Ancient Stuff in Athens

Overview

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The main reason most people visit Athens is for what I call the Ancient Stuff. The Parthenon and other temples on top of the Acropolis, the Temple of Hephaestus at the Agora, and the Temple of the Olympian Zeus are just a few of the structures built in 5th century BC. There are also ancient theatres, Roman baths, home sites, and a jail.The ancient mixed with the modern is always a real shocker. Picture a view of the Acropolis from the nearest Starbucks.But visiting all the Ancient Stuff will not get you anywhere close to the Mediterranean Sea. For that, there is a tram to the coastal beaches (see Transportation section). After riding for 20 stops, we were strolling in the sand ...Read More

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Hostel Zeus

Hotel

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We found this hostel online. Website www.hostels.com gave it an 80% rating at the time, but the reviews were mixed (some of the reviews being quite bad). We took a risk, wanting to believe the better reviews because the price was so attractive. Now we know we should have scraped up a few more bucks!Our Room:We chose the option of a four-bunk room. The room was small, but the beds were comfortable enough. There was a miniscule sink in the corner, as well as a mirror, table, and hutch (not lockable). Our window would not always close, but we were on third floor, so I don’t think it was much of a security problem. It was more of a noise and temperature problem.We had s...Read More

Member Rating 1 out of 5 on March 5, 2006

Hostel Zeus
27 Sofokleous Street
Athens, Greece
+30 (210) 3211551

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Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion

Attraction | "Temple of Poseidon"

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Poseidon was an interesting fellow. First he was swallowed by his father, Cronus, along with some siblings. To prevent Cronus’s next son, Zeus, from the same fate, mother Rhea hid Zeus in a cave. When Zeus was older, he overthrew and vanquished his father, but not before making him vomit up his siblings, including Poseidon. Now, I don’t know about you, but getting swallowed and then vomited up by my dad would definitely mess with my head. Anyway, the universe ended up being divided between three of the siblings. Zeus was god of the sky, Hades was god of the underworld, and Poseidon became god of the sea. After beginning life as he did, Poseidon could hardly be blamed for some behavioral pr...Read More

Poseidon was an interesting fellow. First he was swallowed by his father, Cronus, along with some siblings. To prevent Cronus’s next son, Zeus, from the same fate, mother Rhea hid Zeus in a cave. When Zeus was older, he overthrew and vanquished his father, but not before making him vomit up his siblings, including Poseidon. Now, I don’t know about you, but getting swallowed and then vomited up by my dad would definitely mess with my head. Anyway, the universe ended up being divided between three of the siblings. Zeus was god of the sky, Hades was god of the underworld, and Poseidon became god of the sea.

After beginning life as he did, Poseidon could hardly be blamed for some behavioral problems. He was a womanizer, and was moody, often violent, causing earthquakes and shipwrecks. Poseidon was also the god of horses. It is said that he created horses in an attempt to woo his sister Demeter (okay, needing to woo your sister is a whole other sort of problem), as well as some other critters that were failed attempts at the horse.

Poseidon was second in power only to Zeus, so he deserved some respect. The Temple of Poseidon at Sounion was built in his honor in 5th century BC. The Attiki Peninsula is imposing itself, jutting into the sea with dramatic vertical cliffs. Then, with the temple glowing in the sun on top of it, the scene is impressive indeed.

Originally, the Temple had 34 columns. Only half of them remain, but the effect is not diminished. As I looked past the walls of the temple to the breathtaking coast, I tried to imagine how it looked with the whole peninsula protected by fortresses, which are evident now only as fragments. My friend and I hiked around for while, taking in the landscape and ecosystem. We looked over the cliff edge. In one sheltered cove, we saw pieces of columns laying on the rocks, with waves splashing. We couldn’t believe that the pieces were left down there like that.

We didn’t get a chance to look at the remnants of the Sanctuary of Athena, but it looked as though little remained. Also nearby was a beach, some beach taverns (closed for winter), a restaurant, and a gift shop. Many folks plan to be at Temple of Poseidon at sunset. We were not able to stay, as our flight was leaving around sunset, but I think it would be a stunning experience.

