Athens Is Endless
It’s always interesting to be in Athens.
Athens shimmers. It shimmers with energy and life. With people and places that will delight and surprise you. It shimmers with waves of heat, the sounds of traffic waking up early to catch a few hours before the midday sun. Athens is alive.
It was an exciting time to be in the city. One friend who hails from Athens said to me ‘you’ll be in there at an interesting time’. He could have been talking about the Athens City Festival, a month to celebrate spring including street parties, park picnics, concerts, museum nights and more. However, he meant it was interesting to be in Greece at this moment as they were heading into a snap general election. There was an energy in the air, like a spark could set it off. There was quite a police presence and as polling day came close, large blue buses with Greek flags stuck to the back window trundled around town filled with police and riot gear, apparently gearing up for unrest after this surprisingly uneventful vote. In the birthplace of democracy, to be here at a time of the process was special but familiar. One taxi driver I spoke to lamented the vote saying; ‘no matter the outcome, nothing will change’.
Greece saw a great comeback for its tourism industry after the pandemic, seeing nearly one million arrivals per week in the summer of 2022, not far off 2019 levels, and roughly 6.4 million of them come to Athens each year. Based on my visit, they were all up the Acropolis at the same time as me - more on that shortly. Athenians also prepared for the return of tourism with entrepreneurial spirit. The NYT reported that after lockdown “272 new restaurants opened, according to the local industry association, as well as hundreds more cafes and bars. The city also acquired 34 new hotels.”. Tourism and everything it encapsulates can account for 20% of the nation's GDP in a favourable year, and with so much to offer, it’s easy to see why.
DRINK / Πίνω"
If you want 5 star hotel views without the 5 star prices, visit the Electra Palace rooftop bar. This place is fancy with a capital FAN. Walk stylishly through their lobby that is filled with so much marble it would make the Parthenon jealous. Take the lift to the top floor and visit the bar with stunning views of the Acropolis. I’d recommend going at night early in the week (Mon-Thur) so it won't be as busy, and ordering a glass of wine to enjoy. Once you’ve had your fill of the Athenian skyline, take the lift back down and hit Looser In Athens - it’s around the corner from the Electra and is there to keep you grounded; it’s cheaper too.
Other bars worth paying a visit to include The 7 Jokers, which has been named as one of the 50 best bars in the world. It’s worth a visit, even if it’s just for the artwork at the bottom of the stairs… you’ll have to go to see it. KAIN is also great for a relaxing pint during a hot day, with friendly staff and cold drinks.
EAT / να φάω
Greek food is loved the world over, and as you might expect, the food in Athens is sublime. On the first day there, we made the mistake of over-ordering at a traditional place. I was expecting UK portions but these were hearty and delicious.
You’ll need some classic Greek fuel while walking around and filling up your soul with culture and history. Souvlaki works both as a quick bite on the go and as an end of the day feast. The small but perfect Kosta's Souvlaki is an Athenian institution, usually queued out the door but worth the wait for their homemade tomato sauce.
If you don’t mind stepping out of the well trodden roads for dinner then you must visit ASTER. The fresh Cretan cuisine was worth the journey. I want to try and recreate their Cretan Carbonara at home but the fear of it not being as delicious has put me off.
This trip happened to coincide with the Athens Street Food Festival that we stumbled upon on a quiet afternoon. The sprawling event was packed with people trying all kinds of food from tacos, burgers and shrimp to ice cream, and all manner of drinks and beer. I had an incredible sandwich from Space Ham, but while trying to decide what to order, I got into linguistic confusion with the man serving me. He was confused because he thought I spoke Greek but looked like a walking caricature of a Scottish tourist. Once I explained I didn’t, he asked about my time in the city. As I went to leave, exquisite sandwich in hand, he said ‘welcome to Greece my friend’ and got back to the queue of hungry festival goers.
Things To Do / πραγματα να κανεις
The ideal length of a city break depends on the city. You could get a good impression of Athens in a couple of days, but if you have time to spare, you could not rush and look around. There is so much to see, from well trodden ancient sites like Hadrian’s Library to hyper-modern venues like Stavros Niarchos Park, home to the National Library of Greece and Greek National Opera House. This cool green space by the water was a car park left over from the 2004 Olympic Games, but today hosts events, opera, art exhibitions and more. Similarly, the National Museum of Contemporary Art is affordable and interesting - give yourself plenty of time to make it around it all. My highlight was the ‘Modern Love (or Love in the Age of Cold Intimacies)’ curated by artistic director Katerina Gregos - a thought-provoking insight and reflection of the ups, downs and weirdness of finding love and connection in the modern world.
Regardless of the length of your stay, you must (I believe by ancient law) visit the Acropolis of Athens. To get the full benefit of this truly remarkable place, you should head there first thing in the morning to avoid the worst of the crowds. It was so busy up there you’d think that the port of Piraeus had flooded and everyone in the city was trying to keep dry. I’d recommend the Acropolis & Archaeological Sites: Combo Ticket that includes skip-line access to Acropolis, Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Kerameikos, Library of Hadrian & Lyceum of Aristotle.
“All boats go to Piraeus”
If you plan to spend a week in Athens, I’d recommend spending one or two days away on a nearby island. There are well connected and regular ferry services to beautiful spots that you can either visit in a day or spend the night in. We visited Aegina, only an hour by boat. Once there, you could hire a car and visit the stunning Temple of Athena Aphaia or The Ancient Olive Grove to see trees that have been there for hundreds or even thousands of years. At the end of a glorious day on Aegina it was time to get the ferry back to Athens. As multiple boats had come and gone over the last hour, I wanted to check we were getting on the right one. While boarding I asked one of the crew if this was the boat to Piraeus. “All boats got to Piraeus”, he sagely responded.
There are worse things to do than leave a waking Athens in the morning and sail back into a port that’s been in use since 400 BC while the sun is setting. There’s that shimmering again.