Ancient Athens
When I was little, I dreamed of becoming an archaeologist. That didn’t happen, but my interest in history and love for old things remain strong. Our vacations often revolve around “ancient stones” and man-made wonders rather than grand natural experiences. That’s why Athens has been high on my wish list for a long time.
Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA, is magical and enormous, but I prefer the Forum Romanum in Rome or, as I finally got to experience in 2017, the Acropolis in Athens. It’s almost a bit sad that I had to turn 45 before I made it there!
Matera and Alberobello in Italy are examples of man-made cities and places that fascinate me.
Dreaming of “Old Stone”
We stayed at an incredibly nice hotel within walking distance of most attractions. Fresh Hotel was truly fresh. I might have been extra tempted by the rooftop pool when I booked. I loved the idea of swimming on a rooftop with a view of the Acropolis and then enjoying a drink at sunset. And it was just as beautiful as the pictures showed, with easy access to the city center and the Acropolis.
The main point of the trip was, of course, the Acropolis, so everything else became more of an added bonus. But like in Rome, there are sights and ancient stones on almost every street corner.
In retrospect, we might have benefited from a guided tour to learn more about the world-famous ruins, but it was magical to wander around on our own and think about how Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle once walked there.
Almost like a pilgrimage
The Acropolis rises steeply from the Attica plain with steep cliffs on three sides. It can only be accessed on foot from the west, where the entrance is. The Acropolis is like a natural fortress and is the reason the city of Athens exists.
Athens began as an Iron Age fort on top of the Acropolis. It wasn’t until after the Persian Wars that the Acropolis stopped functioning mainly as a fortress. There is evidence that the hill was inhabited as far back as 4000 BC.
Athens means temples
However, it was not until the 5th century BC that Pericles led and coordinated the construction or reconstruction of the site’s most important remains that still stand, including the Parthenon, the Propylaea, the Erechtheion, and the temple of the victory goddess Athena Nike.
The Parthenon and other buildings were severely damaged during the siege by the Italian Venetians in 1687. The Ottoman Muslims stored gunpowder in the Parthenon, which was hit by a cannonball and exploded. But the ruins of the palace are still out-of-this-world beautiful to visit.
In 437 BC, the architect Mnesicles began the construction of the Propylaea, a monumental gateway at the western end of the Acropolis with Doric marble columns.
Around the same time, south of the Propylaea, construction began on a small Ionic marble temple for Athena Nike with four columns in the front, preserving the essential design of a Greek temple.
As with many other popular tourist spots, it pays to buy tickets in advance. It’s not entirely straightforward to figure out where to do this, but it can be done on the official Greek cultural resources website https://etickets.tap.gr/. It’s also not entirely clear that you should select “Attica” from the dropdown menu to see the Acropolis option.
Either way, it’s wise to visit the Acropolis early in the day to avoid the heat if you’re there in the summer. There’s not much shade up on Athens’ rooftop.
Temples all over the city
We wandered back down after feeling we had seen enough. We skipped the archaeological museum and found a spot with another palace, which turned out to be the Temple of Zeus.
City centre
We went to see the Syntagma Square, which is the plaza in front of the parliament in Athens.
As evening approached, we strolled through the city center near our hotel, where bars and restaurants were bustling. We found a restaurant on a rooftop terrace and dined while gazing at the illuminated Acropolis in the distance.
The next day, the guys wanted to take the funicular (or teleferik, as it’s called here). It’s something we enjoy doing when we travel. We headed to Lycabettus Hill and rode up to enjoy another stunning view of the Acropolis.
It’s kind of what you do in Athens, admire the Acropolis. There was a charming church at the top, the Church of Agios Georgios Lycabettus, along with a small café that wasn’t open yet when we visited.
Agora
Later, we explored the Agora, the open plaza that served as a marketplace, temple area, and gathering spot for Greeks during Socrates’ time. This is where he was forced to drink poison.
In the same area, we discovered the Attalos Stoa, a reconstructed building showcasing what a market and meeting place might have looked like in Socrates’ era. Now, it functions as a museum for some of the thousands of artifacts found there.
We continued our stroll through narrow streets filled with bars and restaurants, finding the flea market district, though it wasn’t particularly exciting. However, there were vegetable markets, open squares, and plenty of cozy spots to relax.
Tram to the Coast
On our last day, we wanted to see something different and hopped on the tram to the coast. We enjoyed the fresh sea air, dined on seafood, and indulged in some shopping before returning to the city.
Athens truly is the cradle of our Western civilization, and you could spend days, if not weeks, walking in the footsteps of the ancient Greeks.
Next time, we might take the time to visit the archaeological museum and perhaps join a guided city tour. They probably offer food tours as well, which could be exciting.
It’s clear that both Athens specifically and Greece generally deserve multiple visits and more time.
For many, Greece is much more than just Athens, and some may have visited Greece extensively without ever setting foot in Athens. If you’re interested in reading about Crete, check out the post from fellow bloggers Nomadehjerter about the charming city of Rethymno.
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