What's Athens like?

My boyfriend is studying history and he is into all that historical stuff. We have already agreed to go on holiday together and I was very much looking forward to this. Now he has got this idea into his head of going to Athens and see the Acropolis and stuff. I am not very much into that idea but, hey, if Athens has nice shops I might just be convinced. So please people, tell me what Athens is like?

I am sorry to have to disappoint you! Athens is a horrible, dirty city! It has far too many cars and it has a dust and smog problem. The shops are nothing special either. It is like any other big city I suppose. There are loads of these horrible stray cats about too. They are a huge problem and cause a lot of noise too!