Welcome to Athens

Introduction

This is my very short guide to Athens for foreigners who plan to stay in Athens for two or three days and in Greece probably a bit longer. The first section has a short list of places and things to see and then comes a slightly longer list of things to eat and drink! If you have any suggestions on how to make the content better, drop me a line!

If you are in Athens in the summer wear a hat and carry some water with you, you will need it. You can also buy water from newsstands that you will find at many corners of streets. Don't forget to use sunblock and have some after-sun, especially if you have fair skin

Some things to keep in mind about Athens are that public transportations are extremely cheap and reliable (especially compared to the United States). Cabs are also a very cheap way to get a ride, although taxi drivers have a bad reputation for ripping off tourists. To be on the safe side you can ask a local just before hailing a cab how much they think it should cost you, and make sure upon getting the ride that you know how much it is supposed to cost.

Sites (Athens & around):

1. Acropolis:

   You probably already know the Acropolis and its most important building the Parthenon. It is a site you cannot miss and I also recommend to visit the Acropolis museum, since it is small and has many important pieces.

2. Odeon of Herodes Atticus:

   Laying on the side of the Acropolis rock, it is the place where some important (and expensive) cultural events take place. It is not reserved to ancient drama or opera. Contemporary artists such as Jethro Tull have performed there.

3. Pnika:

   On your way up to the Acropolis make a stop at the rock of Pnika (or Pnyx). This very un-spectacular rock is where democracy was born 2,500 years ago and was used as a podium from which speeches were made to try and convince the people of Athens.

4. Thisio:

   A nice stroll from the Acropolis, the temple of Hephaestus, god of technology and fire, is the best preserved ancient Greek temple. If you visit the Acropolis, take the time to walk around and visit this temple as well. The area near the temple is a popular hang-out spot for Athenian youth, so you will find cafes in the area to take a break and enjoy the view.

5. Monastiraki:

   Take the metro to Monastiraki, a colorful flea market in the old Athens. Visit the shops or the hip area of Psiri across the street.

6. Plaka:

   Plaka is the old historical Athenian neighborhood with many restaurants and gift shops. It extends between the Gate of Adrian and Monastiraki.

7. Arch of Hadrian and Temple of Zeus:

   This site can be a good starting point for a walk through the Plaka towards the Acropolis.

8. Sintagma:

   If you are in Athens on a Sunday you should watch the change of guard at the Syntagma square. If not Syntagma can be a starting point to stroll down Ermou Street towards Monastiraki. From there you can walk to the Acropolis and Plaka.

9. Mount Lycabettus:

   Known as the Lykavittos hill, this oasis of green in the arid concrete desert that Athens can be, is home to concerts, a cafe and a panoramic view of the city.

Short Trips From Athens

1. Sounio:

   Sounio lies at the tip of Attiki, the geographic area in which Athens is. You can go on a half-day trip to Sounio visit the Temple of Poseidon and to enjoy the view over the Aegean sea, possibly while eating at a taverna.

2. Epidaurus/Nafplio:

   The ancient theater of Epidavros is also a nice one day trip you can do if you are in Athens. The exceptional acoustics of the theater permit intelligibility of unamplified spoken word from the scene to all 15,000 spectators, regardless of their seating. The theater is in use so you may try to catch a show there. Usually ancient Greek drama is performed. Many day trip tours will include Nafplio with Epidavros, the first capital of Greece in modern times, after the revolution against the Ottoman empire in 1821.

3. Delphi:

   The ancient Greek oracle lies on the side of mount Parnasos. It was the most important oracle in ancient Greece and makes for a great one day trip from Athens.

