I had been planning this trip to Greece for the better part of 6 years. I kept saying I was going to go and I finally did in 2019. One degree, one army service, and two long-term relationships later and I finally got here.
This was my graduation trip to myself. I worked so hard to get where I am, and I deserved to enjoy life and see the world. This was my first solo trip, even though I’ve been traveling for over half my life. I love to plan trips, and this was my first chance I got to do exactly what I wanted to do. No one else to worry about, if it was going to be too strenuous or making sure we did things everyone wanted to do.
Day 1
Ya sou Hellas! Hello Greece! I’ve been waiting for this trip for so long and now it’s finally here!
I landed in Athens around midnight, and because of poor planning on my part the metro had already stopped running. Nothing a €45 transfer won’t fix. I got to my hostel around 1:30 am and passed out promptly after. I stayed at Athens Backpackers and was really impressed with them. The location was really central and right next to the metro, there were tons of activities for the guests, the people staying there were for the most part really nice and friendly, and the rooms were very clean and modern. I stayed in an all-female dorm like I usually do, and we even had an en-suite bathroom and vanity station.
Starting the next day fresh and rested, I made my way into the city to start exploring. I made my way to Monastiraki Market and was able to pick up a few souvenirs and there were so many nice things you could get for a euro each! The market was so busy, but still it felt different than the markets back home.
Right next to the Greek Parliament building is the National Garden which is absolutely gorgeous. I could walk around there for hours and never want to leave. There’s so many beautiful trees and flowers, it’s enchanting. I visited the zoo and the duck pond while I wandered around too. It’s more like a petting zoo but you can’t actually touch the animals. I only saw goats, rabbits and turtles but apparently there are supposed to be other animals there.
Continuing south out of the park I made my way to the Panathenaic Stadium, which I did not expect to be so big. The original stadium built in the 6th century BC was meant to hold 50,000 people. In the first modern Olympics in 1896, around 80,000 spectators were in attendance to watch the games. Today the stadium is mostly just for tourists to look around, and occasional music events. The marble stadium is something to marvel at, and you can even take a few laps around to feel like you’re a part of the games. After your run you can take a photo at the winner’s stand to show off your strength.
As I usually do at the beginning of my trips, I joined a free walking tour. I originally wanted to do the local tour with This Is My Athens, which seemed really interesting, but they weren’t able to place me in a tour when I requested. Plan B: Athens Free Walking Tour. I booked a spot in the evening tour and it ended up being myself, the guide, and another couple. There are other tours in the city, but I really enjoyed this one. Small group, and we were really able to connect with our guide George. He was super knowledgeable and was great to talk to. During the tour we covered most of the Monastiraki and Plaka neighborhoods and had a bit of a Greek history lesson. I tried to recall my knowledge from 6th grade history class, as our curriculum for the year was ancient Greece, but I was a bit rusty.
We visited the Academy of Athens, which is the modern version of the Platonic Academy, where Plato and Aristotle studied over 2000 years ago.
Close by, there is a Zara which houses some of the ancient ruins unearthed while building. The ruins are on display below a glass panel as you walk in from Stadiou St, and if you go down a level you can see them up close.
Next stop on the tour was to the Church of Virgin Mary Gorgoepekoos and Saint Eleutherius, or Little Metropolis since it sits in the shadow of the enormous Metropolitan Church of Athens. It is a tiny Byzantine church from an unknown date. Some say as far back as the 8th century AD, others say around the 12th-13th centuries. On one of the sides of the church there are several intricate images carved into the marble walls.
Stopping outside the Numismatic Museum of Athens, we were shown some statues and artifacts found that now decorate the exterior of the museum. The museum itself holds the largest collection of coins in the world. We also were shown the gate to the museum, which had dozens of swastikas carved into it. George explained how this symbol was present in Greek culture as far back as the 8th century BC, maybe even earlier.
Our last stop on the tour was to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to watch the changing of the guards. The ceremony was very intricate, and to be able to move so slowly and in turn was incredible. So much work that goes in to be able to get all the moves right and time everything correctly.
Day 2
Knowing that the Acropolis is the main attraction in Athens, I made sure to plan my day there ahead of time and made sure to wake up early to beat the crowds. Things don’t always go as planned, but I tried to not let it stress me out. I was on vacation after all. My hostel was literally a 3 minute walk from the south entrance, so when I got to the ticket booth and they told me that ISIC wasn’t accepted there and only official student ID cards were it wasn’t a problem to run back and grab it from my room. The south entrance was great, the most amount of people in line I saw there was probably 15 people, maybe 20. Most people only know about the northern entrance, and the lines were ridiculous even when I exited from the north. The line moved pretty quickly and I paid €10 for my ticket after the discount. There is a combo ticket, but to get the discounted priced (€15) you need to be an EU student, otherwise it was €30, which is still a pretty good deal.