There are two buses to Sounion; both leave by Aeros Park near Plaza Victorias. There is a metro stop at Victorias, and then walk east 2 blocks to Mavrommateon Street. We took the coastal bus (3,60 euro – 2 hours) on the way to Sounion, and we took the inland route (via Lavrio – 4,80 euro – 2.5 hours) on the way back. The coast was incredibly beautiful, and the inland route had its own rural charm.

Entrance fee = 3 euro (free for EU students). Read Less

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on March 5, 2006

Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion
Cape Sounion
Athens, Greece

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Day Trip to Napflio

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View from the castle Photo - Athens, Greece

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I loved being in Athens with my friend Shannon. Earlier in the trip, we had almost missed our flight from Berlin to Athens. Our response? If we miss it, let's just take the next flight, regardless of where it goes.Needless to say, we made the flight (by 1 minute!) and spent a couple days exploring Athens tourist sights. But, like me, Shannon is always itching to move, so we wandered to the bus station to see where we could go for a day. We had three possibilities, of which we knew virtually nothing about. To choose, we decided to use a similar strategy as the one we conceived at the airport – we would take whichever bus leaves first.We ended up going to Napflio, a small coasta...Read More

I loved being in Athens with my friend Shannon. Earlier in the trip, we had almost missed our flight from Berlin to Athens. Our response? If we miss it, let's just take the next flight, regardless of where it goes.

Needless to say, we made the flight (by 1 minute!) and spent a couple days exploring Athens tourist sights. But, like me, Shannon is always itching to move, so we wandered to the bus station to see where we could go for a day. We had three possibilities, of which we knew virtually nothing about. To choose, we decided to use a similar strategy as the one we conceived at the airport – we would take whichever bus leaves first.

We ended up going to Napflio, a small coastal town around 2 to 2.5 hours from Athens. The only other tourists on the bus were two ladies from London, and they had heard how great Napflio was, and were going to spend a couple days. This encouraged us that we had make a good choice.

When we arrived in the town, we discovered that Napflio is a big tourist destination, as evidenced by the multitude of shops and restaurants with English menus. But as it was early November, almost everything was closed up, with not a tourist in sight. Besides the London ladies, we had the whole place to ourselves!

Immediately upon exiting the bus, we saw a huge castle on top of hill overlooking the town. We swiftly found the start of the stairway, and 999 steps later, we were looking over a castle wall at the scenic town nestled between hills on the aqua blue water of the Mediterranean Sea.

We explored the middle-century castle, which was much larger than we could see from down below. It is actually made up of three fortresses, required as Napflio was an important port and one-time capital of Greece. The views were incredible, as were the ancient fortress walls, starting to crumble with plants growing in them.

Before descending, we noticed a walking path going around another hill along to water and back into town. After a walk through town, this was to be our next exploration. Napflio town is truly beautiful. There were narrow stone streets meandering, with hidden staircases and pretty flowers cascading. We climbed around and up and down, enjoying the peacefulness of the off season. I was definitely wishing we could stay longer.

As we headed around to the coastal path, it started to rain. We pushed on anyway. While we enjoyed the lovely path, we were soaked and cold by the end. Taking it in stride, we made our way to a small café, where we had some hot tea and snacks.

During the bus trip, we had met a Greek Russian man named Cristos. He was born in Russian but was Greek by ancestry, and had only lived in Greece for 15 of his 35 years. This was his first trip to Napflio as well, and he had just come for the day, like us. When he discovered that a nearby ancient archaeological site (Mikenos) was closed, he joined us for the day.

After the castle, Cristos walked with us some more and then wandered off for a bit. He found us again at the café and took out a bottle of ouzo he had just purchased. Ouzo is a traditional Greek drink, but he said that his one was made special in a nearby town and was the only ouzo in Greece to have 59% alcohol content! I’m sure it goes without saying that rubbing alcohol might have tasted better than this stuff, but it did provide a nice warming sensation after our chilly walk!

