The first thing that comes to mind when someone says “Greece” they think of the blue ocean and white houses. Then they begin thinking of “Santorini”, or “Zeus” or maybe even Greek Mythology. While planning my Greece backpacking trip, I contemplated whether I should just island hop from one island to another or also visit some historical cities such as Athens. In the end, I chose to start my trip off from Athens and head over to Santorini. We didn’t have too much time to island hop and I really wanted to visit Athens.
After another Easyjet flight from UK to Athens, we arrived at the airport. The trip didn’t cost too much during September, around 100 pounds. I decided to spend 48 hours in Athens including travel time. There actually isn’t too much to see in Athens and at the end, to be honest, each destination looked almost exactly the same to me. My sister even called everything “rocks”. I called it “glorious ruins”.
Our itinerary today consisted of (all within 1-2 subway stations or walking distance)
- Acropolis (Acropoli station)
- Temple of Olympian Zeus
- Hadrian’s Wall
- Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Syntagma station)
First of all, we took the subway to Acropoli station. There are many attractions at this station so be prepared for a long walk. The Acropolis was the first on our list. Tickets are €20 adults/€10 concession. There is a bit of a climb up the mountain. You get to see a few things on the way such as the ruins of a temple (left) and a small colosseum (right).
Opening hours: 8am-8pm Apr-Oct, to 5pm Nov-Mar, last entry 30min before closing
After climbing for a few minutes, you finally reach the entrance to the building you really want to see- the Partheon. Or maybe just what’s left of it. I have to admit, I was a tad bit disappointed. This place is of such historical value, and this is just what’s left of it.
After this somewhat disappointing Acropolis/Partheon, we walked to the Temple of Olympian Zeus which is just around the corner, down the mountain. If you want to take a photo of the Acropolis from afar like those postcard photos, then you should go to the mountain across. You will definitely see where, because of all the tourists that are on the mountain.
The Temple of Olympian Zeus is right next door to Hadrian’s Wall which also as historical significance. (Fee: adult/student/child €6/3/free, with Acropolis pass free).
There really isn’t much to see here, except to take a photo and head to the next destination. However, you can spend a few minutes here to recall it is a historical significance.
The Changing of the Guards in Athens is probably something you don’t really need to see, even if you’ve heard of it. It is located at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Syntagma Square, in front of the Old Royal Palace. The changing of the guards happens every Sunday at 11AM. There is a sculpture of a naked figure lying down on the ground. He holds a circular shield in his left hand and wears an Ancient Greek-style helmet which symbolizes that the Unknown Soldier is ready to arise at any moment.
Somehow I read online that it is a must-see, so I added it onto my itinerary. We arrived early so we could get a good spot for photos/videos. When the clock hit, the guards started moving in the slllooooooooooowest motion ever. Compared to the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace, this pales in comparison. Really, don’t come here unless you have nothing else to do in Athens.
This basically concluded our stay in Athens. There wasn’t too much to see and to be honest, you will get tired of seeing stones and rocks at the end of the day. I was glad I just spent 48 hours here; so excited for the next destination- Santorini! Read my post on how to get from Athens to Santorini or where and when to take the best photos in Santorini.