ATHENS: Ancient history and contemporary delights

On New Year’s Day, we fly to Athens for a few days of ancient history, guaranteed sunshine and culinary delights. Stansted Airport is shrouded in thick grey clouds and the news is awash with warnings of possible delays and cancellations. Yet, once we leave British skies, the flight is as smooth as it gets.
I always wanted to visit the heart of Ancient Greece and the cradle of Western civilisation. When I was very young I owned an illustrated book of Greek myths and knew by heart the misadventures of Zeus, the heroic deeds of Heracles, the stories of Pandora, Prometheus, Icarus and many others. During my high school and university years, my favourite subjects were philosophy, languages and literature, all of which were impossible to learn without starting with ancient Greek studies. From Aristotle, considered one of the greatest philosophers, the “I know that I know nothing” Socrates to Plato, famous for his form of dialogue and the work The Republic, where he describes a society led by a philosopher. Ancient Greece also gave us many writers, from Homer (Iliad and the Odyssey), Euripides (author of some of the timeless tragedies still performed around the world, such as Medea and Electra) to Aesop and his Fables. Many words of Greek origins have been adopted in English and other European languages, such as cynicism, democracy, Europe, marathon, music, panic, phobia, sarcasm, thespian…to name just a few.
I wonder why it took me forty years to get here.
The queues for passport control at Athens airport, both for Schengen and Non-Schengen passengers, are long and slow-moving, but the rest is very simple. We take metro line 3 to Syntagma Square and then walk. Our hotel B4B Signature is in Theofilopoulou Street and the walk is rather long, but also scenic. It takes us past the Botanical Garden, Hadrian’s Arch and remains of the Temple of Apollo Delphinius.
We are greeted by a friendly receptionist and given complimentary fresh lemonade. Our room is clean and spacious enough for the three of us, a double bed for parents and a sofa bed for our teenage traveller. We find it quite intriguing that the toilet and the shower room are two separate boxes while the sink is outside in the room itself. I guess, one can be in the toilet, another in the shower and the third can brush their teeth at the same time.
After a short break that takes us into the evening, we are ready to sample the famous Greek cuisine. Not many restaurants are open on January 1st, and we eventually find Ambrosia, a charming taverna with red-checked tablecloths and colourful chairs, its walls decorated with strings of dried chilli peppers, cans of sweet paprika and old pots and pans. As expected, the place is very busy and we are lucky to get the last table. We order chicken gyros, kebab, fried calamari, tzatziki, fried halloumi and cheese balls. The food is absolutely delicious and the portions are generous, and we leave with a largish doggy bag. Or in our case ‘catty’ bag as the food will go to one of the many stray cats that we meet at every corner.
To walk off some of the consumed calories, we head to Plaka, the most famous neighbourhood in Athens and one of the oldest continuously inhabited areas in the world. The streets are lined with restaurants, ice cream parlours, souvenir shops selling knick-knacks with images of mythological figures, miniature replicas of ancient vases, soaps made of olive oil and boxes of baklavas. All under shiny and bright New Year decorations and the almighty Parthenon looking down from the Acropolis…


