A Layover in Athens
Athens is an inevitable stop en route to any of the Grecian Islands. Good news is, it’s a vibrant city and a perfect one day adventure to get you into the Greek mood before whisking yourself off to one of the many island paradises.
As much, we only had one night and one full day in Athens so we made the most of it. I was surprised by the creativity of the city in the best possible way. The food, drink and of course the historical relevance did not disappoint. See below for my tips on how to make the most of your first 36 hours in the Grecian Capital.
Insider Tips
STAY
Hotel Electra Metropolis for full service hotel with rooftop pool, restaurant and bar overlooking the Acropolis.
Thission Luxury Homes for a more affordable, apartment like vibe.
EAT
Taverna Klimataria for traditional Greek; Nice n’ Easy for healthy cafe vibes; Ergon House Market for an afternoon pick-me up or morning bite; Nolan for Greek fusion; Cocktails at The Clumsies
Day 1
After a redeye, landing midday, we went straight to our hotel for a quick recharge. We stayed at the Hotel Electra Metropolis, a modern hotel in a central location that allows you to walk everywhere. It also has a rooftop restaurant and bar with pool that has stunning views of the Acropolis. The the perfect welcome to Greece. If you don’t stay here, be sure to head to the rooftop bar for a pre-dinner drink to watch the sunset over Athens. Just when you think it can’t get any more breathtaking, post sunset the Acropolis is up-lit. It’s absolutely stunning.
For an afternoon pick-me-up, pre-sunset gorgeousness, head to Ergon House just down the street from the hotel. It’s a vibrant market and café with the more gorgeous Grecian provisions for you to drool over. Everything is superbly designed and if you’re ready to grab a few things to take home already, this is the place.
Since we had just arrived, we were craving a traditional Greek meal. On the recommendation of our bartender we went to Taverna Klimataria. A beautiful little restaurant, draped in greenery down a little alley. It’s a bit hard to find, but don’t let that deter you. The food and atmosphere are stunning. They even have live music. For our meal we had fall-off-the bone lamb leg with a Greek salad that had the biggest slab of feta you’ve ever seen on it. Someone I now know is how it comes in Greece! Everything was incredibly fresh and delicious, the perfect first night in Greece meal. Also, don’t let the house wine scare you! Throughout our time in Greece it was dry and accompanied the food perfectly.
After dinner make sure to save room for a few cocktails. I love checking out the cocktail culture in new cities and had an insider recommendation. So after dinner we walked to The Clumsies a vibrant cocktail lounge, which shortly after our visit was voted in 2019’s World Best Bars at number six! Decorated with vertical hanging plants and a menu experience as inventive as its drinks one can see why. The menu is written and illustrated in invisible ink so you need a special flashlight to aluminate it. The drinks were great but menu story and illustrations were a real highlight!
Day 2
Plan on starting early and heading directly to the Acropolis for opening at 8am. This is two fold, one to beat the heat and two, beat the crowds. We walked from our hotel and got there shortly after it opened. Another fave activity of mine is walking in new cities early morning in the calm before the city wakes up and this is the perfect opportunity to do just that. When we got to the Acropolis were some of the first people to walk up the steps. However, around 9:45 when we were leaving, we felt like salmon swimming up stream. The early morning strategy really allows you to take in the magnitude of it all in a certain amount of peace.
Entrance to the Acropolis
After the Acropolis, exit a different way than you came and get a bit lost in the streets below the Acropolis hill. As a landmark head towards the Roman Agora, ruins set among residential streets. From here explore Thisso or Plaka and find a nice local spot for lunch. There will be plenty of street vendors and small shops to explore.
Next, for a change of pace spend your afternoon exploring Exarcheia for a more local feel. It’s an area of Athens that has past of anarchy and riots in opposition of the of the dictatorship but now is one the more interesting cultural centers of Athens. A place for where alternative culture thrives and LGBTQ and refugees have come together to form community. The streets themelves are decorated with murals in protest and in celebrating of cultural moments. Below the street art #justiceforzakzackie is dedicated to the brutal killing of LGBT longtime activist Zak Kostopoulos in 2018 which is a reminder of the importance of communities like these. You can truly feel the creative and colourful vibe of the area, which felt akin to The Village in NYC. It has an abundance of coffeeshops as well as bookstores, vinyl and vintage and feels very different than the rest of the city. Even if you only have one day in Athens, it’s worth a visit.
Of course there are tons of museums and beautiful parks to hit in Athens so make sure to find what’s right for you before hopping on your next flight to enjoy some island time.
Happy hunting!
All images via She The Huntress
