Four Days of Travel in Athens
General
This article describes an enjoyable 4-day trip to Athens, providing information for travelers visiting this interesting city for the first time. The trip took place in the last week of March, and the spring weather was wonderful.
The Acropolis viewed from Lycabettus Hill:
Independence Day Celebrations in Athens
Luckily, we landed right in time for the Greek independence day celebrations held on
March 25th, considered the most important national holiday in Greece, marking
the beginning of the rebellion against the Ottoman Empire in 1821.
The peak
of the celebrations takes place in a huge military parade next to
Syntagma Square in Athens, in the presence of the President of the State.
The parade and the Parliament building:
To my delight, quite unintentionally I booked a charming and historic hotel (detailed later on recommended hotels in Athens) located right next to the square, and from its 8th floor restaurant balcony there is a perfect view of the parade with the ideal backdrop of the Acropolis and the impressive Parliament building.
While
soldiers march in the street and processions of various military vehicles pass alongside
an orchestra and flag bearers, fighter jets, helicopters,
rescue planes, and more fly over in the skies. All the planes pass in a flyby over the Acropolis.
A very impressive parade, well-organized and orderly, with crowds of people
in the streets, yet despite this there was no crowding or
congestion.
After
viewing from above, from the top of the hotel, we went down to the street and from there continued
to the lively shopping streets. Although the large stores were closed,
the restaurants were open, as well as numerous stalls and of course souvenir
shops.
Recommended Hotels in Athens
♦ One of the most successful
and central hotels in Athens is
Hotel Grande Bretagne, a
Luxury Collection Hotel,
Athens
It is considered one of the most
luxurious and iconic hotels in Athens, right at Syntagma Square
opposite the Parliament. It is a historic hotel from 1874
and is considered the flagship hotel of the city.
It is much more than just a hotel – it is considered
the "Grand Dame" of Athens and a historic icon that has hosted world leaders
and celebrities for over 150 years.
Winston Churchill not only
stayed in it, but the hotel served as his headquarters during his critical visit
to Athens in 1944.
David Ben-Gurion: our first Prime Minister
stayed at the hotel during his official visits to Greece, as did Queen Elizabeth
the Second. It has also hosted Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, as well as
Sophia Loren, Michael Jackson, Sting, Madonna, and a long list
of celebrities.
The hotel, which belongs to the Marriott chain, has about 320 rooms
and suites in a luxurious classic style with antique furniture: the rooms
and public areas are in gold colors with chandeliers, decorated with original
works of art and furniture collected over decades.
It features a quality
spa and two pools, one of them indoor.
The famous rooftop restaurant
GB
Roof Garden offers
an impressive view of the Acropolis and Mount
Lycabettus.
On the ground floor there is another restaurant inside a greenhouse lush
with orchids and palms. In addition, the hotel has an iconic bar, Alexander’s
Bar, which has been voted many times as one of the best bars in the world.
Even if
you are not staying at the hotel, it is highly recommended to book
a spot for coffee or dinner at the Roof Garden just for the view – it is a classic
Athenian experience.
♦ Electra Palace Athens – A 5-star hotel in the charming Plaka neighborhood opposite the Acropolis, with a beautiful rooftop pool and well-furnished rooms including a buffet-style breakfast. Located within walking distance of most of the central attractions of Athens. Syntagma Square is less than a 5-minute walk away, and the Parliament and shopping areas are nearby. The hotel features 2 restaurants, a bar, a quality spa, and parking.
♦ Hellenic Vibes Smart Hotel - A 5-star boutique hotel with family rooms, a lounge and a business area. The hotel is located in the city center, a short walking distance from Monastiraki Square. The hotel features a restaurant, bar, and offers excellent breakfasts.
Guided Tours in Athens
Recommended Guided Tours in Hebrew
To make the most of our short time, we spent three days on private tours in Hebrew with a wonderful, knowledgeable, and attentive guide named Kobi the Guide, an Israeli who has been living in Athens for six years, in love with it and with Greek mythology, and we also toured independently in the city streets during our free time.
Historical Sites Tour in Athens Combined with Greek Mythology
This tour allows you to travel at the pace and style you love and connect the fascinating stories of Greek mythology to the places you visit and the local language. The tour lasted about three and a half hours, entirely on foot, at a leisurely pace, and during it we saw a lot. The tour passes by the important and beautiful sites of Athens - the Olympic Stadium, the National Gardens, the Temple of Zeus, the Arch of Hadrian, the Roman and Greek Agoras, the foothills of the Acropolis, the Plaka neighborhood, and many other sites.
The National Gardens - The Green Heart of Athens:
Monument of Lysicrates:
The Olympic Stadium:
Statue of Zeus:
The Zappeion, built especially for the Olympic Games in 1888 and located in the heart of the National Gardens:
Guided Graffiti Tour in Athens
Athens is known for its graffiti and some claim that today it
is in second place in Europe in the quantity and quality of its graffiti, especially
in three neighborhoods. There is graffiti in the city center claiming it is in
first place…
Following the economic crisis of the previous decade, the city's walls
became a huge canvas for political, social, and artistic expression.
We set out on a fascinating graffiti tour with Kobi the guide in one of the central neighborhoods
known for its graffiti and street art: the Psirri neighborhood.
For over two hours we passed between dozens of giant
murals covering entire buildings alongside more "underground" graffiti.
