First stop, Athens!
I was on a work trip in Virginia, it was my first visit home since I had moved to Texas a couple months prior. I was in this really awkward stage in my life where I was learning how to live my life all alone and outside of my comfort zone. I found myself on phone during my lunch break when something called me to Groupon. One tap lead to another and the next thing I know, I saw an insanely affordable trip to Greece. Ever since Sisterhood of the Traveling pants, I had been dying to visit. The deal advertised for about $1,200 which seemed too good to be true. I checked the cost to fly to Greece and flights alone were so much more than the cost of the Groupon deal! The deal included 8 days 6 nights in Athens, Mykonos and Santorini with hotel, ferry rides to the Islands and transportation to and from the Airport. I knew Greece was relatively safe and my best friend and everyone else who has ever been always talked so highly of it. I really felt like this would be such a great experience for me and decided I would do it alone….that and no one else was interested in going with me. After checking the flights, I went ahead and purchased this trip. I did all of this within my hour break, I’ve always been spontanious, but this was a whole new level for me….and I loved it!
When I first got to Athens, I was greeted by tightly stacked buildings all no taller than about 9 or 10 stories. Turns out this is to protect against earthquakes and to not block the view of Acropolis, pretty neat!
I stayed at The Polis Grand Hotel, the location was very convenient, I was walking distance to National Archaeological Museum of Athens which was only a few blocks away. I also walked to Acropolis, this took about 30 minutes which was a great way to experience the culture, however, keep in mind you will have to hike up hill to Accropolis, plus walk around the site. The hotel had a rooftop bar and restaurant which not only served great authentic food, but also offered amazing views of Acropolis, mountains and the city.
After taking a brief walk around the block my hotel was located on, I will say I was definitely experencing some culture shock. So I decided to come back to the hotel for the fried Feta and a glass of local wine…both a must when in Greece. I took in the views and relaxed. The hotel restaurant offered some really beautiful views!
The next day, after my walking food tour, I went to Acropolis. First, I walked through the beautiful neighborhood of Plaka, situated on the slopes of Acropolis. This neighborhood had beautiful architecture, cute cafes and shops. Be careful of pushy people on the streets hustling random products! While walking this man stopped me and told me about a show they were putting on that evening in the square. As he was telling me this, he started tying a bracelet onto my wrist and told me it was a gift. He told me that i could consider donating and that some people donate 20, 50 euros. I gave him a 1 euro coin and he asked for more. After explaining that i didn’t have anymore money (a lie) he was upset and said it was ok and left me alone. It was an ugly bracelet that i didn’t even want, but it taught me a valuable lesson, it’s ok to feel like you’re being rude in a situation like that and to say no.
Once I made it to Acropolis, I stopped for a frozen lemonade, I was really in search of water…but it was delicious! And Expensive. A helpful tip, if you are a student, bring your student ID. The Acropolis as well as the National Archaeological Museum offer deep discounts for students!
My camera strap is from Amazon! It’s so cute and goes with almost any look!
Across from the Acropolis entrance, there are stairs that lead you up onto a cliff where you can see Acropolis and take in the vastness of Athens!
I finally made it to Acropolis. It was a hike and the stones were a little slick, but the views were worth it.
I was looking for an employee to tell me how much the items below were…i would’ve loved to incorporate them into the home I build in the future! haha
The views from Acropolis were the best part!
After I left Acropolis, I headed back to my hotel to clean up and relax. I am really sad that i didn’t have time to make it to the Poet Shoe maker. For around 40 euros you can have a pair of leather sandals custom made! The owner has made shoes for some elite feet, these feet include Sarah Jessica Parker and John Lennon, just to name a couple.
Athens was very charming! I am so happy I got to experience the History and culture. 1 1/2 days was simply not enough time to take everything in. My next stop on the tour and surprisingly my favorite, Mykonos!