ACROPOLIS AND ANCIENT AGORA

The next morning, after a perfectly satisfying breakfast at the hotel (a great variety of eggs options, cereal, Greek yoghurt and pastries), we head to the Acropolis. The queues are long, both for the ticket office and for entry, and I am glad I bought our tickets well in advance. The Acropolis is the main attraction in Athens and, although it is a large area and it is early in the morning, it is already very busy.
As we climb to the top, we talk about characters from Greek mythology. I am quite surprised at how much our teenager knows, all thanks to reading and re-reading the Percy Jackson novels. The day is sunny and bright, maybe even a little too hot for our pathetically delicate British skin. The languages we hear most are Italian and Serbian. I guess Athens is within easy reach of both countries and still reasonably cheap.
Our first stop is the impressive Roman theatre Odeon of Herodes Atticus, perched on the edge of the southwest slope overlooking the city. When it was built in 161 AD it had the capacity of five thousand people. The theatre is still fully functional and is used as the main stage during the Athens Summer Festival. Many famous singers have performed here in recent decades: from Maria Callas to Frank Sinatra, Luciano Pavarotti, Sting, Elton John and many others…
At the top, we are greeted by the Propylaea, a massive entrance to the plateau. Next to it is the Temple of Athena Nike, goddess of victory, the smallest temple of the Acropolis, located at the edge of the cliff. It has been designed by Kallikrates (who also designed Parthenon) and with its beautiful details (monolithic columns, white marble and detailed reliefs running along the frieze) is a perfect example of the architecture of the Ancient Greece.
The temple of Erechtheion (the sanctuary of Erechtheus or Poseidon) is famous for its Caryatids or the Porch of Maidens, where statues of women serve as architectural support, instead of pillars. I remember learning about them in art history class in secondary school but seeing them in real life is something special. However, the original statues are kept in the Acropolis Museum and only the replicas are here.
The Parthenon dominates the Acropolis and it is the most prominent feature of the city’s landscape. We could see it from every corner that we visited and it helped us to find our way around. This impressively massive temple, dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena Parthenos (Athena the Virgin), is also a monument to democracy and resilience to trials and tribulations of centuries of history during which it endured occupations by the Franks, the Ottomans, the Venetian, was transformed into a Christian Church and a mosque. There is also the controversial episode with Earl of Elgin who between 1801 and 1805 removed many of the sculptures from the ruins of Parthenon, took them to London and they are now in the British Museum. It still stands tall and invincible.
A restauration project is underway and we cannot get as close to this iconic landmark as we would like to, but it is truly breathtaking, a symbol of endurance and a testament to the brilliance of the ancient Greeks.

From the Acropolis we descend to the Monastiraki neighbourhood. We are surrounded with crowds of excited tourists and cheerful locals, and overwhelmed by the smells of donuts, baklava and Greek coffee. We walk through the flea market that sells just about everything one can (or not) think of: from magnets with Greek gods to T-Shirts with anime characters.
Our next stop is the Ancient Agora, another highly recommended attraction in Athens. We are again thoroughly impressed that our teenager knows what an ‘agora’ is. In ancient times, it was a public space used for gatherings, markets and businesses. She also admits that she does not really like the ‘agora’ in her school, as it is basically the main hall which is always too chaotic and crowded. Next, she explains to us the meaning of agoraphobia, which is obviously more complex than just a simple definition of ‘fear of open spaces’… [Proud Parent Moment].


The temperature has reached twenty, twenty-one degrees Celsius and it is almost unbelievable that we are in short sleeves in early January. We walk around the complex with remains of walls and sculptures, climb up to the Temple of Hephaestus and then end up in the Stoa of Attalos, the Museum of Ancient Agora. [Stoa – which we did not know until now – is a classical covered portico.]
After all the walking, sightseeing and falling under the spell of the ancient world, we are ready for food. Our male travel companion is craving a moussaka today. Just around the corner is Mainadros, with a large menu offering grilled and cooked dishes and the most important thing – moussaka! And it does not disappoint: the large cube of perfectly arranged layers of meat, potatoes and aubergines and topped with a thick bechamel sauce is mouth-watering. The two of us order a portion of chicken gyros and one orzo pasta with beef stew, Giouvetsi. The food is flavoursome, and the staff shows a superb level of hospitality. The hostess at the entrance moves two tables together in the corner where we wanted to sit. As soon as I take my phone out of my bag, a waiter comes to tell me the wi-fi code. Another waiter brings freshly grated cheese to put on our Giouvetsi.
Time to head back to our hotel for an evening of relaxation for the adult members of this travelling circus and revision time for our Year10 student, who is quite annoyed that her school has scheduled the exams for the first week back, but is still determined to do reasonably well.


