1. A day in the old city, Plaka, Acropolis – wandering around Plaka you can visit the Folklore Museum as well, and of course, a visit to the Parliament, for the changing of the guard (Evzones — I never tire of seeing those tall, young handsome men in skirts :-).
2. A day trip to Delphi.
3. A morning visit to the ancient cemetary (Keramikos), probably my personal favorite site in Athens, and most least visited by tourists. Wander down Athenas Street afterwords, stopping by the Central Market – great photo opps here – this is THE place from where Athenians get their food — it is a crazy maze of sellers hawking everything from whole lambs to whole squid, to fresh roasted coffee, nuts, olive oils and spices. Across the street is the produce market. If you are brave enough, there is a great place to eat inside the Central Market, where you’ll find yourselves knee to knew with the guy who was just hawking beets across the street. An afternoon visit to the National Archeological Museum.
4. A morning visit to the neighborhood Laiki, or farmers market. Perhaps a ferry to Hydra, or the tram south to Vouliagmeni for an afternoon swim.
Maybe dinner back at your apartment, with the freshest in season finds from your morning visit to the farmers market.
5. And a late afternoon drive down to Sounion to the Temple of Poseidon for the sunset. A leisurely drive back north up the coast with perhaps a dinner stop somewhere on the water in one of the chic chic southern suburbs.
6. A day trip to Corinth, Epidavros with dinner in Nafplio.
7. An evening out in Psirri or Gazi, the old warehouse districts, which have been reborn with cafes, restaurants and clubs – Enjoy a dinner of mezedes and Greek music, and if you have young adult children in tow, perhaps leave “the kids” there to wander about. This area has also started to develop as a “gallery district” with lots of Greek artists displaying their work. It’s a fun maze of little streets to wander through.
8. An evening at a local bouzoukia or nightclub. A definate must, you cannot leave Greece without experiencing a live music performance.
9. Speaking of performance, once you know your dates, I highly recommend planning an evening performance at the Theater at the Herodian, which is the Ancient Theater under the Acropolis. A concert there is perhaps my finest memory in 20 years of visiting and living in Athens.I could go on, but those are just some of the ideas off the top of my head.
By Athensguide
How does a little girl from Skokie, Illinois find herself in historical Athens, leading curious explorers through the winding streets of Plaka, down "pezodromos" to hidden ouzeries for tempting mezedhes and homemade barrel wine? The journey began more than twenty years ago, and regardless of whether the wanderlust comes from the spiritual and culture DNA flowing through my veins, or the alignment of the stars on that cold mid-December day this Sagitterian came into the world, I never seem to tire of exploring my adopted homeland of Greece. Here you'll join me as I explore Athens: be it the back streets of Psirri and Gazi, or through the National Gardens and Zappeio where a family of turtles makes their home, or down wide, treelined Imittou Street in Pagrati, which pulses with Athenian life 24 hours a day. And while Athens has stolen my heart, the rest of Greece vies for my curiousity and wanderlust. My two guys (that'd be the Greek God, Vasilis and our Greek dog, Scruffy) and I can often be found settling in for a long weekend in some charming mountain village, or a quaint fishing port on a nearby island, or learning how Greek vitners are producing wines that rival some of Napa Valley's finests productions, or celebrating a panayeri in Epirus or sharing in the festivities as a family of Cretan sheepherders come together to sheer their 1500 sheep in the spring ... And if you happen to find yourself heading to Athens, consider finding yourself a real home for your stay. Living amongst the locals, be it for 3 nights or 3 weeks, will offer you the chance to experience true Athens, beyond the Acropolis. Choose from one of our 5 beautiful penthouse and historical homes, and who knows, I may be leading you down that winding "pezodromo" to our favorite hidden ouzerie!
