F or some unknown reason I have always avoided Athens as a travel destination, despite the fact that it is just a short flyaway from Bulgaria and there are regular low-cost flights to that destination. Our trip took only a couple of days to organize and as long as you have your tickets booked
WHERE TO STAY
We all know that sometimes staying in a hotel is not that fun when trying to act like a local in another country. Let’s face it, it is way more fun to stay in a real apartment where there is a kitchen so you can make your own coffee and the bakery is just around the corner. For that reason we like Airbnb apartments so much! I still remember a couple of years ago, when I watched an episode of 2 Broke Girls and they mentioned the website, that was a good PR trick indeed! Anyway we chose super cute place which you can find HERE. The place was clean, white, in Scandinavian style and with a gorgeous balcony full with flower pots. We loved it! Be sure to choose a place close to the metro station, preferably in the areas not so far from the Acropolis – Monastiraki, Karameikos, Plaka, Psirri and Kolonaki are nice areas.
HOW TO MOVE AROUND THE CITY
The main areas of the city are very well connected with the Metro system. You can also take the Metro train from the airport, which runs every 30min from there to the center of the city and the ticket costs 10Euros for one way ticket, 18Euros if you buying a combined ticket with a friend. Normal tickets are 1.4Euros and they are valid for all kind of public buses, metro and trams and valid for 90min after validation. Taxis are a good option if you are in a hurry, from Karameikos Metro Station to Kifissos Bus Station it costs about 5Euros and to the airport it is about 45Euros. If you are planning to visit Piraeus ( it used to be a town before, now it is a neighborhood of Athens), you can use the Metro. Be sure to check before your trip, if there are any strikes planned in Greece, they really love to strike and the transport is not operating in it’s full capacity when it happens.
WHAT TO SEE
You should definitely not miss the famous ACROPOLIS. It is situated on a beautiful hill in the middle of the historic part of the city. Tickets are 30Euros and you should better visit it early morning or later in the afternoon because the heat is unbearable even in May. Don’t forget your sunscreen! You can also visit the Roman Agora situated in the park near the Acropolis and the Acropolis museum. Even if you don’t really like museums you can still see enough to see even from wandering the streets of the city. There are ruins and pretty buildings on every corner. The Academy of Athens, the National Library, the Numismatics museum and the Parliament are all buildings that deserved to be seen if you admire architecture. The areas need to be seen and that are good for both shopping and wandering around are Monastiraki, Karameikos, Plaka and Kolonaki. Anafiotika is a scenic tiny neighborhood of Athens, part of the old historical neighborhood called Plaka. You won’t regret visiting it too! I will post a special photo diary from that place very soon!
WHAT TO EAT
You can find delicious food everywhere, almost like in Italy. The restaurants and small and cozy and they are mostly run by families. Order a Greek salad, a portion of Sardines and a bottle of Retsina wine and you have the most delicious and healthiest meal on the table. Another thing that you will see almost everywhere is souvlaki, which is a special fast food consisting of small pieces of meat and sometimes vegetables grilled on a skewer. Greeks drink a lot of coffee, so if you are a coffee addict like me, you should not worry much! Coffee is like religion there, especially Frappe in the hot summer days. Try new food, new drinks and enjoy the ancient city of Greeks to the max! You won’t regret it!