MYCENAE, NAFPLIO AND EPIDAURUS
Our third day in Greece we spend on a full-day tour of three of the Peloponnese’s most famous sites – Mycenae, Nafplio and Epidaurus. It feels like a school trip, and I am surprised that the big bus is nearly full. We drive across the Corinth canal and through valleys of endless olive groves and orange and lemon orchards with miniature churches on the edges of fields. Our guide is very young but experienced and gives us plenty of information as well as enough time to explore the sights on our own.
The first stop is the archaeological site of Mycenae, the most important prehistoric city and civilisation in Greece. The term Mycenaean is used to describe the art and culture of Greece from approximately 1600 to 1100 BC. Homer describes Mycenae as the seat of King Agamemnon from the Trojan War. This ancient city is built on a hill and it is surrounded by mountains and stunning scenery. It is a beautiful example of ancient Greek architecture and urban planning. The entrance to the city, the Lion’s Gate, is one of the best preserved feature of the site. The underground fountain that served to supply water for the city is very impressive and so are the tombs of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. The fortress also had a large palace and the baths. The museum at the foot of the hill gives a detailed insight into the history, excavations and the current map of Mycenae.


Our next stop in the coastal town of Nafplio is mostly for food. We find the Mitato Grill Restaurant in a side street away from the touristy seaside restaurants and bars. It is a small taverna with an extensive menu and we order the usual – gyros, souvlaki, tzatziki and salad. The food is delicious and the portions are large. After we have finished, we barely have time to wander around this quite charming town nestled between two castles, both from the time of the Venetian rule. The Palamidi fortress stands on a hill that like a natural giant overshadows the town and the Bourtzi Castle floats in the centre of the harbour. We are particularly impressed by the ice-skating rink that resists temperatures of twenty plus degrees.
After a quick stroll through the narrow streets and small squares, we run to catch the bus that will take us to the last attraction of the day – Epidaurus. As the day shifts into late afternoon, the sun slides down from the zenith and the temperatures drop.



In ancient Greece, Epidaurus was an important centre of trade and healing, and today it is considered the birthplace of medicine. The complex consists of temples, a stadium, baths, a hospital and a theatre. The Theatre of Epidaurus is the most perfect ancient Greek theatre in terms of acoustics and aesthetics. Today it is still used for performances of ancient plays. In 1961 the famous Greek soprano Maira Callas performed Medea here. We climb to the top, and like every other group of visitors, we feel a desperate need to test the acoustics. Yes, you can hear perfectly what is being said on stage, even when you are sitting in the last row at the top!


When we return to Athens it is already dark and we buy two boxes of Greek doughnuts, loukoumades, one filled with bougatsa (a cream similar to custard made with semolina) and the other covered in melted chocolate and enjoy them in our room while watching the movie ‘Mamma Mia! Here we go again’.


FROM STADIUM TO EXARCHIA
Next morning we wake up to a grey sky. Fortunately, it does not last long and by midday Athens is once again basking in glorious sunshine. After breakfast we head to the Panathenaic Stadium, which hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and the finish of the marathon at the 2004 Olympics. It is built entirely of marble and can seat an audience of fifty thousand. We walk around it and climb up to the last row in the middle, which gives us a perfect view of this majestic place in its full splendour. For the sport aficionado in our travelling trio, this place has the significance of a religious pilgrimage. A young athletic couple runs in circles. They appear enthusiastic and unstoppable. The Panathenaic Stadium is open for morning joggers and I guess running in this historic setting is quite motivating…
[Linguistic input: the word ‘stadium’ comes from the Greek unit of measure ‘stadion’ which was the distance of original Greek running races and was approximately 180 metres long.]



From here we continue to the Botanical Gardens. The carefully landscaped park with exotic plants, small lakes and waterfalls and some scary ducks is very popular with joggers, walkers and parents with small children.
At the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier next to the building of the Hellenic Parliament, we watch the Changing of the Guard. The ceremony is a bit theatrical and with exaggerating movements and funny walking, but it attracts large groups of visitors, and I rather enjoyed it.