I’ve come to think that there isn’t a best time to come to the Acropolis without all the crowds unless you’re coming on the real off season. I got to the top around 9:30 am and the place was packed. So many tour groups and people standing around and gawking. I had to retake so many photos since tourists with iPads just had to stand in front of me while I was trying to take pictures.
The Acropolis itself is made up of several monuments, but the most iconic one is the Parthenon, which is what most people think of when they think of the Acropolis. The whole place is massive though, and you need to set aside at least 3 hours or so really see everything. You will also see (and hear!) the park guards all over the place. If they see you taking an “inappropriate” photo they will come up to you and make you delete it. Some encounters I saw of others getting reprimanded for included: handstands, holding up a soccer jersey, and jumping on the rocks. I would not jump on these rocks. The majority of the Acropolis is made of marble and everything is super slippery. Wear shoes with traction! You will not look cute sliding around in flip flops.
If you are interested in learning more about the history of the Acropolis, then definitely check out the Acropolis Museum. After undergoing renovations and reopening a brand new museum in 2009, this is for sure a must see. The museum explores the archeological finds at the Acropolis, and there’s so much to see. A large number of the statues found are still in great condition for being 2,000 years old and some even still have the original coloring on them. The museum has several different exhibits in addition to the archeological finds. There is a replica of the Acropolis made out of Lego built by some students, which is so interesting to see. Look out for some guest appearances in the model! Also, if you need to rest your legs a bit there’s a screening of the excavation and a bit of the history of the museum. Do note that in most of the museum photos are not allowed and like at the Acropolis site guards may make you delete the pictures. From the top floor you have excellent views of the Sanctuary of Dionysus, Mount Lycabettus, and Filopappou Hill. Underneath the museum is the archeological site that you can walk through and look around.
Day 3
A Day in Aegina
I decided to take a day trip while I was in Athens. There were several places to choose from when trying to figure out where to go. In the very beginning I had planned on heading up north to Meteora and spend a couple days there and staying in the north for the rest of…
After getting back from Aegina, I was a little bit spontaneous and decided to climb Mount Lycabettus for sunset. Now, there is a funicular that will take you up and down the mountain for €7, but I was told that it was an easy hike up. Boy was I not prepared for this. The mountain itself is less than 300 meters, but the paths are so winding and at some parts a bit steep. I walk very fast naturally, so that was my downfall going up this hill. There are a few different paths to get to the top, but I took the route from Aristippou Street. Thankfully I was smart to wear workout clothes so I wasn’t completely gross looking once I reached the top. I started my hike maybe around 6:30 pm, close to 7 pm, and it was still pretty warm out. Make sure to bring water if you’re coming in the summertime.
The end what seemed like the busiest day of my trip was a fun one. I headed up to the rooftop bar of my hostel and some girls asked if anyone wanted to join them for karaoke. Of course I joined in! The bar was also owned by the hostel so we had great deals on the food and the burger was one of the best I’d had in a long time. It also happened to be Freddie Mercury’s 73rd birthday, and by coincidence most of the people were doing Queen songs. I was all for it. I started out with my go-to karaoke song, Somebody to Love and even though I am tone deaf and tend to try to sing soprano when I’m clearly an alto, it was a good time. Only one video surfaced as proof that I partook in said karaoke night, and it’s of me and some of the other girls singing Avril Lavigne’s Sk8er Boi. Don’t worry, I won’t subject you all to that. It’ll stay safe in my hard drive where it belongs.
Day 4
My last full day in Athens was a quiet one. I was walking through the Thissio neighborhood and happened to pass by the Ancient Agora of Athens. I decided to check it out, walk around and spend a few more hours sightseeing. The site is right next to the outdoor metro tracks, but I could barely hear the trains as they passed by. The different parts of the site are a bit spread out, so take that into consideration if you’re planning to go. There are a few cool buildings to check out and some of the busts from different periods in the Stoa of Attalos are really interesting to see. The Temple of Hephaestus is from the 5th century BC and is largely intact. It was nice to see all the ancient ruins and it was a lot more relaxed and quiet than the other sites in the city.
On to the Cyclades…
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International Itinerary 