TURNIPSEED TRAVEL
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Partner With Us
  • New Visitors
  • Social Media

Should You Travel To Athens? 7 Little Things That Made Me Fall In Love

10/11/2014

 

Should you travel to Athens? I say yes! I didn't know what to expect when I went and I was in for some wonderful surprises. 

​This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

Travel to Athens: The Acropolis and Monastiraki Market at night. Athens Greece
Travel to Athens and you'll see views like this: The Acropolis and Monastiraki Market at night.
There are some cities that need no introduction. Cites like Paris, New York, and Rome, whose character and culture and cuisine is so well known, so exhaustively represented and reproduced that most travelers have formed their opinions long before they ever visit. But Athens was no such city for me. 

I started to travel to Athens with only the vaguest snippets of rumor and conjecture floating around in my head, with whispers of crazy traffic and urban chaos, all with the slightest suggestion of a city gone slightly to seed in the wake of the country's recent economic crisis. But try as I may, I couldn't come up with a clear vision of what Athens would be like, what it would look like, what it would sound, smell, and even taste like. And therefore I was utterly caught off guard when Aphrodite sprinkled her magic dust and I fell in love with the city. 
Cats at the Acropolis Greece Athens
A rubble of lesser antiquities makes for a cat's perfect stalking grounds at the Acropolis.
Sometimes, it's the smallest, simplest things that make all the difference in the world when it comes loving and knowing a city. Here are 7 of those little things that made Athens my dream destination - and I think you'll love it too!

Athens Is Clean

Syntagma Square Athens stray dogs
Nothing but a lazy dog can be seen on the ground of Syntagma Square.
Monastiraki market in the rain Athens
This narrow alleyway is spotless
Residential street Athens Greece
A clean and calm residential street
Graffiti in Athens
Even a graffiti covered street is free from litter!
"Clean" may not be the first thing you think of when you first catch a glimpse of graffiti covered Athens, but for a large city it is actually is remarkably clean. In Syntagma Square, a major gathering spot in the heart of the city, equally famous for hosting protests and the ceremonial Changing of the Guard, there was scarcely any litter to be found. Even in the more humble parts of town the streets were still neat and tidy. 

Athens Is Green 

Garden blooms in Anafiotika near the Acropolis of Athens
The beautiful blooms of the Athens neighbourhood of Anafiotika.
Vines and trees cover a house in Plaka, Athens
Greenery covers a house in the Plaka neighbourhood.
A plant covered walkway in Anafiotika Athens
The plant and vine covered walls of Anafiotika.
White flowers in the National Gardens of Athens
Directly beside Syntagma Square, the National Gardens offer nearly 40 acres of green space.
If civic pride could be measured by plant pots then surely Athens would win any and all competitions. Even the most humble of balconies was teaming with greenery and basil trees the size of small shrubs stood outside restaurants. Plants and vines covered walkways and walls. The National Gardens, located directly beside Syntagma Square, made me feel like I was on a Hawaiian island.
​

​While it would be nice to see a different kind of 'green' in the form of recycling bins (they were non-existent as far as I could tell), the everyday acts of urban gardening were a joy to behold. ​

Athens Is Calm

Seeing the Acropolis walls from Anafiotika Athens
Peace and quiet within a stone's throw of the Acropolis walls.
Vasilissis Sofias Avenue at night Athens
Not looking all that busy at all!
Vasilissis Sofias Avenue Athens
One of Athens' busiest streets, Vasilissis Sofias Avenue.
For all the rumors about chaos and congestion, Athens is a remarkably calm city. For every crowded street or square, there were 10 more that were virtually empty. The subways and buses were efficient and easy to use. The infamous traffic was just that - traffic, of a reasonable volume in proportion to Athens' size. I never drove in Athens but I did walk all over town and I never once observed a traffic jam.

Any major metropolitan area can have heavy traffic. And just like in any other city, pedestrians should be sensible and exercise caution. I'm not sure if I'd have the moxie to venture forth on an Athenian scooter but when it came to walking all over town, I had little fear of any rogue vehicles. 

Athens Is Almost Tout-Free.....

