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| View of the Parthenon from the hotel at night |
I bought a 72hr metro ticket, which included a return trip to the airport. I found the metro to be a really good way to get around within the city. However, metro trains that run all the way to the airport don't run very often (around every 36mins). There is an express bus (X95) that would take you into Syntagma, where you could then take the metro, but I didn't take that route, so I can't comment on if it's any quicker. There are 3 metro lines and tickets need validating on entering and exiting. Some of the metro stations (including Acropolis, Syntagma and Evangelismos) have displays of ancient artefacts and excavations which are quite interesting, especially if you want to save a trip to the Acropolis museum.
If you are aged under 25 you can try and get a reduced price ticket to enter places. They don't accept student cards, just proof of age.
Changing of the Guard
Every hour at Syntagma, outside the Parliament building, the guard changes at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The soldiers dress in traditional military uniform and perform very ritualistic/traditional manoeuvres. It is worth going to see it as it is certainly interesting. On Sunday's at 11am there is a parade alongside the guard change, this gets VERY busy and the road is closed. If you want to see this I recommend going early to try and get a spot you can see the parade and ceremony from as it gets packed.
Tickets are €15, which includes the museum and entry to the excavated part of the city underneath the museum. I found the museum to be very busy, but at the time I appreciated the air conditioning. It contains a recreation of the Parthenon frieze, which is in the British Museum and a lot of statues and artefacts from the Acropolis and that time in history. It was interesting to visit and you can spend as much or as little time looking around as you want. All the history and exhibit labels are in both Greek and English.
The Acropolis
The Acropolis site was cash only and the tickets are €20, it's a long walk up a steep hill with uneven ground, so something to be aware of if you have mobility issues. The site contains a lot of historical sites, including temples and a theatre (think Amphitheatre). It felt like a long, steep walk up, although there was a water fountain and a toilet up at the top. It was interesting to see the Parthenon and learn more about its history from all the information provided. Lots of bits of column lying around too. The top of the Acropolis is very exposed, so take water and sun cream.
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| Parthenon |
Piraeus
I took the metro out to Piraeus and Dimotiko Theatro. I walked down to the port to look at the ferries which go to various different Greek islands. There were a couple of nice Churches and buildings, but otherwise I didn't find a huge amount to do there.
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| Church in Piraeus |
Syntagma/Monastiraki
These two metro stops provide good access to shopping. There is a mix of high end retail shops and smaller shops selling souvenirs. One area is called Plaka, but there are lots of side streets you can walk down and plenty of places to eat. There is also a flea market and access to the hop on - hop off sightseeing buses. I found that I could walk around for quite a while and still pass historical sites in Athens, such as the Temple of the Winds. There were also a number of Churches in the area, including the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens.
I recommend planning what you want to do in advance to make the most of your visit. I did the Changing of the Guard, museum and Acropolis in one day. This left plenty of time to explore other areas of Athens and still spend some time by the hotel pool.
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| Moon rise from the hotel |
