Even though Athens is not a Paris, London or Rome in its riches and splendor, the city is charming and inviting. For anyone from a western nation, going to Athens should be like going home. The roots of our thought process are buried in the soil of the Parthenon and the Ancient Agora. Here is where the experiments with democracy and voting started. Here is where early philosophers were questioning who we were and what we were about. That’s why we call Greece the cradle of Western Civilization. If you want to give Athens justice, spend several days here. Mingle with the locals, eat some great food, and ponder our existence looking at the ancient buildings of the Acropolis. Here is an idea of how to spend three full days in Athens.
Day 1: Plaka, Hadrian’s Arch, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Areopagus Hill, Monument of Philopappos
Our first day in Athens started with a stroll through the Plaka neighborhood towards the Arch of Hadrian and the Temple of Olympian Zeus.
Plaka
Plaka is a lovely neighborhood at the foothills of the Acropolis, located between Syntagma Square and Monastiraki. It is closed to car traffic and therefore very pleasant to walk around. The narrow streets are lined with outdoor restaurants, cafes, and souvenir shops. Make sure to pop into some of them. They sell a variety of items, including olives, olive oil, and Greek sweets such as baklava or halva. It’s enjoyable to sit in one of the outdoor restaurants, even in the winter time, soaking up the atmosphere while at the same time admiring the Acropolis from a distance.
Arch of Hadrian and the Temple of Olympian Zeus
A short distance to the south stands the Arch of Hadrian – a monument erected in honor of the Roman emperor Hadrian for his many generosities bestowed upon Athens. It dates back to the 2nd century AD and serves now as a gateway to the Temple of Olympian Zeus.
The temple itself took over six hundred years to build and was finally completed in 131 AD by Hadrian. It was dedicated to Zeus, the king of the Olympian gods, thus its name. The temple originally had 104 columns, only 15 of which remain standing to this day. There are 13 columns in the southeast corner and 2 in the southwest corner of the temple area. One additional column fell down during a storm in 1852 and now lies on the ground across the site. Over the centuries, the temple suffered damage, and the marble from the columns was taken away and was most likely reused to build churches and other buildings.
It is impressive to walk around the 17 meter high columns, imagining how massive and grand the temple must have been. We spent quite a bit of time admiring the ruins from multiple angles. You also have a wonderful view of the Acropolis and Hadrian’s Arch from the grounds.
Views of the Acropolis and the city of Athens
In the afternoon, we walked to Areopagus Hill which sits right at the western edge of the Acropolis. The view from the top gives you splendid views of the Acropolis and the Ancient Agora to the north.
Next, we headed south to see the Prison of Socrates, the cave where Socrates was imprisoned and executed by drinking hemlock.
From there, you’re pretty close to the Monument of Philopappos, again, with commanding views of the Acropolis and the sprawl of the city.
I highly recommend walking around the Acropolis and seeing if from different perspectives. The view of the Acropolis at night is also charming.
Day 2: Academy of Athens, Syntagma Square, Roman Agora, Monastiraki
We decided to start our second day in Athens by walking north of Syntagma Square to the Academy of Athens.
The Academy of Athens
The Academy of Athens is a magnificent neoclassical building with two tall pillars depicting the figures of Athena and Apollo. In front of the building, you are greeted by two status of Greek philosophers – Plato and Socrates seated in their chairs and surrounded by orange trees. The Academy of Athens is the most important research institution in Greece focusing on sciences, humanities and fine arts.
Panathenaic Stadium
Afterwards, we walked south through the National Garden – a large park on the back side of the Parliament building to the Panathenaic Stadium. The Panatenaic Stadium is a fantastic site. It gives you the feeling of the antiquity of Greece. You can walk along the entire stadium, sit on the marble benches and imagine being a spectator at the games. The modern stadium is located at the site of the ancient stadium which hosted the ancient Olympic Games. It is also the site of the first modern Olympic Games of 1896. The 2004 Olympic Games in Athens also saw several events here. The stadium hosts an interesting museum where you can see a variety of Olympic torches and official posters from the past games.
Roman Agora
Finally, we walked through Plaka towards the center of the city to visit the Roman Agora and the Tower of Winds. The word agora means a gathering place , and the agoras were used as market places where merchants sold a variety of goods. The most interesting site is an octagonal structure known as the Tower of Winds. It depicts 8 different winds facing cardinal directions (N, S, E, W) and inter-cardinal directions (NW, NE, SW, SE). When first built, the structure also included a sundial, a water clock, and a weather vane – serving as the first meteorological station in the world.