Sleeping stray dog at the Acropolis Athens
Instead of hustlers, this is who greets you as you make your way to the Acropolis.
Empty path on route to the Acropolis Athens
Not a soul around at the Acropolis path.
Ryan riding the hop on, hop off bus
Ryan, looking suspicious on the bus
Empty parking lot Athens
Tout free parking lots! Hurrah!
Dear touts, where art thou? While your brethern harass visitors at every other tourist attraction all over the world, you have seemingly overlooked the prime possibility of annoying the millions of visitors to the Acropolis. I saw just a single, half heated post card vendor at the Acropolis and, while I was initially baffled by the distinct lack of touts and street hawks, I soon settled into a happy acceptance that there is indeed a world where you can see a popular attractions without having to swat away a relentless swarm of pests. 

We only encountered touts twice, which is remarkable considering how many major attractions we visited. On our hop-on, hop-off bus tour, the driver pulled over near Piraeus Port in order to allow the touts to board and offer us what they promised were utterly genuine iPads for a mere 20 Euros. Not cool, bus driver, not cool! 

We (along with Athenians themselves) encountered plenty of people who were selling (I think) lotto tickets. These sellers walked everywhere - inside the airport, inside restaurants, on the bus - waving aloft tall sticks from which dozens of paper tickets fluttered in the breeze. Somewhat irritating but it seemed common place and not particularly directed towards tourists. 

.... And There's No Price Gouging Either!

Selling bread on the streets of Athens
See that heap of bagel style bread? They each cost half a Euro, no matter who sells them or where they sell them.
Looking to buy a bottle of water in Athens? You're going to pay but a mere €0.50 to do so, no matter if you're at the airport, the Acropolis, the changing of the guard at Syntagma Square, or in a suburban grocery store. And the same applies to the bagel-style bread rings that were sold on every street corner.

I'm not sure if it's the result of regulation or just the honest and good-natured disposition of the Greek people, but there was a complete lack of price gouging when it came to popular items like water and snacks. Try finding bottled water at the Eiffel Tower or the Coliseum for the same price and let me know how it goes!

Living On Bread and Water? No Problem!

Picture
Free!
Picture
Free!
Picture
Free once more!
Restaurant service - be it a tiny street side cafe or a beautiful bistro - is uniformly friendly, efficient, and generous. Without exception, the servers would always automatically seve glasses of cold tap water - none of of this Parisian attitude of insisting you can only order sparkling or still mineral water! When you're walking around all day in warm weather, this little act of hospitality is a life saver.

Closely behind the water would come the bread basket, always generously filled with white bread, brown bread, and crunchy bread sticks - always accompanied by a container of yogurt dip. This thick dip, seasoned with herbs or cheese or beet root, was delicious and all of it was complimentary. The scrumptious food in Athens is something I could talk about forever, but for now I'll stick to the bread and yogurt. It made every meal that much more delectable and really gave restaurant visits a tremendous value. 

Shoulder Season = Stunning Season

Clothesline in Anafiotika Athens
You can't look at this and tell me October is actually off-peak season! The weather is gorgeous! I loved seeing colorful clotheslines all over the city.
Sunshine on buildings in Anafiotika Athens
Looks like perfect weather to me!
Panoramic view of Athens
Clear skies, without a cloud in sight.
Usually shoulder season in Europe means reduced costs - but the traveler pays the price in other ways, like enduring the cold and damp weather. Yet in Athens, the shoulder season means stunningly good weather with plenty of sun. I was told many times that Athens in August is an entirely different beast altogether, with a kind of sweltering heat that you need to feel to believe, so I'll happily stick to the autumn shoulder season whenever I can. 

Maybe it's the shoulder season, and not Aphrodite, I need to thank for the clean streets, the reasonable traffic, and the great service I experienced in Athens.  But no matter the reason, visiting Athens was an absolute joy, an experience I'll never forget, and I hope my wonderful memories go a long way in helping you form your own expectations of this remarkable city.

​
Have you been to Athens? Tell me what you liked best!

If you enjoyed this article, you'll also like:
​

Athens' Most Romantic Spots
Vanessa Visits Athens' Meat Market
The Last Dairy Bar in Athens
jennifer link
14/11/2014 05:41:14 am

Aw, I love the dog laying on the bench. The idea of no touts alone makes Athens seem like heaven on Earth.

Vanessa
15/11/2014 12:32:01 am

Touts are so exhausting. We were fully prepared to battle with them and were almost confused when we didn't see any!

