Greece Is the Word: Part 1 - Athens

Athens is a surprising city. There are things to love and things to hate (sprawl, anyone?). While the lowlight was probably the hotel we stayed in, but that was our own fault for trying to pinch a penny or two.

The best parts of Athens would of course be visiting the Acropolis. How these buildings have survived their moronic occupants over 3000 years and still maintain their grandness I’ll never know. But even covered in scaffolding, the Parthenon is a sight to see. The view out over the city from atop the Acropolis is also breathtaking, if you can get there at a day and time where the smog isn’t overpowering.

One of the things that I’m most glad I did was to go to the top of Mt. Lycabettus. You probably can’t get a better view of the Acropolis, and the sunset and resulting nighttime views are stunning. However, hold onto your hat because it might get blown into oblivion.

I also really enjoyed the Plaka district. I can shop until I drop, and I nearly dropped in the Plaka. You can find anything here from crap souvenirs to reproduction jewelry pieces. This is the place to get what you want. The streets are closed to cars, so you don’t have to worry about the crazy traffic.

Quick Tips:

If you want to change money, I didn’t notice that much of a rate difference between the airport and the banks and hotels. You’ll spend more time looking for the perfect exchange location, and less time enjoying Athens. Accept that at this time the US dollar is crap against the Euro, and just change it and go spend it.

The best tip I can give you is to go do your research at Matt Barrett’s Greece Guide. You’re not going to get a more comprehensive travel guide. He covers everything from food to fun and all that’s in between. It was an indispensable resource for us.

Best Way To Get Around:

The best way to get around the city is definitely using the new-and-improved-since-the-2004-Olympics metro system. One line even extends to the airport. Bring your walking shoes, because you’re going to need them, because your feet are going to get you around most of the major attractions. And lastly, cabs aren’t a bad way to get around. They’re going to cost you more than the metro, but if you’re tired and your feet won’t take you any closer to the next station, taxi money doesn’t sound so bad. Plus, most of the taxis are Mercedes.

Located near Victoria Square in Athens, this budget hotel (less than 200 euros) was what it was – a budget hotel. The best part of the hotel was probably its location – only a few blocks from the Victoria Square metro line, only a block from an Internet café, only a block from a bank, (but not within reasonable walking distance to any of the major tourist locations). Its drawback was its no-frills approach – for me anyway. Admittedly, when on vacation, I don’t spend a lot of time in my hotel room.

Although when I do spend time in my hotel room, I like to think that a good night’s sleep is in my future. The beds in this hotel were so rock-hard that I had sore hips from sleeping on my side (there was absolutely no give in the mattress.) Plus, we had requested a double bed, and instead got two twin beds pushed together, each made up separately. But, it was clean, everything worked in the bathroom, the a/c worked, and there was a nice balcony that offered a view of the apartment buildings and laundry on the lines behind the hotel.

The front desk staff here spoke relatively good English and they were as helpful as any Greek would be (they all come off a bit gruff, which I think is more cultural than it is annoyance at the tourists). They could tell you basic information like what metro stop to use, etc., but don’t expect a concierge service, like one that would find you a restaurant reservation. They could change money for you (the rate wasn’t bad) and sell you stamps for your postcards.

The kicker for my experience here was on our last night, after walking up the kazillion steps that you’ll find in almost any European city, and after having my knee lock up, the elevators were broken (we were on the 6th floor). Grrrrrrrr.

The breakfast that was included with the room rate was mediocre. Not bad. Not great. Each morning there was some kind of egg dish (different every day), croissants, dry cereal, yogurt with accoutrements, and pound cake with juice, coffee, water, and tea. (I will never get used to Europeans and their warm milk.) The breakfast is served in the "restaurant" at the hotel, which had some decent food choices on the menu, if not a tad bit pricey.

So I guess if you’re pinching pennies, you don’t expect a whole lot, and you’re used to sleeping on cinder blocks this hotel wouldn’t be a bad choice. I don’t know that I would give it a hearty recommendation, and if given the chance again I certainly would spend the extra money for a bed I could sleep in.

Take a look at their Website here

Recommended to us because of the Greek music played nightly, we decided to try and find the Old Taverna Stamatopoulos. It’s on the corner of Flessa Street and Lissiou streets, which didn’t help us one bit. (We had to rely on a friendly Greek citizen who felt sorry for the two tourists holding the map upside down.)

From the outside, the taverna looks like a quaint place to get some good Greek food and listen to some traditional Greek music and have some strong Greek ouzo. We were seated quickly (it wasn’t a weekend night), and our table was surrounded by ivy and smokers. (Darn those smokers!) The waiter was prompt (they all are to TAKE your order, but not so much after) and the menu was varied and straightforward.

Our first taste of ouzo was at this taverna, and honestly, it’s not my thing. Licorice isn’t a flavor I like anyway, but when in Greece...that was 5 euros.

