7 Must-Do Experiences for an Alternative Visit to Athens

This is a guest post by Rebecca Hall.

I have suffered from wanderlust ever since a teenager and at the tender age of 19, took myself off to Australia for a year. Various job roles in my 20s at LHR airport enabled me to satisfy my wanderlust, but it’s only in my 30s that I’ve started to look closer to home (the UK) and discover Europe.

I’m settled (for now), in the beautiful country of Greece.

Athens, as of late, thanks to the atrocious international reportage, conjures up images of rioting pensioners alongside hooded youths, baton wielding fascist policemen and you can almost smell the teargas and hear the cries of the people with raised fists. Yes, riots do occur – the Greeks are, luckily, not a nation to take things lightly and moan about things, yet do nothing about them.

However there is more to this capital city than what is portrayed of late.

Picture, if you will: old Greek men, sitting outside various ‘cafénios’ in their neighbourhood discussing politics, twiddling their worry beads and looking at the young piece of ass that’s walking by (strangely, it’s never disgusting and never feels threatening). Hear the cries of the weekly neighbourhood farmer’s street market (bound to be one near your hostel) and be greeted in Greek by the stall holders – “Kali mera!” Smell the freshly ground Greek coffee from the cafés and know that you can comfortably sit there, nursing just one coffee for hours and not be asked to purchase another one or move on.

Eat Gyros, the incredibly healthy Greek fast food – chicken or pork and chips (fried in olive oil) wrapped in a pitta with salad and tzatziki (that yogurt, cucumber and garlic dip). If you’re incredibly lucky, you might even be spat on by an old Greek lady. Yes, this happened to me in my first week in Greece – I picked up an old lady’s shopping she had dropped on the floor. She thanked me, looked at me then promptly spat at me three times (well, on the floor in front of me to be fair). It’s a compliment to any woman – it means you are considered a beautiful person and they are warding away the ‘Evil Eye’ – lest someone become jealous of you and place a curse on you.

Sit outside in the summer and watch a movie with the backdrop of the Acropolis – this turns an average cinema trip into something of an experience.

And so, with an obvious passion for “all things Greek,” here are seven tips for your experience traveling in Athens.

1) Alternative tour around Athens

Don’t just come to Athens, see the Acropolis, changing of the guard then head to an island. Why not take yourself off to Exarchia, traditionally known as the ‘anarchist’ area of Athens. Full of great graffiti and very trendy bars and cafés, Exarchia is THE place to be.

Nearest metro: Omonia (red or green line) – about a 10 minute walk down the side alleys.

2) Athens Flea Market

Every Sunday in Monestiraki, the outdoor flea market opens up. Wander around and browse at the weird paraphernalia: anything from army gear, old dial telephones to coins, books and vintage clothing.

Nearest metro: Monesteraki (green line).

3) Head to Piraeus port, take the next ferry out of there

Don’t plan it – do as I do…rock up, take the next ferry and see where you end up. I have ended up on: Poros, Naxos, Paros and Aegina. Poros and Aegina are nearer to Athens and are served by high speed catamarans, therefore more expensive. But it is possible to get a ‘slow boat’ there.

Naxos & Paros are about 5 hours away by normal ferry. At both beautiful islands, guesthouse owners meet you off the ferry and bargain away. In the high season of August in Naxos I managed to bag a room for 30 Euros a night. Between two of us (15E each), that’s pretty good.

4) Visit The Art Foundation .. and have a beer

Located behind a small wooden door down another side street in Monestiraki, The Art Foundation bar is situated in the garden of an old, run down art deco building. Open till very late, it’s popular with the arty crowds. Enjoy a drink whilst browsing the strange exhibits in the upstairs rooms.

Nearest metro: Monesteraki (green line).

5) Epidaurus Ancient Theatre

Located in the Peloponnese, approximately 2 hours by coach from Athens, Epidaurus stages theatrical performances every year in the summer in an ancient amphitheatre. In July 2011 I was lucky enough to watch Kevin Spacey perform in “Richard III” as part of the Athens Festival – for 20E! The acoustics are spectacular so regardless of where you sit, you can hear every word uttered.

