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Athens
This is one of the great cities of the world and an unmissable one. If you have never been to Athens then a trip to Skopelos provides an ideal excuse for exploration of this historical marvel. Although known for many years for its somewhat chaotic nature, Athens has been largely transformed by the infrastructure put in place for the Olympic Games. The metro system is wonderful and there is also an excellent over ground suburban train service, three tram lines and most importantly the dreadful old airport has been replaced by a shiny new one which is efficient, user-friendly, and is accessed by the metro into central Athens. (Not wishing to make the place sound like Switzerland means that we should point out that many of the other aspects of Athenian life remain as charmingly chaotic as ever). These recent improvements make the city much less frustrating than it used to be.
It is an ancient city, starting life around 3000 BC as a settlement around the Acropolis and eventually becoming one of the great city states, but it was the victory in the Greco-Persian wars which led to the golden age of Athens and left us so much to marvel at today. The destruction of many major buildings during this war led to the construction of much of the Acropolis(particularly the Parthenon) a site that everyone should visit at least once in their lives. It is open usually from 8.00 am and closes about 7.00pm (or sunset in winter) and is generally very busy (tickets €12). The best way to have “quality time” there is to get in first thing in the morning and as most tour groups are lectured as they climb up towards the Parthenon, on various interesting points, you can walk straight past them and have the place virtually to yourself for the first 20 minutes. It is a great experience which is somewhat diminished by the hordes that follow soon after. Also there are many views of the Acropolis which are stunning and the Hill of the Pynx is recommended for a late evening sight of the white marble structures turning from yellow to gold to red as the light fades.
Of course there are many other antiquities to see in Athens; temples, agoras, monuments etc abound and the city itself, although often seemingly a 70’s concrete nightmare, harbours many gems of the neo-classical city which developed from the middle 19th century (when Athens was rediscovered and became the capital
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of Greece) and again the redevelopment for the Olympics has brought restoration and pedestrianised areas which make strolling around a joy rather than a trial.
Athens is in general a very safe city- there is little serious crime- but with the influx of many people from around the world there has been an increase in petty crime (and of course there are always scam artists in any big city). It certainly will be less of a problem than whichever city you have come from (or in your own country) but it's best to be aware and although many tourists seem worried by Omonia Sq late at night, and there are many”colourful characters” it's not usually a problem, so just be sensible. If it's too hot or it rains(!) another world class visit must be to the again) newly restored Archaeological Museum which even for museumphobes carries some artefacts and statues which are wonderful and should be seen. It is on the corner of Alexandras Ave and Patission, not far from Omonia Sq.
Arriving
The sparkly new marble miracle of the Eleftherios Venizelios Airport is most peoples first sight of Greece but it is situated some way out of Athens. However the metro into Athens is approximately every 20 minutes and it takes about 40 minutes to reach central Athens. It is usually the best bet as the road system remains in the chaotic bracket and although taxis can be quite cheap they can easily take longer than the metro. At night between 11 and 6.00 the metro closes and taxis are definitely the best bet. There is also an express bus service into town but I am at a loss to know why anyone would take it in preference to the metro which only costs six euros for a single or eleven euros for a single ticket for 2 people. (Check your ticket into the machine before you get on).
Being There
Athens is a big city with many districts all different in nature so the choice is from chi-chi to red-light depending what atmosphere appeals.
Plaka - most tourist stay in the Plaka which is the old town of Athens strewn around the base of the Acropolis. It is certainly charming and definitely aware of its target audience. There are thousands of tavernas and even more gift shops if that’s what you are looking for
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but it is central and close to other districts which are a little more real. Having said that the Athenians are also fond of the Plaka area and many tables are occupied by locals to, so there are good bars, cafes and tavernas -you just have to look. And it is charming!
Psiri - right next to Plaka and rising trendy is this ex industrial area which is great for restaurants, bars, cafes etc. It's a real mix of traditional and modern and not very touristy at all, a bit of a hidden gem and at night is thronged with the cognoscenti.
Monistiraki - also next to Plaka and with the eponymous metro station that serves all three of these areas, this is an interesting place that encompasses some red-light activities as well as major archaeological sites, tavernas, cafes and night life.
Thission - also a good area to stay in the same central cluster as those above.
Syntagma - or Constitution Sq, this houses the most famous hotel in Athens, the Grand Bretagne where Churchill amongst many others stayed. It does have reasonable priced hotels too and of course is home to the famous “silly walks” of the Presidential Guards. The metro station is one of the best in the world housing many artefacts unearthed when construction of the new metro was underway and is worth a visit in itself.
Kolonaki - Think posh, think Chelsea, this area is for the affluent but worth while sitting in a cafe and watching the rich at work, drinking frappes and eating ice-cream, however, there are good restaurants and many are reasonably priced.
For hotels try www.hotelstogether.com which compares prices and finds you the cheapest on-line deal. If you are traveling on the early coach from Kannigos Sq to Skopelos its a good idea to stay close enough to walk to Alkyon Travel where the bus starts from. Three hotels close by are the Residence Georgio www.residencegeorgioathens.com which is quite glitzy but nice and not expensive for what it is. Kaningos 21 is new and so I haven’t stayed there but it looks fine and it's right on the doorstep. www.kaningos21.gr, and the Hotel Parnon www.parnon-hotel.gr is cheap and cheerful but is quite basic.
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