There is so much to see in Athens. The Parthenon, The Acropolis, Temple of Zeus. Wow.  A walk up a hill with a bit of a climb and there we were standing, looking speechless at one of the most incredible historical sites of all time. The Parthenon, a temple located on the Acropolis overlooking the city. 

Over time the Parthenon has served as a church and then a mosque then a munitions depot during the Turkish Occupation of Greece. During a battle with the Venetians in 1687 an explosion tore through the building causing most of the damage we can now see today.

The Acropolis is the hill where the Parthenon stands "Acro” meaning high and "polis" meaning city  and what a view high over the city you get from the Acropolis.
The Temple of Zeus, Zeus being the supreme god of ancient Greek mythology, is also breathtaking.

A Day Cruise from Athens

A fabulous day we can highly recommend is a three island cruise  from Athens. Travel to Paleon Phaleron, Trocadero Harbor by bus to sail for the island of Aegina where you can opt to visit the famous Temple of Athena Aphaia. 

Cruise through the straits and visit Poros, a romantic and peaceful island with beautiful beaches. 

After an on board 3 course lunch which really surprised, you will explore the island of Hydra where you can wander around the village and see how the locals live, maybe go for a swim before sailing back to Trocadero Harbor where a bus will be waiting to transfer you back to Athens. 

A great value for money day and a chance to see a few more of the gorgeous Greek Islands..

Athens

Destination Diva chose to stay in the Plaka area, the oldest part of Athens.  Most streets are closed to traffic but still keep an eye out for motorcycles who like to speed around these streets. The Plaka has a great feel to it, shops, restaurants, generally very touristy but a safe area to wander around day or night.  Most of the shops sell pretty much the same souvenirs but you will find a lot of interesting things here. The Plaka is located directly under the Parthanon and easy to find.

One thing in general you need to be aware of in Athens is the traffic.The cars seem to only go at one speed  FAST. Be careful even crossing with lights.  If you think the traffic is crazy in Italy wait until you experience Athens.

I would choose to take a bus tour or a local guide in preference to driving. There is so much to see and do and it is far more comfortable to sit back, relax and let someone else have the stress of the traffic.

We discovered a driver who picked us up at the airport in a new car. He spoke excellent english and drove us to our apartment helped us with our luggage all for less than the cost of a taxi. We were so impressed we engaged him for a private tour of Athens which was also more economical and comfortable than the two of us doing a bus tour. 

Athens, and indeed Greece in general, is a fabulous country to explore and there is so much of interest. 

The Greek’s are very friendly and most speak some English so its pretty easy to communicate. We just love Greece and so will you.