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Advice: Athens

Teaisloveable

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Joined
March 3, 2019
Posts
674
Hello!

So I have booked a spontaneous trip to Athens next week. Any locals on here or visitors who have advice that could help to make my visit the best it could be?

Hidden gems?
Places and things to avoid
Places and things that I must do/ see
Things to look out for
Best places to eat

etc etc!

Any advice would be appreciated. This is my first trip abroad since before COVID, so I am very excited but a bit apprehensive. Its gonna be a solo trip too.
 

lilka

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Joined
February 20, 2011
Posts
3,845
Location
Athens, Greece
Oh my God, what a great decision!
I've returned from Athens recently, been there for a month. And I'm definitely returning next summer for 2 months. Why 2 months? Because I can. :cool::ROFLMAO:
You surely have to see the Acropolis, the Lycabettus hill and the Greek Parliament at Syntagma Square.
But apart from that, I also recommend:
1)the Pedion tou Areos park
2) the OAKA complex (a must for Eurovision fans of course)
3) the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre
4) the Benaki Museum
5) the National Archaeological Museum
6) Plato's Academy
Well, it actually depends on what you are interested in and how much time you have, but I would also recommend going a little bit outside of Athens and visiting the area to the east where the great fire of 2018 killed over 100 people and talking a long walk there.

Be extremely careful on the metro, it's always best to have someone checking the surroundings when you buy your ticket from the vending machine.
As to the best places to eat, I guess all the tavernas around the Monastiraki Square, but I am mostly familiar with the Kypseli neighbourhood and its famous Fokionos Negri Street (I lived on another street, but this one is full of good places to eat).

Try to learn some Greek! :p
 

Teaisloveable

Well-known member
Joined
March 3, 2019
Posts
674
Oh my God, what a great decision!
I've returned from Athens recently, been there for a month. And I'm definitely returning next summer for 2 months. Why 2 months? Because I can. :cool::ROFLMAO:
You surely have to see the Acropolis, the Lycabettus hill and the Greek Parliament at Syntagma Square.
But apart from that, I also recommend:
1)the Pedion tou Areos park
2) the OAKA complex (a must for Eurovision fans of course)
3) the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre
4) the Benaki Museum
5) the National Archaeological Museum
6) Plato's Academy
Well, it actually depends on what you are interested in and how much time you have, but I would also recommend going a little bit outside of Athens and visiting the area to the east where the great fire of 2018 killed over 100 people and talking a long walk there.

Be extremely careful on the metro, it's always best to have someone checking the surroundings when you buy your ticket from the vending machine.
As to the best places to eat, I guess all the tavernas around the Monastiraki Square, but I am mostly familiar with the Kypseli neighbourhood and its famous Fokionos Negri Street (I lived on another street, but this one is full of good places to eat).

Try to learn some Greek! :p

Ooooh how marvelous thank you for your advice!
Glad to hear its a place you like so much!

I am going Tuesday-Saturday so not a huge time but enough to see as much as possible. I'll certainly look into your suggestions

What is it about the metro? Is it pickpocketers paradise?
I am staying very close to the acropolis and most things seem to be within walking distance (I am a huge walker so my walking distance may be longer than other peoples :lol: )
I am thinking I will use it to get to and from the airport and possibly to visit the sea/ port area one day.
Am I better of avoiding it all together and getting to the city some other way?
 

lilka

Well-known member
Joined
February 20, 2011
Posts
3,845
Location
Athens, Greece
No, don't avoid the metro, because it could actually result impossible either way. It is very useful, just be very careful. As a matter of fact, I used it to go everywhere I wanted. It's good that you are staying near the Acropolis, because this area looks a lot safer.
But oh yes, the metro is a pickpocketers paradise. I lost 50 EUR this way. :cry:

I love the city, but I am also a well-known Greek freak on this forum so I love everything Greek, including the language, which I speak (by the way, is my written Greek good, @Nicholas123 ?) and may not be impartial. :ROFLMAO:

Jokes aside, it's Athens, the birthplace of civilization and democracy, so it's surely worth visiting.
 

Nicholas123

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Joined
February 7, 2013
Posts
8,564
Location
Athens & Kordavian Islands
Your greek is just perfect! @lilka stop fishing comliments. :p

@Teaislovable ofc it is safe to use the metro, just be as careful as every time you use the public transportation in your city.

As for places, i'd advise you to stroll around the so-called "historical centre" of Athens. Plaka, Thiseio, Monastiraki (and its famous flea market). There are lots of shops, cafeterias, nice restaurants. Oh, a visit in the new Acropolis museum is a must. It also has a nice terrace in which you can have your coffee and enjoy the view. :D

In case you want a bit of Athens by night and encounter young people you can have s few drinks in Psiri, Plateia Aghias Eirinis and Kerameikos. All these places are accessible by metro, close to each other in a walkable distance. For the fiirst drink, i suggest Vrettos Bar, one of my fave places in Athens. It is located in Plaka, at Kydathinaion street. It also used to be Frank Sinatra's fave bar too. :mrgreen:
My suggestions are about places in downtown Athens. There are tons of other places in Athens, in the northern part and ofc the there are the southern suburbs (e.g. Glyfafa, Voula etc) in case you would like to be near the beach/sea. However i have very little knowledge about them.
 

lilka

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Joined
February 20, 2011
Posts
3,845
Location
Athens, Greece
As to the beaches, @Teaisloveable, you probably won't sunbathe in October and tbh I do not know if the rules are the same after the season, but in July I had to pay 15 EUR to enter the Vouliagmeni beach.

Everyone loves compliments, I still love to hear/read nice words about my Greek, because in reality I am quite shy and still uncertain at times, even if people keep telling me "OMG, wow". But yeah, I must admit that I put a lot of effort to get where I am and I am probably good. ;)
 

Teaisloveable

Well-known member
Joined
March 3, 2019
Posts
674
Thank you !!
@lilka
@Nicholas123

Very excited

Thanks for the heads up, I'm from London so I assume the metro is no worse than the tube then. Just got to keep your eyes peeled

Looking forward to exploring both your suggestions!

It would be nice to visit the beach but like you say it's October so maybe not aha
We'll see how far I venture from the centre of the city, perhaps it something comes up!
 

Nicholas123

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Joined
February 7, 2013
Posts
8,564
Location
Athens & Kordavian Islands
Guys, i didn't mean swimming or sunbathing, lmao. What i wanted to say is that many Athenians prefer during the sunny days of the autumn/spring to have their coffee in the southen suburbs, so that they can enjoy the seaview. But it is a bit far from the centre, i rarely visit those places, as a i'm a bit lazy. :mrgreen:
 
Last edited:

Teaisloveable

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Joined
March 3, 2019
Posts
674
Guys, i didn't mean swimming or sunbathing, lmao. What i wanted to say is that many Athenians prefer during the sunny days of the autumn/spring to have their coffee in the southen suburbs, so that they can enjoy the seaview. But it is a bit far from the centre, i rarely visit those places, as a i'm a bit lazy. :mrgreen:

I will sip my coffee with acropolis views instead 😝

Arrived!
 

lilka

Well-known member
Joined
February 20, 2011
Posts
3,845
Location
Athens, Greece
I will sip my coffee with acropolis views instead 😝

Arrived!
I'm so jealous I want to cry. :cry:

I've already started counting days till my departure from my boring city to Athens. The school year ends here in :pl: on the 23rd of June (I'm a teacher) and 25th June I'll already be on the plane.
 
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