What you should know before you hop a plane to Athens
Written: Jun 27 '01 (Updated Jun 27 '01)
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Pros: Visual, historical adventure for the culture enthusiast who likes to walk.
Cons: It often gets super-hot in this polluted, crowded city.
The Bottom Line: This city has survived thousands of years for a reason - it offers a world of adventure to any interested tourist.
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| smile7724's Full Review: Athens |
Since I'm from New York, it was pretty convenient and extremely economical for me to fly to Athens from Toronto rather than any of the local airports. If the US dollar/Canadian dollar exchange rate is good during the time you're looking to head to Greece and you're not too far from the border, you might want to consider flying out from Canada as well.
I went to Athens, Greece as part of a nine-day holiday called Aegean Splendour, offered through Canada's REGENT HOLIDAYS. I would highly recommend booking a trip to Greece through a tour company because of convenience and an assurance that you'll probably be at least offered to see the best highlights of every locale you plan to visit. Also, these companies usually hook you up with the best tour guides - people who know all there is to know about what you're going to explore, and are easy to understand despite their accents. However, if you're choosing to fly independently, there are several things you should know about airfare.
WHEN SHOULD YOU GO?
Airfare to Athens is generally the most expensive July through early September. Prices jump over $100 during this time compared to what they were in the months before and after this block. This is also the time when the mercury in the thermometer is at its highest point - if you're not a big fan of hot weather, do not plan to travel to Greece during the peak season! Temperatures often climb to well into the 90's and have been known to reach 120 or 130 degrees fahrenheit in the region. Athens is an especially uncomfortable city to explore in hot, hot weather - just ask any of the number of stray dogs that can often be seen panting and wandering around searching the city for water. What makes the summer heat worse is the pollution. Exhaust from the many taxis and other vehicles in the city often seems to hang in the air and trap the heat like a blanket. I visited Athens during the summer and these things hardly bothered me (possibly also because I was able to retreat to an air-conditioned hotel with a rooftop pool if I got too sweaty.) However, exploring the city demands that you're out and about, hailing cabs and being harrassed by street vendors (though not as much as in other ports of call I saw, like Kusadasi, Turkey.) DO NOT forget to bring sunglasses, sunscreen and a bottle of water!
HOW SHOULD YOU DRESS?
Make sure that you dress appropriately for the weather in Athens. I'd recommend light colors and loose-fitting linens (but nothing so long that it'll get stepped on while you're climbing the acropolis.) Be warned that if you're an attractive female showing some skin, you will get noticed by the men on the streets of Athens. You will notice that they notice you by the array of comments they will shout, or by the way that they unabashedly stare at you as you walk past. While this may be simply a ploy to lure you into their shop, take their attention as a compliment. Most Athenians learned English at a very early age, so many are extremely confident in using the language. "Don't you belong on the acropolis with the other goddesses?" was my favorite line from an Athenian gentleman.
Because of the popularity of the English language in Athens, you really only need to know certain key phrases in their native tongue to get by. You might also want to do this because, in my opinion, conversing with people in their own language is just plain fun. After a while, you will notice that you've pretty much figured out the Greek alphabet and can figure out which kind of shop is which by the word each sports before its entrance.
ABOUT THE ACROPOLIS
Athens isn't the only city with an acropolis - an acropolis (literally translated 'high city') is simply a city on a hill surrounded by walls and battlements that were built in order to stave off enemy attacks. The acropolis at Athens is, however, the most famous and arguably the most well-preserved in Greece. It towers over the modern, bustling city of Athens like an ancient diadem, constantly reminding residents of their history and constantly reminding the tourists who visit of the inextricable links between our past and our present as a society. If you're physically able, you should definitely climb to the top of the acropolis and walk around the ruins of the ancient city. If you're not confident that you'd be able to stand all of the climbing and walking, a cable car ascends the Hill of Lykavitos (a hill about three times as tall as the Acropolis) and affords a wonderful view of the entire city.
A LITTLE HISTORY
Let's say, for argument's sake, that you're planning to climb the acropolis. You should definitely do a little research on Athenian history beforehand, to allow yourself the best experience you can possibly have for this one-on-one with ancient history. For example, you should know that the area to which you're about to travel has been inhabited since the Neolithic times, by various pre-Hellenic peoples before the Ionians (named after the supposed son of the god Apollo) and other Indo-Europeans arrived. These people built the Pelasgian wall that you can still see today to the south of the Propylaea. (I'll explain the Propylaea a little later.) Translation - what you're going to see is a really old wall.
In the middle of the second millennium, BC, a king named Cecrops appeared who divided his territory (called Attica) into twelve villages. The one named after himself (Cecropia) became Athens. Cecrops had several successors (Pandion, Erechtheus, Aegeus and Theseus) who all contributed vastly to Athens' progress and development. They all lived in the palace on the Acropolis, in the spot where the Erechthieon stands today. The populace lived on the surrounding plain.
Eventually, the monarchy dissolved after the Dorics invaded in 1066 B.C. The Athenians decided to transfer ruling power to an oligarchy of aristocrats. This led to much trouble between the powerful and powerless. The Acropolis was generally used as a center of religious worship until the dictator Solon appeared (around 590 B.C.) Solon solved a lot of Athens' social problems, but was overthrown by the dictator Pisistratus, who encouraged the development of culture. During his time, new structures were built on and around the acropolis. After living under several new rulers, the Athenians found their city invaded by the Persians under the command of King Xerxes, and their acropolis destroyed.
