Athens Travel Guide…It’s Not Just the Acropolis, Y'all!
As a young girl, I daydreamed of the Greek gods and the myths that told their history (and not just because of Hercules and Xena, ya’ll…but they definitely fed my addiction) as did many a kid I am sure and so when I decided to travel Europe I could find no better a place to start than Greece, not only for its mythology but dramatic history. And for me, there was no better a place to start than the capital, Athens.
This illustrious city has captured many young kid's imagination and in truth impacted most modern societies to a phenomenal degree. And if you're going to Greece where better to start than the capital and the city that houses it’s most famous site, but like the title says Athen’s ain’t just about the Acropolis. Let’s talk about my stay…
Accommodations….Pella Inn
This was my first hostel stay and it was definitely interesting, but we will talk about that in a future post. The hostel itself was very well appointed, only minutes from the Acropolis and almost all of the sites any history nerd (BTW…that’s me) could want to see.
The bar itself wasn’t open most the nights I stayed but I was traveling out of season so that was not a shock. The rooftop was open though so you could grab food, some beers and enjoy the star attraction..the view of that very famous temple, the Acropolis. The city lights the columns of the temple up which becomes a beacon to a bygone glory.
The hostel offers a free walking tour every morning with a local named George and I highly suggest you take advantage of this offering. The walk takes about 2–2.5 hours and takes you around all the major sight surrounding the Acropolis. George is a great guide that makes history and the walk entertaining and very informative.
Make sure you mention at the end that you are hungry because George will take you to a great place, Lionidi, for a Greek meal that was outstanding and well worth the 10 Euros. For the price, the Pella Inn was well worth it. So that’s the rundown of accommodations. Let’s get to the fun stuff the sites that I saw and what I thought of them…
I’m only one person and sadly I can’t see everything…
I wanted to see everything (as we all do when we start a dream trip) but what I had to learn and learn quickly was that if you rush through everything you end up seeing nothing (or at least remembering little to nothing). I quickly found my pace and set about checking those boxes off my list. Though I did not see everything I did see some amazing sites and my favorite? Nope, not the Acropolis! My favorite wound up being the Ancient Agora and if you head out to Athens please make sure not to skip it I promise you won’t be sorry. Here are my thoughts on each site and a little history to go along with it…
The Acropolis….
Okay so when you think Athen’s I am sure you automatically drift to the Acropolis and as well you should. The history of this ancient temple is intricate and quickly wraps itself in your imagination like a kitten snuggling its mother. This site is a conglomeration of several buildings including the Parthenon. In mythology, this temple was erected to the winner of a duel between Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom and War, and Poseidon, God of the Sea.
The two battled each other for the favor of the Athenians and bestowed upon them gifts, Poseidon a well of water and Athena an olive tree. The people feeling that the olive tree was a better gift awarded their fidelity to Athena and built the temple in her honor. Now that was mythology and the actual history of this site is just as interesting, so one tip I have is when you visit a site make sure to learn a little about it so that you can wrap yourself in its mysticism and energy.
I absolutely was in awe of this site and though as I stated it ended up not being my favorite it still lived up to what I had expected from it and then some. The ticket for just the Acropolis is 20 Euros but you can get a combination ticket that allows you access to several other sites for 30 Euros.
This is a great deal and if you are there to see the sites this is an even better deal, The Ministry of Culture and Sports has all the information on its website, so head over and check out all the sites that you can see with this ticket. The views from the top of this site are nothing short of phenomenal, but be warned (especially all those out there like me that can break something walking on a flat surface) wear shoes with good grip and tread carefully those stones are slippery.
The Theater of Dionysus…
This theater built sometime in the early BC’s was dedicated to everyone’s favorite lush, Dionysus, the God of Wine and Plays (that just means this guy knew how to party). Built at the base of the hill that housed the Acropolis it was a center of Athenian life and to this very day is used during the summer months for concerts, operas, and plays.
Though I wasn’t able to enter the big theater just below, the one where the shows are done I was able to get an up-close look at the one in the picture above. The admission is covered in the combination Acropolis ticket I talked about above and well worth that extra 10 Euros. The climb down to the base is steep so if you are not in great shape (this girl right here) make sure to take your time and bring a big bottle of water.
The weather when I was there was perfectly sunny but not too hot so I highly suggest April for that reason and also because the high season for travel begins in May, so you will beat the crowds.
Hadrians Library…
The Romans in all their glory knew that Athens was still a very important city among their vast empire. So in the 400’s BC Hadrian that famous wall builder also built himself a giant reading room. Built-in the classic Roman design it was his mark on a city that he admired.
This site is covered in the combination ticket as well and though much smaller a site than the Acropolis and the next entry it is still worth a stroll through to see the impact of the Roman empire on its role model, Greece.
Ancient Agora…
Okay, let’s talk about how fantastic and overlooked this site is, but not before I give you just a little history. The agora was the hub of all life in Athens and is located near the Acropolis. This site was where the trade and bartering of goods would go one as well as philosophers spouting their new ideas.
The temple of Hephaestus, the god of the hearth and weapon builder of the gods, sits upon a hill within the Agora. Built during the later years of the 5th century this temple is one of the best-preserved Doric temples left.
This site is large and takes time to stroll down the paths and through the reconstructed agora. The scenery is beautiful especially when I was there as everything was beginning its bloom. This site is covered as well with that magical combined Acropolis ticket and in my opinion, overshadows it’s more popular sister because of its size and atmosphere.
On top of the beautiful landscape, you get another temple and one you can get even closer to than at the Acropolis. Then there is the fact you can roam the corridors of that reconstructed agora and peruse the small museum within its halls. All this makes a very pleasant hour or so of your day.
Roman Agora…
The Roman Agora was yet another contribution of those invaders from the west to their favorite city in the east. At the back of the site sits the Tower of Winds a water clock that still stands in near perfect condition.
This site is still under excavation but well worth a walkthrough. The site is included in the combination ticket as well and I highly suggest that you make sure to take time to glance inside the tower of the wind…it’s amazing.
The New Acropolis Museum…
The original museum was on top of the Acropolis but with the ever-growing crowds, a new location was soon needed…enter the little museum. As the name suggested it to would see a large traffic problem, but that problem wouldn’t be solved until the early 2000s. This is when the new Acropolis museum was opened.
This museum is very well laid out, although walking on glass over the previous floor freaked me out. So I skirted the sides. the outside layout is cool with that same glass idea utilized as well so that you can see the excavation below the museum.
For me, it was only when I hit the second floor that this fun little accent became a little disconcerting. Other than that the views are amazing and the collection housed within the museum is equally so. The price to get in is 5 Euros and worth every bit of it, especially if like I said you are a history nerd like me.
Well, Shadows, that’s my break down of my stay in Athens. I didn’t get to see everything and that’s okay. All that means is I will have to revisit this city that captivated me in my youth and reignited my love for it with a simple 3 days in April.
Until Next Post…Safe Journey’s!
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