Tag Archive for: Athens

Reunion in Piraeus

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Glasses with an orange drink stand in a circle on a table at the E7 Rooftop Bar in the port of Piraeus, Athens, Greece

Three couples met at the airport after their respective flights from Zurich, Munich and Frankfurt arrived, and took a taxi together to Piraeus. Two more friends were already waiting for us there in a restaurant in the harbour district. Together, we were going to spend a few days on Paros. Since our ferry’s departure had been pushed back by 3 hours due to a strike in the preceding days, we had a longer stay in Athens than planned. This allowed us to enjoy a delicious dinner on the terrace in the mild evening air – a much better choice than the culinary offerings on board the ferry. The restaurant Refene was a recommendation from a Greek friend and didn’t disappoint. Read more

Farewell from Athens

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Greek bartender mixing cocktails at the counter of Odori Bar, Athens, Greece

In the evening, after a day trip to the island of Aegina, it was time to say goodbye, both to our friends and to the city of Athens. And where better to do that than in Athens’ nightlife? As we all had our accommodation in Monastiraki, we opted for a nearby bar. Read more

In the Port of Piraeus

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Pigeons taking flight on the harbour mole in the ferry port of Piraeus, Athens, Greece

After impressive tours in the centre of Athens, a trip to Aegina in the Saronic Gulf was on the agenda today. So, we took the Metro in Monastiraki and quickly and easily reached the final stop in the Port of Piraeus. There, we first lingered over a coffee and watched the morning commuters mixing with travellers. I like the lively and often scruffy atmosphere in ports, e.g., Genoa or Split; the processes of arrival and departure, loading and unloading, and the infrastructure are similar yet always have that special local flavour.
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Of Philanthropists and Philhellenes

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The neoclassical Zappeion building with the columns at the entrance, Athens, Greece

During our city tour of Athens, we passed striking buildings and works of art with interesting backstories involving philanthropists and philhellenes (friends of Greece). In a personal compilation, I’d like to mention a few examples of these connections, which on this day were closely linked not only geographically but also in terms of content. Read more

Changing of the Presidential Guard (Evzones)

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Changing of the Evzones Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Syntagma Square in front of the Parliament in Athens

Our personal city tour by a friend (and Athenian) started at Syntagma Square in front of the Parliament building in the centre of Athens. Because there, in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the hourly changing of the Presidential Guard, the so-called Evzones, takes place. The special thing about this changing of the guard is the choreography of an impressive and precise sequence of steps, characterised by elegance, discipline and symbolism. In parts more like a dance than a walk, it reminds me of the famous Monty Python sketch “The Ministry of Silly Walks“, but of course, such a comparison is out of the question for this serious ceremony. Read more

Anafiotika – an anachronistic paradox

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Graffiti on the walls in the Anafiotika district below the Acropolis of Athens, Greece

The first walk after our arrival in Athens took us just around the immediate area of our hotel in Monastiraki. Directly below the steep rocks of the Acropolis, between the urban districts of Plaka and Monastiraki, we unexpectedly came across a small neighbourhood of simple, cubic, white terrace-roofed houses, steep stairs and winding alleys, bougainvillea and flower pots. The district reminded us more of an old Cycladic village than the rest of the surrounding Athens neighbourhoods with their sophisticated villas and ancient ruins, multi-storey commercial and residential buildings, wide streets and heavy traffic – and all that in a prime central location in the city centre with a view? It was, so to speak, an anachronistic paradox (a contradiction out of its time). Read more

Mojito Mastika, Galaktoboureko and more …

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Dusk over Monastiraki and the illuminated Acropolis, Athens, Greece

Back from our first walk in autumnal Athens, we experienced the glowing dusk with a view of the Acropolis from our hotel’s roof terrace. Other guests were already sitting here comfortably with their first bottle of wine.
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