Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world, and while it’s a hub for tourists and politics, it’s also home to some of the most fascinating landmarks and sights I’ve ever seen. Nitin and I love exploring new places, and although we heard mix reviews about Athens from family and friends, we had a blast embracing the culture and history of this beautiful city. We were only in Athens for one night, but had two days to see everything on our list. We arrived in the capital of Greece the day after the big vote. Given the media hype concerning the state of Athens, we were a bit uneasy about what to expect. However, our fears quickly vanished once we entered the heart of Syntagma Square (the central square of Athens), where we were greeted by the hustle and bustle of tourists, busy food stations and hundreds of locals casually strolling the streets. The media’s portrayal of Greece at the time of our visit was far from accurate. While I’m all for being a cautious traveller, the concerns of possible food shortages were a bit extreme in my opinion.

Upon arriving in Athens we were taken to our hotel, which was on the doorstep of Syntagma Square. This was the perfect location for us as nearly everything was in walking distance, and got a fabulous view of the Acropolis from our suite which made for some great shots. After the long flight, we took a quick 30 minute power nap before freshening up for the day ahead. I put on my H&M strapless jumpsuit (I was all about the one-pieces this trip), which I happened to spot while shopping at Yorkdale a couple months earlier. I love the woven pattern and bright colours, and knew it would be perfect for Greece. I paired the jumpsuit with my black gladiator sandals, my Satya Paul multi leather lipstick handbag (sold out), and a wrist full of colourful bracelets.

Our exploration of Athens began by watching the changing of the guards, followed by lunch at Athinaikon Restaurant, which to describe in one word, was awesome! The place was filled with locals, enjoying spreads of authentic Greek cuisine. I’ll never forget my first taste of real Greek tzatziki …just the thought is enough to make my mouth water. After Nitin rolled me out of Athinaikon, we walked over to the Temple of Zeus. In the midst of the sweltering heat we kept ourselves hydrated and never went anywhere without a water bottle in hand (the further you go from the square, the cheaper the price of water). We spent about an hour at the Temple of Zeus, walking around and taking pictures of the historic site. There wasn’t too much more to explore in this area, so we headed back to our hotel, ducking in and out of little alleys along the way.

Once back at our hotel, we got ready for dinner at Attikos Greek House, which you can read more about here. We took a cab to the restaurant because the walk was too far, and enjoyed a night of lovely food, good wine and breathtaking views of the Acropolis and city. When we arrived back at our hotel after dinner we completely passed out (thanks to the perfect combination of jet lag and red wine).

We set our alarm fairly early the next morning to get a good start on the day. I decided on my H&M lightweight embroidered blouse with a deep V back, which is now on sale. Although the weather was +30°C, the light and airy material made it super comfortable in the heat, and kept my arms from burning. I paired this with my sunset coral Express shorts and timeless Eric Javits sunhat.

Nitin loves checking out the transportation in the different cities we visit, so we took the Metro over to the Acropolis, but if you’re staying close to the square you can walk. I recommend viewing the Acropolis earlier in the day, before it gets too hot and also before the tourist buses begin arriving. The site itself is not hard to find, but I will advise that the line for tickets can be fairly long. We waited in line for around 45 minutes before entering the site and beginning our climb to the top. The walk appears to be more long and tiresome than it actually is, and you can stop at many points along the way to rest of take a sip of water. Before arriving at the site, we were wondering how we were going to get to the top, but once you’re there you realize the walk isn’t too bad. There were a lot of older people making the trek, but keep in mind the surface you are walking on is uneven, and slippery in places. Nitin and I took in the views from every angle we could, and while there was scaffolding, we were still blown away by the beauty and history before us. We spent a couple hours walking around, taking pictures and learning about the history of the Acropolis.

The site is packed with tourists from around the world, so be prepared for crowds, photo bombing and being asked to take a lot of pictures, which is kind of fun because you can ask others to do the same for you. After walking around the entire area we eventually made our way back to the grounds, and over to the Acropolis Museum. Between the narrow streets and vague directions, we got a little lost but eventually found our way. The museum is around a 10 minute walk from the Acropolis itself. We spent an hour and a half exploring the museums artifacts and exhibits. For those of you like myself, who enjoy learning about history, this museum is a definite must-see while in Athens. After the museum we headed over to the historical neighbourhood of Plaka, which is filled with cafes and small shops. We didn’t have much time in Plaka as we had to catch our flight to Mykonos, but I would have loved to check out this area more. All in all, Athens was great to us, and was the perfect start to our vacation in Greece.

Thanks for stopping by!

xo, Kiki