Kαλώς ήρθατε!

Welcome back to Greece! Returning to our often visited destination during study times ... for the 14th or 15th time in total now. In 2010 we visited Athens for the last time and have to check now how the city has changed in the course of the political and economical crisis it went through. Doing research for a complete update (rather a new book) of our "CityTrip Athens".

Up early in the morning. The drive to MUC only took us 50 minutes on the autobahn, but lines at security were long: late vacationers with no or little kids, traveling to the South. No lines at the Aegean Airlines counter, but the plane was full. Athens is a main hub to change planes or take a ferry to one of the Greek islands.

Arrived in Athens on time, at 3:45 pm, after only two hours flight time. We even got a hot meal, served by good-looking, very polite flight attendants - Aegean is known for its excellent service! It took us two hours by train/subway/walking to get to our Best Western Museum Hotel closeby the National Archeological Museum. The room was small, with a little balcony, but well equipped with A/C, WiFi, a safe, a fridge and a large bathroom. Also, we got to know that breakfast buffet is included.

We left the hotel again immediately after having unpacked and explored the city for four hours, till feet got tired. Started with our neighborhood, Exarchia, called "Anarchia" for short, the student and alternative neighborhood where revolts and demonstrations started and always start. Lots of empty buildings, but great murals, lots of garbage and street people next to some fancy bars and political banners.





We walked to the two main squares, Platia Omonia and Syntagma, into Monastiraki, which is considered together with the Plaka the main touristic neighborhoods in the city. Not so much today: lots of locals on the streets, restaurants and cafés packed. Infrastructure in these two neighborhoods seems to be doing o.k., many new chic bars, cafés and artisanal gelaterias here, and, more attractive shops besides the usual ones offering leather goods/souvenir/olive wood items/Greek deli stuff, but inbetween houses are empty and dilapidated. Nevertheless, always great views towards the Acropolis (see pic!).

Since it was European Museums' Day, the Agora was still open in the evening and, of course, couldn't sidestep the opportunity to get in and remember the old days when we still knew, so-to-say, every stone's location... The museum in the Attalos Stoa (pic) didn't change much, but views from the 2nd floor towards the Hephaistos temple - on pic - are great.

Snack bars with take-away have become rare in the city center, but eventually we found one with good pita gyros and noticed that some traditions still are the same: the vendors on the streets, with baking goods, fruit, nuts, corn etc. for a bargain.


Walked home with about two kilo of Greek grapes (for the price of about 1/2 kilo in Germany) and some nuts for dessert in the hotel while working.