Hectic but worth visiting (Athens)

Member Name: dangaroo

Product:	Athens
Date:	06/08/09 (28 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A nice place to live long-term I'd say

Disadvantages: Quite pricey

I visited Athens in 2004, a year that the Greeks were incredibly happy, what with hosting the Olympics and winning Euro 2004, they had every right to be louder and happier than ever! I spent a couple of months in the city and explored many districts including the suburbs. Athens is a very multi-ethnic city, too much for some Greeks some might say.

As one of the oldest cities in the world, it's very much a place to be and the pollution of the past isn't so much of a problem these days. The city is well connected, take the metro down to Pireas and board one of the many boats heading to various islands at all different times of the day. A train line connects to Kalamata in the south and Thessaloniki and Istanbul in the north, whilst bus lines travel to much of the rest of the country.

Many of the districts, I spent time in are unlikely to be visited by an average tourist and whilst I thought they were pleasant, none of them stood out as hidden gems. Of course the number 1 destination is Acropolis, looking over the city majestically and it's a fine remnant of the past with the wonderful streets of Plaka taking up the area between Monistaraki and the mountain itself. Here you'll find nice little streets with pushy waiters trying to get you to go into one of the many tavernas, the standard of food is quite high and it's tempting to go in when you see someone tucking into their dinner on a table outside!

Another popular haunt and well worth a visit are the markets between Omonia and Monistaraki, a place that people often fail to go to but that's well worth the visit is Atsos Lykavittou (Mt Lycabettus) where you get a great view of the city from a different angle and can include Acropolis from a distance in to your photo.

It wasn't really beach season when I went there, so I didn't hit any of the plentiful beaches nearby but did enjoy hanging around the more seaside orientated Glyfada and Vouliagmeni.

Summary: One of my favourite capitals