When I started this Europe trip one month ago, I had little intention of going to Greece, let alone the capital Athens. But here I am. I had amazing 24 hours in Athens City, although many have told me to avoid it. Yes, it is dirtier than others, and rather busy. So is it worth a visit? But Athens has a great vibe and so much history! We all know the Acropolis of Athens of course! So what to do in this unique city otherwise?
Exploring Athens
I arrived in Athens in the morning, parked my car at the accomodation (one less worry) and started walking.
I went straight to the Acropolis of Athens. The city is definitely a walking city, and there was no street I didn‘t feel safe. I have been warned, and yes, Athens is a big, busy and very dirty city. I am sure the smell in summer would be terrible. Once you get into the centre area, the green trees along some of the streets softens the graffiti and dirtiness a little bit better. Furthermore, The city‘s vibe is alive and full of people sitting in cafes, shopping, walking. I liked it and I was positively surprised. So yes, so far Athens is definitely worth a visit.
After the Acropolis of Athens (read more below), I walked past the local market food stalls and shops. Perfect spot to buy some amazingly delicious and cheap olives and pastrami.
Continuing my walk I found myself amongst the creative design streets full of little design shops. That‘s why I like discovering big cities by foot, because you never know where it takes you. The variety of restaurants and food is huge in Athens. I found great local restaurants that served delicious Greek food at the most compatible prices. I am already regretting I am staying only 24 hours in Athens.
Acropolis of Athens
It is definitely the greatest and finest sanctuary of ancient Athens, dedicated primarily to its patron, the goddess Athena, as it dominates the centre of the modern city from the rocky cliff. It is beautiful!
There are many different ruins to see, spread across the city, so I bought a combined ticket to get into all of them. However, spending the extra 10 Euro was a waste at the end.. I still had to pay extra entry into the acropolis museum and all the other spots closed at 3pm. So by the time I arrived there, I was too late to enter. A little bit disappointing, but I could see the ruins from the outside. That said I could have spared myself the combined ticket. A good tip to remember.
That said, the Acropolis Museum is definitely worth a look. It is one of the biggest I have seen in Greece and very well designed. I especially liked the glass floor to see the ruins underneath the museum. Awesome!
After my day walking I felt like I have covered Athens well after all. (Although I didn’t really take too many photos of Athens). That said, my 24 hours in Athens were well used. I would almost compare it to Rome, as a unique capital, with a great history. Athens is worth a visit. Come to this capital for the history, for the Acropolis and to eat delicious local food from the markets. There is a uniqueness to Athens that I liked it. I hope you will too!
