Athens full circle
Years ago, before we had a child, we spent a week on the island of Crete, then a couple of nights in Athens. I remember feeling disappointed by the city experience, and left wondering how the Greeks could have let one of the most important cities in the world go to pieces. It was crowded, dirty, hot and festooned with graffiti everywhere you looked.
No thanks….
Since then we’ve skipped downtown and either stayed outside the city along the “Athenian Riviera,” or just continued on to our final destination. (See my earlier post about Cape Sounion.)
This trip we decided to spend our last night in Athens since we were traveling with our daughter’s school friend who wanted to see the Acropolis. And now I wish we hadn’t come away so jaded after that first visit.
It was nothing like the Athens I remembered.
My wife found us a sweet hotel in the more upscale Kolonaki neighborhood — the Academias — with a trendy roof bar/restaurant overlooking the Parthenon. The warren of narrow streets around the hotel had nice cafes and restaurants, and we were situated within easy walking distance of Syntagma Square, across from the Parliament, as well as Plaka, the famous old neighborhood at the base of the Acropolis, bordering the ancient Agora of Athens.
Yes the graffiti is still there and it’s not the cleanest city in the world, but Athens does have an undeniable energy to it, with its monuments and museums. Restaurants and nightlife. A thriving bar scene. And all the smart shops and high fashion brands two teenage girls could wish for.
We went up to the Acropolis and spent an hour or so capturing our Instagram photos and admiring the panoramic views, then took our time strolling back to the hotel, stopping for ice cream at a place called Kayak, which a shop owner in Plaka had recommended. The girls got their shopping fix, and I came away with a new take on the city.
When we returned to the hotel to get ready for dinner, my daughter’s friend remarked that it had been a really great day. I guess what’s a little dirt and graffiti when you find yourself in one of the greatest cities in the world?
