Our flight from Turkey took us from Izmir to Istanbul and from there to Athens. So we didn’t arrive until late evening, about 10:00pm. We were so happy to reach our Air BnB and finally connect with our best friends, Ann and John Boughtin. We’ve traveled together before and looked forward to experiencing Greece and southern Spain with our buddies.
Unfortunately, John was not feeling well, so tomorrow’s plan would include Covid testing. Sure enough, John tested positive while the rest of us were negative, so Sara and I found a different place to stay. Feeling pretty lousy, John stayed in our original Air BnB. Ann joined us to explore Athens on some days, returning to care for John each night. Thus, Covid certainly did throw a wrench into our plans. Sara and I did most of our Athenian explorations on our own.
So what is there to do and see in ATHENS, the cradle of Western Europe’s ancient civilization?
The Acropolis Tour: We joined a walking tour to visit and to better appreciate the Acropolis, no doubt the most important and impressive ancient site in Athens. Our guide, Anna was excellent. A good guide adds so much to our understanding and appreciation.
A large, rocky outcrop sitting high above the old city of Athens, the Acropolis can be seen from all around the town center. As we walked up toward the plateau on top, we saw the Theatre of Dionysus, then the Odion of Herodes Atticus, which looks like a smaller theater, and then past the small Temple of Athena Nike before we reach the Propylaea which serves as a formal entranceway to the plateau. From the top, we enjoy a stunning 360° view across the city. At the center we find the remains of the Parthenon, [the Temple of Athena Parthenos or “Athena the Virgin”]. A stone throw north of the Parthenon is a smaller temple, the Erechtheion with its five pillars carved as Athenian women.
After walking the site, Anna took us through the Acropolis Museum for a closer look at the statues, reliefs, and other artifacts discovered at the site and preserved here. The museum also saves space for many statues from the Parthenon frieze that are no longer here in Athens. Referred to as the “Elgin Marbles,” they have lived in London’s British Museum since the early 1800’s. When Lord Elgin took those artifacts from Athens, he claimed to have approval of the Ottoman government in Istanbul which ruled Greece at the time. For a long time now, Greece has requested their return, but they still sit in the British Museum today.
Athenian Agora: Below the Acropolis and to the northwest is the Athenian Agora, the central public meeting place, like the Forum in Rome. It’s a huge archeological site featuring the largely intact Temple of Hephaestus, and the Stoa of Attalos, built in the 2nd century B.C. In ancient Athens it was lined with shops, but it’s been rebuilt today to house the Museum of the Ancient Agora.
Plaka: Below the Acropolis, just to the northeast, was our favorite part of town. One of the oldest residential areas of Athens, today Plaka is charming, with narrow twisting streets and neoclassical architecture. Nevertheless, it’s quite touristy with plenty of souvenir shops, inviting sidewalk restaurants, ice cream vendors, and unique clothing shops. With its proximity to the Acropolis, the Agora and multiple museums, Plaka is THE place to stay in Athens.
A Rooftop Play: “Medea and Other Friends I Made in Athens.” As Sara and I strolled through Plaka one lovely evening, looking for a good view and a gin & tonic, we were invited to attend a play, performed in English, on the rooftop of the Webster University Cultural Center. The cost was minimal, so we decided to stay. The setting was beautiful, a rooftop terrace on a beautiful evening, and if we looked just up from the performance, we could see the Acropolis lit up for the evening. It was a five man play – yes only men with masks as in the ancient Greek drama. The title makes one a little suspicious, since the story of Medea would not inspire friendship, especially for men. But the performance was primarily comedic, with brief scenes from: The Odyssey of Homer, Lysistrata by Aristophanes, Medea by Euripides, Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus, and Antigone by Sophocles. It was good fun for English speaking tourists, enhanced by a beautiful view on a lovely evening. Click Here for the Website.
Syntagma Square: This is the political center of modern Athens. Here the Parlaiment building faces Syntagma Square, a large open space perfect for gatherings, celebrations and protests. We observed the dramatic “Changing of the Guard” here, and then turned around to enjoy the May Day, Labor Day celebrations in the Square.
The Changing of the Guard takes place before the Presidential Mansion and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Ceremonial infantry soldiers wear the traditional Evzone’s uniform harkening back to the Hellenic Army and the Greek War of Independence. The guard changes every hour, but the official, more elaborate, changing of the guard is on Sunday at 11:00am. Each soldier stands guard three times in 48 hours, standing perfectly still for sixty minutes. During the ceremony, they coordinate their movements in slow motion with an oddly exaggerated marching step that’s oddly reminiscent of Monty Python’s “Ministry of Silly Walks.” It’s really fun to watch.
Athens Social & Political Walk, with Isaac: We enjoyed this unique walking tour focused on the more recent history of Greece and Athens. Meeting near Syntagma Square and the Parlaiment building, we visited important buildings that would be on the tourist list, but also neighborhoods where anarchists, communists, and others fought their battles. There were five of us, plus our guide, Isaac, a fast talker, but full of information and insight about European history. The day was a bit drizzly, and our route interrupted by visiting politicians, but we learned so much that it was well worth it.
Delphi: For the ancient Greeks, Delphi was the “Omphalos,” the navel of the world, the very center of the Earth. It was the home of the great Oracle of Delphi, the Sanctuary of Apollo, where the Pythia, the high priestess of Apollo, offered ambiguous prophecies that were so often misunderstood.
- Ann joined Sara and me for this one. We hired a driver for our day trip to Delphi, a two-hour drive from Athens. Ancient Delphi is another amazing archeological site, with extensive ruins, terraced along the side of Mount Parnassos. Delphi was a religious center with a large theater to house musical and dramatic contests, and a stadium to house athletic competitions, the “Pythian Games.” There’s also a beautiful, not to be missed, Archeological Museum with extensive holdings.
- We visited on a cool and rather wet day, ranging from mist and drizzle to downpours. We raised and lowered our umbrellas a few times before it really got wet, and then we found sanctuary in the museum. From there our driver who took us to a terrific restaurant for a lovely meal before heading back to Athens.
Making Friends with a Meal: We absolutely love Europe’s outdoor café culture. Just to the side of the Acropolis Museum is a fine pedestrian walkway with plenty of outdoor restaurants. While enjoying our second visit to one, Sara and I sat next to a group of eight young men, all speaking English, and enjoying each other’s company. We engaged them in conversation to learn that they were Americans, recent high school graduates, and part of a larger group taking part in a full year of travel. They had spent time recently in Israel, so we shared notes on that, and we learned that they all planned to attend esteemed universities after their travels. They were all so amazed and appreciative of what they had learned in their travels. We enjoyed visiting with them and fully agree that all young people should have the opportunity to travel to different places and different cultures.
