Getting the most out of Athens in 6 hours

I did one of the most touristy thing in the list of touristy things to do in Athens recently: got on a hop-on-hop off bus. Why? It was the most convenient thing to do at that time, since the bus stop was just right outside our hotel. Had I regretted it? Most definitely not!

Hour 1: Wake up to a beautiful view of Athens

Good morning Athens! It’s a beautiful sunny day to be up and about. Don’t forget your jackets because even though the sun is out, the wind would definitely chill you to the bones. Also, please don’t underestimate Athens weather like we did. Two of us thought we could get away with a leather jacket and fluffy scarves but we were WRONG. Our third friend was comfortable, warm and most definitely smug in her puffy jacket.

Hour Two: Breakfast!

I grabbed an invigorating cup of cappuccino from a deli at the corner of the street while waiting for the two other girls show up. At less than 2 euros, the well made, simple coffee came with a complimentary bottle of water. I’ve had my share of terrible coffees that cost way more, but this wasn’t one of them. Yum.

Breakfast was at the Bread Factory. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, it boasts a wide array of baked goods that’ll make anyone with a sweet tooth feel like they’ve found heaven.

They had cakes of all shapes and sizes, savoury breads, sweet breads… breads that looked too pretty for anyone to eat. I’m not much into sweets especially so early in the morning, so I happily feasted my eyes while the two girls dove into their sweet tooth indulgences for breakfast. Don’t worry, for grinches like me who prefer a savoury breakfast, they have a corner for salads and also hot, savoury offerings.

Hour Three: Hop On Hop Off!

There were three bus companies for us to choose from: Red, Yellow and Blue. The red one is an internationally recognised brand, City Sightseeing, and the other two were local brands with similar offerings. The ticket prices weren’t too hefty, we chose the blue bus, Sights of Athens for €15 – the cheapest among the three- for an entire day, with discounts if you buy three or more tickets at one time. We missed the red bus by a couple of minutes, and the blue bus was already waiting for us so, why not?

Our agenda for the day was to cover as much grounds in Athens as possible, hit a few must-see spots and then grab lunch before heading back. Sounds like a huge rush, but when you’ve a flight to catch in the evening, you take what you can get.

The city route goes in a loop, and a full loop took about an hour to complete. Making 14 stops at the city’s most notable landmark, the bus offers a great alternative to public transportation getting to the landmarks dotted across the city. The downside is that the route only goes one way, so plan your sights wisely.

Hours 4-5: Acropolis 

A ticket into Acropolis archeological site is normally 20 euros. In winter (20th November to 1st March) visitors get to enjoy a 50% discount. We paid just 10 euros and spent a bulk of our morning trolling around, taking pictures and marvelling at the ruins. WORTH IT.

The weather wasn’t in our favour for the first half an hour and the downside is that there’re no shelters for us to take refuge when it pours! Lucky for us, the clouds and slight drizzle went away, and the sun came out to play!

We covered the Theatre of Dionysus, The Old Temple of Athena and took a great many photos of the views from the top of the hill and of course before the famous Parthenon. The word Acropolis comes from the Greek word ‘ ἄκρον’, which means Highest point and ‘πόλις’ (polis) means City.

My first experience in an ancient Greek city was in Ephesus, Turkey back in 2015. I remembered going through the large compound, weaving in and out of the ruins and admiring the what was once a great piece of architecture, wondering what it’ll be like to see the real thing in Greece. Lo and behold! 3 years later, here I am! It feels so surreal, and I am ever blessed.

Hour 6: LUNCH!

A lunch affair in Greece wouldn’t be complete without bread and tzatziki dip and olives. Throw in an eggplant mousakka and sink your teeth into a meat gyro or a Soulvaki, you’ll be set till dinner.

Unlike other European destinations, food in Athens don’t cost much. Our lunch for three was less than 30 euros and we had a lot to eat. So much, that we had enough to share on the plane ride back. Pity we didn’t have the time to enjoy the much talked about grilled meats and fresh seafood. Oh well, next time.

Next time, you’ll find me in the beautiful coastal parts of Greece. It’s one in the list of places of the places I must see before I die. Mykonos, Oia, Santorini wait for me!