Monastiraki Square
Not far from the Roman Agora is the Monastiraki Square with its Flea Market. It was enjoyable to peak into the little shops, chat with the local merchants, and enjoy the atmosphere. Despite it being winter, the streets were very busy and the area was bustling with people. We found a little juice/ smoothy place and kept going back every day for a glass of delicious pomegranate juice.
There are several streets that you can choose from if you’re heading back to Syntagma Square. We enjoyed them all. Mitropoles Street will take you past the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens, a pretty Greek Orthodox church in neoclassical style. Pandrossou Street is a tourist trap with lots of souvenir shops but it’s fun to walk through it. Finally, there is Ermou Street, which is the main shopping street in Athens. You will find a lot of brand name stores here such as H&M, Zara as well as local boutique shops. There are plenty of places to eat along the streets, and you can turn into any of the side streets and have even more options. We ate at several places in the area and loved the Greek salad, souvlaki, and moussaka. The pastry shops were great too with tasty traditional Greek desserts and sweets.
Syntagma Square
After dinner, we went back to Syntagma Square to witness the changing of the guards. The official ceremony happens every Sunday at 11 am. Since we were there on a weekday, we were only able to witness a quick change. It was still interesting to see the Presidential Guard soldiers dressed in the traditional uniform guard the Monument of the Unknown Soldier in front of the Presidential Palace.
Day 3: The Acropolis: The Parthenon, the Erechteion Temple, Theater of Dionysus, Herodus Atticus Theater and the Ancient Agora with the Temple of Hephaestus
We started our third day in Athens with a visit to the Acropolis. The Acropolis, and in particular the Parthenon, is the reason why people visit Athens. It represents the ancient Greek civilization and is easily recognizable all over the world.
The Parthenon
The Acropolis is a fortress built on a hill above the city of Athens with several temples spread out over the grounds. The most famous one, the Parthenon, dates back to the 5th century BC and was built in honor of the patroness of Athens, Athena, the goddess of wisdom and justice. Over the years, the Parthenon was turned into a Christian church and later a mosque, and suffered damage caused by wars and fire, and to a lesser degree, nature. Amazingly, parts of the Parthenon still remain to this day. The rectangular structure has 46 outer columns and 19 inner ones. The temple is built in a Doric style and is entirely made of marble. It is amazing to walk around the building admiring its beauty. The Acropolis hosts several other temples, all beautiful, with rich history and splendid architecture.
The Erechtheion
I must say that the Erechtheion Temple made a particular impression on me. Dedicated to both Athena and Poseidon, the building’s elegance and beauty charms and inspires immediately. Its most striking feature is a porch with 6 graceful female statutes, known as Caryatids, supporting the roof of the temple with their heads.
Because of the rich histrory, you can easily spend half a day here, walking around, taking in the sites, and reflecting on the Western Civilization. Come early to avoid the tourists and have the temples to yourself.
Theater of Dionysus and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus
On the south side of the Acropolis you will come upon the world’s first theater – the Theater of Dionysus. It was dedicated to Dionysus , the god of wine and theater, and served as a venue for performances and plays for centuries.
Not far from the Theater of Dionysus is another spectacular structure – the Odeon of Herodes Atticus.
This semi-circular amphitheater was built in the 2nd century AD under the Roman rule, and was renovated in the 1950s. Today, you can see a play or a concert here from May till October.
The Ancient Agora
In the afternoon, we decided to visit the Ancient Agora of Athens, also known as the Greek Agora.
The Ancient Agora is locted in the heart of Athens, beneath the northwest slope of the Acropolis. You can spend several hours here walking around, looking at the ruins, and visiting the museum. Except for two well-preserved buildings, Stoa of Attalos, and the Temple of Hephaestus, the ruins leave you to your imagination to picture what the agora looked like in antiquity.
The Stoa of Attalos is a long rectangular building in classical style which now houses the Ancient Agora Museum. You can see there a variety of artifacts related to the Athenian democracy, as well as Greek sculptures and pottery.
The Temple of Hephaestus is a beautiful Doric temple dedicated to Hephaestus, the god of fire and metalworking. The temple dates back to the 5th century BC and is one of the best preserved ancient temples in all of Greece. It has 6 columns on its shorter sides and 13 columns along its longer sides. The temple served as an Orthodox church for over a thousand years, which may partially explain its good condition.
Finally, after the whole day of sightseeing, we ended the day with a nice Greek dinner of a Greek salad, moussaka and pastitsio in one of the lovely restaurants on Adrianou Street, very close to the Ancient Agora.
Not surprisingly, we greatly enjoyed spending three full days in Athens and would recommend a visit to the Greek capital for sure. τα λέμε αργότερα!