Take a coach from Athens – on performance days’ special coaches run for only 20 Euros. And if going on a performance day, please take a cushion!

6) Watch a movie in the summer, outdoors

Athenians are avid cinema goers. In the summer, the outdoor cinemas throw open their doors (or roofs) and a whole new experience in cinema begins. My favourite is Cine Paris – located near the Acropolis. You can have your own view of the Parthenon whilst you watch the latest movie – or sometimes even an old black and white Hepburn flick.

Nearest metro: Acropolis (Red line)

7) And one further afield – the Monasteries of Meteora

A World Heritage site (and used many years ago in the filming of a Sean Connery “James Bond” movie), Meteora is located in Central Greece. Translating as “suspended in the air” or “in the heavens above,” here you will find the 6 monasteries built from the 14th Century onwards atop the high rock formations.

Nearest station: Kalampaka – take the train from Larissa Station in Athens, approximately 4 hours journey time.

Yes, Greece is suffering big time at the moment – but she has so much to offer a person, so long as you are willing to open yourself up to her strange customs and are willing to integrate. Don’t just come here and be a backpacker – really try to get into the community and appreciate all this country has to offer. Don’t always believe all you hear on the news.

Have you traveled to Athens? Leave any tips in the comments section below.

About the Author: I’m a 30 something English Language teacher, currently in Greece. I’ve travelled to, lived and taught in Sri Lanka, Egypt and even helped Eastern European crew with their English whilst on a Container ship travelling across the Atlantic. All experiences have helped shape who I am today. Follow my journey and send me your Athens questions via my blog Leavingcairo.Blogspot.com.

Technorati Tags: Alternative Experiences in Athens, Athens Travel Tips, Backpacking in Athens

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Friday Travel Photo: Sunny Praia de Belixe, Portugal

Today’s Friday Travel Photo helps you escape the cold of winter and takes you to sunny Praia de Belixe, Portugal. It was submitted by Stephen Burgo of the GoMad Nomad Travel Mag.

January is the ideal time for a backpacker to visit Southern Portugal; the temperatures aren’t quite as extreme, the tourists are few and far between, and accommodation prices are cheap.

Of Sunny Praia de Belixe, Portugal, Stephen says this …

If you travel to the futhest reaches of southwestern Portugal (and the whole of the European contenent) you’ll find the small town of Sagres. It has four supurb beaches, including this one, Praia de Belixe, surrounding the town. In Sagres you’ll find young surfers living out of Volkswagon vans and plenty of other Europeans that have moved to the area for the outstanding weather, beautiful cliffs, and the real estate bargain of western Europe.

For the best of the beaches, check out:

• The sheltered, south-facing Praia da Mareta for bathing
• The Praia do Martinhal for windsurfing
• The wild Praia do Tonel for surfing
• The Praia de Belixe for a stunning setting under cliffs.

The town of Sagras itself is nothing special, but pleasant enough complete with the necessities to keep the family, surfer, or backpacker content.

Be sure to check out Stephan’s travel mag – GoMad Nomad Travel Mag and his personal blog the Bohemian Traveler.

Do you have a photo you’d like featured here? Email me at matt [at] backpackingmatt [dot] com.

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paris. pictures.

Below you’ll find pictures from my whirlwind tour of Paris … I enjoyed Paris, but I don’t think I’ll rush back to the city. If you need a refresher on my time there, here is a link to my quick post about Paris.

the eiffel tower, illuminated in blue. according to a man who spoke little english, it was lit up this way in anticipation for the us presidential elections. but, i’ve since heard, it had something to do with an EU event going on in town. either way, the eiffel tower, illuminated in blue.

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Amsterdam Pictures

Perhaps a little bit late, but below you’ll find pictures from my three days spent in Amsterdam. The city was filled with canals and is dubbed the, ‘Venice of the North.’ After traveling the continent for a month, I’d quite easily say that Amsterdam is one of the most beautiful cities I’ve seen.

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Chios, Greece

17/11/2008

Brian, Peter, and I are on a ferry, en route to Cesme, Turkey. Peter is an American traveler I met while on the train from Patras to Athens. A recent graduate from Washington state, Peter decided to travel for six months before facing reality – not a bad idea. Brian ended up meeting up with us on Chios, where I’ve spent the last three nights.

