i have said it several times and i will say it again. athens is *not* a beautiful city. it has beautiful aspects and some incredible history, but the essence of athens is not the parthenon and the acropolis or syntagma square. it is the people, the fact that greeks are proud of their heritage, and the sincere hospitality you receive when you visit.
i adore athens. i relish the history and the ruins, and i could totally hide out in the shade of the hephaestion, above the agora, away from the crowds that visit the parthenon. that being said, many people pass through athens on their way to the islands, and while i agree the islands are spectacular, it’s definitely worth staying in athens for two days on each end.
where to stay:
what to do:
where to eat:
{nixon :: funky gourmet :: baba au rum {image} :: to kafeneio {image} :: diogenes :: gazarte :: nikiforos :: strofi :: psaras taverna :: elias taverna (sounion)}more resources:
an insider’s guide to athens, from the wall street journal.
time’s athens: 10 things to do