Select Page

Athens

Jun 7, 2017 | ALL DESTINATIONS, EUROPE, Greece

LAYOVER

23 hours

WONDERFUL

history

TOP RATED

Greek cuisine

Zuzka Greizinger

STEWARDESS

I’m a stewardess, but I used to be an editor for a magazine, so I always have had my head in the clouds. In addition, I’ve always been attracted by the heights and distances and so I came up with a great idea – I could explore the world as a flight attendant! 🙂

FOLLOW ME

Destinations

I’m lucky again! By the time Etihad is canceling all the crew layovers in Athens, I caught one of the last! And maybe this fatality add to ancient city another value, but I’ fell in love immediately. With the city, of course… And with Greek cuisine.

We don’t stay in the hotel at the airport where we are accommodated for too long. Just as much as we need to change our uniforms. Only one of our colleagues changed to “wedding” dress. In long white dress and gold crown she plans to climb up to Acropolis, just to take impressive photos for Instagram. 🙂 (The world has gone crazy.) A group of four girls are led by our big Cabin Senior from Lithuania. At the airport we take the blue metro line and head to the very center of Athens. We get off at the busy Syntagma stop, from where we walk up in the old streets toward to the Acropolis. The path is lined with huge Roman columns, the streets are narrow and traditional. The small boutiques we are passing by are offering gold and silver jewelry, while the cafes with their open terraces luring us on Greek Ice Coffee. The second one we can’t resist. Outside is hot, the road is steep and Greek frappe has to be tasted!

 

Akropolis

After a short break and a pleasant stroll through the narrow ancient streets, we find ourselves in front of the gates of the open Acropolis Museum. The whole city of Athens falls to our feet. Pantheon, the main building of the Acropolis, is an ancient temple dedicated to the Greek goddess of wisdom, according to which the city has got its name. It stands on he top of the city for an incredible 2,500 years, since 447 BC. Today, the temple is made up of old ruins, but it is still standing. It is a symbol of ancient Greece, Athenian democracy, Western civilization and at the same time one of the most amazing ancient monuments in the world. While our “bride” is posing for photos and attracts the attention of other tourists, I imagine how Pantheon could have looked like in its full glory, when now, after so many years, it still takes your breath away.

Herod’s Theater

Just a short walk from the Acropolis there is another remains of ancient Herod’s Stone Theater to admire. From the acoustics point of view, it was built so perfectly that the ancient actors did not need any microphones and could hear them well to the highest rows. Till today, it serves as a place for open air concerts.

Greek cuisine

When the sun begins to fall down, we leave the Acropolis and head down the hill passing by many Greek souvenir stalls. We walk towards the main square of Monastiraki, where smell of fresh strawberries, apricots and cherries fills the air. I call it the “fragrance of summer”. As my sandals fell apart on the stone road, I get lost in the market for a while till I come up with new hand-made leather Greek-style shoes. When we all meet at the main square again, we choose one of the many Greek restaurants in the area and settle down. It’s time for Greek cuisine, one of the main reasons I love Greece. Gyros, Souvlaki, Greek salad with fresh Feta cheese, olives and olive oil, Tatziki, my favorite Moussaka (something like Lasagna but with eggplant and potatoes) or desserts like Greek yogurt with honey, Halva and Baklava and local beer make us busy for a few hours. Fantastic end of the evening in the fantastic city…

Zuzka Greizinger

STEWARDESS

I’m a stewardess, but I used to be an editor for a magazine, so I always have had my head in the clouds. In addition, I’ve always been attracted by the heights and distances and so I came up with a great idea – I could explore the world as a flight attendant! 🙂

FOLLOW ME

Destinations