Athens, Greece: It’s Not Just A Stop Over City

Judging by the number of people reaching out to me for tips and recommendations, it appears that you all are going to Greece this summer and, honestly, lucky you! Greece is one of my favorite countries, and not just because my family lives there and I go there a lot. Greece truly has something for everyone- history, sites, culture, food, wine, beaches, city, countryside, islands, landscapes, mountains, hiking. The food is delicious. The people are so hospitable. The country is just breathtaking. I can go on and on. And, now is a GREAT time to go. The flights have never been cheaper. The Euro is reasonably low. It is one of the safest countries you can visit. And, let’s be honest, Greece needs your tourist dollars.

Naturally, when people ask me for tips on Greece, I always ask for their itinerary. Without fail, I get the same response- “We are only spending a day or so in Athens to see the Acropolis before going to the islands.” Big mistake! Athens is not a stopover city. You know, like one of those cities you just fly into before you move on to the main attraction. Athens is an attraction, and not just for the Acropolis.  Athens is a world class city. There are so many things to see in Athens: amazing food, GREAT shopping, awesome nightlife, but, most importantly, it serves as the best base to really see mainland Greece (which is SO worth your time). Seriously. Greece is more than just Santorini and Mykonos (or as Greeks like to call it, Greece for beginners).

I am going to show you some of my favorite parts of Athens right here in this post. And then, in a separate post, I am going to show you all these neat little places you can easily visit as a day trip from Athens. Ready?  Let’s go!

The Acropolis and The Parthenon

I think the obvious must-see is the Parthenon, which is located on the Acropolis of Athens. See what I did there? I subtly explained to you that the structure is the Parthenon and the hill upon which it sits is the Acropolis. If you can, I highly recommend waking up early and getting to the Acropolis first thing in the morning, before the rush of cruise ship people and the buses of tourists. Another great option would be to go about an hour before it closes. The visiting hours, entrance fees, and general information on how to get to the Acropolis can be found here. If you go early in the morning, you can pretty much have the place to yourself with relatively few people. By 10:00-10:30 a.m., it’s like a zoo.

On your way up the Acropolis, you will see this ancient amphitheater, the Herod Atticus Odeon, which is itself an antiquity.  The cool thing about it is that they still hold summer concerts and performances at the amphitheater! Once you are at the top of the Acropolis, you enter from here to see the Parthenon: And now, for the main attraction: The Parthenon! Don’t forget to spend some time visiting some of the other temples on the Acropolis. By the way, on your way out, don’t just pass by this olive tree without stopping to admire it. It is the oldest olive tree on the Acropolis! Also, here is a list of the best places from which to photograph the Acropolis. Here are some interesting facts about the Acropolis, and some motivation to wake up early on a Sunday to visit it.

The Acropolis Museum (And Other Museums of Interest)

Your next stop should be to the new(ish) Acropolis Museum.  Seriously, don’t miss the museum. It is the best museum in Athens, and my personal favorite. If you are into museums, the other one worth visiting (and which also stays open later in the evening) is the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. If art is your thing, then you will want to visit the Benaki Museum. For the largest collection of Byzantine Art, visit the Byzantine and Christian Museum. For the best collection of Cycladic art in the world, visit the Museum of Cycladic Art.

Anyway, back to the Acropolis Museum. The exploration starts with the walk in.  The floor is excavated to reveal antiquities before you even enter the museum.

Once you enter, you will find a light, airy, and very well laid out museum dedicated to the Acropolis and the Parthenon.

The most interesting (yet infuriating) part of this museum is the space that is dedicated to the Parthenon Marbles, more commonly known as the Elgin Marbles, named after the man who stole them from Greece and sold them to the British Museum. If you want to see the marbles that used to line the Parthenon, you will have to go to London. But if you want to see where they belong, well, that would be here:This sculpture is my favorite in the museum. It is a replica of what used to sit atop the entrance to the Parthenon (the darker pieces are original).

