already as a child, I really wanted to visit Athens, as ancient Greece has always fascinated me. And where can you get as close to ancient Greece as in Athens? After all, some of the ancient buildings and their ruins are still standing there. But shortly before my long-awaited trip to Athens, my brother put a slight damper on my anticipation. “Athens is the dirtiest capital I've ever seen!” he said. And my brother has already seen many (capital) cities... So I flew to Athens with mixed feelings. Will it really be that dirty? Or does the city, like Naples, simply have charm at second glance? Or would my childish notions of antiquity be confirmed?
None of the above. First of all, the city is less dirty than advertised. Then I liked the city at first sight - when we looked out over Athens from the roof terrace of our Airbnb and the Acropolis towered before us, it was simply incredible! But even my childish expectations of such an ancient city were not 100% fulfilled. Because of course Athens has a multitude of ancient buildings that blew me away. However, the city has understandably moved with the times, so it has some modern influences. However, the modern influences are very different to what I know from Northern Europe. Some of the structure reminded me of Spanish cities, others of Amman in Jordan. Not surprising given Greece's southeastern location within Europe...
Well, the first impression was not a disappointment. And the second? It was even better! I liked Athens very much, both by day and by night. The city is interesting, diverse and vibrant. During the day, tourists dominate the cityscape, squeezing through the narrow streets from one sight to the next in the blazing sun. In the evening, this picture changes and the locals live their lives on the streets of Athens. Good music, nice conversations and the best wine are guaranteed. So make time for both in Athens: the touristy days to see the sights; and the vibrant nights to experience the real Athens!
xx Chiara