Chios was described to me as an island that the unsuspecting tourist finds, falls in love with, and never leaves; after spending three nights there, I can see clearly how this is the case.

A dry, arid, and mountainous island, Chios is best known for the production of mastic. A dried, resin-like sap which comes from Mestic Trees – indigenous to the south of Chios. Villages on the south of the island form a co-operative and produce and distribute the product in a number of different forms – from gum, to cosmetic products, to foods. The three of us hired a car and spent one day exploring the island. It was fascinating to explore the Mastic villages – many of these medieval, enclosed towns of less than 1000 people.

As we wandered the streets of these villages, we saw a number of old women sitting outside of their homes, harvesting the raw mastic.

The highlight of my time in Chios oddly took place the morning I arrived from Athens. Peter and I arrived on the ferry at the ungodly hour of 4am. With no plans of where we were staying, we ended up killing time by drinking Greek coffees in the local bus station. As we were waiting for the town of Chios to wake up, I watched a beautiful sunrise over Turkey.

For now, Turkey and Turkish customs await.

Technorati Tags: Backpacking, Beaches, greece

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Obama Supporter

It has been great to be in Europe in the week following the US elections. There is no question that Senator Obama was supported by the Europeans. The election was monumental, as I’m sure nobody would deny – Democrat, Republican, Green, or Independent. It is, in my mind, a very big step in the right direction for the US. Unfortunately for the Illinois Senator, he is stepping into The White House to find a troubled economy at home, two dead end wars in the Middle East, a struggling healthcare system, and the list could go on.

Additionally, he will become the US President at a time when the US has lost the respect of the world. In Bari, I was speaking with a Dutch backpacker about the election. He – just as literally everyone I’ve spoken with – was excited Obama won the election. “It is exciting,” I told him, “because now we can begin to regain our reputation in the world.” His response, I felt, was quite blunt and oh so true. “Yes,” he said, “but it is a lot easier to loose your reputation than it is to regain it.”

I’m afraid he is right; at least Obama is a step in the right direction.

I was walking around the Plaka neighborhood here in Athens yesterday and came across an old lady sitting outside of her shop. The owners of the many stores in this neighborhood bring chairs outside their shops, sit in the sun, drink iced coffees, and smoke cigarettes. I noticed something peculiar about this specific shopkeeper …

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I’m going to Turkey.

As I sit down to write this post, I’m seated outside of an Athens cafe, soaking up the sun, drinking an iced coffee, and looking at the imposing Acropolis.

Just minutes ago, I booked my ferry tickets to Turkey – I’m unbelievably excited. When I left Edinburgh just under four weeks ago, my plan was to make it to Turkey. I’m now only days away from meeting this goal. I’ll leave Athens tonight on a ferry heading to the Greek island of Chios – located only 10 or 15 miles away from the Turkish coast. I’ll spend a couple days on Chios before taking the quick, one hour journey to the port south of Izmir, Turkey.

I didn’t arrive in Athens expecting to be impressed with the city. I had heard, for the most part, negative things about Greece’s capital city – crowded, filled with traffic, and full of garbage. Athens is a massive, sprawling city of nearly four million people. This being said, as a traveler, it is very manageable with all of the main sights located in a central area. From my experience, it is also very safe and no more polluted than any other city of its size.

One thing Athens isn’t short of is stray dogs; they are everywhere. After my first night roaming the city, I determined that most of the dogs are harmless – some will bark and growl, but with a calming hello, they’ll quickly be your best friend and follow you as you wander about their city. Living their lives on the streets of Athens, you’d probably guess they’re not the cleanest animals – and you’d be right. This being said, I’ve learned that they are not really homeless – rather, they’re the proud pets of all Athenians. Nearly all of the dogs have tags which register them to a specific ‘owner’ who looks after them ensuring they are fed and watered. Additionally, volunteer vets in the city ensure the dogs are vaccinated and healthy.

