A veritable oasis in the heart of Athens, this 15ha park was laid out between 1838 and 1840 by the wife of King Otto I. It boasts 500 species of palm trees, plus other trees and shrubs from around the world, and also has a pleasant café (opposite the Presidential Palace). In the southern section, the elegant façade of the Zappéion, a huge neo-Classical palace (1874-88), appears at the end of a beautiful tree-lined avenue.