Athens

10.21.2024 – 10.22.2024 || Athens | Greece

Athens was the final stop on our Viking cruise. As a recap, we started in Venice. We visited Split and Dubrovnik in Croatia. We continued on to Kotor, Montenegro. We visited Corfu and Katakolon (Olympia) in Greece. We disembarked the ship and transferred to a hotel for a day and a half when we arrived in Athens. We were excited to explore on our own for a day and a half before returning to the United States.

After seven days of cruising I was ready to be on land. I was excited to explore the sights and culinary delights of Athens.

Where We Stayed:

With only one night in Athens, the hotel location and amenities was an important decision. We booked the NEW hotel through my favorite travel advisor, Elizabeth at Souvenir & Far. Cheers to Elizabeth and her team for their expert advice before booking our entire trip.

The NEW hotel is modern and artsy. It is conveniently located within walking distance of the main tourist attractions, shops, etc.. During our stay, we enjoyed complimentary breakfast at their lobby restaurant and had dinner at the rooftop restaurant. Here are some photos to illustrate how close the hotel is to the main sights of Athens. The Acropolis and Lycabettus Hill can be seen from the hotel’s rooftop.

What We Did:

We arrived at the hotel around 9am. We stored our luggage at the hotel until our room was ready. We had plenty of time to explore on our own before a group walking tour of the Acropolis at 3pm. We started in the Plaka neighborhood.

We continued through Anafiotika towards the Roman Forum of Athens. There were ruins everywhere!

We walked through Monastiraki Square, the market, and the many shops and restaurants along Ermou street. We eventually ended up at Plateia Syntagmatos, a city square in front of the Old Royal Palace. We didn’t make it in time for the hourly changing of the guards. Plan ahead if you are interested.

From there we walked through the Botanical Garden. Entrance is free. It is the fastest route to the Panathenaic Stadium and you get a glimpse of the Presidential Palace. Do not try to cross the street for a closer look!

Next up was the Panathenaic Stadium, site of the first modern Olympic games in 1986. I wasn’t sure what to expect after just visiting Olympia the day before.

Exploring was highly encouraged here. Be sure to climb the steps and get in some athletic photo opportunities. We sat in the royal box seats. Imagine what it must have been like to attend the Olympic games here back in the day!

The steps were incredibly steep but worth the climb for the views.

Victory! Pretending we were tennis mixed doubles gold medalists.

Our room was ready. We headed back to the hotel and then ate lunch. See where we ate in the food section below.

After lunch we met up with our tour group. We booked a two hour guided walking tour of the Acropolis and Parthenon through Viatour. We used this company last year in Rome. We recommend it for ease of booking and the skip the line value!

The group stopped SO MANY times on the way up. This provided ample time for photos.

We learned that the stadium is still used today for concerts! Maybe we should plan a return trip around the concert dates?!

We made it to the top where you walk through the Temple of Athena Nike to enter the main area.

We paused for a long time at the Ancient Temple of Athena. My main takeaway is there are a lot of rocks on the ground.

The Parthenon is impressive, even while undergoing major construction at the moment.

We said goodbye to our group and made our way back down to the exit on our own. Join a group tour to skip the line. If not, get there early to avoid the crowds. This way, you can explore at your own pace.

Where We Ate:

We had a mid-morning coffee and spinach pie at To Koulouri of Psirri near Monastiraki Square. This spinach pie ranks up there with the spinach pie from Split and Corfu!

We had lunch at Iliada. I was in the mood for falafel and found a cafe with almost 1,800 reviews and a 4.9 rating. Not to mention it was just around the corner from the hotel! We snagged a corner table outside. The meal ended with complimentary baklava for dessert.

We had dinner at the NEW hotel’s Art Lounge restaurant on the rooftop. The manager helped us pair Greek wines with our meal. We enjoyed a traditional Greek salad and octopus for appetizers. I had a seafood risotto for my main. We shared dessert with complimentary ouzo.

I did not take any photos of the breakfast spread at the NEW hotel. It was a blend of traditional Greek foods and a continental buffet.

We had one final meal at the airport. The pre-made Greek salad was a noteworthy way to end our short time in Athens. I wish all airport food looked this fresh and appealing!

Check out the rest of our Viking cruise adventures! Here is what we did at the other stops: Venice, Split, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Corfu, and Katakolon (Olympia).

Question: Athens is usually a stopover city for most travelers on the way to Greek islands. What islands should I add to my next trip to Greece, and why?