We purchased a few chocolates for the bus ride home, and we were off back to Athens. Read Less

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The Ancient Stuff - Acropolis

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Temple of Athena Nike Photo - Athens, Greece

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It is possible to see most of the Ancient Stuff around Athens in 1 day, but 2 days would be best. The AcropolisMost of the Ancient Stuff around Athens is clustered in one area—the Acropolis ("upper city") and surrounding land just below. The Acropolis is a giant limestone bench, perhaps 100m high, which dominates the landscape. Originally the site of more ancient temples, which have long since disappeared, the structures that stand on top of the Acropolis today are the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, and the Temple of Athena Nike. All were constructed in the 5th century BC.We entered the Acropolis area from the west side. Bags are not allowed, so we checked our backpack...Read More

It is possible to see most of the Ancient Stuff around Athens in 1 day, but 2 days would be best.

The Acropolis

Most of the Ancient Stuff around Athens is clustered in one area—the Acropolis ("upper city") and surrounding land just below. The Acropolis is a giant limestone bench, perhaps 100m high, which dominates the landscape. Originally the site of more ancient temples, which have long since disappeared, the structures that stand on top of the Acropolis today are the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, and the Temple of Athena Nike. All were constructed in the 5th century BC.

We entered the Acropolis area from the west side. Bags are not allowed, so we checked our backpacks at the booth. After passing through the gate, but before reaching the top, we stopped to look over the edge to the south/southwest. Here we were able to see down into the Theatre of Herod Atticus, built in 161 AD, and still used for theatre, ballet, and musical performances.

Continuing to the top, we first passed through a gateway of columns and buildings under scaffolding, called the Propylaea. On the other side, the three temples rose up into the sky even higher, and there were crowds of people around each one.

The Parthenon is dedicated to Athena, the patron goddess of Athens. Greek mythology says that Athena was the daughter of the supreme god Zeus and Metis. While Metis was pregnant with Athena, a prediction was made that the next child after Athena would overthrow Zeus, so Zeus proceeded to swallow Metis (logical, yes, I know). Anyway, Athena was then born out of Zeus’s head, and became the Olympian goddess of war and wisdom, and crafts and domestic arts. Athena was a virgin.

Athena became the patron goddess of Athens after a battle with her uncle Poseidon (brother of Zeus). On top of the Acropolis, Poseidon drove his fork into the ground, causing salt water to flow, in an effort to show his worthiness to the people of Athens. Athena planted an olive tree, which was deemed the greater act, and she became the patron goddess. On the site of the "battle" between Athena and Poseidon is the Erechtheion. The eye-catcher on the Erechtheion is the porch of the Maidens of Caryatids.

The third temple on top of the Acropolis is the Temple of Athena Nike, built in honor of Athena’s victory over the Persians. Athena avoided war, but when forced to fight, was said to be nearly invincible.

Unfortunately, Athena wasn’t around during the 17th-century war between the Turks and the Venetians. If she was, maybe the Turks would not have used the Parthenon as a powder magazine, which exploded when hit by a Venetian bomb, destroying much of the temple and surroundings. The temples have been partially refurbished, but there is still plenty of scaffolding around to block the views.

Make sure to check out the small underground museum west of the Parthenon as well. Much is preserved in the museum, but most of the main statuary was either destroyed or stolen. The thief is alleged to be a British ambassador who took items that are now in the British Museum.

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The Ancient Stuff - Around the Acropolis

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Temple of Hephaestus Photo - Athens, Greece

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There is plenty more to see in a big circle around the base of the Acropolis. My friend and I started on the north/northwest side at Monastiraki because this is where our hostel was. Monastiraki is a commercial zone, with small shops and restaurants. The main attraction is the Sunday flea market, and this is also the place to find jewelry vendors. From Monastiraki, we entered the Agora, a site that preserves the main living area of Athens communities from 6th century BC to 5th century AD. The main flashy structure is the Temple of Hephaestus. Hephaestus was the son of Zeus and Hera, and is the god of "fire and crafts," or blacksmithing. Athena’s "close call" regarding her virginity was wit...Read More

There is plenty more to see in a big circle around the base of the Acropolis. My friend and I started on the north/northwest side at Monastiraki because this is where our hostel was. Monastiraki is a commercial zone, with small shops and restaurants. The main attraction is the Sunday flea market, and this is also the place to find jewelry vendors.

