Our accommodation in Athens had a small shared kitchen and a Greek-style breakfast was provided every morning. We enjoyed coffee, bread, butter and mermelada, cold meats and feta cheese, and yogurt with prunes and Greek honey.
As it was a public holiday, many of the museums and historical sites were closed, so we were glad we had already visited the Acropolis. We headed off along the Dionysiou Areopagitou cobblestones and walked up the Filopappou Hill, to the south east of the Acropolis, visiting Socrates Prison on the way. Poppies and other spring flowers were in bloom beside the path. From the Filopappos Monument we had great views of the Acropolis and the sprawling city of Athens.
We then visited The Arch of Hadrian and saw the Temple of Olympian Zeus (closed for the public holiday but could still get good views from the gates). The scale of these structures, and that they are still standing after around 3000 years, is truly amazing.
We got some Koulouria (Greek sesame bread rings) for a euro from a street vendor and munched on it as we walked along to our next location.
The highlight of the day was going to the Panathenaic Stadium. Fortunately this was open despite the public holiday, which was great as we spent a couple of hours doing the tour (there was an English recording). Cut into the side of a hill, this marble stadium (the only one of its kind in the world) has its origins in ancient times, but was revived and reconstructed in 1896 for the first of the modern Olympic Games and still is a significant part of the current Olympics being the site where the Olympic torch is handed onto the host nation. The Olympic torch museum also on the site was interesting, while the views from the top tiers of the stands across to the Acropolis were spectacular.
The highlight of the day was going to the Panathenaic Stadium. Fortunately this was open despite the public holiday, which was great as we spent a couple of hours doing the tour (there was an English recording). Cut into the side of a hill, this marble stadium (the only one of its kind in the world) has its origins in ancient times, but was revived and reconstructed in 1896 for the first of the modern Olympic Games and still is a significant part of the current Olympics being the site where the Olympic torch is handed onto the host nation. The Olympic torch museum also on the site was interesting, while the views from the top tiers of the stands across to the Acropolis were spectacular.
Later in the afternoon we hiked up to the top of Mount Lycabettus, to the north west of the Acropolis. This was a bit more challenging than the other hills we had walked in Athens, but the views were stunning, with Athens, and of course the Acropolis, stretched out to the sea and mountains beyond.
Tonight, Costas at Adrianos restaurant in the Plaka coaxed us in for dinner and, despite the bouzouki and plate smashing, the dinner of fried calamari and chicken gyros, washed down with house rose was very good. As were the homemade ice creams on the walk home (the honey & walnut yogurt flavour was delicious).
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