One of the greatest features of this museum, is that you can see the Parthenon from the top floor and can even stop for a break at a rooftop snack bar that faces the Acropolis.

Anafiotika and Plaka

I am about to let you in on a little secret of Athens. At the foot of the Acropolis, on the back side, sits a little community called Anafiotika. It is part of the Plaka neighborhood, and the houses were built  to mimic those on the island of Anafi, whose people came to Athens as construction workers to refurbish King Otto’s Palace during the era of Otto of Greece. Here is what is amazing about it: it still exists; it is pretty well-preserved; people still live there; and it is EMPTY.  As in tourist free! You can actually climb up the Acropolis from here or you can visit after you go to the Parthenon and make your way to Plaka – an ancient, yet still thriving, neighborhood of Athens (a.k.a the “Neighborhood of the Gods”), for a lovely lunch at a fantastic Greek taverna.

As you exit Anafiotika and continue on to Plaka, you will encounter some beautiful street art. A few minutes later, you will be at the beautiful Plaka, where you will have your pick of excellent taverns for lunch.

Ancient Agora and Monastiraki

From Plaka, you can walk through the ruins of the Ancient Agora as you make your way to Monastiraki, which is a large open air flea market and a great place to pick up souvenirs and gifts. 

Syntagma Square (And a Side Note About Shopping!)

As you exit Monastiraki, you will find yourself across from Syntagma Square, or Constitutional Square, where every hour on the hour you can watch the ceremony of the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier. While this happens everyday, the official ceremony using the official costumes happens on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. The guards are part of the Evzones, a special unit of the Hellenic Army, also known as Tsoliades, who guard the Monument of the Unknown Soldier in front of the Hellenic Parliament and the Presidential Mansion.

The job of the Tsoliades is very tough. They are there every day, rain or shine, wearing extremely heavy costumes and shoes, even in the summer. Every soldier stands guard for about an hour, for a total of three times in a 48 hour period. For the hour they are on guard, they have to stand perfectly still until it is time to switch with another guard. They are now protected by Greek police thanks to ignorant tourists who used to come up to take pictures with them and sometimes torture them by hitting them, attempting to knock them over, or lifting up the skirt of their uniform, which is worn because of its historic meaning. Unfortunately, because of this, you can no longer stand next to them as they stand guard for photos, but you can stand below them. By the way and in case you are interested, you can now tour the inside of the Greek parliament building.
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From here, you can visit the beautiful Hotel Grand Bretagne and grab a drink on their roof-top bar with views of the Acropolis.  If you are in the mood to do some shopping, head to the nearby Ermou Street, Athens’s main shopping street (with a great selection of shoe stores!) and Psiri. Also, if you are looking for the famous Pantelis Melissinos, the poet Sandal Maker, you will find him near Syntagma Square, in the beginning streets of Psiri. If you want to buy his custom-made sandals, get ready to wait in line to get into the tiny shop. Don’t worry; its worth it.  You choose a style and then they custom fit them to your feet.  It is cash only, and the sandals cost about 50 Euro per pair, but they are excellent quality and very comfy. We used to buy these sandals all the time crowd free, but after appearing in some travel books and on some travel shows, the tiny shop has become very busy. If Pantelis is there, he will even autograph your pair!

If high end shopping is on your list then DO NOT miss the trendy upscale neighborhood of Kolonaki and the coastal Glyfada. Here you will find luxury boutiques (including Greek designers), shoe emporiums, and haute couture shops.

Mount Lycabettus

If you are looking for the best panoramic view of the city (and best city sunset), look no further than Lycabettus. It is the highest point of the city.  You can walk up, take a funicular from Kolonaki, or drive up. However you get there, just go.  The views are impressive, especially at night. 

