8 Things to See in Athens ...

By Jelena

8 Things to See in Athens ...

If you’re planning to visit this huge, interesting city, you’re probably interested to know more about things to see in Athens- Am I right? Well, I might be able to help you with that. I’m still new to this whole experience and Athens is still a bit scary and amazingly huge so forgive me for not being able tell you everything about everything. There are many interesting things to see in Athens, that’s for sure, and here are some you might want to check out first:

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1

Acropolis

Hah! You saw this coming – didn’t you? But seriously now, why bother coming to Athens if you’re not planning on seeing the most popular thing in it? The restoration is still in progress and it’s been this way for years now although I must say you’ll get to see a lot of things that were a complete mess back in 2005 when I visited for the first time. The Acropolis site includes 21 separate buildings, sanctuaries and temples so make sure you wear your comfy shoes!

2

The Acropolis Museum

Next on my list of things to see in Athens would definitely be the Acropolis Museum because I’ve been there two times and I had a lot of fun. It took me three hours just to check everything out the first time and I got to see a special machine used to restore Caryatides during my second visit. Expect a lot of marble, old pottery and statues and, once the ancient world wears you down, head straight to the restaurant for a quick snack and a refreshing drink.

3

Monastiraki Thisio

I haven’t travelled the world yet so I can’t say this is the most colorful place on it although I bet it could rate pretty high. Narrow streets, many shops and coffee shops, street performers, street sellers and tourists from all over the world trying to earn money in order to stay a few more days – simply amazing! You can have your coffee while watching a guy juggling fire! So visit the Acropolis early in the morning and stop by Plaka and Monastiraki for coffee, lunch and an experience you’ll never forget.

4

Plaka

Well, like I’ve mentioned above, Plaka and Monastiraki basically continue onto each other so you simply can’t miss it. Plaka is basically an old town built right under the Acropolis so expect plenty of old houses, archeological sites and a very specific mix of ancient and traditional details.

5

The Parliament

The Parliament building is nice and big (duh!) but I never found it very interesting. However, the thing you might miss if you don’t go to check it out are those Greek soldiers called Euzonoi! These guys are dressed in very specific uniforms and they are not allowed to move at all and, if you happen to swing by in the right moment, you might even get to see the change of the guards. Yup, definitely one of the things to see in Athens!

Famous Quotes

Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

George Santayana
6

Mount Lycabettus

Mount Lycabettus is the highest point in Athens which means that you can see literally everything from the top! It’s still on my list of things to see in Athens and I’m a bit ashamed to admit that I still haven’t been there. They say the view is superb and since my sister will be staying here for a while and she’s expecting me to take her sightseeing, I’ll definitely check it out and let you know is it really that good!

7

Piraeus

Okay, this is not exactly Athens but you can count on the good old metro to take you there. Why? To rest, relax and check out Pasha Limani and Micro Limano- two beautiful harbors where your coffee comes with a breathtaking view. This area is famous for its traditional fish taverns, great nightlife and a lot of nice places that look great on photos so feel free to drop by any time and rest before the next round of sightseeing.

8

The National Museum

If museums are your thing, you simply can’t miss out on seeing all the wonderful historical sighs the National Museum holds. It’s way more interesting than the acropolis Museum but I won’t spoil the surprise so hope you’ll like it as much as I do.

Have you ever been to Athens? I never thought I’ll end up living here with all these wonderful places so near, available and literally begging me to see them! Strange, huh? But, let me tell you something – don’t get depressed if you don’t manage to do everything you’ve planned. There are many things to see in Athens so you’ll always have fun, regardless of how many times you decide to visit.

Top Photo Credit: hermenpaca

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