Note: We touched down in Athens, spent an evening/night there, then left early the next morning to go to Santorini. We came back to Athens for another few days after we returned from the island, so I’m consolidating the whole city experience into one post.
Athens is large — at more than 3-million residents — and dense. It’s fairly gritty and urban, which reminded me of a lot of my favorite cities, including the one I live in. It didn’t seem to have many new buildings — built or in progress — or structures. The Greek economy fell apart in 2010, so these things are surely connected. Even as a tourist in the center of town, it was fairly obvious.
Having wandered in mostly central neighborhoods, I can’t speak for the rest of the city. In some parts, it felt like a large metropolis that just happened to have leftover, questionably cared-for historical relics in the middle of it. But people were kind and our hotel really took care of us. It was really easy to feel like a local, with many locals going about their days around us.
From the balcony at Art Hotel in Omonoia.
Complimentary white wine from the hotel. They were so nice and this bottle reminds me of their perfect September weather.
Favorite things:
- Figuring out the words, using my spotty memories of math class and sorority row in college. ἔξοδος is exodus, a much cooler word for exit. Μετρό is Metro. Epsilon, rho, and delta eventually tipped me off.
- Gyros with a pint of Mythos or Alpha. Like lots of grab-and-go food, there are lots of so-so places to get one (including a sketchy one near the ferry terminal at night), but there are also really great places to get one, too. The Plaka neighborhood was teeming with spots.
- Metro. We zipped here and there on it, mostly through Plaka, Omonoia, Monastiraki neighborhoods.
Omonoia
Thissio
Plaka
- The Acropolis
Temple of Olympian Zeus (how’s that for a name?).
Next, we visit Santorini, the prettiest place in the world.
Catch up with the rest of the Ancient Civilizations tour here:
Taco who?
- Before we honeymooned, of course, we got married. My last wedding recap has all the links to our 2010 San Francisco wedding.
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