Ecotourism in Athens? Yes, and much of it too if we’re talking about greater Athens and its surroundings. Beyond the Acropolis, quick visitors consider Athens an ugly city and a concrete jungle, at best a stopover to other places in Greece. But there is so much more to Greater Athens that the passing visitor doesn’t know about. To begin with, it’s surrounded by hills and mountains that harbor wildlife, fauna and flora the likes of you’ve never seen. Keeping in mind that the symbol for Athens is the wise old owl, Athene Noctua, there are 120 species of birds flying around the city and 140 species of wild flowers recorded in the city itself. A visit to Lycabettus Hill, the Hymettus mountain range and Philoppapou Hill, all within city limits, will take you to a world of nature and hiking as if you’re suddenly in another dimension, millennia away from the hustle and bustle. Other lesser known green treasures within the city are Tourkovounia, Streffi Hill, Areos Pagos park and even the once royal gardens behind Syntagma square, smack in the centre of the city.