The Panathenaic Stadium and The Temple of Olympian Zeus

A short walk from Syntagma Square and within walking distance of each other, both the Panathenaic Stadium and the Temple of Olympian Zeus are worth a visit. The Panathenaic Stadium is where the first modern Olympic games were held in 1896, and it is the only stadium in the whole world built entirely of marble. In addition to thew new Olympic stadium, the Panathenaic Stadium was also used in the 2004 Olympic games, which were held in Athens.

The Temple of Olympian Zeus was one of the largest temples in the ancient world. Today only 16 columns survive.

Beaches

You read that right. Beaches.  Athens has beaches, and pretty good ones, too. To be clear, they do not compare to the beaches of the Greek islands (I mean just look at what is in store for you in Crete!), but they are pretty good for city beaches, and Athens has the longest coastline of any European capital. So, here is a list of the top five!

This is just a sampling of what Athens has to offer and of what you miss when you ignore this gem of a city. We haven’t even touched on the world class dining and the incredible nightlife of this city, which truly never sleeps. Not to mention all the great day trip options from Athens. I have been coming to Athens for over 30 years now, and I STILL make new discoveries about this city every single time. So please, do me a small favor, and make some time in your itinerary to scratch the surface of this magnificent city. Trust me, you will not regret it!

Καλώς ήρθατε στην Αθήνα (kah-los  ear-tha-te  steen  Athena) or Welcome to Athens!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

London: Highlights of the Queen’s Land

If you have ever thought about crossing the pond to visit London, now is the time. London is Europe’s New York. It is a city that never sleeps with 24-hour restaurants and lots to do.  It has history, sites, world class museums, an dynamic dining and foodie scene, theater, and some of the best shopping. It is surprisingly walkable. The whole country speaks English (obviously). And, contrary to popular belief, the weather is pleasant (when Chad and I were there it only rained one time and only for a few short hours in the afternoon). It is perfect for families (i.e., European Spring Break anyone??), for couples, for girls’ trips, for solo travelers, for first-timers to international travel, and for long weekends. That’s right, I am suggesting you go to Europe for a long weekend. Why not? You are going to live those days anyway, might as well live them at a destination. But here is the best part: it’s affordable!! I bet you never thought that London and affordable would be used together in the same sentence where affordable was the adjective for London. But, thanks to Brexit, the pound is not that much more expensive than the Euro. Couple that with fairly affordable flights (I’ve seen them as low as in the $400s), a plentiful range of hotel and Airbnb options, reliable public transportation and Uber, and tons of free things to do around the city, and you have the makings of an epic vacation.

SEE 

The best way to “meet” a city is to get out and walk it. But, where are you going? What are you looking at? I am a firm believer in hiring a private local guide to introduce you to the city.  I like this to be the first full day experience. As you might expect, London is full of city tours, and hop-on-hop off buses, but I am not about that life. I do not want to be herded like cattle. I want personalized attention and the freedom to tailor my experience to my tastes and preferences.  I want Charley from London Tailored Tours, and, trust me, so do you. Charley knows London, and she loves London. She is passionate about sharing her city with you.  She is also a stand-up comedian, so she’s pretty entertaining. She has a range of tour options (city, royal, food, shopping, sports, Harry Potter) or she will create and itinerary for you. She is also very responsive both during booking and after you take her tour. She’s like a personal concierge. She will communicate with you while you are in London to help you with restaurant recommendations, things to do, even directions! You leave her tour as friends.

Chad and I chose the Best of London in a Day, but because we like to eat, we also added parts of the Borough Market Food Tour and then we threw in some off menu items as well.  Charley was happy to accommodate. We waited in zero lines.  She had pre-planned the tour and pre-bought our attraction tickets which saved a lot of time and allowed us to pack it all in. Also, she knows her way around Borough Market.  She knows the best vendors, and they give personalized attention when you show up with Charley.