When the plates arrived, however, I could barely contain my disappointment. Between the chicken that I ordered and the fish that my guy ordered, there was hardly enough flavor to go around. The presentation was bland, the taste was bland. It was edible, but not enjoyable. Bye-bye 30 euros.

I was going to get the chocolate pie for dessert to make up for the tasteless meal, but alas, they were “out” of it. The place wasn’t that full, did EVERYBODY order chocolate pie?

The music, however, was very Greek and very entertaining. It might be worth it to go back for some drinks and music, but if you’re looking for a gourmet meal, choose another location.

Most of the restaurants in the Plaka district’s pedestrian areas spend the majority of their energies not into cooking, but into tempting you into their establishment. I’d been told to avoid these if I wanted good food, but after several hours of walking in the heat, I didn’t really care and I just wanted to sit down. We got lucky, because the host that tempted to weary travelers into his restaurant did us a favor.

There are three eating options: the street tables outside, air-conditioned dining room, and then a garden seating area. We chose the air-conditioning, but we were given a window seat so we could still enjoy the ambiance and the people watching but still get the a/c benefits.

I wanted chicken, and the roast chicken special for 8 euros looked tempting (mostly because it came with roasted potatoes, which I think are the things that Greeks do best.) My guy ordered spaghetti with beef. Now, I was thinking it would be spaghetti with meat sauce. Nope, it was spaghetti with beef roast, for around 9 euros. When the plates arrived, I was mostly disappointed, because the roast chicken was entirely dark meat pieces, and I’m a white-meat kind of girl. But lucky for me, my guy loves dark meat chicken, and his spaghetti and beef looked really tasty, so a quick switch solved all our problems.

I don’t know if we were just really tired and really hungry, but this is probably one of the best meals we had during our Athens stay. I know that the food wasn’t Greek in nature, but it was delicious, and we saved our Greek tasting for when we weren’t so hungry.

This restaurant is on Adrianiou Street in the Plaka. They’ll use the same aggressive marketing techniques to get you in, but once you’re in, you’ll be well-fed.

There are two main hills in Athens, one being the very popular Acropolis and the other being Lycabettus Hill. Greek myth tells us that Athena was bringing land back to her beloved Acropolis when something angered her and she dropped it, creating the hill. But as with most vantage points, when you see them, you want to climb them.

Here’s my tip of the century. If you want to go to the top, first, take a cab to the base. We were on a mission to save money. So we took the Metro and then walked up. First a VERY steep hill, and then many, many, many stairs. Did I mention there were a lot of stairs? Now, for the mountaineers among you, you can climb the path to the top. I know that wouldn’t be an option for me, especially after all the stairs. But for a few euros, you can board a funicular (plus, it’s just fun to say funicular) and take the two- or three-minute ride to the top. Ah, but alas, it doesn’t take you to the tippy top, so prepare yourself for more stairs.

The view at the top though, now THAT is worth all the stairs. You’ve got not only a birds-eye view of the Acropolis (a great look, if not a bit hazy from all the smog) but you’ve got a view of the Olympic Stadium (the 2004 one, not the original one), Hadrian’s Arch, the sea in the distance (filled with more cruise ships than one needs to see) and a perspective of how sprawled Athens really is.

I’m sure that at any time of the day it’s a breathtaking view, but the best time to go? Sunset, hands down. I suggest getting to the top a little earlier to land yourself a prime vantage point (it’s a photo free-for-all when it starts).

Do take note, as with any elevated locale, it gets a bit breezy. Okay, breezy isn’t the word, more so blustery, so be prepared.

There’s also a small church at the top (please be respectful, it is a place of worship, not just a cool thing to photograph) and a guy sitting there with his dog and his captive audience selling drinks for those who’ve just climbed to get there. In addition, there’s also a café for the most lazy among us – it’s pretty pricey, I’d skip it.

I keep telling myself that I’m going to stop climbing all this crap when I’m on vacation, but every time I end up doing it anyway, and every time it’s a view I’m glad I got.

If ever there was a tourist trap that was hardest to get to, I think the Acropolis may win hands down. For the faintest travelers, you can take a cab to the base (but Acropolis taxis are more expensive than the regular ones), but even so, you’ve got quite a climb awaiting you. From either of the two closest Metro stops, expect a long walk and often not as cut-and-dry as the map would make it seem.

Once you arrive, buy your ticket for 12 euros (which has tickets to the Forum, Theater of Dionysus, etc., so you don’t have to buy more tickets for those. However, from all I’d read, it made it seem like your ticket was good for a week at these attractions and the Acropolis. That’s not the case. If you want to go back to the Acropolis, that’ll be another 12 euros, thank you very much.)

Then you’ll begin your somewhat treacherous trek to the top. The marble stairs and floors are well-worn and slippery, so watch your step. (Clearly Greece isn’t as lawsuit happy as the US.)

