'Among the gods' - 5 days around Athens
Greece is an incredible country, the cradle of western civilization. Philosophy, theater plays, and sciences have their roots here. Wherever you go in Greece, you will wonder at the incredible beauty surrounding you.
We experience the strongest emotions in Athens: stepping into the birthplace of democracy is something you cannot experience anywhere else.
A (hi)story 3.400 years long, a journey through time, a past so ancient that it blends with the memory of the Olympian gods.
Athens is all of this and much more.
Come with us for a 5-day trip to and around Athens, wandering in a surreal atmosphere where you can still fill the presence of ancient gods and goddesses.
5 days around Athens, Day 1
From virtually every spot in the city, you can see it: the Parthenon.
It's the most iconic building in Athens, if not in all of Greece, and our holiday couldn't begin anywhere else.
The Parthenon is one of the many temples in the Acropolis, Athens' ancient citadel, located on a rocky outcrop that dominates the center of the modern city.
Acropolis, Athens
The Acropolis is the most accurate reflection of ancient Athens' splendor and power at its greatest peak, during the golden age of Perikles, in the 5th century C.E.
The Parthenon was built at this moment, when Athens became the seat of the political union of the Delian League, where the major poleis ('city-states') of Greece came together to fight against the Persian Empire.
Athens' political and cultural centrality is epitomized by the Parthenon, a wonderful temple dedicated primarily to the city's patron, the goddess Athena in her role of parthènos, which in Greek means' maiden' and 'virgin'. Inside the Parthenon is a particular room that was used to house the Athenian virgins charged with serving the goddess.
The presence of the goddess Athena permeates every inch of the Acropolis. Many of the temples on the north side of the Acropolis were dedicated to the cult of Athena in her many qualities, such as Polias ('patron of the city'), Promachos ('goddess of war'), and Nike ('victory').
We were astonished by the immense amount of things to see inside the Acropolis. We spent hours walking around and marveling at every building and temple.
The best way to explore everything the Acropolis has to offer is by taking a walking tour: besides the Parthenon, unmissable is a visit to the Temple of Athena-Nike, the Propylaea, the Erechtheion, and the incredible the Temple of Olympian Zeus.
Temple of Athena-Nike, Acropolis, Athens
Before leaving the Acropolis, we stopped for a little longer to enjoy the stunning view. The Acropolis is beyond words, and no photos will ever do justice to its beauty and atmosphere.
Only 300 meters from the Acropolis stands the Acropolis Museum, an incredible contemporary building made of steel and glass. The museum houses the findings of the archaeological site of the Acropolis, where archeologists found hundreds of statues and many other relics.
The Acropolis Museum is the perfect mix between the ancient world and our modern days, which is the most striking characteristic of Athen as a city.
After the museum, it was time for us to have lunch. We went to Attikos Greek House, a family-run restaurant with an outdoor terrace overlooking the Acropolis. Eating delicious traditional food with this incredible view was priceless!
Our next stop was the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the stunning open-air theater which hosts shows to the present day. The site sits beneath the slopes of the Acropolis, and it was built in 161 C.E. by the Roman senator Herodes Atticus in memory of his beloved wife. The Odeon originally had a marvelous wooden roof made of expensive cedar of Lebanon timber, which no longer exists. The Odeon was used as a venue for music concerts, and today is the location of the Athens and Epidaurus Festival. There's nothing better than spending a hot summer night watching a majestic ballet or an ancient Greek tragedy inside the Odeon of Herodes Atticus!
Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Athens
We had a few more stops before the end of the day. We walked for about 20 minutes to arrive at the Panathenaic Stadium, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The stadium is one of the most emblematic monuments in Athens, but it is usually overlooked by visitors. The name means 'stadium of all the Athenians', and it was built in the 4th century B.C. to host the athletics games of the Panatenee.
The original structure was renovated by Roman senator Herod Atticus in the II century C.E., who decided to rebuild the seats with Pentelic marble. Since then, the stadium is also known as Kallimarmaro ('made from beautiful marble').
The grandiose Panathenaic Stadium hosts today's Olympic Games, the Athens Marathon yearly, concerts, and public events.
We spent 1 hour on the site, getting to know its long history and marveling at its size. And, guess what: we did a little running competition between ourselves before stepping out of the stadium! Who do you think won? [tell us with a comment below or on our Instagram page].
We crossed the Panathenaic Stadium to the other side to reach the National Gardens. We had a relaxing walk through green trees, exotic plants, Corinthian columns and mosaics. The park is big, and many locals spend their afternoons here during the summer.