We cross Syntagma square and find ourselves in the Oxford Street of Athens, the Ermou Street, full of shops of well-known international brands and boutiques selling local fashion, beauty and gastronomy products. It is incredibly crowded. But we do not feel like shopping – and it happens to be my birthday and I can choose what we do – so we stop in the quirky Tazza café, a place with a baroque and extravagant décor and a buzzing vibe. We have coffees and a slice of traditional Greek orange cake with ice cream. The cake is soft, moist and so delicious that it disappears in seconds. And this is one of the coolest cafés I have visited in a long time!



Ermou Street takes us to Monastiraki square, where we turn right onto Athinas Street which leads us to Varvakios Central Market. When in a new city, one has to visit its main food market, I guess. The covered area is reserved for meat and fish stalls with large octopuses in ice boxes and carcases of small animals hanging on hooks. Our teenage traveller is disgusted by it and insists that we leave as soon as possible. The fruit and vegetable market is across the street and we all enjoy the colours and smells of aubergines, oranges, apple, pears, nuts.


From here we head to the Restaurant-tavern Rozalia, highly recommended by my sis, as well as by several online guides, in an area called Exarchia. This neighbourhood is known for its counterculture and being home to radicals, anarchists as well as immigrant and refugee communities. It has an edge of creativity and political opinions and reflects the state of modern Greece. I quite like it. The restaurant is spacious, comfortable and has an extensive menu. We order cabbage dolma, pastitsio (Greek style lasagne with lamb mince), roast pork, meatballs, salad, tzatziki and an aubergine dip – of course far too much food for our appetites but at least we will make more cats happy with the leftovers.




THE DAY OF THE MUSEUMS
Our last full day in Athens treats us to the highest temperatures of our stay and by midday and on the sunny side of the street it is pleasant to walk in short sleeves. Today we head to the Acropolis Museum, the number one recommendation on every list of museums to visit in Athens. It is a huge and modern building at the foot of the Acropolis with large windows and a terrace that is a perfect spot for taking pictures. The museum focuses on finds from the archaeological site of the Acropolis through its long history. The most famous pieces are the Parthenon Frieze and the original Caryatids (my favourite). The Parthenon Frieze is a relief that adorned the upper part of the temple. Most of the blocks of the frieze are in the British Museum in London (Elgin Marbles) and there is a high-level international negotiation underway to return them to their original location. The scenes depicted in the frieze represent the Panathenaic procession, festival of Athena’s birthday celebration.
[Lord Elgin has been mentioned rather a lot during our stay.]
And after the ancient art, while my fellow travellers return to the hotel for some revision and supervision time, I head to the Museum of Contemporary Art for a fix of modern art. It reminds me of Tate Modern and exceeds my expectations. The theme of the body of art is “What if Women Ruled the World” and all the galleries are displaying works by women. The exhibition “For Dear Life” is the first European retrospective of Penny Siopis, a South African artist of Greek origins whose works addresses political, personal and historical trauma. Equally intriguing and avantgarde are the portraits by the Greek queer artist Maria Cyber, the installations by Iranian artist (with USA address) Tala Madani and British Gillian Wearing, and the Portraits of iconic women by Lola Flash.


Also, I cannot resist a visit to the panoramic roof terrace and a quick decaf espresso in the café on the ground floor.
For our last meal in Athens, we head to Ambrosia, the restaurant we visited on our first night. We order the staples of Greek gastronomy, souvlaki and gyros and – for me – an octopus salad. The atmosphere is cheerful and the food is wonderful.


Afterwards we take a long walk through Plaka. It is a busy Sunday afternoon and everyone is out. A few more souvenirs (boxes of baklavas and loukoumi and a magnet or two) and we are back at the hotel for a relaxed evening before returning to cold, rainy and grey London.
A few days of sunshine, ancient history and delicious gastronomy was exactly what we needed at the beginning of 2025.
The perfect way to start the new year.