During our European travels we wanted to see both big cities and small towns in each country so to experience the best of both worlds. In Greece we chose Athens, and the food, people and ancient architecture were a wonderful introduction to the culture. For those planning to fly into Athens before a bit of island hopping here is a quick guide to our 48-hour trip to the world’s oldest city. As always feel free to comment any questions you may have or your favorite Athens experiences below!
STAY
Hub Suites – Airbnb
I was amazed when I learned this gem of a studio was uniquely designed by the host herself. Aside from a great view I also love to stay in places with beautiful bathrooms, so to no surprise the oversized tub on a bed of white stones caught my eye. If you’re not the tub type (shame) there is a separate shower hidden by a wall of frosted glass. Another hidden highlight is located in the living room, and depending whether you’re in the mood for entertainment or a bite to eat, the slated wooden wall slides to reveal either a flat screen or kitchenette.
When you step out onto the terrace you’ll find an outdoor shower tucked to the side, two sunbathing chairs and wide views of both the city and Parthenon.
The location is also perfect, just steps away from many restaurants and bars, as well as a walkable distance from Acropolis.
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DINE
Skoubri Restaurant
If when you picture Greece you think yacht week and vast islands, then you’ll definitely want to head to Skoubri. The restaurant is only a few steps away from the apartment and I love that it has a perfect day at sea feel minus the waves.
Specializing in seafood, this restaurant offers some of the freshest fish around and the open kitchen allows you to see the chefs in action as they cook up your order.
Traditional liquors in Greece make for a fun to-do list or in this case to-drink list. During our stay we tried three different liquors, our first being a chilled glass of ouzo. Before you take a sip you will smell its licorice aroma but it does deliver a punch so don’t think of it as a bag of Twizzlers.
Attikos Greek House
On our second day in Athens we decided to check out some of the ancient architecture within Acropolis. But first, food. The Attikos restaurant is only a five minute walk away from the site entrance and its roof garden dining area has a full view of the Parthenon.
Addicted to the feta cheese in Greece, I had to try the homemade fig jam and feta. To this day I honestly dream and drool over this appetizer daily and I’m determined to find a recipe so my taste buds can reunite with it. An absolute must.
Wanting to keep the traditional drinks flowing, we decided to give a Greek brandy called ‘tsipuro’ a taste. This strong distilled spirit often referred to as ‘firewater’ wasn’t the easiest to gulp down but I still recommend stepping out of your drink comfort zone and giving it a sip.
Athens Sports Bar
A load of dirty laundry brought us here. This sports bar isn’t a must see but if you’re traveling for awhile or didn’t bring enough underwear, stop by to freshen up because funny enough, it’s the official bar for the laundromat next door. Yes, you can wash clothes and throw back a couple shots of the Greek liqueur Mastiha which smells like pine trees and is smooth to the taste. Oh and did I mention the bartenders give you free detergent? #LaundryGoals
EXPLORE
Visit Acropolis
There really is no skipping a visit to Acropolis when in Athens because it will lure you in and stare you down from every angle in the city. We paid entrance prices of around $28/US per person and started our journey up the ancient marble stairs (tip: wear shoes with traction – I was slipping all over in sandals). There are several amazing historic sites to see with stunning architecture, the most popular being the Parthenon.
NEXT TIME
Party at Club Island
During our time in Europe we were never able to experience nightlife due to the need to wake up early for flights or to shoot photos without the crowds. However, I am the party type so I did my research on the chance we decided to dance the night away and came across Club Island. I’m in love with the ocean and I felt a bit land-locked in the city so I was excited to find a popular club set by the sea. If you’ve ever been I would love to hear about it in the comments!
Day Trip to Meteora
A unique UNESCO World Heritage site in Greece, Meteora is a group of monasteries that sit atop tall rock formations. It is a five hour drive from Athens so keep in mind it will be a full day trip.