Home to some of the world’s most important historical sites, along with 6,000 islands, Greece is known for its natural beauty and fascinating culture. Greece has one of the longest history of any countries and considered as the cradle of western civilization. The climate in Greece is typical of Mediterranean climate where mild and rainy winter, warm and dry summer and generally sunshine through most of the year. Greece is a magical place fulls of discoveries, charms, secrets and travel to Athens (capital of Greece) and the islands have become a must activity.
After spending 2 nights in Santorini, we flew to Athens (Europe’s oldest capital) to spend the next 4 nights at the Athenaeum InterContinental Athens Hotel. Our private tour guide, Yanis, picked us up from the airport in a taxi (he owns a taxi) and took us to our hotel where we rested on the first day in Athens. I found Yanis on Tripadvisor and booked him after reading good reviews about him. The tour was customizeable and we went at our own pace. We spent 3 full days to tour Athens and its nearby cities. Having a tour guide like Yanis who has significant knowledgeable history of Greece was beneficial to us as we learned a lot of history from him. Yanis is entertaining, courteous and easy going. We really enjoyed talking to him and grateful for the memory he helped us create.
Day 2: Athens City Tour
Athens is an interesting city filled with rich cultural and thousand years of history. Today, the city is still dominated by 5th century landmarks including the Acropolis, which rises above modern Athens. This morning, Yanis picked us up around 8 A.M. and we spent about 8 hours visiting different sites in Athens. We started our first visit at the Temple of Zeus and ended our day at the Flea Market where we did a lot of shopping to buy clothes, shoes and souvenirs. Below is a list of places that we visited in their order that we did.
Temple of Olympian Zeus
The Temple of Olympian Zeus was an ancient Greek temple dedicated to the God Zeus. It was built around 470 BC and was made of limestone and covered with stucco. Tip: Buy the Ancient Athens combined ticket for archaeological sites here to avoid the crowd at other sites.
Panathenaic Stadium
The Panathenaic Stadium was built entirely out of marble (from the same white Pentelic marble as the monuments on the Acropolis). The stadium was used for the first time around 330 BC and it hosted the first modern Olympic game 1896, estimated 50,000 people filled the stands at the stadium. Tip: climb to the upper tier of stand 21, from where you can capture the Acropolis, the Parthenon, the Temple of Olympian Zeus for an amazing view and photo. There’s a little museum where you can admire the Olympic torches.
Acropolis Museum
The Acropolis Museum focused on the findings of the archaeological site of the Acropolis of Athens. Beneath the Acropolis museum are the ruins of an ancient Athenian neighborhood. It was helpful to see how the Acropolis and Parthenon evolved through time before visiting the Acropolis Site. The museum is beautiful and contains all the amazing artifacts. The museum is built over an extensive archaeological site and the floor (outside and inside), is often transparent using glass and thus allowing the visitor to see the excavations below. Tip: Since the floor is often transparent, avoid wearing dress or skirt unless you don’t mind everyone beneath can look right up and see what’s under your dress or skirt.
Acropolis Site
Located on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens, the Acropolis of Athens contains the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historic significance, the most famous being the Parthenon. The Parthenon was the most magnificent temple of the ancient world. It is famous for its various “refinements” and deliberate irregularities. Tip: Avoid entering from the main entrance. The lines are usually less shorter if entered via the ticket office at the southeast of the site, on Dionysiou Areopagitou near the Acropolis Museum.
Changing of the Guard
At the Hellenic Parliament, witness changing of the guards, which occurs every day, every hour on the hour. The Presidential Guards known as Evzones guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in front of the Hellenic Parliament every day. Tip: you are not allowed to talk to the Evzones nor wear a hat/sunglasses when taking the photo with them.
Academy of Athens
The Academy of Athens was a philosophical school founded in 387 B.C. in Athens by phiosopher Plato near the sanctuary of the hero. The school, after nine centuries of functioning, was closed down in 529 A.D, by the imperial decree banning the teaching of philosophy. In 1926, the Academy of Athens was founded following the model of the European Academies. Its design was inspired by the ancient Erechtheion at the Acropolis and is considered as one of the major landmarks in Athens. The statues of Athena and Apollo on each side of the main entrance of the Academy of Athens.
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens was found in 1837 by King Otto of Greece. It is the first University not only of Greece but both the Balkan peninsula and the Eastern Mediterranean region. Today, it has over 100,000 registered students.
National Library of Greece
The National Library of Greece is one of the three structures built by the Dutch Architect Hansen. The building is neoclassical design, which is characterized by grandeur of scale, simplicity of geometric forms grandeur of scale and simplicity of geometric forms.
Ancient Agora of Athens
The Ancient Agora was an ancient central market and the center of all political and social activity. It served as a busy marketplace where merchants and artisans congregated to buy and sell, but it also provided a platform for the Athenian political and intellectual life.
Hadrianβs Library
Hadrianβs Library was created in 132 AD by Roman Emperor Hadrian. The library was once surrounded by one hundred columns and was more of a cultural complex with lecture halls, a transcription room, a library hall and possible a theater. Today, the remainder of the original library is a section of the outer wall.
Monastiraki Flea Market
The Monastiraki Flea Market is a popular Athen’s market that sell souvenirs, clothes, shoes, jewelry, etcβ¦The market is open every day and it usually gets busy after 11 A.M. Tip: remember to bargain before you buy things.
