My favorite city in the world is why I keep coming back again and again……and again…..

For More on Athens and Greece through the years click here

The Best Accommodation I have ever been in

 

 

 

 

 

Athens is a place I have been to more than 10 times in my life, including 8 times the last three years and it never ceases to do nothing less than amaze me.  Each time I come I do the exact same things….Cruise, Parthenon, Museums, Monastiraki square and Plaka….etc. etc.

However this time I decided to change it up a bit (kind of).  I still did my museums, and eating Greek food every chance I get, and walked around going to the same shops I always go to in order to buy things that I simply do not need, but I think I need.

I decided to try a food tour with the company Alternative Athens.  Seeing as it was an Easter Weekend holiday, it was a forgone conclusion that a lot of places would be closed, however I had to do these treks around the city with them. 

 

 

 

 

The first one I took was the city food tour.  The guide-Andreas (andreas@alternativeathens.com)  was very well versed in the different culinary delights Athens had to offer.  He gave us a history of the parts of the city we walked around as we went to different shops and restaurants.  We had some koulouri, which is a fast traditional Greek style wheat bread that fills you up and gives you energy for the start of the day.  We then tried different olives, olive oils, wine, vinegar, olive paste and much more at a shop, which I of course bought a lot of.  We were able to sample the ever so famous Baklava, which I bought a kilo of as well as the ever so famous Pork Soulvaki as well as feta cheese pie and coffee.  What I liked about this tour is that you never got full and you walked a lot around Athens and saw the fruit/vegetable market as well as the butchery and fish market which is all fresh. 

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Street Art

To see other street art treks I have done please go to Djerba Island Street Art Spectacular in Tunisia:

Djerba

and

Djerba again

A street art tour is something that I have always wanted to do in Athens with a local.  I defiantly got the chance this time as there was a guide available that knew all the best places for street art and knew about the pieces!!!!  His name was Nikos (rude@alternativeathens.com), and boy did he live up to the expectation!!!  We were able to see more street art than I have ever seen before with artists from all around Athens.  You have to walk through some neighborhoods to see the hidden art pieces as well as know a little bit of Greek to get the message they are trying to convey.  I would in my mind do this again, and again, and again as new pieces are popping up all over the place!!!

Athens Street Art Gallery 1

Athens Street Art Gallery 2

Of course you have the common things to do around Athens- food, wine, beer, more food, museums, people watching, shopping, more food, and more food…..and just relaxing and enjoying a city with a relaxing and lovely atmosphere.  If all of the reasons above do not convince you to go to Athens, then maybe you should rethink your priorities.  ATHENS, I will see you again, do not know when, but ill come back in some way…