Athens, often described as the oldest capital of Europe, has a history stretching back thousands of years. It is widely known as the birthplace of democracy. Ancient sites remain visible across the city, and its winters are relatively mild. I wanted to see it for myself.
Classical Athens was a powerful city-state that emerged in conjunction with the port of Piraeus. It is commonly known as the cradle of Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy, largely because of its cultural and political impact on the European continent.
Today, Athens is a large, cosmopolitan city with an atmosphere I had not encountered elsewhere in Europe.
Here is what stood out during my visit:
- The Greek language
- Transportation in Athens
- Best areas to stay
- Findings on food
- Coffee's role in Greek society
- The Acrópolis area
Language
I usually learn the basic words of the country I visit. Greek uses a different alphabet that I could not read.
I relied on English and managed well enough. Although English proficiency is reported to be relatively low in Athens, people working in tourism often spoke it.
I even had a conversation with an old Greek man at a coffee bar’s terrace communicating with gestures, but it worked. Eventually, he understood that I was a Dutch tourist, and I learned that he disliked Airbnb because he felt it was driving up rents.
To read texts and labels I used Google’s camera translation feature, which works pretty smoothly.
https://twitter.com/gijsheerkens/status/1220412937367642112
Transport
The 2004 Olympics left their mark on the city’s infrastructure. The airport and metro were renovated. At the time of my visit, the M3 metro ticket to the airport cost €10.
Station names appeared in both Greek and Latin alphabets, which is good for tourists like me. In the city center, I mostly walked.
If you do not want to walk as much, you can find shared scooters around the center.
Areas
A Greek friend helped me choose where to stay. That search also inspired a product idea that I had not yet had time to build.
She told me to stay in Monastiraki, Syntagma or Pláka, central areas that she recommended to visitors. She warned me that some outlying areas could be less safe at night. So I avoided going there, especially in the evening.
Some streets I saw showed signs of neglect compared with the Western European cities I know. Parts of the city looked worn and poorly maintained. I noticed rubbish and abandoned cars in the streets. I also saw people sleeping rough and asking for money.
Athens felt imperfect in a way that gave it character. It is not my preferred style, but I enjoyed experiencing it for a few days. For this trip, a few days felt like enough.
My Airbnb, by contrast, was not run-down. It was modern and had a view of the Acropolis. Although Airbnb faces protests in Athens, I did not encounter any protests myself.
Food
I found plenty of meat and fruit on menus, which suited me. Many meals also came with fried stuff and refined grains so I chose what worked for me.
I’m ditching grains for a month to discover my inflammation spectrum so I skipped the pitas and went for chicken and pork skewers instead.
The city has thousands of Greek restaurants with similar dishes at similar prices. Souvlaki, gyros, pita, greek salad and tzatziki with ouzo on the side for around €10. Many places also offered fruit for dessert.
Souvlaki and gyros can both feature chicken or pork, though they are prepared and served differently.
I was less keen on the people some restaurants stationed outside to draw customers in. I would rather read the menu and decide for myself.
Coffee
Coffee bars seemed to be everywhere in Athens. They serve as social spaces. The bars have terraces with chairs aligned next to each other, so you are always sitting next to a stranger.
I talked there with the older Greek man I had met and with a barista from Lebanon. Nice.
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Acrópolis
The Acrópolis rises above the city and holds many of its best-known ancient sites. Several highlights are close together here. When you stay in one of the three zones I mentioned, it’s about a fifteen-minute walk to get to the top. It’s not as high and steep as it seems.
In a few hours on foot, you can see landmarks such as the Parthenon, Agora, Temple of Olympian Zeus, The Zappeion Hall, the Theatre of Dyonisos, the National Garden and the Olympic Stadium of 1896, the first modern Olympics.
The wider Athens area has about 4.000.000 people residents, so there is more to explore beyond the center. For example, there is the port of Piraeus which is pretty far from the city center.
I did not have time to go there during my three-day stay, returning to Western Europe to live in CET again.
My Athens song
I choose a song to represent my memories of each place I visit. For Athens it’s of course the Sirtaki, the classical Greek music which shifts between slow and fast rhythms and can also be heard in the video above.