Day 2: Delphi Tour
Delphi is Greece’s most popular archaeological sites located about 2.5 hours from Athens along the slopes of Mt. Parnassus near the Gulf of Corinth. It was considered by the ancient Greeks to be the center of the world. In ancient times, people would come to this sacred spot to inquire the priestess for advice on the wide range of topics from farming to relationship and politics. Pythia was the name of the high priestess of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi who served as the oracle from the 7th century BC to the 3-4th century AD. Today, Delphi is now a major archaeological sites known for well preserved ruins and considered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We left at 8 A.M. and it took us 3 hours to get to Delphi due to traffic. We spent a few hours in Delphi to enjoy the sacred site before headed back to Athens. Tip: wear sturdy shoes, bring water and a hat as there is minimal shade when visiting Delphi.
Arachova village
Mountain village nestled at the foot of Mt. Parnassus in Southern Greece and it has a population of about 3,000. Arachova is considered the gem of Mt Parnassus due to it’s picturesquely landscape and rustic architecture.
Delphi Archaeological Museum
Displays fascinating objects discovered during excavations of Delphi oracle and its vicinity. This is a must visit before visiting the archaeological site.
Temple of Apollo
The most important building in the Santuary of Apollo and home of Oracle of Delphi. The Temple of Apollo, god of music, harmony and light, occupied the most important and prominent position in the Delphic Sanctuary.
Treasury of the Athenians
The best preserved monument of the Apollonian Sanctuary, built of white marble from the island of Paros, was dedicated to Apollo Pythios by the Athenian citizens to house their offerings to Apollo. The walls of the Treasury were covered with numerous inscriptions, including two paeans to Apollo supplemented with the musical notation of the ancient melody on the south wall.
The amphitheater
The Delphi theater hosted the musical and dramatic contests of the Pythian Games and other religious festivals. The first stone built theater was constructed in the 4th century B.B. The deep amphitheater had a seating capacity of 5000 with 35 rows of seats.
The Stadium
The Stadium of Delphi hosted the athletic contests of the Phythan religious festival. The Phythan games were second in importance only to the Olympic Games.
Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia
Build around 380 B.C.. The exact function is unknown, but it’s considered a masterpiece of Classical architecture. The Goddess Athena Pronaia was entrusted to protect the territory of her brother Apollo. Athena was the goddess who was worshiped as the patroness of wisdom, fertility and health.
The Tholos
The Tholos of Delphi is a masterpiece of ancient Greek architecture due to its rich sculpted decoration and fine craftsmanship. The circular edifice is dated in the 4th century B.C. It’s super-structure is build of marble from Mount Penteli. The function of the building is still unknown.
Day 3: Cape Sounion Tour
Situated at the southern most tip of Attica peninsula located about 1.5 hours from Athens, Cape Sounion is best known as the site of the ruins of the ancient Greek Temple of Poseidon. The Temple was built to honor Poseidon, the God of the sea. Cape Sounion is a significant strategic point, whence the city-state of Athens controlled the sea passage to the Aegean Sea and Piraeus, the central port, as well as the Lavrion peninsula rising ahead, compromising the rich silver mines thanks to which Athens emerged as a leading power in the 5th century BC. We spent our last day in Athens visiting Cape Sounion.
Saints Constantine and Helen Orthodox Cathedral of Glyfada
Saints Constantine and Helen Orthodox Cathedral is a small cathedral with very beautiful architecture inside. It’s a must visit when on the way to Cape Sounion.
Lake Vouliagmeni
Lake Vouliagmeni, in the heart of the Athenian Rivera, is the hidden treasure of Attica’s nature. Its brackish waters, rich in salts and minerals, have a temperature between 70 to 84 ΒΊF (21 to 29 ΒΊC) all year round. The lake’s waters which are continuously replenished both by the sea and the underground thermal springs offer a natural and unique thermal spa experience. The Nibble Fish are part of the Lake’s unique ecosystem which provide a relieving massage in warm water that rids the skin of its scales and offer a natural rejuvenation. We spent about 15 minutes viewing the lake. In the future, I would like to come back to do the thermal experience.
Temple of Poseidon
The Ancient Greek temple was built during 444β440 B.C .and is one of the major monuments of the Golden Age of Athens. It was built on a clifftop above the sea at the height of almost 200 feet and offers an amazing view of the sea. The view of sunset from the temple’s ruins are considered one of the best views in all of Greece.
Super-yacht
The super-yacht “Al Mirqab” owned by the former Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani. Al Mirqab is 435 feet (133m) motor yacht built in 2008 by Peter Schiffbau and is one of the largest and most beautiful yachts in the world. It has a whooping price of $250 millions.
In summary, we had a great time in Athens, Delphi and Cape Sounion. I’m glad that I had the opportunity to see places where Greek mythology come alive such as the Acropolis and Temple of Poseidon since I enjoyed reading Greek mythology while growing up. Greece is so rich in culture and beauty that it never seems to be completely explored no matter how many times you visit it. A trip to Greece is the experience of a lifetime that leaves a pleasant feeling that the world is ultimately very beautiful, rich and interesting. I can’t wait to visit Greece again in the near future.
Tips Before You Go:
- Bring cash as some shops only accept cash.
- Do not touch artifacts in the museums.
- Donβt Discard Paper In The Toilets. Use the trash bin next to it.
- Download Google offline map before you go.
- To save money, purchase the Ancient Athens combined ticket for archaeological sites at the Temple of the Zeus (less crowded than other sites) to visit all the ticketed archaeological sites in Central Athens. The Athens combined tickets for archaeological sites includes entrance to the Acropolis and its slopes, Ancient Agora (archaeological site and museum), Roman Agora, Hadrian’s Library, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Kerameikos (archaeological site and museum) and Lykeion. Valid for 5 days.
- Beware of pickpockets.
If you have been to Greece before, what was your favorite city or island to visit?