Athens in Two Days

My July trip to Greece started and ended in Athens. While it’s possible to fly direct to an island or layover in Athens without leaving the airport, I think it’s worthwhile to spend a day or two in the city. I say this with the disclaimer that I did not love Athens. As a city, it was too crowded and touristy for my liking, but the history contained within this city makes it worth a short visit.

Day One

It was 7 in the morning. I got off the overnight flight exhausted and ready for bed. But instead of sleep, we had a full day of sightseeing ahead of us. I was determined to stay up all day so that we could quickly transition to the new time zone. After collecting our bags, we walked across the street (there are plenty of signs) to the metro station. You can buy a ticket into the city for 10 Euros at a kiosk in the station.

How to get to Athens:
-Taxi: The fastest option, but likely the most expensive. There is a dedicated taxi stand outside of the arrival hall.
-Metro: A 45 minute ride that runs every half hour. Crowded, hot, and muggy, but only 10 euro.
-Bus: Good for destinations other than downtown, like Rafina and other surrounding cities.

We easily found seat on the train but, within a few stops, the cars were packed. After a while, longer than I’d like to admit, I realized that it was Monday and we were witnessing the morning commute. The train stayed crowded until we got off at Syntagma Square. We changed lines and rode one more stop to get closer to our hotel in the Acropolis Hills area.

We arrived at Hera Hotel sweaty and exhausted. Although it was only 9 am, we checked in with the promise that we would have a room as soon as one was vacated and cleaned. We left our bags with the desk, used the lobby restroom to change out of our travel clothes, and headed out to face the day.

A note on using Greek restrooms:
Due to narrow pipes in the sewer system, most toilets in Greece are unable to handle toilet paper. Restrooms will have a small trash bin next to the toilet to deposit used toilet paper. There may be some exceptions to this, but if you see a receptacle by the toilet, chances are that you are expected to put paper in the bin, not the toilet. It may be hard to adjust to this, but it’s better than suffering the embarrassment of an overflowing toilet.

The first order of business was finding coffee. We walked a few minutes to a stretch of street lined with small cafes. They all seemed similar so we somewhat arbitrarily chose one called Arcadia. Having done no research on the coffee scene, we ordered Greek coffees, figuring it was something one had to try while in Greece. It turns out that a Greek coffee is similar to a Turkish coffee. Greek coffee is a thick, strong, unfiltered brew usually served in a small cup. It is meant to be slowly sipped so that the grounds at the bottom of the cup are left behind.  Our cups of Greek coffee got the job done, but it is an acquired taste.

After more research and visits to more cafes, we found preferred alternatives to Greek coffee. You can find a frappe, freddo espresso, or freddo cappuccino at almost any coffee shop or cafe. The frappe, an iconic drink in Greece, is instant coffee, shaken until frothy and poured over ice. Freddo espresso is espresso that has been poured over ice and frothed. Freddo cappuccino is freddo espresso topped with frothy condensed milk. As all of these drinks are served cold, any sugar is added as they are made. You should ask for light, medium, or a lot of sugar when ordering. You can find more information on coffee culture and drinks here and here.

Along with my Greek coffee I ordered some Greek yogurt with honey. This yogurt was unlike any “Greek” yogurt I have had in the United States. It was so thick that it easily held the cylindrical shape it was served in. It was so rich and creamy that it easily satisfied as a full meal on its own. The honey in Greece is also phenomenal and, thankfully, applied generously.

After a leisurely breakfast we made the trek to the Roman Agora. It was an easy, one kilometer walk, but it felt torturous in my exhausted state. On the street that runs along the north side of the agora, near the entrance, there is a booth to buy tickets. We bought a combination ticket that provides access to the Roman Agora, Ancient Agora, Acropolis Hill, and several other sites. This saved us some money and hours of waiting in line to buy tickets at Acropolis Hill.

The Roman Agora is a small site with a few highlights. There are the obvious remains of the agora: the gate and columns scattered about. Then, at the back of the site, an ancient octagonal tower. The tower is in remarkably good shape and was used as a water clock, among other things. Off to the side, on your left as you walk in, is an ancient mosque. This beautiful building contains exhibits and information on ancient Grecian society and rulers. It was quite educational and provided a much needed reprieve from the summer heat.

I had planned to see the Ancient Agora next, but we were too tired to appreciate it. Instead we walked back toward the hotel, meandering through side streets and small shops as we went. We spent much of our time in Athens wandering rather than purposefully sightseeing. The streets of Athens are a maze. As we walked from one destination to the next we often got lost in the maze, stopping at shops, sights, or cafes as we went.

After a much needed nap and shower we set out for our 8 o’clock dinner reservation at Hytra. The restaurant is located on the 7th story of a commercial looking building. There was no signage out front but a receptionist inside pointed us to an elevator that took us up to the rooftop restaurant. I immediately loved the ambiance. Hytra is open air with a great view of the Acropolis. And the food was as good as the view. We opted for a tasting menu and were not disappointed. Every dish was beautiful, creative, and delicious and I would highly recommend the experience.

Day Two

The big ticket item on the agenda for day two was, of course, Acropolis Hill. All of the restaurants in the area were pretty touristy so we walked to the Acropolis Museum to check out the artifacts after breakfast at the rooftop cafe. The food was mediocre, but the view and the convenience makes this cafe a decent spot for a quick breakfast.

As we left the Museum we were horrified by the length of the line for Acropolis Hill. After a few moments of terror, we realized that the line was to buy tickets and that we could just walk right in with the multi-site tickets we bought the previous day.

Acropolis Hill Tickets:
If you are visiting during peak season, do not wait to buy your tickets at the Acropolis Hill gate unless you plan to arrive at 8 AM! You cannot buy tickets online (as far as I can tell), but you can buy a multi-site ticket at another site that will have a much shorter line. We got ours at the Roman Agora but they are also available at the Ancient Agora, Hadrian’s Library, and any other sites included on the pass.

We spent about an hour and a half touring Acropolis Hill. Aside from the Parthenon, there are two theaters, an ancient monument-turned-church carved into the side of the mountain, and several smaller temples. There is plenty to see here, but the length of your stay will likely depend on the crowds and the heat. We fought the crowds to get a few pictures of each attraction but didn’t linger due to the intense sun. After seeing the Parthenon, we left through the side entrance and walked to the Ancient Agora.

The Ancient Agora was one of my favorite sites. There was plenty to see and it was much less crowded than Acropolis Hill. All within the site there is a temple, an ancient church, an archaeological museum, and ruins of various ancient structures. The temple is in great shape and the museum has a pretty remarkable collection of pottery. I would highly recommend putting the Ancient Agora on your list, even if you only have a short amount of time in the city.

After the Ancient Agora, we wandered. We still had a lot of time to kill before our late flight to Santorini, so we walked around the city, hitting some of the key sites. We walked through the Monastiraki Market to Syntagma Square. From there we walked through the National Garden, coming out on the other side near the Panathenaic Stadium. We then walked past the Temple of Zeus to Hadrian’s Arch. I was exhausted at this point, so we found a generic, touristy restaurant for a late lunch.

With a little time still left before we had to head to the airport, we decided to do some souvenir shopping. There is no shortage of souvenir shops in Athens but they all seem to have similar goods. I think you’d have a hard time finding any truly unique gifts in the touristy areas of Athens but we were able to find some cute jewelry for moms and sisters. And for our final stop – gelato! We each got a large cone of delicious gelato from Davinci’s Gelateria, the perfect way to end a hot summer day in Athens.