing, takeoff and stopover fees at regional airports through 2011. Analysts and industry officials expect a rise in tourist revenues, after last year's 8 percent drop.

A recent British survey also found good restaurant prices at the popular resort island of Corfu. It compared the price of a three-course evening meal for two in Greece and 13 other countries, including a bottle of house wine.

The price on the northwestern island came in at $62.50, fourth from the bottom of the list and far cheaper than cities such as Miami; Sorrento, Italy; Brittany, France; and Brighton, England.

But in Athens, tourists have to know where to look.

"Prices have dropped, and there are good offers available for hotels and restaurants," said travel agent Panayiotis Georgakarakos. "If you book in advance, you can find deals."

But he also said hoteliers are feeling the pinch. "The cost of living here has increased, it has not fallen," Georgakarakos said. "Hotel owners, too, have to make a living. As it is, we are much cheaper than Rome or London."

Hotel rooms in some downtrodden parts of central Athens cost as little as $50 a night, but nearby streets can provide unsettling encounters with drug addicts, dealers and prostitutes.

The inner city has recently seen rising crime, including the area near the National Archaeological Museum, a popular tourist stop that showcases Greece's glorious past - and also next to the capital's main illegal drugs market. But the picturesque areas of Plaka, Monastiraki and Thissio around the Acropolis remain pretty and generally safe, partly due to improvements made for the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Miriam Trader, 56, traveling with a group of tourists from Baltimore, Md., was impressed by that area of the capital.

"The food's delicious, from the nice restaurants to the more offbeat ones. We have felt very safe," she said. As for shopping, Trader said: "They're trying to move their merchandise and are offering good prices."

Unrest in destinations such as Egypt and Tunisia is expected to increase tourism to Greece this year. But shopkeepers in Plaka, Athens's top tourist haunt, told the Associated Press they haven't seen that yet.

"We are offering discounts of up to 15 percent. The thing is that people aren't spending," said souvenir shop owner Evangelos Baltzoglou. "Do you see anyone around?"

In Athens, prices vary wildly, with coffee ranging from about $1.43 for a takeaway to $7.15 at a cafe. The Acropolis Museum restaurant has reasonably priced meals and snacks, and stays open until late in the evening, offering a closer view of the ancient citadel than any hotel rooftop. (next page »)