With the Olympic Games over, Greece, and especially Athens, can once again be considered as a travel destination. Here are some suggestions for evening relaxation and fun. Make note that if you're likely to overdo the fun, it's a good idea to hire a car and driver for the evening. Tell him where you want to go, or ask him for suggestions, and you'll waste no time looking for difficult-to-find addresses. You'll also be sure of returning to your hotel safe and sound.

You'll find an endless number of nightspots in the Kolonaki district, particularly on the main square and on Miloni Street. Walk toward Syntagma Square and the pedestrian street, Valaoritou, and you'll be surrounded with music--by both stationary and strolling musicians--dancing and enough cafes to keep you busy for as many nights as you have in Athens. But for more serious night prowling the following should prove helpful:

Balthazar--A well known spot with a leafy garden for relaxing and listening to Greek music. You can also have dinner here, but only if you want to eat late. Tsocha 47, Ambelokipi.

Central--A popular upmarket bar/restaurant where, nightly, Athens' smart set stop in, look around, greet friends, have a drink, leave and come back in an hour or so to do it all over again. Kolonaki Square.

Banana Moon--A garden club very near the city center, where there's a party on nights with a new moon. (The rest of the nights look quite like a party as well.) Megalou Alexandrou 139.

Island--A very popular club with a youngish crowd that is quite tolerant of the not-so- young, especially if they can stand the music. Nice sea views. Limanakia Vouliagmenis.

Destijl--A currently hot spot with the "trendies." Great for people-gazing. On the waterfront at Leoforos Karamanli 14, Voula.

Galea--A club for serious, strenuous dancing. Worth a look-in, if you're in shape . Leoforos Karamanli 4, Voula.

Balux--An eclectic spot with good music and occasionally a fashion show. You'll love it or hate it--nothing in between. Leoforos Posidonos 58, Glyfada.

So many of our subscribers have written to us with horror stories about "lowest price" hotel rates booked over the Internet that we feel obliged to speak out. Whatever hotel you choose, whatever online service you use, even one of the biggest ones, insist on receiving a reservation confirmation from the hotel itself, not the booking service. It appears that some reception desk staffers don't like these services, and they've been known to express their dislike by assigning undesirable rooms to the guests using them. You're likelier to get the best rooms by placing reservations directly with the hotel itself or, still better, through an experienced travel agent. It may cost a little more, but you can, at least, be confident of getting the type of room you requested at the price you agreed to. In any event, be sure to get an email or print copy of the reservation confirmation from the hotel.

The number of Americans traveling to South Africa has been on a steady increase for the past several years, but most of them miss one of the country's most important attractions. Cape Town is located within the country's Cape Floral Region, an area of more than 2,000 square miles, the richest of six floral world heritage sites officially recognized by UNESCO botanists. Of the more than 20,000 plant species growing there, 70 percent are found nowhere else in the world. Make sure to set aside a morning to stroll through the Kirstenbosch Gardens at the foot of Cape Town's Table Mountain to see a great number of species growing in their natural environment.