Food:

a. Appetizers

• Saganaki: Its a popular fried cheese appetizer. Different restaurants might use different cheese and recipes, so don't try it only once!
• Tyrokafteri:A cheese based dip that is a popular alternative to tzatziki. It is relatively spicy for Greek food (which is usually very mild).
• Tzatziki: Well you know tzatziki! If you don't order it.
• Melitzanosalata: Also known as Baba ghanoush
• Kolokithakia Tiganita (Fried Zucchini): Fried strips of zucchini.
• Kolokithokeftedes (Zucchini-Balls): Fried balls of grated zucchini with other goodies.
• Dolmadakia: Stuffed grape-leaves. The stuffing may include meat, rice or both, along with herbs and spices.
• Octopus
• Greek Salad(Horiatiki): The traditional salad which most Greeks order every time they eat out. Typically contains tomato, cucumber, bell pepper and red onion seasoned with oregano and olive oil. Usually the salad also contains feta cheese and kalamata olives.

b. Main course

• Moussaka: The renowned eggplant based baked dish with the bechamel sauce.
• Pastitsio: A very tasty baked dish, similar to moussaka, but instead of eggplant it contains pasta. It is not always easy to get a decent Pastitsio at a restaurant, so ask around before you order it.
• Yemista: Stuffed tomato, zucchini, or green pepper. The stuffing is usually rice based but can some times contain ground meat, so if you are looking for a vegetarian dish ask if the taverna you are at makes them vegetarian or not.
• Kokkinisto: This is a way to prepare meat with tomato sauce. Very tasty, the meat in kokkinisto can be veal, chicken or lamb and is usually accompanied by a side of rice.
• Stifado: A meaty stew with shallot or white pearl onions, this dish is usually made with beef, but you can also find it with rabbit in Greece (which I recommend).
• Soutzoukakia: Made with ground meat and a tomato sauce with white wine and cumin, soutzoukakia are far from being your average meatball.
• Hilopites: Square noodles, often served immersed in tomato sauce and with grated cheese, often as a side to a chicken dish.
• Briami: This is a vegetarian roasted vegetables dish considered to be a main dish in most tavernas in Greece, but you can certainly order it as an appetizer. Usually contains eggplant, zucchini, potato, tomato and possibly other vegetables as well.
• Tyropita: The traditional cheese&egg mixture filled pie. There are probably as many recipes as places that sell tyropita. Variations include the cheese that is used (predominantly feta in Athens, but varies in other places), and the crust ingredients. If you walk into a bakery they will typically have 2 or 3 kinds of tyropita.
• Spanakopita: a.k.a. spinach-pie, contains feta cheese. Do I really have to describe this one ?
• Fresh Sea Food: If you are on an island or on a coastal taverna they will probably have fresh sea food caught by local fishermen. Ask what they have and choose what you like!

c. Deserts

• Loukoumades: It's basically fried dough with a honey based syrup. Greatness in simplicity!
• Galaktoboureko: It is custard based baked desert with in phylo and soaked in syrup. It often has lemon flavor and is a popular dish to eat between meals.
• Kataïfi: Also written kantaïfi it is made of chopped almonds and sometimes walnuts as well, in a special dough and with syrup.
• Baklava: You know baklava, don't you ?
• Halva: There are 2 kinds of halva, the sesame based and the semolina based one. The 2 kinds are very different and personally I strongly prefer one kind to the other (but I'm not tell you which!)
• Loukoumi: a confection made from starch and sugar and often flavored with rosewater and lemon. This delicacy is less often offered at restaurants. While you can buy it at a groceries store, you can buy hand made ones at a bakery or a "zaharoplastIo" (intonation on the 'i'), which is a type of bakery that specializes in sweets!

d. Drinks

• Ouzo: A strong anise flavored liqueur often drunk with water or a lot of ice to water it down a bit. This is the drink of choice when eating meze on a coastal taverna while watching the sea.
• Vinsanto: A sweet desert wine of Italian origin that is produced on the island of Santorini. I am not sure if it is usually available in restaurants, but you can certainly pick it up at a groceries store or a liqueur store.
• Mavrodafni: A different sweet desert wine. This one originates from Patras. Less sweet and a lot cheaper than Vinsanto, Mavrodafni is very common and delicious.
• Metaxa: This is the renowned Greek brandy and wine blend
• Moschofilero: Probably the best known Greek wine variety, this white wine can be drunk as an aperitif or with food.
• Agiorgitiko: A popular red wine grown mainly in the area of Nemea in the Peloponnese.
• Robola: A white wine from the island of Cephalonia.

e. Coffee

• Frappes: Beverage of choice of the youth and particularly students, it is a refreshing beverage suitable for the hot Athenian weather in the summer.
• Ellinikos (Greek) Coffee: Known abroad as Turkish Coffee, this is the traditional way to prepare coffee in Greece.