Kobi told us about the artists, their works, what they wanted to express, what has changed since October 7th, and other fascinating stories ranging from graffiti that became a monument in the city like the famous painting of the dog "Loukanikos" (the dog that participated in the protests) to Braille works by an Israeli artist.
The neighborhood, which was once an unpleasant area
of workshops and alleys with prostitutes, has turned into a bustling entertainment district
abounding with cafes. We also made a stop for pink coffee at a
very pink restaurant called
Fairytale Athens decorated entirely with flamingos,
balloons, flowers, and very pink paintings. Even the bathrooms there
are grandiose and worth a photo.
Considered one of the most
instagrammable places in Athens.
Kobi also included in the tour a short visit to the Jewish institutions in the city (we didn't go inside, just from the outside): the two synagogues and the Holocaust memorial. In my opinion, this is one of the must-do tours in the city!
The Holocaust Memorial shaped like a broken Star of David:
Guided Tour of the Acropolis
Our third and final tour with Kobi the guide in Athens, and also
the longest of all, was a private tour
of the Acropolis hill combined afterward
with an authentic local food tour in the city center.
The tour started
at the foothills of the Acropolis, where we visited the Theatre of Dionysus,
which is considered the oldest theatre in the world,
Theatre of Dionysus:
and then slowly and leisurely we climbed to a height of 157 meters to the top of the hill, where we viewed the impressive scenery of the city of Athens and saw the various buildings and temples, with the largest and most famous of all being the Parthenon temple, built 2500 years ago for Athena, the patron goddess of the city.
The Parthenon:
Along the way Kobi told us fascinating facts combined with a lot of mythology about the place and the buildings and brought them to life for us. Suddenly we didn't just see columns and stones but what people used to do there in the distant past during the golden age of Greece.
Erechtheion temple on the Acropolis dedicated to Erechtheus, one of the kings of Athens, with the porch of the six maidens (Caryatids):
Guided Food Tour in Athens
After descending from the famous archaeological site, the Acropolis, nothing fits better than food: we stopped at four different places: first a successful restaurant called Antica, overlooking the Greek Agora.
where we ate a variety of dishes from Greek "hummus" made generally from yellow peas called fava, through herb salad, baked feta cheese dipped in honey and zucchini croquettes with yogurt, from there we continued to the famous bakery known for its spinach pastry and killer cookies, later we visited the central market of Athens
and after seeing all the fish, seafood and meats (not a particularly pleasant sight for animal lovers) we ate at a successful restaurant in the market (we were the only tourists there) moussaka, tzatziki and meatballs with potatoes.
We finished with a cafe located in an impressive building of an ancient pharmacy known for "Loukoumades", fried doughnuts with sugar or chocolate.
As usual with Kobi, the tour was
fascinating, educational and this time also delicious.
Footnote, in Greece do not ask for
Turkish coffee because they will send you to Turkey... and do not call their pastries
burek even if it looks similar, they will be insulted. They do not particularly like
the Turks...
Recommended Tours in Athens from Viator
♦ Day trip to Athens from the cruise port
in Piraeus:
Athens for CRUISE SHIPS with opt. Acropolis
from Piraeus Port
Lasts 6 hours and includes pickup and drop-off at the port
in Piraeus.
Independent Trip to Athens
The free time left to us between and after the tours was utilized for an independent trip to several sites in the city:
Walking tour in the city center including climbing Lycabettus Hill
A leisurely walking tour in the city center, combined with a visit to a nice neighborhood (Kolonaki) and impressive viewpoints.
Kolonaki neighborhood at the foothills of Lycabettus Hill:
Independent walking tour in the city center:
The walking tour starts near Syntagma Square, next to which is located the Greek Parliament
building and adjacent to it the sprawling National Gardens where
it is recommended to walk.
In the streets adjacent to the square are many shops, restaurants
and cafes, this is the beating heart of the city. A popular street where you should
start is Ermou Street leading from the center of Syntagma Square towards
the west, from which many bustling streets branch off.
Trip to Lycabettus Hill:
Lycabettus Hill:
From Syntagma Square, head east on foot along
the magnificent Vasilissis Sofias Avenue lined with embassies and impressive
neo-classical buildings.
After a short walk, turn left onto Irodotou Street
into the Kolonaki neighborhood. This is the "Manhattan" of Athens
– an upscale district full of top designer boutiques, art galleries
and bustling cafes. It is worth wandering the sloped streets, stopping
for a break at one of the restaurants or cafes, before starting the easy
climb towards the cable car station.
Recommended restaurant where we ate in the neighborhood is called Mpirmpilo and it is located about 5 minutes' walk from the cable car station on 26 Ploutarchou Street. A Greek restaurant with a homey atmosphere featuring traditional Greek food including meat dishes, fish and more.
The Cable Car Ascent
At the end of Ploutarchou Street at the junction with Aristippou Street is the entrance to the Funicular of Lycabettus.
Ploutarchou Street leading to the cable car station:
This is a small train traveling inside a tunnel carved into the rock,
and in less than 3 minutes it reaches the top of "Lycabettus Hill", the highest
point in Athens, 277 meters above sea level.
The cable car departs
every 15-30 minutes. If you feel energetic, you can walk up
the winding paths, or alternatively take the cable car up and walk down.
From the summit, the view of Athens lies at your feet.
From the wide balcony, a 360-degree view unfolds. The Acropolis looks in all its glory, against the background of the Mediterranean Sea and the Port of Piraeus.
At the summit is located a white and picturesque church – St. George's Church which adorns the peak and adds another touch to the place.
