Around Athens
How much you see around Athens depends on two things, the first is how much time you have and the second is how adventurous you are. There are a few things that you must see no matter how long you are there for. In the same way as going to Paris and not seeing the Eiffel Tower, going to Athens and not visiting the Acropolis is a trip wasted.
For many years this ancient monument was all there was to see, except for a small museum, but recently a very impressive new museum has been built, which is filled with facts and information about the Parthenon and all the other sites around Athens and Greece. A ticket to wander around the area and visit the museums is reasonably priced and can easily fill a day, but if that is all the time you have, leave the museum and just walk the site; it’s worth it.
In the shadow of the Acropolis, walkers can find Plaka, the famous collection of narrow winding streets filled with small shops, cafes and restaurants. Plaka can be quant in parts and some shops can be a treasure trove of antiques and gifts, while others are touristy in the extreme and the shops filled with the worst kind of cheap souvenirs. Whether you enjoy it or not, again, it should be visited.
High above Athens, in fact the highest point in the city, a restaurant, church and café sit, overlooking a fabulous view of the Athenian sprawl which takes in not only the city, but the southern coast all the way along to Piraeus Port too. Getting to Lycabbetus Hill is an adventure in itself as one must first navigate through the maze of almost vertical streets climbing as high as they dare up the side of the hill, (in a taxi, this is quite an experience) before climbing aboard a cable car for a two minute ride to the summit. Alternatively, one can take a winding road and arrive at a large car park and walk the rest of the way up. Once you are there, the view makes it worthwhile and the restaurant comes well recommended, but not cheaply.
If you have longer to explore the city, the cosmopolitan area of Kolonaki should be visited. A collection of expensive shops, restaurants and café’s, it’s enjoyable to simply sit, sip coffee and watch the world go by. The streets of Kolonaki are lined with café’s – cooled in the summer and heated in the winter – similar in layout to Paris. Street entertainers and comedians are often found here too, much to the delight of the assembled onlookers.
Syntagma and Omonia Square’s are clear landmarks for anyone new to Athens and although they are not the attractions they were a hundred years ago, on public holidays or during sporting events they become hives of activity. The area of Exachia can be found behind the University and off Syntagma Square and is popular amongst Athens younger residents. Many cafes and some unusual clothes, music and ‘culture’ shops can be explored here, just watch out for the ‘anarchy’ signs scrawled on the walls and be aware that this is where the anarchists occasionally clash with the police!
This kind of unrest is not what it sounds like, and neither are the demonstrations that occur around Athens. Don’t forget that the Athens University was the location for the famous student demonstrations in the early 70’s, an event that cannot be underestimated in shaping Greece and Athens into what it is today. A march still occurs every year to mark the anniversary and savvy visitors may want to seek out the locked gate at the University through which the tank once burst.
Sick of concrete and cafes? Try a walk around the park, an oasis of greenery that few think exists in a city famed for its lack of anything resembling flora and fauna. Like many other capital cities, Athens is best when you have time on your hands, a camera and a good pair of walking shoes. The Acropolis and the two main Squares make navigation relatively easy and many visitors uncover some great places that no one except the locals know of.
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