Betsy Wuebker | PassingThru link
14/11/2014 05:50:28 am

So many times there is an unfair residual negative impression of a location. I remember alternative voices than those reporting the economic unrest saying it was part, certainly not the whole of Athens. This refreshing post will help, too. I appreciated your recommendation to consider the shoulder season, too.

Vanessa
15/11/2014 12:34:00 am

Thanks Betsy! It's well known that Athens, and all of Greece, have had serious problems with the economic downturn but it's a shame that a few years of recession can overshadow a few millennium of art and history and culture. I think Athens will bounce back from this setback to be stronger than ever.

Susan Moore link
14/11/2014 06:51:26 am

Sounds wonderful! I have not been to Greece yet but I definitely would like to go. I am not a fan of extremely hot weather so the shoulder season seems the perfect time for me to visit Athens.

Vanessa
15/11/2014 12:35:18 am

Me too - I have no interest in extreme heat and, judging by what the locals told me, it can get pretty intense in the summer. Obviously tons of people still go there in the summer but I would always choose the shoulder season. For me, it was the perfect weather.

Mike link
14/11/2014 07:28:09 am

what a great post Vanessa! love all the geenery around Athens....and also we freaking LOVE the shoulder season...it's the tops right?

Vanessa
15/11/2014 12:38:28 am

I can't imagine travelling to Greece at any other time. Less people, less heat, still drop dead gorgeous (and compared to Canada in October, it felt like I was getting bonus summer!)

Costas Psarros link
16/11/2014 08:48:30 am

What an authentic and honest account on wonderful Athens! I can't tell you how happy it makes me when people see her for what she is and not how the media present her.

Vanessa this was lovely....thank you for your supportive words and I hope to read more from you on Athens soon.

Vanessa
16/11/2014 10:30:23 am

This means so much coming from you!! I'm so glad you enjoyed the article. I can't wait to write more about Athens - it was such an inspiring city and there are so many incredible stories to tell.

Stephanie Mayo link
16/11/2014 10:10:04 am

Wow, I must say I understand your initial thoughts on Athens as I somewhat feel the same. I have yet to visit and am going next spring and am so happy to hear its green, clean and calm. Just goes to show you can't believe it until you see it :)

Vanessa
16/11/2014 10:33:02 am

I am so excited to hear you are going to Athens - and I think it will be so lovely in spring! I can't wait to hear how your trip goes.

Marissa_Travel Greece, Travel Europe link
5/2/2017 11:11:59 am

Hey ol friend! I stumbled upon your post here and OMG I love it! Such a nice perspective to read about my adopted city and so glad you had an amazing time. Next time you and Ryan are back in Greece, Elena and I will show you around -- not RIB boat style -- but maybe ;)

Vanessa
5/2/2017 04:00:16 pm

I'm so glad you liked it! Coming from an adopted Athenian, it means a lot!


Comments are closed.
    Recent Posts
    Posts by Location
    Turnipseed Travel Category Canada
    Turnipseed Travel Category USA
    Turnipseed Travel Category Europe
    Turnipseed Travel Category Africa
    Turnipseed Travel Category Australia
    Turnipseed Travel Category Asia

    Post Categories

    All
    $200 Challenge
    200m Challenge
    Accommodation
    Africa
    Amsterdam
    Anti Adventurist
    Asia
    Australia
    Belgium
    Business Travel
    Camping
    Canada
    Central Counties
    Cozy Travel
    Destinations
    Europe
    Experiences & Activities
    Female Travel
    Food And Drink
    Gear And Packing
    Golf
    Greece
    Guest Posts & Interviews
    Health
    Inspiration
    Making Travel Memories
    Montreal
    Most Popular Posts
    National Parks
    Norfolk County
    Ontario
    Ottawa
    Paris
    Partners
    Pet Travel
    Photo Essay
    Preparation
    Press Trip Portfolio
    Reviews Accommodation
    Reviews Gear Packing
    Round The World
    Saving
    Toronto
    Transportation
    Travel Cooking
    Travel Memories Series
    UK & Ireland
    United States

    Posts by Date

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012

Disclaimers, Privacy, and Cookie Policy

Top 100 Travel Influencer
As named by the Obama White House in 2014.​
White House Study Abroad Logo 2014
Turnipseed Travel Logo 2019
DMCA.com Protection Status
© COPYRIGHT 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Partner With Us
  • New Visitors
  • Social Media