Plaka/Athens-
We landed around 2 PM from Mykonos and we were leaving the following day around 5PM. We checked into our hotel (Hilton Athens, see below) and went straight to the Acropolis, followed by a charming night in Plaka for shopping and eating (and a bit more shopping).
Athens is a typical urban city with a splash of graffiti. However, there is a gem of a neighborhood called Plaka. It is littered with quaint restaurants in the streets topped with vines draping over the dinner tables. The seats are filled with locals and tourists, so a nice mix.
Many restaurants entice you either by the staff standing in the street to pull you in to eat, or all the specials that they run, many offering happy hour from 3:30- 11:30. This is the place you can linger all night, meet new friends and take in the scenery. It’s a short walk from the Acropolis and it’s a great place to rest your feet after touring. A great travel hack that I learned in Plaka was to buy all your souvenirs there and not on the island – they have everything you see in Santorini and Mykonos for more than ½ off.
Three Interesting facts that I discovered while visiting Athens…
1. Athens is Europe’s oldest capital. Records show the city’s origins go back to around 3,400 years ago hence making it one of the oldest cities in the world.
2. The Acropolis has a troubled past.
While the Parthenon is the central city landmark in the Acropolis, this sacred temple has known some hardship. During its lifetime, the temple has been used as storage for munitions, converted into a church then a mosque, and widely looted by former Ambassador to Constantinople Lord Elgin. It also served as army barracks and was bombed by the Venetians in 1687.
3. The Athens Metro hid unexpected archaeological finds.
During construction of the Athens Metro to support transportation needs during the 2004 Olympic Games, the works led to the greatest archaeological excavation in the Athens area, and over 50,000 artifacts were excavated. Six Metro stations displayed some of the finds.
Accommodations: There are many places to choose from however we are Hilton loyal and stayed at The Hilton Athens. Hilton did not disappoint and upgraded us to a beautiful suite with a direct view of the Acropolis.There was no lounge access due to covid so they provided us with a free breakfast (though we would have gotten that anyway). The location was ideal for visiting the Acropolis however we were unable to get a taxi/uber back to the hotel. It was a brisk 20 minute walk back. This hotel had an amazing rooftop bar, Galaxy Restaurant & Bar. I would definitely visit even if I was not staying here.. The views are amazing!
