Girl Ahead

Athens has so much to offer it is a ‘Greek tragedy’ that so many first-time visitors merely schedule flying in and going on a cruise, perhaps to some Greek islands, the following day.

A potpourri of trees blends perfectly with traditional decades-old houses and a modern block that should never have got planning permission (by contrast, Toronto’s even-younger skyrises are up there with the best architectural shapes anywhere). People from all over the world seem to live in harmony here. Blue plastic litter bins do not exactly blend in, but they are not out of place in front of a couture house offering all-white gowns, for weddings and other events.

Built in 1909 by architect Knud Arne-Petersen for the city’s top restaurateurs, the Nimb family, Mary Gostelow stays the night in the hotel with direct access into Tivoli Gardens.