Day no. 2 we woke up early which was a surprise after that loud music that was blaring until late. Today I had planned some sight seeing activities to see Athens but did not do any booking as I was not sure if we would visit the Acropolis this morning or the next.
Morning in Athens
Acropolis
We discussed over a cup of coffee , compliments of the Hotel – a rough plan of the day and I went ahead to book our tickets to the Acropolis. We had not very much time in Athens and so we did not buy the Combi ticket for the other archeological sites. Soon we were out the door heading to that fantastic beacon on the hill. From Google maps we were only 1.1 km away but it needs to be factored in that it is going uphill. We were pretty early and the place opens at 8am so we took a leisurely walk and marvelling at the sights along the way. Soon we arrived – with already a queue of about 10 people. More started to arrive with the taxi as well. Some were at the ticket queue so I was glad to have bought the ticket online earlier. We were one of the first to go in and we headed toward the top passing by the Odeon and walking through the Propylaea. A group of soldiers were making their way down and we made way for them. I stood in awe looking at the archeological wonder before me and realizing that I was standing on ground that was built such a long time ago. Although the Partheon was the biggest one that can be seen easily from all over, what captivated me was rather The Erechtheion with its Maidens as columns.
We made our way to the Southern slopes which is the very impressive Odeon and went down to more ruins around notably the Theater of Dionysus.
It was a great way to spend the morning and because we had started early we were done by 09:40am and went looking for coffee. We found a great small shop – where I ordered the Freddo Cappuccino and a freshly pressed orange juice which was incredibly sweet in a good natural way. This is a shop I would go back to – Niki’s cafe.
We passed by Hadrian’s Arch just to have a look. The thing about Athens is: you don’t really need to go into the archeological site – if you are like us, with no real appreciation for a deeper look (*gasp) then looking from afar is possible all around Athens.
Plaka
We walked on with my planned route to make our way to Plaka. As it was still relatively early in the morning not all shops were open yet. So it was a good stroll around with no crowds and I was distracted by a shop which I went into and went away on some unplanned shopping. Made me happy at least. Plaka is very pleasant albeit touristy. We passed by an ice-cream place with Baklava flavoured ice cream. I really wanted to try it but it was really too early in the morning and I was not in the mood. We were told that they have an ice cream demonstration after 1pm and I thought to come back later which I never did, unfortunately. We went uphill and saw many tavernas with tables – very quaint sight to see. There are back lanes that are like mazes. A different sight greets at every corner. Don’t take my word for it – check out the video.
Anafiotika
When I first started to research what to see in Athens, I was immediately captivated by Anafiotika and put it as a priority to-see on my list. Built on the slope of the Acropolis, the small homes are white-washed decorated with lovely flowers. At the top is a great view of Athens. We wove our way through small alleys and with the help of Google maps made it there.
Afternoon in Athens
After Anafiotika we took a leisurely walk back to the Hotel. By now a little tired and looking forward to a short rest and a shower. Along the walk , we saw more ancient sites like the Roman Agora and the Ancient Agora. Glad to be back at the hotel , a refreshing shower helped a lot and soon we were ready to head out for lunch.
Lunch at Atlantikos
Honestly I put Atlantikos on my list because I saw some youtubers saying that it was good and inexpensive. We wanted to go the previous evening but there was such a queue – I think other people watched the same youtube videos. Lunch was better , we could get a table easily though it filled up pretty fast. They open at 1pm and we arrived on the dot. We ordered the seafood platter, taramasalata (Salt cod roe dip) with bread, seafood pasta, boiled vegetable and lentil salad. The price was reasonable at 47 Euros – just keep in mind that Atlantikos is known for its fresh seafood ; so I would stick to ordering seafood: I was happy with the seafood platter but not the seafood pasta. The taramasalata is a good dip with bread. This place is no-frills which I like and once we sat down , they brought a jar of water – for free.
Verdict: Put Atlantikos on your list and order seafood.
Central Market
After lunch we took a walk to the Central Market – past the famous street selling herbs and spices. I was reminded to the streets of Penang my hometown. We came across a small shop selling fresh juices. We ordered orange and mandarin juice and watched as the vendor pressed it freshly for us. It was sooo good that we had seconds. Loving Family.