From Monastiraki, we entered the Agora, a site that preserves the main living area of Athens communities from 6th century BC to 5th century AD. The main flashy structure is the Temple of Hephaestus. Hephaestus was the son of Zeus and Hera, and is the god of "fire and crafts," or blacksmithing. Athena’s "close call" regarding her virginity was with Hephaestus. Poseidon had untruthfully told Hephaestus that Athena yearned for him, so when she visited, Hephaestus tried to rape her. She fought and he failed, but some of his sperm ended up on Athena’s thigh. She wiped it to the ground, accidentally impregnating Gaia (Earth goddess). Gaia rejected the baby, and Athena raised it as her own.

Less obvious but still intriguing inside the Agora are the ruins of bathhouses and ancient plumbing, administrative buildings, a jail, etc. There are only pieces remaining, but in using my imagination, I could almost see the people bustling about their business, with Athena looking down from above.

Directly to the west of the Acropolis is the Aerophagus, which is a small hill that was the site of the ancient criminal justice court. Nothing remains on the hill itself, but we climbed to the top anyway, and had some nice views before heading to the nearby entrance of the Acropolis (see separate journal entry). This would likely be a nice spot for sunset.

To the southwest of the Acropolis is Filopappou Hill. The hill attracted me mostly because it is covered in trees. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to venture into the green space, or to see the other highlights of the hill, such as the Filopappos (Roman senator) monument, the church of Ayios Dhimitrios, or the Hill of the Pnyx (was a meeting place for democratic assembly).

On the south side is the front view of the Theatre of Herod Atticus, which we had looked down into from the Acropolis. That is the better view. A little farther along, on the southeast side, is the Theatre of Dionysus. According to Rick Steves guidebook, this is where "the masterpieces of Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes were first performed." Built originally of timbers in 600 BC, it was upgraded to stone in 342 BC. At one point it was used for gladiator fights, and most recently, in 2003, I guess it hosted a Jethro Tull concert (huh!?!).

There is plenty to see on the east and northeast side of the Acropolis. If you have more than 1 day in Athens, this area might be best tackled on a new day.

Hadrians Arch is a couple blocks east from the Acropolis, across a busy street, and is the starting point for a number of interesting sites. Next to the arch to the east, The Temple of the Olympian Zeus is impressive for a number of reasons. This was the largest temple built in Athens, and rightfully so, as Zeus is considered the supreme god of the Olympians, ruler of the universe, all-knowing and all-powerful… you get the picture. There are 16 standing columns, all that remain of the original 104. One bit of information that I read said it was likely ruined by an earthquake. Ironic, as Zeus was considered the god of earthquakes as well.

Because the columns stand in a wide-open flat area, the size of them seems more overwhelming than the ones I had seen on the temple remains of the Acropolis and Agora. I was able to walk up quite close to them as well, and there were only a handful of people there compared to the masses at the Acropolis. Also very cool was the two columns that were tipped over, allowing me to see exactly how they were made. I guess one of them blew down in 1852. Other large pieces of columns were scattered around the site for close examination.

Northeast of the entrance to the Temple of the Olympian Zeus is the Zappion gardens, the National Gardens, Pariliament building, Tourist Office, Syndagma Square, and numerous smaller museums. Just a block northeast of the Temple of Olympian Zeus, on Vasil Olgas, we found the tram stop to the coastal beaches and to Pireas, where the island ferries depart. This whole area could take up oodles of time. We didn’t have it, so we skipped it. I would have loved to have more time to explore.

Getting back closer to the Acropolis, on the northeast side, is the neighborhood called Plaka. The guidebooks that I looked at before my Athens trip all described Plaka as having "character"—whatever that means. It was a cute little area with narrow stone streets, interesting architecture, pedestrian friendly, flowers, and outdoor cafes. But it was also obviously a tourist zone, rather than an area for locals, but pleasant nonetheless. This is a great area to get a decadent sample of Baklava, a pastry dripping with local honey, said to be the sweetest in the world.

There is a single ticket to get into Agora, Acropolis, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Theatre of Dionysos, and Kerameikos. The price is 12 euro (6 for non-EU students and free for EU students). Read Less

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Ancient Stuff in Athens