Temple of the Olympian Zeus, Athens. Copyright Gretta Schifano

I took this photo on a family trip to Athens during the October half-term holiday. The temperature was perfect for sightseeing and we spent a day walking around some of the main archaeological sites including these impressive  ruins of the Temple of the Olympian Zeus. When this temple was completed in AD 130 it was the largest temple of Ancient Greece. Its base was colossal: it measured 41m by 108m. It had 104 marble columns each of which was 17 metres high and 2 metres in diameter. Fifteen of these columns are still standing and a sixteenth lies on the ground.

To read about the kind people that we met in Athens click here. To read about the top things to do in Athens with kids click here.