With Pericles' election in 461 B.C., art and literature became again the top priority and much of what had been destroyed was recreated. The Acropolis became a major sanctuary, dedicated to the goddess Athena (the goddess of wisdom, work, arts, peace and - oddly - war.) Years later, the new creations and the subsequent ones were in jeopardy again during the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta. Much was destroyed during this time, as well as during the regime of Alexander the Great and the Romans' conquest. However, each of the peoples who came in to wreak havoc on Athens left their mark and actually added to the cultural wealth of the city and its acropolis.
Many peoples occupied the area since those times, such as the Franks, Catalans, Florentines and Turks. Their wars left marks on all of the ancient structures, but none were as deep as those left by the Greek war of Independence in 1821. After this war, the monstrous process of reconstruction began - reconstruction that still goes on today.
MAIN STRUCTURES ON THE ACROPOLIS
The Propylaea (meaning a monumental entrance with several doors) is the structure that you'll walk through when you reach the top of the acropolis. Although it's hard to imagine when you see the yellowish, dry clay-like structure today, the Propylaea was once a structure of glittering white and gray marble. Doric and Ionic columns support a roof decorated with sculptures that have since disappeared and little stars that you can only see if you look very carefully. As you walk through the towering 'Sacred Way,' of this entrance to the Acropolis, be prepared to feel very small.
To the southwest of the Propylaea stands the Temple of Athena Nike (Nike meaning victory.) From here, you should look out over the Saronic Gulf, bustling port city of Piraeus, islands Aegina and Salamis and two mountains. The temple is very well-preserved, including several detailed friezes showing gods and battle scenes that are pretty much intact.
The Parthenon is the most famous building on the Acropolis. It was created by the work of many hands over many centuries and is dedicated to the goddess Athena, like so many structures in the city. The Parthenon is huge, made of marble and contains Doric pillars with non-vertical axes (interestingly, the axes are all inclined toward the center of the structure - this makes it more stable to prevent future disasters.) When I was there, it was also supported by a metal infrastructure, but this hardly takes away from its majesty. Much of the sculpture that once adorned the Parthenon is now in the Acropolis Museum (be sure to check it out!) Now only seen in copies much shorter than the original, an enormous statue of the goddess Athena once stood in the middle of the temple.
The Erechthieon was in the past revered as the most sacred place on the Acropolis, a worshipping ground for a number of deities. Three holes on the floor of this structure are said to have been caused by the points of the god Zeus' trident. On the Erechtheion's south side is the Porch of the Maidens (called Caryatids by the Romans.) All 6 of the Caryatids stand, but are copies (the originals are in the Acropolis Museum.) The Caryatids are pretty, but actually served a purpose in structure as an alternative to the generic pillar.
GO TO THE MUSEUM
The Acropolis Museum is located opposite the southeastern corner of the Parthenon, on the Acropolis. The first thing you'll see when you enter is a huge owl on a pedestal, yet another reference to the goddess Athena (since the owl is a symbol of wisdom.) There's so much good stuff in here, it really shouldn't be missed.
OFF THE ACROPOLIS
Although there's not much left to gaze at today, the Theater of Dionysus (god of wine) once sat 17,000 people and served as a stage for masterpieces by Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides and Aristophanes. It is Greece's oldest known theater. You'll recognize it by its large, hemispherical surface of multicolored stone and crumbling rows of seats. You're allowed to walk around in it, so feel free to take a closer look.
Once connected to the theater by a portico is the Odieon (music school) of Herodes Atticus (generous Athenian who lived during the 2nd century A.D.) You'll recognize the Odieon, a Roman-style theater, by its high wall with its numerous arched portals (once 4 layers of portals stood; today 2 remain with exception to one lone portal that stands atop the second story as a testimonial to the existence of a third layer. Today, the Odieon is still used to host ballets, operas, and classical music concerts, as it was in ancient times.
The Olympieion (a temple to Zeus), Hadrian's Arch (an arch welcoming visitors to the city of Athens - Hadrian was one of the city's greatest benefactors) and the ancient Agora (the place most scholars believe to be the birthplace of democracy) are three other not-to-be-missed places located in Athens. I would recommend buying a travel guide BEFORE you go (once you get there, the guides are marked up in price) and mapping out a plan of what you want to see. Many of the places are suffused with legends and fascinating stories that add to the wonder if you know them before you visit the structure.
MISCELLANEOUS
Be sure when you travel from your hotel to the sights you wish to see that you've been told by a professional (say, someone who works at the hotel) how much your cab is supposed to cost. There are a lot of honest cabbies in Athens, but also a lot of dishonest ones. And, most of them drive super-fast, so hang on.
Make sure you find out the dollars (or whatever your currency of choice is) to drachmas exchange rate before you leave.
I'd recommend getting health insurance when you go on this or any trip. I was stuck with food poisoning on the last day of my Greek island adventure, and was unable to visit the last destination on our itinerary, which was Delphi. Health insurance made the emergency visit to the doctor a lot easier to cope with.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Mar - May
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Epinions.com ID:
smile7724
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Member: Jen
Location: NY
Reviews written: 32
Trusted by: 15 members
About Me:
Hope your '02 is filled with joy, luck and beauty.
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