Athens, Greece
Today was my first full day in Athens I would be exploring the imposing Acropolis. As my first nights sleep I was only able to sleep from 4am-7am.
Also I had hurt my neck sleeping funny on the plane. I had some snacks in my room and left by 8am to avoid the rush and heat.
Nearby were two churches were I was able to observe morning mass briefly. Again I was expecting a lot more Orthodox churches as in Russian countries but I didnt see that many.
Making my was to the Acropolis there was a lot of climbing to ascend and finding the ticket entrance. As this was the 'Cultural Heritage' weekend all entrance fees had been waived. A combo ticket to all the sites is 30 Euros ($45).
I didnt know what time the site would open and it was still before 9am. Fortunately it was open and the morning crowds were arriving before the midday heat. There were spanning views from the top across the city and the other archaeological sites I would be visiting.
There is an Acropolis Museum at the site but it was closed. The Acropolis is not just the Parthenon but a collection of other buildings. There are also other sites along the slopes.
The heat was already starting to kick in so I wanted to be in the shade. Along the south slopes are two ancient theatres. One is in better condition then the other.
Leaving and descending back into the historic centre the next site at Monastiraki is Hadrian's Library. At the entrance is an Ottoman Mosque, now used as a Ceramics Museum but it was closed during my entire visit.
Next was the Roman Agora which has the Tower of the Winds. Also in the site is the Fetiye Mosque the city's second surviving Ottoman Mosque.
The Mosque has been neglected in the past and only partially restored. The best preserved Mosques I saw in Greece were in Ionnina where they are very proud of their Turkish past.
Next I made my way a bit west to the larger outdoor site of the Ancient Agora. A recreated building the Stoa of Attalos now houses a museum in its two floors.
It was good to see all the sculptures and exhibits and saved me a visit to the actual National Archaeological Museum as it was an extra trek and would end up a lot of repetition.
I was back in my hotel by 11am to rest and stay out of the heat.
2025-05-23