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Looking for unique and quirky things to do in Athens and beyond.
Main Post: Looking for unique and quirky things to do in Athens and beyond.
Top Comment: I often use https://www.atlasobscura.com to find more quirky things to visit and do.
Will I regret going to Greece & only visiting Athens? Is it sacrilege to skip all of the islands?
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I'm planning two different trips ATM & once I have the final breakdown of costs/itinerary, I'll choose between them. Greece is one of the destinations.
I've always wanted to visit Greece. I'm half-Greek so, yay! The acropolis in particular interests me as I'm one of those people with a wild imagination & I really enjoy history. Just walking around with hordes of people, exploring things @ our own pace is my happy place. My ADHD can go @ it because there will be so much to read. My husband likes to "putter" so this type of outdoor trek is something he enjoys as well. With all of the signage for me, he gets to decompress, while I take in fact after fact.
I've planned a 4 day/3night stay in Athens & am content with my itinerary. As I'm making my way to one of the islands, however... I'm coming up short. I can't "pick" an island because none of them have anything really drawing me in. Am I missing something?
We're not beach people. (We can spend 2 h MAX lazing on a beach.) We're not water people. (We enjoy being on it from a nice yacht, but we're not going in the ocean. A few hours by the pool is OK.) We're not really foodies. (I'm satiated with my "food" experience while traveling & more or less eat to survive as I'm there.) We're not club crawlers anymore. (We like nightlife, we're just not getting wasted anymore.)
The main thing that appeals to me is a donkey ride around Mykonos as that seems nice & lazy, yet different, but I'm not entirely sure that's worth the entire trek to the island? The only other thing that seemed interesting was a small group yacht tour because in between little hops it's just a relaxing time to drink/nibble, but @ $500, I'm not sure so sure. We'd also have to spend money/time on the ferry or flight & neither of those transfers appeal to me.
I still need a "relaxing" component to this trip as my husband wants to spend a day or 2 being lazy which is fine, but what type of "relaxation" is available on the islands that doesn't involve the beach or a very expensive hotel? (He relaxes @ home by watching TV - he likes TV, people watch in a cafe for a few hours, finding a comfortable view, etc.) So, we mostly need a spot we can "park" & watch a sunset, but again, is it worth trekking to an island for this? Would one of the beaches in Athens suffice for a few hours?
Hopping over to France will cost as much as the Mykonos leg where there will be plenty of gardens & spots to more or less just loaf around for a day.
Am I missing something about the islands? Aside from a few spectacular (& expensive, lol) views, is there anything relaxing to do?
Top Comment: Will I regret going to Greece & only visiting Athens? Depends. You might love it, without knowing what the rest of the country looks like. You might hate it. Athens has lots of history, but mostly in Classical and Roman times. So there's lots of ruins from that period. In the Middle Ages, the city starts to decline in importance (unlike, say, Rome). Long story short, due to some decisions made by Roman Emperors, the economic, political, and cultural center of the Greek-speaking world shifts way from Athens and north to Constantinople and Thessaloniki. Some wealthy pockets of culture emerge in Ottoman times due to Greek sea merchants (Hydra, Spetses, Lesvos, Chios, some neat little towns in Epirus region), while areas under Venetian control become the centers of the Greek Renaissance (Crete, Ionian Islands, Nafplio). Athens remains a backwater until the 19th century, when it's chosen as the capital of Modern Greece. They build a pretty little neoclassical city around the Classical ruins, but little of it remains today, unfortunately. So there's very little 19th century charming/historic architecture in Athens (and, instead, too much 60s/70s-built). But lots of impressive Classical-era ruins that are worth seeing. And several museums with art and artifacts from all periods and regions of Greek history. So, that's the thing with Athens. Parts of the historic center are starting to show early signs of gentrification. The opening of the Metro system in 2000 is, very slowly, reversing the damage & neglect done to the historic center in the 60s/70s. And there's several major redevelopment projects underway around the metropolitan area. So, come back in 10 years for a [hopefully] kick ass city. For the time being, yes, it's a sin to visit only Athens, IMO, and neglect, say, Nafplio or Syros, lovely little neoclassical cities within easy reach of Athens. OTOH, it's a vibrant city with great bars, restaurants, cafes, stores, and like I said: museums. Is it sacrilege to skip all of the islands? As I'm making my way to one of the islands, but what type of "relaxation" is available on the islands Am I missing something about the islands? 82% of the country and coast is a peninsula. Only 18% is islands. So, let's take the word "islands" out of our vocabulary, and talk about places. Some places just happen on the peninsula. Some places happen to be on islands. To get you started, take a look at this previous comment I wrote, to get a general intro to the country; it includes several links to pictures and videos, as well as a number of suggested itineraries, and further place-names you might want to Google. See if something catches your eye. We're not beach people. (We can spend 2 h MAX lazing on a beach.) We're not water people. Take a look at the comment I link to above. You don't have to sit on a beach to have a good time. The country has stunning landscapes, and there's plenty historic/old-time-architecture towns and villages outside Athens. The main thing that appeals to me is a donkey ride around Mykonos as that seems nice & lazy, yet different, [sigh] Mykonos is not special. It's not exceptionally scenic. It's not