The Acropolis of Athens
The Acropolis from Areopagus - Hill, Athens
After our blissful first day in Athens, the next morning we rushed to get to the Acropolis.
While in school, I was fascinated by the Ancient Greek history and I was devouring any piece of info I came across. It has always been a place I dreamed of visiting, so when we finally arrived where history took place, I was in a sort of heaven… but, let’s back up a little...
Before leaving the hotel, we, of course, had breakfast. I have mentioned that when we got to our hotel, we noticed that it was almost empty. Still, we were surprised the next morning that there was no one else in the breakfast room (minus the staff), and it stayed that way until we left, which honestly, was delightful.
We were taken aback by the number of food items and choices, as well as the niceness of the staff there - they all had the biggest smiles on their faces and seemed eager to help. I have to say that we ate like kings while in Greece, especially since Mediterranean food is my favorite.
With our bellies full and happy, we headed towards the Acropolis. It was a hot day, which was usual for that time of the year. I found that the climate and landscape in Athens were very similar to the ones in Southern California, so in some ways, it felt like home.
While we didn’t normally spend a lot of time outside when it was in the 90s in SoCal, we didn’t have a choice while in Europe, if we wanted to see anything there. Even in that heat, we still managed to walk about 9-10 miles a day, on average, trying to protect ourselves from the sun by walking in the shade whenever possible.
We didn’t buy tickets in advance for the Acropolis, so we expected a bit of a wait. As expected, we waited in line for a little over 30 minutes to purchase our tickets and about the same to go through the security lines before entering the ancient citadel. We bought a combo ticket (valid for 3 days for about 30 euro/person), which allowed access to the Acropolis as well as other historical sites in Athens.
There were quite a few people, and the unpleasant part of this visit was literally being stuck in a crowd by the entrance, all moving at the same pace (for that reason, we don’t ever do tours - we like exploring at our own speed, which can be faster than average).
To give ourselves a break from the crowds, we stopped at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, which has been restored and houses performances to this day. The view from there was already pretty incredible.
Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Athens
As there was only one entrance/exit into and out of the Acropolis, we reluctantly got back in line. After what felt like forever, we finally “escaped to freedom”, aka got through the gates and away from the crowds, and we could finally enjoy what the Acropolis had to offer. Note: the climb is a bit steep/treacherous and some of the stairs/paths are very slippery.
The 360-degrees views of the city and surrounding areas are breathtaking and I couldn’t stop myself from taking those in. The old limestone in front of our eyes, the white buildings in the distance against the perfectly blue skies, and occasional green here and there composed the most pleasant sight. We have seen many beautiful places and views during our 4 months of travels abroad, but the one most dear to my heart is right here in these photos.
Views of Athens from the Acropolis
The wind was insane there.
As I mentioned, it was a hot day, but the wind at the top was intense, making the heat more tolerable. I had to either hold on to my hat or give up on wearing it, as I almost lost it shortly after getting there (some people actually had lost theirs). Also, we were quickly covered in a layer of dust agitated by the blowing wind. Yet, my happiness of finally seeing this place in person could not be dimmed.
Many of the temples in the Acropolis were undergoing renovations, but we could still see and enjoy them. Yes, it was busy and the crowds were ever-coming, but it wasn’t as bothersome as it had been in other places we visited so far in other countries. We were able to move, take our time to stop and admire, as well as take photos throughout the Acropolis without feeling like we had no personal space or were rushed.
I’ve said it earlier, but while I was in school I was obsessed with Greek mythology and Greek ancient history.
These temples are the most complete ancient Greek monuments still standing today. It is incredible to me that they withstood centuries of nature and human trials. This article here talks more about the monuments and destruction behind them as well as their history if you want to find out more.
The reason these buildings are so significant to today’s world is that the Acropolis is the place where philosophy, theater, democracy, freedom of expression, and speech were born. This was the place that served as the intellectual and spiritual foundations of our civilization, many contemporary countries, and governments (including the USA). And let’s not forget the architecture that inspired much of what we see today. I don’t know what people think of when visiting the Acropolis, but those were some of the thoughts crossing my mind at the time.
Many times throughout our travels, some places made me feel very small, literally and figuratively, but that feeling was even more so here - you just have to experience it for yourself.
The Erechtheion, Athens, Greece
The wind did not want to cooperate
Things to keep in mind when visiting the Acropolis:
bring water with you, and snacks, if you need to.
sunscreen is a must as there is almost no shade.
it can be very windy
good walking shoes are essential; the existing paths are made of stones which can be extremely slippery; the rest of the area is dirt and gravel.
they say that the best times to visit are early in the morning and in the evening (hours are 8am-8pm). We visited after the second half of August, in the morning (before 9am), and honestly, when leaving, we noticed a lot fewer people waiting in line than when we came in. Also, from our hotel, we could see the Acropolis before and at sunset, and we’d always notice a lot of crowds gathered there for that time (for some incredible views, yes). Just something to keep in mind.
as always, be courteous to other people visiting, and respect the buildings and their surroundings.
I tried as much as possible to wear comfortable and breathable clothes during these hot days. The linen dress I’m wearing in these photos was perfect, and it’s one of my favorites that I bought a few years ago (see me wearing it here as well). A similar linen dress that I’d also wear in a heartbeat on hot days is this one (affiliate link).
I hope this post inspires you to visit the Acropolis, if you haven’t already, or brought something new for you if you already have.
Until next time.
xoxo,
Em
