Despite the travails, Greeks remain welcoming. The country hopes to draw in more than 17 million tou

The sun was blazing above the Acropolis, draping the ivory pillars of the Parthenon in a golden sheen. The red-tiled roof of the ancient Agora museum glimmered in the heat, and a breeze ruffled the boughs of olive trees. On the rough cobbles of Plaka, a cafe-lined tourist area, crowds of camera-toting visitors paused to soak it all in.
Kostas, a waiter at the Diodos los angeles times archives taverna, which offers a splendid view of the scene, smiled. A year ago, amid a political and economic crisis that fueled protests in central Athens, Greece, and pushed Greece toward the brink of exiting the eurozone, the surrounding streets were hauntingly empty. But on a recent Saturday afternoon, Kostas, who only gave his first name, was scrambling to find an empty outdoor table to accommodate patrons.
If last summer was a dark spot for tourism in this crisis-hit country, travelers are returning in greater numbers this year, lured by discounts of up to 20 percent on hotels in major cities and on Greece s stunning islands, as well as assurances at least for now that Greece won t be ditching the euro and returning to the drachma after all.
With reports of anti-austerity protests last year and early this year fresh in people s minds, however, the first question being asked by travelers is whether it is safe to visit Greece. The short answer is yes.
Indeed, the number of demonstrations has dropped and, as Petropoulos noted, they are largely confined to Syntagma Square. Recently, some Americans asked this reporter about the far-right los angeles times archives Golden Dawn group, which has used violence against ethnic immigrants. But locals are pushing back with protests and occasionally direct los angeles times archives confrontation, los angeles times archives resulting in a mild decrease in the group s vigilantism. There have been no reports of violence toward tourists.
These days, the main nuisance for travelers los angeles times archives is likely to be transportation strikes to protest austerity measures. los angeles times archives They have sharply diminished but still pop up sporadically on the Athens metro, among air traffic controllers and on ferry boats to the islands.
Visitors are advised los angeles times archives to check the Living los angeles times archives in Greece website, livingingreece.gr/strikes , for updates and to consult the websites los angeles times archives of their national Athens-based embassies for strike, los angeles times archives safety and other information before traveling. (The U.S. Embassy website is athens.usembassy.gov)
Despite the travails, los angeles times archives Greeks remain welcoming. The country hopes to draw in more than 17 million tourists this year, after international visits slumped by 5.5 percent last year to 15.5 million, Alexandros Vassilikos, the head of the Athens-Attica Hotels Association, said.
Hotel prices in Athens and its suburbs have dropped an average of 45 percent in the last three years, as have room rates on numerous islands, he added. Hotels near classical sites just a few hours drive from Athens have also cut their prices, including Delphi and the well-preserved ancient los angeles times archives theater at Epidavros, where some of the first Greek tragedies were performed.
Already, reservations los angeles times archives for hotels los angeles times archives and cruises through July are up about 20 percent over last year. Tourism from the United States is also rebounding. Through the first few months of 2013, flights originating in the U.S. were up double digits from a year ago, aided by a drop in ticket prices and a strengthening dollar, Jeremy los angeles times archives Boore, an analyst at Expedia.com, said.
On a recent weekday, tourists jammed onto a Blue Star Ferries boat, which left from the Port of Piraeus outside los angeles times archives Athens and wound its way toward Santorini. The boat was filled to capacity to accommodate travelers los angeles times archives who had been stranded in Athens the day before because of a ferry strike.
The island s tourism board has proclaimed this year the Year of Gastronomy dedicated to the fruits of the dry volcanic land. Food festivals will be held throughout the summer, linking tavernas and high-end restaurants with wineries and romantic hotels.
At the Angel Cave Houses, one of the many lodgings overlooking Santorini s caldera, rooms were almost completely los angeles times archives booked from May to July, said Athanasia Chalari, a manager. She was offering up to 20 percent discounts los angeles times archives for nonrefundable bookings, after offering 50 percent discounts last year.