I went on a quick walking tour with my hostel yesterday which touched on all the key sites in Athens. While not the most informative tour, I always appreciate the chance to hear about a city from a local. Case and point, learning about the ‘stray’ dogs of the city. The history of Athens is mind blowing. It is shocking to see temples, buildings, and ruins dating from the First Century BC. A person almost feels speechless walking amongst such history and beauty.

Since arriving in Athens, I haven’t eaten much besides Gyros – a Greek food consisting of roasted meat from a vertical spit (pork, beef, or chicken), onions, tomatoes, and tzatziki served in an oiled an fried pita. They’re delicious – and, more importantly, they’re cheap. I spent a good hour last night sitting outside of a great Gyro take-away/sitdown restaurant just taking the whole scene in. While clearly attracting a fair number of tourists, it was also apparent that Athenians eat gyros on the run. It was shocking to watch the lads behind the counter serving up the Greek specialty – anytime there weren’t customers, they’d quick light up a cigarette. They wouldn’t quite leave the kitchen to smoke it, but they’d at least try to lean over the counter away from the food. Health and Safety?! All the while, the old man who most likely owned the joint, sat at a cash register, smoking, waiting for customers, and watching his money roll in.

Earlier on in the evening, I was wandering the city and came to a small, rocky, hill which had stunning views of the city, its surrounding hills, and the illuminated Acropolis. It was a great place to relax, ponder, and take in the breathtaking city that is Athens. I was thinking about where I am now, where I’ve been, but more importantly where I’ll be one or two months time. I don’t know. Without a source of income, I’m afraid my days of traveling will all to abruptly come to an end. In a perfect world, I’ll find some sort of short term employment in Turkey – a hostel, a bar, a restaurant, who knows. I was thinking last night that I left home after graduation because the thought of immediately settling down to a career oriented job, working 40+ hours a week and 50 weeks a year was frightening. In traveling and seeing Europe, I had hoped to ready myself for the settling down. Last night, however, I realized that I’m more terrified now of that thought than I was a year and a half ago. I’m ready to go home to see my family, but I’m certainly not ready to stop traveling, meeting new people, and taking in all this world has to offer.

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night train

31/10/2008 – 8:55

Right, so, I’m on a night train heading to Venice. The train left Budapest at 5pm and will arrive in Venice at 7am tomorrow. Its my first real experience with train travel in Eastern Europe – I’d be lying if I said its anywhere as close to glamorous as Western Europe train travel. This being said, its cheap, its efficient, and its definitely an experience.

My ever so trustworthy Lonely Planet has provided me thus far with great advice for my travels in Scotland, Ireland, Spain, and Prague. For those trips I had specific books aimed at each previously mentioned country or city. The Lonely Planet book I’m traveling with now is the ‘Europe On a Shoestring’ edition. While not as useful as other editions, it does have the added advantage of covering all European countries and most towns or cites that deserve to make it on a map.

I digress. One of the sections in the Shoestring book talks about the potential dangers of train travel. Namely, trains in Eastern Europe. Similar to an over-protective parent, Lonely Planet makes sure to cover all potential hazards that a traveler could encounter while jumping across Europe. Currency exchange scams, pick pocketing, nightlife scams, and the dangers of train travel – specifically, overnight train travel in Eastern Europe. For the most part, I had disregarded most of these threats as being a bit over the top. That is, until I hopped on the Budapest – Venice overnight train.

Significantly older and dirtier, and smelling quite distinctively of old cigarette smoke this train is potentially the perfect venue for some of Shoestring’s ‘worst case scenarios.’ Baggage theft, druggings, and the situation which I find most far-fetched; the situation in which a potential thief opens your compartment door in the middle of the night and tosses in a canister, or pill, or something which releases gas and completely knocks out the passengers so said theft can steal all the traveler’s belongings. I don’t imagine it will happen – not with broken lock on our compartment door anyway… All part of the journey, right?

