As the sun rose over Greece on our second day in Athens, we bounded out of bed eager to have the quintessential Athenian day: a visit to the famed Acropolis, a tour of Athens’ best museum, and a night out to experience the best food that Greece has to offer. After loading up on coffee and juice at Estrella (breaking our no-eating-at-a-restaurant-twice rule), we set out to learn if the Acropolis would be as impressive up-close as it is from afar.
Situated on a massive hill and easily visible from all sides of the city, the Acropolis provides an ancient aurora to the skyline of Athens. A 15-minute walk from our hotel brought us to the entrance, where, feeling like savvy tourists, we skipped the line and proudly presented our passes we purchased the day before. We walked first to the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the first of several structures situated in the hills of the Acropolis. Restored in 1950, it is a gorgeous theater in working condition and still used today for concerts during Athenian festivals.
Odeon of Herodes Atticus.
As we continued around the base of the hill, the Theater of Dionysus beckoned us further along. This storied amphitheater played host to the birth of Greek drama and saw famous playwrights such as Aeschylus, Euripides and Sophocles premier their plays on its stage. Dignitaries’ seats with backrests line the stage as rows of stadium benches expand into the hillside behind them.
Next, we began our ascent to the top of the hill, expectations high for the Parthenon: the flagship temple that adorns the top of the Acropolis and watches over the city. Dedicated in 438 BC, it stood for over a thousand years as a temple to the goddess Athena. When Greece was later conquered by various nations, the temple became a Christian church and later a mosque until it was largely destroyed in 1687. Its sheer age and size are incredible to behold. We snapped several pics and took two laps around the temple to soak it all in. Standing in front of this temple is truly an experience we will never forget, and one for which we will always be grateful.
On our way down the hill, we thought for sure we had already reached the peak of our day, and, anxious for food, we headed towards the Royal Olympic Hotel. We found the restaurant closed, so we wandered around the streets until we had a Foodgasm—which of course means we ate at a small restaurant called Foodgasm where we refueled on coffee, pizza, and hip-hop music. Ready once more, we made our way to the Museum of the Acropolis.
At the museum we discovered a showcase of relics, statues, and sculptures that once decorated the Acropolis. I took as many pictures as I could, even though it was not allowed; I was eventually caught but successfully feigned my ignorance. The most immersive exhibit was the top floor: a long, rectangular hallway replicating the length and width of the Parthenon. It held rows of stone reliefs that mirrored their former positions in the temple, and to make it even better, the actual Parthenon was visible through a floor-to-ceiling window that covered an entire wall.
Having been scolded enough for taking pictures, we made our way to the exit, feeling satisfied with all the Acropolis knowledge we absorbed. However, a transparent section of glass floor caught our eye that enticed us to stay a bit longer. Underneath the museum and nestled between the massive pillars that hold it up, remnants of ancient houses and streets remain intact—the museum itself hovers above the old city! Thankful we didn’t miss this charming juxtaposition of old and new, we maneuvered our way back to the hotel to rest up before heading out for dinner.
Proving once again that in Athens we are somehow incapable of finding a restaurant via the Internet, we walked past our initial dinner choice, resolved to find one with at least one person already in it. And proving once again that it knows how to choose a restaurant for us, Athens let its crowded sidewalks lead us around the corner to another hidden gem: Luv N Roll House. We sat on a cozy bench for two in the cool night air as the Acropolis in the distance watched us sip our drinks—a perfect way to conclude our quintessential Athenian day.
View from the rooftop terrace at Luv N Roll House.