Our third stop on our Round The World trip was a new place that we hadn’t visited before. I chose Athens because of its history and culture, and more importantly I loved studying Greek mythology in school. It has been a dream of mine to walk where the Greek Gods once roamed the earth. I was hoping Apollo, Athena or Dionysus would show themselves during our visit, but I suppose they were too busy to grace us with their presence.
The timing of our stay was not ideal as Greece was embroiled in an economic crisis, right on the brink of bankruptcy and defaulting on their loans. Banks were closed for weeks, people rallied in front of Parliament daily, and ATMs were only dispensing $25 euros so banks wouldn’t collapse with a massive pullout of funds. Worst of all, there were no merchants (except major corporations like hotel chains) accepting credit cards. For someone who charges almost everything on credit cards to earn rewards, this was difficult for me. Luckily we had enough cash on hand and our hotel accepted credit cards.
Where Did We Stay?
We stayed at the Intercontinental Athenaeum Athens Hotel, which cost 30,000 points a night. I applied for the Chase IHG credit card when there was a sign-up bonus of 80,000 points and also redeemed the annual free-night certificate valid at any IHG hotel. Essentially, our room in Athens was free.
My overall impression of the hotel is that the location is good, close to the city center with an amazing view of the Parthenon. The standard room was large enough for three people and the outdoor pool was large and refreshing on a hot summer day, although it closed at 8pm which seemed early. The hotel also offered a free shuttle to the city center, which we utilized almost daily.
The Attractions
The Parthenon/Acropolis is the main attraction, and consequently full of tourists. The Parthenon is a magnificent marble structure sitting atop of the Acropolis, which was built in ancient Greece to give thanks to Athena, the city’s patron goddess. The Temple of Athena and Dionysus Theatre are large structures next to the Parthenon. The Acropolis provides some of the best views of the city, a full 360-degree view.
The city center is full of restaurants, local shops, and souvenir shops. The hotel shuttle drops you off at Plaza Syntagma, right next to Parliament. A visit to the center was always exciting for me as I witnessed various protests, rallies, and news outlets like CNN as European leaders met with Greek politicians to discuss another large bailout. Plaka marketplace is a short walk further into old town, lined with narrow roads of shops and restaurants. And Agora old marketplace has older shops and offers barter and sell.
We signed up for a Segway tour of Athens-Acropolis and saw many more views of the Parthenon and the city. We rode by every nook and cranny of the city center, seeing many shops and restaurants. Having a tour guide describe Greek history and provide insight to the city was very informative, better than a recording from the Hop On Hop Off bus.
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Vising the ocean was a must for us. We live in Hawaii and have some of the best beaches in the world, but it’s always good to see what other countries have to offer. We went to a private beach called Akanthus Beach or Nalu Beach. There was a public beach next door, but the amenities offered at the private beach was amazing so we opted to pay the $5 euros. Akanthus had umbrellas, lounge chairs, sofas, showers, toilets, a bar, beach volleyball, basketball, and the ocean was lined with a long net (to block the sharks, I guess). I found it interesting that the place was full of locals and very few tourists.
On our last day, we took a day trip to Delphi to visit the Temple of Apollo, originally constructed on the side of a mountain as a sanctuary for Apollo. It’s a three hour bus ride north of Athens to Delphi. He was known for bringing oracles to Delphi, a person who would disseminate prophecies. One of my favorite Greek stories is Sophocles’ Oepidus Rex, which I first read in high school, so it was a highlight for me to visit where the Oracle’s prophecy was told and later comes to pass.
The Food
Gyro! There are so many restaurants in the city center that have amazing food. The hotel’s breakfast buffet is good, but I wouldn’t pay $35 euro for it. The hotel also has a restaurant on the top floor called Premiere, which has a great view of the Parthenon and offers delicious food, albeit pricey.
Transportation
Like Madrid, we decided to use the Hop On Hop Off tour buses to visit the city sites. There are two lines, one going north to the main attractions like the Parthenon and one going south to the ocean, Pireaus shore.
In addition, we took the hotel shuttle nearly every day. On one day a major political demonstration at Parliament closed the roads, so we used the free public rail system. Crazy story… A lady with a mental disability was yelling at people to get off the tram. At one point she raised her fists to hit a lady with a baby, but she didn’t. At the next stop, most of us got out. Luckily we exited in Plaka so we roamed the shops, walking every road looking for souvenirs.
The Final Word…
Athens is a great city to visit. Aside from the debt crisis, the Greek gods not showing up to visit, and the extreme heat at 34 degrees Celsius, we had an amazing time. I really enjoyed the Parthenon and would visit again, possibly during off season with less tourists.