Hotels have been revamped, museums renovated, an efficient new airport is up and running, and an elegant glass and steel domed Olympic Stadium has taken its place as a new city landmark. Best of all, public transport has been given a boost with extensions to the Athens metro system, shiny new stations having been turned into mini-museums to display the archaeological treasures excavated during construction. Renovations or no, Athens has always exuded a unique charm, its lively character winning over tens of thousands of visitors every year. Street markets, vine-covered tavernas, souvenir stalls and ancient monuments all form a conglomerate with buildings old and new in this city, which one out of four Greeks call home. For tourists the greatest advantage is that most attractions are accessible on foot in the central area around the landmark Acropolis. Walking is the best way to soak up the Athenian atmosphere because the traffic can reach nightmare proportions.