It was a long day, with a very early morning for taking our flight to Athens. We return to our apartment to rest and prepare for another day of exploring.
5 days around Athens, Day 2
After a good night's sleep and a shot of coffee, we were out of the apartment. The first stop of day 2 was the Agora, the very center of life in ancient Athens. The Agora was the marketplace of the city, but like every public square in antiquity, it was also the beating heart of Athens' public life, where all the main political, commercial, and religious activities.
We decided to do a guided tour to visit the Agora since this UNESCO site has the ruins of many buildings. Our favorite building was the Temple of Hephaestus, from which we had an incredible view of the Acropolis right above. It is emotional to think that we were marveling at the same exact view that the ancient Greeks had back in the day!
Another spot that we particularly enjoyed was the Stoa of Attalos, an impressive covered walkway that hosts the Museum of the Agora - which we visited, of course! The museum collection is dedicated to Athens' democratic period, and inside, you can see sculptures, inscriptions, and coins from the most wealthy period of Ancient Greece.
We spent the rest of the morning walking around the gorgeous Monastiraki neighborhood, one of the best places in Athens, to see the blending of the city's past and present. Right beside the Agora, there are many other sights of interest: the Church of Panagia Kapnikarea, the Tzistarakis Mosque, and the pillars of Hadrian's Library.
Ruins of Adrian’s Library, Athens. Credits: Andreas Trepte
Monastiraki neighborhood is also perfect for doing some shopping in the many bazaars and souvenir shops you can find in its modern streets. If you happen to be in Athens on a Sunday, don't miss the flea market in the Monastiraki neighborhood.
For lunch, we went to Mask, a restaurant-bar with a gorgeous location, a neoclassical building decorated with modern furniture. Here, we had delicious Greek Mediterranean dishes with a gourmet twist.
After the great lunch, we made our way to the National Archeological Museum, with galleries packed with ancient artworks. The museum is the perfect place to learn all about the Hellenic cosmos, as the Ancient Greeks called their society (cosmos means' social world' and 'perfection'). The best artifact in the museum is the famous Mask of Agamemnon, whose picture is inside every Italian history book! The gold funerary mask dates back to the Mycenaean period, and it has been considered for long to belong to king Agamemnon, one of the heroes of Homer's epic poem The Iliad.
National Archeological Museum, Athens
After hours spent inside the National Archeological Museum, we kept strolling through the streets of Monastiraki neighborhood, and at sunset, we went for a drink at the Attic Urban Rooftop. Delicious cocktails and an incredible golden-hour view of the Acropolis… there was no better way to end day 2 in Athens!
5 days around Athens, Day 3
Day 3 around Athens began as usual: waking up, having breakfast, and leaving the apartment to explore the city's beauty. We spent the whole day chilling and walking around the city, enjoying the fantastic Mediterranean weather, tasting traditional food, and having fun.
In the morning, we explored Plaka neighborhood, with its tight and twisting alleys, neoclassical houses, and fuchsia-blooming bougainvillea.
Plaka is rocketed in the shadow of the Acropolis, and it is Athens' oldest historical neighborhood. Archeological research showed that Plaka's artery, Adrianou Street, is the oldest street in Athens. Even more amazing is that the neighborhood still has the exact same layout as it did in antiquity!
The locals call Plaka the 'neighborhood of the gods', and it is dotted with little tavernas and family-run shops. For lunch, we had gyros, the Greek version of kebab, made with traditional pita bread. Usually, gyros are filled with chicken or pork meat and drizzled with various sauces, including the delicious tzatziki. However, it is easy to find vegetarian versions. Talking about it, if you are in Greece and you are vegan, your life will be incredibly easy! Just ask for nistisimo food, the fasting food eaten during the Greek Orthodox Easter. However, you can find the majority of nistisimo dishes all year round in traditional restaurants.
After lunch, we walked for 10 minutes from Plaka's main square to get to Syntagma square. Built under the commission of Greece's first modern royal, King Otto, the square houses the former royal palace. This impressive building is today the location of the Hellenic Parliament, which can be visited for free! We obviously couldn't miss the chance: we did the free hour-and-a-half-long guided tour that allowed us to discover the Assembly Hall and learn all about Greece's modern history.
Athens’ Parliament. Credits: Thomas Wolf
We then walked to Psiri neighborhood, a trendy and unconventional district. It is Athens' artistic spot: you can visit many art galleries and see many examples of street art.