some quaint little island where they ride mules and have never seen a foreigner. It's not a must-see. It's not somewhere everyone goes. The only reason it's the only place in Greece that North Americans have heard of is because it was one of the first jet-setter places in the 60s, and the name stubbornly stuck in the North American media. (>90% of Greece's visitors are Europeans, and they spread out all over the country). Mykonos is cute, but it's less scenic than 90% of the country. The only reason you would go there would be for the partying/clubbing, because it's like an Ibiza/South Beach. And overpriced. If you're drawn to the Cyclades region (the region with the white cubic houses), there's lots of islands to choose from. There is zero reason to only consider Mykonos. Also, Greece isn't just this area here . There's airports throughout the country, but you already booked flights to Athens. There's highly worthwhile places to visit near Athens, but you have limited time. So, I'm going to list some highly recommended day-trips to choose from: Delphi & Arachova. DIY with a rented car, or find a group tour n Viator/TripAdvisor. Hydra, and island you can get to from Piraeus. DIY with a ferry, or look for boat day trips on Viator/TripAdvisor. If they also incude Spetses and/or Poros: great! (or DIY to those as well, but prioritize Hydra). Try to avoid Aegina; it's not as worthwhile as the others. Don't be fooled by the proximity to Athens, the others are not that far. Nafplio, lovely little historic city in the northeast Peloponnese region. You can also visit the nearby ruins of Epidaurus (Classical era), Mycenae (Bronze Age), Nemea (Classical), Corinth (Classical), if these interest you. DIY with car, or look for a group tour. If there's a group tour that combines Nafplio with Hydra, even better. Recap: Nafplio/Epidaurus, Hydra/Spetses/Poros, Delphi/Arachova, highly recommended.
Which neighbourhood to stay in for a weekend in Athens?
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Hi everyone! My boyfriend and I are planning to visit Athens in April and are struggling to find which neighborhoods are good to stay in. We usually prefer a neighbourhood which is cute and lively, with lots of bars and restaurants, usually the place where students go. As we’re just the two of us I’d like the area also to be and feel safe. We would also like it to not be too far from the city centre. Could anyone help us with which neighbourhoods are fitting to our wishes? Hopefully it’s not too difficult to find.
Also, if anyone wishes to share good restaurants to eat or bars to go to, that’d be lovely!
Thanks for your help in advance :)
Top Comment: Plaka or Monastiraki are perfect! Everything is walkable and there are lots of cute spots to easily pop into for dinner or drinks. I loved staying in Plaka. You're close to the sights to if you want to visit Acropolis etc
How strong is anti-tourist sentiment in Exarcheia in Athens?
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Just arrived in a hotel in Exarcheia only to find a group of people in the middle of posting anti-tourist slogans and leaflets right outside the hotel door.
I always try to minimise the negative impact of my tourism, but unfortunately I recognise just by being here some people see that as a negative, and honestly it is a little intimidating to arrive with my backpack, to a group of 5-6 people actively wanting you not to be there.
I had picked out Exarcheia as a good place to stay with good bars, restaurants, etc but also read up on its history or revolutionaries and left wing politics. I also fully understand the problems people have with gentrification l. I had hoped to experience the area, but now thinking I might not be welcome here.
Am I best walking down to the more touristy areas for food and drink, or would I be fine to remain in the area?
Top Comment: Exarcheia is a place where a lot of left-wing and anarchist organizations exist. As you can imagine some of these organizations are opposing the tourist industry as it has consumed many places in Athens and it has impacted the life of the locals. Anti tourism sentiment exists but only to small politically active groups that are in the city center. Your experience as a tourist will not be impacted at all except from some brochures or graffiti
Looking for Feedback on my 1 Day Itinerary in Athens
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Hi! I will have ~1.5 days in Athens at the end of August before heading to Milos. After doing some research I have put together the following loose Itinerary and would love any feedback or recommendations on things to do or places to eat and drink. I bolded the areas I am looking for the most feedback:
Day 1:
Breakfast: Picky Coffee & Brunch
Morning Activity: Explore the Acropolis (tickets already purchased)
Lunch: Hoocut, followed by a drink at The Clumsies and dessert from Lukumades
Afternoon: Explore Plaka, do some shopping in the area
Pre-Dinner Drinks: Would like to do a rooftop, but there are so many options so would love to hear reddit's recommendations! (more interested in cocktails than wine or beer.)
Dinner: We are between Nolan and Maya, but please let me know if there are any other can't miss restaurants! We are adventurous eaters and have no strict budget.
Day 2:
Breakfast: Bite Box
Top Comment: Having just come back from a trip to Greece where I also spent 1.5 days in Athens, this looks like a good itinerary. I would recommend going to the Acropolis first thing when it opens at 8am (or a little before to get in line). There were SO many people there and the sun was very hot even that early. So maybe just do coffee/light pastry before Acropolis, hike up for opening, and then on the way down there are some stairs on the north side that you can take into Monastiraki area (I think where Tholou and Panos intersect) which has plenty of options for food/brunch if you want a bite before continuing around. I liked Monastiraki shopping and food and there are archeological sites like the Agora and others all mixed in the area. You can’t really go wrong on the food/cocktails aspect- I went to spots rated 4.5+ on Google Maps and everything was amazing.