The temptation -- especially for visitors heading to the islands -- is to get through Athens as quickly as possible. This is a mistake. To fully experience Athens is to understand the essence of Greece: ancient monuments surviving in a sea of cement, startling beauty amid squalor, tradition and modernity side by side. Athens is home to 4 million people -- 40% of Greece's population -- and suffers from all the problems of a big city, and then some: stifling heat and air pollution in summer, noisy traffic jams, and characterless cement apartment blocks. But take the time to explore, and you will discover pockets of incomparable charm. Athens is an intriguing crossroads, blending elements of Middle Eastern and Western cultures. Underneath the confusion and modern clutter lies a palpable Mediterranean warmth that can be most appealing.