Budapest was for lack of a better word, amazing. Brian and I had only intended on staying for two nights but ended up sleeping in ‘Pest for one extra night. Budapest is a lovely place full of natural thermal spas, very interesting and recent history, and – most importantly – an extremely cheap place to spend a couple nights. Budapest is situated on top of a number of natural, hot springs. Above many of these, there are beautiful thermal spas. Budapestians (?) believe the waters from these springs bring you many natural health benefits. Many locals wake up, head to their local spa, and ‘soak’ for a couple hours before heading to the office. After spending a day at the Szechini Spa in Budapest City Park, I gather that many of the old, retired, locals spend most of their waking hours there as well. The Szechini Spa is the largest spa in Europe, and for 2600ft (£10), I was able to spend the day soaking in thermal baths, healing in medicinal pools, and lounging in saunas and steam rooms. Somehow, I was exhausted by the end of the day.

This is probably an epic point to finish this post. Just moments ago, the train stopped in seemingly the middle of nowhere. It turns out, we were at the Hungary – Croatia border. Soon after the train stopped, our compartment door jolted open and a uniformed officer appeared. “(mumbling in a language I didn’t understand), Passport.” This happened another two times before the train again started moving.

Venice, here I come. mk

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e i f f e l t o w e r

The Eiffel Tower, all lit up.

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breakfast in munich. lunch in salzburg. dinner in budapest.

28.10.2008 – 10:12am

I’m just over one week into my three week InterRail journey throughout Europe. As I write this post, I’m sitting on a train going from Munich to Salzburg. I’ll spend the day in Salzburg before catching a train to Budapest.

I’m fully convinced train travel is the most enjoyable way to travel. If possible, I’d never again set foot on an airplane – let alone a bloody airport full of ques, chaos, security checks, baggage weight limits, and the list could go on. I’m sitting in a six-person cabin which Brian and I have to ourselves. There’s plenty of legroom with no one telling me to wear my seatbelt or when I can and can’t go to the toilet. Instead of the sounds of jet engines and views of only clouds, I’m listening to the clicking of the train tracks and watching the green, mountainous, countryside of southern Germany slowly pass by. I believe you feel much more connected to your journey on a train – you’re able to see the ground you cover and watch the landscapes gradually change.

I greatly enjoyed my three days spent in southern Germany – in Bavaria. Munich was lovely; a perfectly sized city of just over one million people. One million welcoming, laid back, and beer loving people – on average, Germans drink over 130 liters of beer a year. Munich is the perfect example of a city where you could come to spend a week and stay a lifetime. If only I knew German. Other than hello, goodbye, please, and thank you, “Noch zwei dunkle bitte,” is as far as I got. ‘I’d like two more dark beers please.”

Brian and I had our first German breakfast with our couchsurfing host, Tami. Tami took us to a large, open, Bavarian beer hall with tiled floors, dark wooden benches, and a high ceiling where we had pretzels, white sausages, and a wheat beer. Beautiful. I guess there are certain beers you drink at certain times of the day – a fruity wheat beer according to Tami is a breakfast beer. We unfortunately didn’t have much of a chance to get to know Tami as she left Saturday afternoon to see her boyfriend in France. She did give us the perfect introduction to Bavaria.

On Saturday afternoon, Brian and I had a couple hours to kill before catching a train to see the Neuschwanstein Castle in Fussen; the castle is a 19th century Bavarian palce and is one of the most photographed buildings in Germany. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon and we decided we would grab a beer in one of Munich’s many biergartens. Our afternoon got off to a questionable start. We found ourselves a sunny table and sat down. Unlike the UK or Ireland, you don’t go to the bar to get your beers. Instead, a waitress comes to your table and takes your order … or so we thought. We sat down and waited. And waited. And waited. Something wasn’t right; there were two or three waitresses running around with food and beers, but none of them seemed to take notice of us.

Finally, someone took pity on us, “This table,” they said in broken English, “is reserved for everyday people.” I later found out that we were sitting in a Stammtisch – a regulars’ table. The waiters and waitresses will refuse service to tourists who occupy a local patron’s table. Some luck! We moved tables, and soon we had two 1 liter steins of Bavarian pilsner to enjoy.

So, I’ll be in Salzburg, Austria, by 11am to spend the day. If all goes as planned, I’ll catch the 5pm train and be in Budapest by 11pm tonight. mk

Technorati Tags: Backpacking, budapest, munich, train travel

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