First, Charley took us to meet Ben.  He lives in the Houses of Parliament and is one of London’s most iconic landmarks. He was as handsome as advertised, and she got us there just as he began to chime! Here are a few interesting facts: Big Ben is the name of the bell inside the clock tower, and not the name of the clock tower itself; the origin of the name Big Ben is unknown; and unfortunately, overseas visitors cannot visit the clock tower. On the way there, she told us about the London Eye, which is located on the South Bank of the River Thames and is view-able from the Westminster Bridge. It is Europe’s tallest Ferris wheel, and it offered the highest public viewing point in London until it was superseded by the 804 feet observation deck on the 72nd floor of The Shard, which opened to the public in February 2013. It is the most popular paid tourist attraction in the U.K.From there we proceeded to Westminster Abbey, final resting place of several notable Brits and most famously known for royal weddings! From there, we took the garden route to the palace, where we happened upon the filming of the Netflix series The Crown. Charley timed our visit perfectly so that we would catch the changing of the guard. If you didn’t know any better, you would think that this was it, and you’d miss the whole thing! The changing of the guard ceremony actually starts here and it is filled with A LOT more pomp and circumstance than these beautiful black horses and fashionably tassel-headed men! It starts with a band and then there is a whole lot of procession! We got the pom-pom hats! And the red coats! And it culminates in a parade around Buckingham Palace!
Unfortunately, Buckingham Palace was not open to visitors when we were there, but it is at different times of the year. Charley told us an interesting tale of Michael Fagan, a palace intruder who made it all the way into the Queen’s bedroom. Nonetheless, the palace is lovely to admire from the outside, but is not quite as impressive as you may imagine it to be. While London Bridge may be falling down, Tower Bridge is as majestic as ever and is the gateway to visiting the Tower of London.

MUSEUMS 

While Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London are not free, the British Museum, the National Gallery, and the Tate are totally free to visit (and totally worth a visit). So, if you happen to find yourself in London on a rainy day, these are great options.

If you want to see the crown jewels, you have to go to the Tower of London. Entertaining tours of the Tower of London complex are given by the Yeoman Warders, commonly known as Beefeaters, of which there is just one woman, and she is famous. You are on your own to see the jewels, and it is a pretty quick little exhibit, culminating in this beauty: If you like contemporary and modern art, then head to the Tate. But if you only have the time (or the patience) to visit one art museum, make it the National Gallery. If you like Monet and van Gogh, then this is the place for you. An art lover could spend the whole day (or several days) there, but if you want just the highlights, here are the 8 best, the 10 best, the 30 best, and the 100 best. These are my personal favorites: If art is not your thing or you only have the time (or patience) for one museum, then make it the British Museum. Pack your patience because in addition to being free, this museum is large and very popular, so it is a mad house inside.  I suggest getting there right before it opens at 10:00 a.m. when the lines to get in are not that bad and have a plan of attack. Here is a list of the 7 best things at the museum, which I don’t necessarily agree with since it excludes the 2 most interesting artifacts: the Elgin Marbles and the Rosetta Stone. Here is list of the top 10 artifacts.  Or you can plan your visit based on how much time you have to spend: 1 hour versus 3 hours Our visit was focused on seeing the Parthenon Marbles, because unfortunately, Greeks have to go to London to see artifacts that belong in Greece. The Parthenon Marbles, more commonly known as the Elgin Marbles, are a collection of Classical Greek marble sculptures that were originally part of the temple of the Parthenon and other buildings on the Acropolis of Athens. In the 19th century, Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin removed about half of the surviving sculptures of the Parthenon, as well as sculptures from the Propylaea and Erechtheum and transported them to Britain. Apparently, he got a permit from the Ottoman Empire to remove the marbles, but if you ask Greeks, he stole them.  The British government later purchased them from Elgin and displayed them in a museum. After gaining its independence from the Ottoman Empire, Greece began a series of projects to restore its monuments, and has expressed its disapproval of Elgin’s removal of the Marbles from the Acropolis and the Parthenon, which is regarded as one of the world’s greatest cultural monuments. Naturally, Greece disputes the subsequent purchase of the Marbles by the British Government and urges the return of the marbles to Greece for their unification. This disagreement has been ongoing ever since.  The British government has given numerous excuses over the years for why they won’t return the marbles, including that Greece did not have a proper place to display and care for them.  So, Greece built the Acropolis Museum and has left a big open space for the marbles homecoming. Interestingly, most Brits believe that the marbles should be returned.

