Athens – Third Time Lucky?

Should anyone ever come back to Athens more than once?

That was my going through my head as I grappled with the fact that I was now going back to Greece, and more so Athens, for a third time. I was escorting my 18 year old niece to this location for her gap year Eastern European tour, which was starting from here. Of all destinations in the world, it had to be Athens.

Why Athens?

I have been to Athens twice before, both times as a backpacker, and have seen pretty much most of the expected areas to visit. Of all the cities and countries from the modern and emerging worlds I have been to, Athens has never had the… “je ne said quoi”… to make me want to come back. To me it is a city that you transit through to get to the islands. Besides the Acropolis, really, what else would you even want to do here?

So when I heard I was heading back there with my niece for the third time, it was hard to get excited if I am to be really honest. However, I chose to take a positive approach and see if there is anything more I can learn from the city. And it turns out – I can….. a bit. The fact that I am not staying in a backpackers hostel or going to 4 different hostels or home stays to find the cheapest rate before we even put our bags down was a great start. So it could only go up from there.

Same Same but Different

Some things just don’t change

• It’s a dusty city – everywhere you go there is dust. Not alot of rain falls here and it is a dry, arid country – so something has to give. The one time it did rain was about 2 hours before our Acropolis tour that meant we had to deal with puddles everywhere at the top of the Acropolis mountain with super slippery rocks and paths.
• It’s hot – and dry. There are some lovely parks in Athens but none really at any of the tourist sites which many of us visit. And sadly, not alot of shade at these tourist sites which is instantly noticed when it is a hot 34 degree day.
• Crumbling footpaths still abound. Given the recent economic sanctions from the EU till they repaid their debt, there’s clearly no spare cash is going around to fix up a footpath. Far enough too.
• Drivers are crazy. Whilst definitely true of Italy, the same can definitely be said here. Ducking and weaving, moving into your lane at the last minute at break-neck speed (with no use of the indicator) then braking ridiculously quickly. They also give way to people coming ONTO the roundabout, which is hard when 4 lanes have to merge into two lanes, before they even get to the roundabout, then patiently (?) wait their turn to get on. Always interesting to watch.
• Feral cats are everywhere. As cute as they are you best not touch them if you are not up to date with your shots.
• The Acropolis is just as magnificent as it has always been, however you cannot get as up as close as you used to. Rightly so I guess. The pounding these ancient ruins have to deal with on a daily basis is taking clearly its’ toll. The main areas are roped off and there is a lot of restoration going on (as always).

What I discovered

• The Acropolis museum is fantastic. A definite must-see for anyone heading there in the future.
  • We did a guided tour of the Acropolis which actually started at the museum. I wasn’t particularly keen on this as I didn’t want to waste my time here and spend more time at the top of the mountain. However it was the absolute best way of doing the tour.
  • Our guide was able to take us through the history of the Acropolis monument and its surroundings from the models that were on display showing control of the area through different points in time – and what those people either added or took away from the hill. This was a great way to learn about the rich history of the Acropolis.
  • The museum (which took 10 years to build, is constructed over ancient ruins and whose top floor is the actual size of the Acropolis) contains works of art and artifacts from Acropolis Hill that were taken from the hill during invasions to preserve them and which have only recently been uncovered. It was so lovely to see these works in person.
  • There’s a fabulous Lego exhibition in the Museum that was donated by Australia – yay us, very cool.

• The Plaka district is a wonderful place to get lost.
  • I can’t remember spending time here on my previous visits even though you practically walk through it to get to the Acropolis. Whilst we were staying in this area of town, we hadn’t walked in the particular direction of all the shops and restaurants till the end of day 2. What a find. Getting away from the main streets and crowds, there is a maze of less-travelled backstreets that ignite the imagination. Bursts of colour appear everywhere to give life to the stone or concrete buildings, and some shops have retained their old world charm but with a modern look and amenities.
  • All these little pathways and ‘roads’ (that you can’t imagine a car fitting down, but they do) often led to another discovery of ancient ruins, or a church or more importantly a cafe or bar.
  • I walked these streets with a kick in my step and a smile on my face and it showcased a not-so-dusty part of town that I was happy to discover.
  • Thank you Maria P for recommending this area to me.

• Events at the Acropolis Theatre. I was like a pig in mud when we arrived at the top of the hill and realised that final preparations were underway (sound check etc.) for the evening’s performance at the incredible Odeon of Herodes Atticus Theatre within the walls of the Acropolis.
  • The best thing was we knew who was performing – the funny-man himself Mr John Cleese. At that point I couldn’t have cared less about the tour, I just wanted to watch the final event pieces come together.
  • The stadium was so steep and there were no hand rails to help people climb etc. The event manager in me nearly had a heart attack as all I could see was a Risk Assessment list with red marks all over it flashing before my eyes. Man – this venue alone would not pass any safety checks in Australia I’m sure.
  • But who cares – Imagine running an event in this incredible venue with thousands of years of history under your feet. Or more so – imagine how the performers feel treading the boards that famous names in history have also done. What a honour, what a feeling – what a sight that would be to behold.
  • Sadly it was a sold out show so no joy for me there and we had to keep going to check out that thing called the Acropolis.

So what’s my final outcome?

Yep, I enjoyed Athens this time around. Five nights was (definitely) more than enough time (even taking a day trip to go sailing). I am glad I discovered these new areas – they helped re-form my opinion of the city, but now for absolute sure there is no need for me to go back. Perhaps just transit through to get to the glorious islands – but that would be it. If you haven’d done it – it’s worth a short visit. Then you are done, forever.

Travel is the best.