A must-see while in Psiri is Pittaki Street, which is covered by hundreds of lamps of any shape, size, and color, which creates wonderful lighting effects. Most of the lamps used to decorate this street were donated by the locals.
One of the best places to stop for a break in the Psiri neighborhood is Little Kook Cafe. The cafe is unique: you will step inside a wonderland! Beautiful fairytale decorations and characters like Alice in Wonderland populate the location, where you can enjoy cakes and hot drinks.
Little Kook Cafe, Athens
Psiri also offers the ultimate nightlife in Athens! After 6 pm, the streets get crowded and full of music and people having fun. We decided to spend the night out, attracted by the friendly vibe!
5 days around Athens, Day 4
For Day 4 we decided to organize something special: a one-day trip to a nearby island.
After breakfast, we took the metro to get to the Piraeus Port, Athens' ancient harbor, ready to get on the ferry to Aegina Island. This incredible island is only 45 minutes from Athens, and it is one of the most beautiful islands of the Saronic archipelago. The island has a deep connection with Greek mythology and ancient religion: it is named after the nymph Aegina, daughter of the river god Asopus. The nymph was abducted by Zeus, who took her to an island where she gave birth to the hero Aeacus. When the hero became the island's king, he renamed it after Aegina.
On Aegina island, we spent the day going to the beach, enjoying the crystal-clear waters, and exploring ancient temples, picturesque churches and colorful neoclassical houses. One of the places to visit is the church of Agios Nikolaos, located right in the island's main port.
One of the Aegina’s Churches, Greece
Our next stop was the Temple of Aphaia, dedicated to its namesake goddess, the island's protector. The temple was of utmost importance in ancient times as it was a pilgrimage site with the Parthenon and the temple of Poseidon, in Sounion.
To reach the temple, we hiked a hill 4 km from the main town of Agia Marina.
There are many other sites to visit on Aegina, like the cathedral of Agios Demetrios, the Government Palace of Kapodistrias, now home to an important library, the Temple of Zeus Hellanios, and the Monastery of Agios Nektarios.
Monastery of Agios Nektarios, Aegina Island
We decided to visit the Monastery of Agios Nektarios, Aegina's most important religious monument, and the Temple of Zeus Hellanios. The temple was built in the 4th century BCE, and it was converted into a Byzantine church in the 13th century C.E.
After the sightseeing, we went back to the beach, snacking on the local pistachios.
We took the last ferry to go back to Athens: we had dinner at our apartment and then went straight to bed to recharge the batteries to make the most out of our last day in Greece.
5 days around Athens, Day 5
Athens is an incredible city, and there is much to see. But after much debate, we opted for another day trip, this time to the island of Kythnos.
So after breakfast, we made our way to Piraeus Port again and hopped on a ferry for 3 hours. The journey is long, but it is totally worth it: Kythnos is famous for having 100 beaches, more than all the Cyclades islands together!
Fortunately, the island is not very large, and it is easy to get around by public buses and taxi water.
We highly recommend you stay overnight at Kythnos has much to offer!
A famous Kythnos’ street, Greece
The island was named after Kythnos, the island's mythical king, son of the god Apollo. One of the things that we loved about Greece is how everywhere you go, you can see links between mythology and Ancient Greek belief systems. Ruins, temples, columns, everything speaks of a long-gone history that is, however still very present if you know where to look.
We visited the picturesque village of Dryopida, built in a valley hidden by the sea, so the locals could stay safe from pirate raids. Strolling down the alleys that run along the whitewashed houses and red-tiled roofs is a fantastic way to immerse in a surreal atmosphere suspended in time.
Within the village, there is an unexpected treasure: one of the largest caves in Greece! The Katafiki cave is an absolute must-see with its big and twisting stalactites.
Kythnos Island, Greece
The other must while in Kythnos is its beaches! We had to visit at least a couple of its 100-plus beaches before leaving the island. The options are endless, and whichever beach you pick won't disappoint you.
Kolona beach was our choice. It is the most iconic sandy beach on the island: a double-sided sand strip connects Kythnos with the islet of Agios Loukas, which we reached by swimming! Another amazing feature of Kalona is that the water is warmer on the right side, thanks to the hot springs nearby.
Kolona Beach, Kythnos Island
It was then time to head back to Athens: an early morning flight took us back to Italy.
Athens is a magical place to visit, one where the ancient gods fill with their presence buildings from the past and the modern districts.