Don’t expect any scaffolding-free photos, either. Buildings on top of the Acropolis are always being refurbished, and in one case (Temple of Nike) taken down completely. I was so upset that the Parthenon was covered in scaffolding. Give me at least one side without all that crap, please? But interestingly enough, it doesn’t take away from the magnificence and still makes you awe-struck. This building has survived morons throughout history (the Turks once stored gunpowder here, and then lightning struck – literally) and still stands gloriously atop the hill.

It’s such an architectural masterpiece, that I, a student of architecture, had to visit twice. The columns are optical illusions – they actually lean (if they continued upwards they’d eventually touch) to give an appearance of straightness. And they bulge in the middle to make them look straight as well. Genius!

The first time we went to the top it was 4pm in the afternoon. The sun was at an odd angle, and it was still smoldering, but it wasn’t overly crowded. I’d avoid it in the middle of the day if I were you. The second time we went to the top it was 10am and packed full of cruise shippers. My suggestion is to try to beat them all there very early in the morning.

The only scaffold-free building on the Acropolis was the Erechtheion with its lovely Caryatid porch (the columns are in the shape of beautiful women.) I was fascinated by these columns, which are not originals (they would be in the museum, with one original in the British Museum.)

If you have one day in Athens, this should be your top stop.

If you want to walk around and stop, the Plaka district is going to be your mecca. Here you can find more tourist shops, jewelry shops, T-shirt shops, and restaurants than you could possibly ever need or want.

My advice is that if you find something you want, make note of where you found the item and how much it was. It’s quite likely that you’ll find the exact same item somewhere else and for a different price. Now, I’d been told that negotiation is key in the Plaka. Either I’m crappy at negotiating, or that’s not true these days.

Items you may want to look for in the Plaka include the blue evil-eye protectors, T-shirts, ouzo and Greek olive oil, ceramic things for your wall, and reproductions of antiquities.

There are also enough restaurants here to satisfy any craving you have. You can get a gyro, souvlaki, moussaka, etc. I’d been warned on several sites that the restaurants with the owners out front trying to guilt you into coming into their establishment had lots of marketing savvy and little culinary benefits. We must’ve gotten lucky, because that wasn’t the case with the restaurant that chose us (see review here).

I bought a gold ring with the Athens key design – gold jewelry in Greece is cheaper, not for the gold itself, but the labor is cheaper. You can go all out and buy reproductions or buy mass-produced items like I did. But I don’t care, because I like the ring and it says "Greece" to anyone who sees it.

Another prized purchase from the Plaka is some prime Greek olive oil from the Traditional Greek Products store on Adrianou Street. (Did you know that a lot of olive oil that is marketed as Italian is actually Greek?) In addition, this store has more choices of ouzo than you could probably get through. I’m not a big fan of the ouzo’s licorice taste, but it’s a traditional Greek product to take home (don’t forget to put it in your checked bag, and you can’t buy liquids at the Athens airport when coming back to the states, because security is right at the gate, there are no shops once you get through security.) You can even buy ouzo, and olive oil for that matter, in containers shaped like the Parthenon.

Even if you’re highly disciplined and can control yourself when it comes to buying tourist chatchkies, the Plaka is just a nice pedestrian-friendly stroll (but watch out for the pizza delivery folks on vespas) through a unique Greek neighborhood. And it’s also a good place to catch a view of the famous stray dogs. One tour leader told her group that she could navigate by one dog, because he was always in the same place. The Greeks seem to take care of these animals, though, because stores often leave out food and water for them.

At the base of the Acropolis, this district is perfect for a lovely afternoon.

I honestly think that if Greeks were allowed, they’d build apartment buildings on the Acropolis, and probably right on top of the Parthenon. Perhaps that’s the downfall for a country that can’t spit without hitting a ruin, but when viewing Hadrian’s Arch and Zues’s Temple across a busy road and through some telephone wires, you’ll probably feel a little less about the site than you normally would.

You can see the site from atop the Acropolis, and perhaps you think it’s not worth the walk to get there, using the ticket you bought for the Acropolis instead of paying an extra 2 euro to get in. Well, I’m here to say that you might want to rethink that. If you have one day in Athens, I think you could survive without seeing these ruins, but if you’ve got the time, this is a good way to spend an hour.

Zeus really knew how to appreciate a column. Originally, there were over a hundred of these Corinthian columns, but now there are only 15. But one of the most fascinating parts of the site is the column that was blown over in the 1800s. It really gives a good look into the building of a column, and it looks like the column bits were placed there like some crackers on a snack tray. The site also gives you an alternate view of the Acropolis, rather than the grassy knoll view, it shows you the wall that made it a strategic military point.

Nearby is Hadrian’s Arch which was built as a gate into the city of Athens by the Romans. It’s kind of neat to walk under it, and to get a view of the Acropolis through it, but all of the cars running in front of it and the wires hanging above it make IT a secondary photo op.

So it’s not a major site to see, but worth a short walk from the Acropoli metro station.