Aiolou
Next we headed to Monastiraki via Aiolou – a lively square with plenty of restaurants and shops. I wanted to try Lukumares but had to skip it due to it came with too much sugar and we were still full from the big lunch.
Monastiraki Square
The closer we got to the square, the busier it got. They weren’t kidding when mentioning that this square is a regular meeting place for the locals. It is very happening with street performers and people drinking cocktails at the bars and it is a central point that channels out to many different directions.
Evening in Athens
Syntagma Square
The next place to explore is Syntagma Square. We walked to the Square timing it to reach at the top of the hour, in time for the changing of the guard at the Greek National Parliament Building. It was a very interesting display of the soldiers going through the drill. After that we walked slowly back – stopping again at Monastiraki and back to the Hotel.
After that we walked slowly back – stopping again at Monastiraki and back to the Hotel. We met Johanna who was at the reception desk . When she asked about how our stay was going – we told her about the loud music that was blasting the night before. She was surprised to hear that and told us that she would go over to talk to the people doing the blasting. We went up to the Room and saw from the window that she kept her word and went across the road. The music did not stop straight away but by 9pm they shut it off! – meaning the possibility to get a better sleep than yesterday.
-End of Pre-cruise Day 2 : Athens-
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You had a busy day in Athens. Booking your Acropolis ticket online sure helped to make sure you got to visit and did not have to line up. We too like to start early before it gets too crowded. A great time to visit Plaka and the charming small streets of Anafiotika! Great that you had a quieter second night in Athens.
It looks like you had a great second day in Athens. It was definitely a great decision to visit the Acropolis first time in the morning, before the crowds of tourists arrive. I have never been but I did hear that it’s quite the walk up there. Anafiotika sounds like a very charming part of Athens as well. And what a great lunch you’ve had, that seafood platter speaks to me.
It sounds like you had a great time in Athens. I really like the Plaka neighbourhood and baklava ice cream sounds amazing! We are the same with such historical sites, just seeing from afar can be enough sometimes! I remember being in Syntagma Square and watching the guards here. It’s good to know that Athens is returning to its former vibrant self.
During my graduation days, Greek literature was one of the papers. I have been fascinated with Athens since then. I would love to visit the Acropolis one day. And I love the video on Plaka, it looks so clean and friendly. There is a Hadrian’s Arch in Jordan as well, modelled on this Greek one. Anafiotika looks as quaint and charming as some hilly villages in India. I really hope to see these places in person one day soon.
I have not been to Athens yet, but it is in my bucket list! Acropolis looks amazing. I love the architecture of this place. The Hadrian’s Arch looks impressive. The best thing about this place is the history and the architecture. Photographers can go crazy taking photos of all the arches. Atlantikos lunch image looks very inviting. 🙂
Your second day of the pre-cruise in Athens appears to have been enjoyable. Niki’s Cafe serves a tasty-looking yet basic Freddo cappuccino. I appreciate how Plaka’s streets are lined with businesses on both sides, giving you lots of options while making purchases! It looks like you had a fantastic lunch at Atlantikos. I would also love to go to Syntagma Square.
Wow! That was a pretty packed schedule for Day 2 but I am pretty sure it’s worth it. Thank you for the tip on buying the Acropolis tickets online. Will make sure to head early too.
I already added Atlantikos to our itinerary and will heed your advice to skip the pasta and just order seafood. Thank you for the travel tips!
you are very welcome! Atlantikos is very popular : so do go early. Enjoy!
I generally love getting close to the archaeological sites but am sure my hubby will heed to your tip on observing them from far :-).Am glad you managed the Acropolis well before the crowd. I never knew that there could be a baklava flavor to the ice-cream. I sure would love to try that one out. For the Day 2, you really did well by exploring Athens. In fact, it is an ideal way to walk through the roads as you did to enjoy the place.
thank you for reading through! in the end it was really the general enjoyment of walking through the streets of Athens that was enjoyable and immersive.
It looks like you had a great second day in Athens. Any spot is usually a little empty in the early morning, and you made a great decision to visit the Acropolis first thing in the morning, before the crowds of tourists arrive. I am planning for Greece and would definitely check all of these points along with the tips you provided
thank you and very glad that you can get some tips from here! Enjoy Greece!