
First-Time Visitors to Athens: International Monuments Day in Greece
April 18 is International Monuments Day in Greece which, luckily for us, means free admission to all ancient sites, including the Acropolis. Now, we could claim that we had planned this in advance as a cost saving measure, but that would be lying. We were in fact quite baffled when the lady at the ticket counter handed us a pair of tickets before we had reached for our wallets. Only much later in the day did we realize the reason for our incredible luck.
Street sign to Acropolis 0 Euro tickets ‘I love Greece’ bag Fully packed with people Tourists at Acropolis
Getting to the Acropolis from our hotel took only about five minutes by foot. However, reaching Parthenon atop the Acropolis took an additional 15 minutes because of the massive crowds which had gathered on this special day.
View from Acropolis
The Acropolis is generally considered the most important ancient site in the Western world. So once we finally arrived at the top and were able to appreciate its crown jewel, the mighty Parthenon, it was well worth the wait. What a sight.
Parthenon View from Acropolis
Acropolis
Cat sleeping at Parthenon Orange tree at a small street to Plaka
From Acropolis, we walked along small streets to Plaka – Athens Old Town – lined with shops, cafes and restaurants. At a random spot we stopped to sample some local food which turned out to be a mistake. The sea bass was so-so, at best, and the veggies were over-cooked and tasteless. Certainly, this place didn’t do the renowned Mediterranean cuisine justice.
Grilled sea bass Fried zucchini
After our not-so-successful lunch break in Plaka we continued our tour of historic Athens. We first went to the Roman Forum and then the Ancient Agora. At the Roman Forum there was a very interesting photo exhibition depicting the time during Nazi occupation of Greece.
THE OCCUPIER’S GAZE
The Athens of the German Occupation in the Photographic Collection of Byron Metos
THE OCCUPIER’S GAZE Roman Forum Kleroteria
(allotment machine)Household Pottery – Cooking Utensils
6th-4th century B.C.
Roman Forum Portrait burst of
the emperor Antoninus Plus
Ancient Agora Ancient Agora
I personally preferred the relaxed, park-like atmosphere of the Ancient Agora over the bustling Acropolis. From the Ancient Agora we could over-look the Acropolis.
Plaka connects to many historical sites and shopping streets. And of course we eventually stopped for ice-cream which, conversely, was a delightful experience, finishing the day on a culinary high-note.
To be continued…
Tags: Acropolis, Ancient Agora, Athens, Athens Old Town, Byron Metos, Europe, Free admission, German Occupation, Greece, International Monuments Day, Parthenon, Photographic Collection, Plaka, Review, Roman Forum, THE OCCUPIER'S GAZE, Travel guide