Yassas! It's all Greek to me!

Greece seems to be quite the popular destination this year. In fact, roughly half the people I’ve spoken to recently either are going or know someone going to Greece in the next few months. So it seems useful to share some of my favorites as we explore ourselves!

We had two days to explore Athens at a leisurely pace. This means we got to sleep in a bit after coming off the plane, and still had enough time to see the major sights before leaving the city.

Day 1

Pick up a Cappuccino Freddo to start your day at any of the coffee shops you’ll pass walking through old town; it’s the Greek take on iced coffee and they do it well
Get a combination ticket to the major archaeological sights. We started with the Acropolis, which is much more than the Parthenon that immediately comes to mind
Make sure to take the long way up (or down) so you pass the Theatre of Dionysus and other sites. You can easily spend several hours exploring all the nooks and crannies of the Acropolis

If you’re a museum lover, or even if you’re not, the Acropolis Museum is considered one of the best. It’s an extra 5 euro entrance (not included in combo ticket) and provides some useful information that you won’t get otherwise without a tour guide. It also provides some air conditioning and clean bathrooms if you’ve been walking around in the heat

My illegal picture inside the Acropolis Museum

Ancient city being excavated under the Acropolis Museum

Look out for surprises! Like the turtles we spotted along our path. I still have no idea how they got there

Also watch out for the many gypsies all around the area trying to give you flowers and get some coin

We stayed at Hera Hotel which was a clean, well located hotel. I wouldn't say it was amazing but the convenience was the main draw. Be warned that the "standard" room has two versions and one is a really tiny room with no view. I should have done a little more research on that one before booking it, as the other "standard" rooms seemed bigger and nicer

Day 2
We covered a lot more ground on Day 2, since there wasn’t necessarily as much time needed in each place

Temple of Zeus is impressive but incomplete. As you walk the perimeter, most of the stones/column pieces are piled to the side like they are being saved for a restoration that will never happen. That’s thematic for most of the sites we saw

Hadrian’s arch is at the corner of the Temple of Zeus. You can see both together if you walk that way. If you’re short on time, I’d skip since you can also see both from the top of the Acropolis

Hadrians’s Arch looking toward the Acropolis

The view from the Acropolis shows both the Arch and the Temple

We took a walk from there to the Olympic Stadium which was pretty cool to see. When we realized it also wasn’t included in combination ticket and cost another 10 euro, we decided to skip the entrance and continue on our journey

Walking through the gardens to Parliament was a welcome highlight. It provided some shade on a hot day and was beautiful. We discovered something new at each turn, whether it was a fountain, gazebo, fresh smell of jasmine, or surprise bitter orange trees growing under the canopy

Beautiful fountains, statues, and gazebos throughout the gardens

Once you leave the park’s little oasis, you’re back in the center of the city at Syntagma Square and Parliament (assuming you go in the right direction)

The changing of the guard at Parliament occurs every hour on the hour. The guards' costume and ceremony is pretty unique so I suggest timing the day to see it once. Apparently there’s a special version every Sunday at 11am but we missed that one

If you need a bathroom break at this point, casually stroll into the Grande Bretagne Hotel. It’s the oldest (and one of the most expensive) hotels in Athens, and it’s beautiful!

As you stroll through Plaka and Monastiraki, you pass picturesque churches and ruins almost everywhere. Spend some time getting lost in the streets
Finally, we stopped at the Ancient Agora (Library of Hadrian was closed but is part of the combination ticket, and so is the Agora). This was probably our favorite archaeological site in Athens. At the foot of the Acropolis, the Agora provides the best views of the Parthenon high above, and let’s you walk through the ruins without as many roped off areas. The Temple of Hephaestus, though roped off, is also rather well intact and worth seeing. You can walk to it within the Agora.

The Food

Whatever you do, DO NOT go to any restaurant that has waiters on the street showing you menus. The quality of food is not as good and you may even pay more than other high quality spots

For a casual bite, Opos Palia has good food and is a place where locals go
If you’re walking through Plaka and get hungry, stop for a quick souvlaki at O Kostas. It’s a hole in the wall that’s been around for decades and is still insanely popular with lines of people crowding outside. The Greeks in the know call in their orders for pick up. As with all dining establishments in Greece, it takes a while even for fast food
Ice Cream: DaVinci has the most Instagram worthy gelato around. If you’re in Plaka/Monastiraki and pass someone with a cone you’re envious of, it’s from DaVinci. Go in and treat yourself!

I would also recommend 3 different dining experiences based on what you’re looking for:

GH Attikos - a traditional Greek restaurant with a rooftop view of the Acropolis. It’s magnificent at night, the food is good, and the waiters are friendly. We had our first taste of Mastixa here, an after-dinner drink that most restaurants give you on-the-house (tastes minty with herbs). Warning for first timers to Greece - service is slow but it’s nothing personal. People just take their time and don’t rush anywhere.

Mani Mani - great local restaurant with a modern and refreshing take on Greek classics. They use a lot of local ingredients in a different way and it’s delicious. No view here but the restaurant and decor is lovely, and prices are the same if not less than the overpriced tourist traps a block away

Dinner in the Sky - this one is more of an experience than dinner. If you’re willing to splurge, I wholeheartedly recommend it! First, it takes you into another part of the city near Technopolis which is industrial and artistic, and very different from the historical/old areas of Plaka and Monastiraki. Then they harness you into one of about 20 seats surrounding a table. And THEN a crane raises the entire table, including all your fellow diners and the chef, Magda, about 150 feet up in the air! They generously keep pouring you wine which helps alleviate any fear of heights you might have and then serve you a delightful dinner as you watch the sun setting over Athens, while slowly turning 360 degrees. One of the most unique dinner experiences I’ve ever had!

Yassas! It's all Greek to me!

An All-American Vacation… Disney World

I solemnly swear that I am up to no good