Also, don’t miss the Rosetta Stone and the statue from Easter Island.

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EAT

No visit to London would be complete without a stop at Borough Market. it is, after all, Britain’s most renowned food market. It is s a wholesale and retail food market, and is one of the largest and oldest food markets in London. It has over 100 stalls (these stalls are highly coveted and rarely turn over; and, when they do, hundreds of vendors vie for the spot) and sells everything from fruit, veggies, meats, chocolate, oysters, flowers, and spices.  The pub culture is strong in the U.K., so you kind of have to visit a local pub to get a true flavor of the city.  You can stop for a casual meal or just for pints.

And, you simply cannot leave London without first having fish and chips.  It’s like the national dish. If you want fine dining, then there is no lack of options.  The city is teeming with Michelin starred restaurants and hard to snag reservations. We chose Pollen Street Social and Restaurant Story, both of which need to be reserved well in advance. But if you’ve got a sweet tooth and an affinity for pink, then it’s Peggy Porschen for the win. You can visit the cafe for some sweet treats, tea, and coffee, or you can join one of their baking classes. While these are thought to be the best cupcakes in London (some would say ever), I am not sure I agree (certainly not the best ever). Don’t get me wrong, they are good.  But best might be a stretch. They are cute though and the shop probably is one of the more adorable ones.

TEA

If you go to London and you don’t do an afternoon tea, did you even go to London?  Tea is the lifeblood of the entire country. It is like a big deal. Plus, even if you don’t love tea, it is a fun experience. There are several tea houses to choose from.  We did two.  We did a more traditional afternoon tea at the Goring Hotel, where Princess Kate had her tea before her wedding:We also did an afternoon tea at Fortnum and Mason, the grocer to the royals. While it is the more touristy option, I recommend the one at Fortnum and Mason. First, the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon is darling. Second, the tea selection is mind blowing. Third, the service is top-notch and the staff is uber knowledgeable about the teas and their origins.  They are also very good at answering all of your questions and helping you make a selection. Finally, the food from the menu items, to the tea sandwiches, to the scones, to the desserts are amazing.  It is all you can eat and drink.  They serve bubbly and beer. And, they will even pack you a doggy bag of treats to take with you. 

SHOP

When it comes to shopping, it is all here, and, non-EU citizens can take advantage of the Value Added Tax Refund.

If you are looking for unique gifts to take home, shop Fortnum and Mason’s multi level retail store where you will find sweets and teas that make the perfect gift! If you are after high-end fashions, then Harrods is the obvious choice. Hell, the store is a destination in and of itself, so even if you aren’t going to shop, it is worth a visit.  It is the most impressive department store that I have ever been in, including all the ones in Paris. The first floor is miles of handbags and beauty counter. Each floor thereafter is themed: women’s fashions, men’s fashions, children’s fashions, home decor, furniture, electronics, jewelry, and ENTIRE floor of shoes for women, a floor of the most opulent perfumes, and then the food halls! A floor of dozens of edible choices, a gourmet grocer, an unparalleled wine and spirits shop, and a cigar specialty store. It is impressive, and this is coming from a world class shopper.

Also, do not forget to visit the ground floor where you will find a memorial to Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed. But if you prefer to stroll charming little streets lined with posh boutiques and a quaint little flea market, then a visit to Notting Hill and the Portobello Market is in order.  So there you have it. As you would expect, London offers everything you could ever want in a city vacation – no matter what your particular tastes, interests or budget may be – and, best of all, you can do it all in as little as a long weekend! So, do yourself a favor and hop across the pond and see for yourself. Cheerio!