I've been to Athens, Greece, from 22th to 24th february for a small trip. I stayed at my couchsurfing host Elfi, a student from Crete. She really took care of me and showed me her beautiful historical city from a greek point of view :-). I've already uploaded the pictures to my photoblog (separated into 3 parts) and I have picked some photos out of them to this blog. UPDATE: Story about my weekend in Athens is online
See all photos on my photoblog
- Athen 02.2008 Teil 1 / Part1
Arrival, Greek Parliament, Mount Lycabettus & Chappel, ...
- Athen 02.2008 Teil 2 / Part2
Akropolis, Agora, Marsrock, Dionysostheater, ...
- Athen 02.2008 Teil 3 / Part3
Temple of Zeus, Couchsurfing Party, Marketplace Monastiraki, ...
Athens on the map
Bigger Map
Friday
Exactly at noon on friday, the plane left from Vienna International Airport. After about two and a half hours, I reached not only a different time-zone but also a small paradise in the south :-) It was warm, sunny and I saw beautiful sunsets by the sea!
As in my travels before, I reused the couchsurfing system. I spent two nights at my caring host Elfi, a Germanistik student at Athens university. She picked me up at Evangelismos metro station and took me to her place, which is located in the city center of Athens.
I was somehow hungry, so we went for a small snack close to her flat. I had "Gyros" - of course an original greek one!
After this snack we went up Lycabettus, as shown below...
Lycabettus
We spent there about an hour, waiting for the sunset. It was pretty amazing!
St. George Chappel on Lycabettus
Athens at night from Lycabettus
After sunset, we went down the hill, to the city center. The following building is the greek parlament. Like in London (GB), the guards aren't allowed to move somehow. So the guards didn't move, even when I took photos of them (see photoblog, part 1)
Greek parliament
We went further to the Panathinaiko Stadium, where the first modern Olympic Games were held in 1896.
Panathinaiko Stadium. Stadium of the first modern Olympic games (1896)
We went back home to have dinner. We met other couchsurfers from Athens in a good greek restaurant. There I had another traditional delicacy: "Pasticio" and of course "Ouzo".
Afterwards, we had a funny conversation at Elfi's place. We even started to play monopoly. I had to trust my teammates: Of course I couldn't read anything, because it was written in Greek ;-)
Couchsurfing in Athens
Elfi and myself went to bed at about 3:30 in the morning :-)
Saturday
Nice church, don't know it's name :-)
A new day in greece - For me, a very active one. We got up at about 10:00, we went to the market place where Elfi's colleague Miro from the Germanistik university joined us. They are very good tour-guides :-) They even "dragged" me through all important historical buildings and places with and gave me lots of information (in German)
Temple at Agora
Chappel at Agora
Elfi and Miro(?) with the Acropolis behind them
Me with the Acropolis behind me
The Odeion of Herodes Atticus
Acropolis
Theater of Dionysos
Acropolis from a different point of view
Hadrian's Arch
Temple of Zeus
Temple of Zeus
Zappeion Manison
Greek flag on a market place
Saturday night
Acropolis at night
As we were invited to a couchsurfing-carnival party, so I was able to become acquainted about Athens nightlife-spirit!
Couchsurfing Party
Raki with honey: Rakomelo
After tasting "Rakomelo", I had my typical saturday-midnight-snack, but this time, it was a different one: "Souvláki".
With couchsurfers from Switzerland, United States (New York, Texas, California), Romania and of course people from Greece, we went to a small house party; I was there until 2:00 in the morning.
I took a taxi back to Elfi's place. Note: Using a Greek taxi at night is an experience you will never forget! But only try this with a healthy cardiovascular system.
Sunday
My last day in Athens. Unfortunately. I wanted to go to the seaport, but I was too late for this, so I went again to Monastiraki, the market place, near Kerameikos.
Marketplace Monastiraki
Kerameikos
Overload!
Going home was a little bit painful. I didn't want to go, but I had to do... :-(
Back in Vienna
Overall experience
Athens is a place were you have to go to! Athens has a spirit you can feel somehow! For example: When I didn't notice that I had lost my coat, everyone called attention to my coat that dropped. I had such great experiences very often, but I can't describe it in a proper way - people there are just good-natured.
From a historical point of view, you can compare this city with Rome, it's similar (read my article about Rome). It has many very popular sights you can visit. It costs about 12 EUR (full fare) to visit all the famous ones. For students from the European Union it's free.
I really recommend you to go there! But, like me, at the end of february until april or in autumn. This is a place that is in fact too hot for me in summer (with about 45° Celsius).