THOSE OLD FAMILIAR PLACES: ATHENS, Greece

My favorite perch above the rooftops of Plaka

I always look forward to returning to Athens,Greece to see my friends and all those old familiar places that I have grown to love as my own 'adopted' city/country.  I made my first trip to Greece in 1979, arriving by bus to Thessaloniki (from London) and then by train to Athens. I fell in love with Greece immediately. It was almost as if I had lived there before and on that first trip, plus other trips since,

 Plaka at Night

 Lysicrates Monument by the "Dirty Corner" where we used to all hang out

 Stoa of Attalus in the Agora

I have had so many deja vu experiences it really does make me think I lived there in another lifetime. In fact, my Celtic novel DRAGONS IN THE SKY is a first person narrative of a Celtic girl who gets kidnapped and ends up in Greek Macedonia. In researching it I have discovered so many connections between the Celts and the Greeks.  The whole idea of the novel (which I started writing in the '70's before I had actually visited Greece) was because my first historical novel, written when I was 17 in high school, had an Alexander the Great theme. I became fascinated with him when I was 16 and often people asked if I had lived in Greece before because I was able to write such vivid descriptions of the country and the characters.

The Parthenon

On my first trip to Greece I went to the museum in Thessaloniki and saw all the grave finds from Vergina, allegedly Philip II, Alexander's father. (This may now be contested with the discovery of a second tomb). When I took the train down to Athens I sat with a middle-aged doctor who was very kind and welcoming and when I arrived in Athens he was very helpful and encouraging.  I checked into a small hotel, The Tempi, in Plaka and thus began my exciting exploration of this amazing, historic city that I have grown to love.

View of Lykebettos over the Plaka rooftops

I visited again the next couple of years and by 1983 I decided to fulfil a life-long dream and go to live in Europe. I had always thought it might be London I'd move to, but no, I KNEW it was Greece. So I found myself a home in Plaka and there I stayed tutoring ESL and enjoying a most fascinating life for the next five years.  I regretted returning to Canada when I did in 1987 but later I went back to Greece, spending six months at a time while I was writing SHADOW OF THE LION. And since then I go nearly every year spending as much time as I can afford.  I had always thought I'd return there to live, and almost did on a couple of occasions.  And I still have that dream of living the rest of my retirement life there. But meanwhile I will be happy with my visits, each time exploring a new place in this wonderful country.

A place where I love to sit and enjoy the view

New Acropolis Museum

I have good friends in Greece and love to visit with them. I feel as at home in Athens as I do in Vancouver  and in fact, when I return to Greece I feel my life 'changes', and I am more alive and happier than I am anywhere else.

 Monastiraki market district 

Dining at a favorite souvlaki shop in Monastiraki 

So, this September I once again return to my beloved country. It has been so sad what has happened to Greece due to the econimic strife all brought about by former politicians and dishonesty and now by the determination of Germany to control all of Europe, especially greece, through the banks.  My friends there have been suffering terribly and I understand the terrible situation they have been put in. If my meagre tourist dollars can help I will do what I can and I encourage others to visit this most fabulous country too.

 Some of my Friends

 Anna owner of the To Kati Allo Taverna

Anna's family, Dino (her son), grandson and husband Leonnatis

NEXT: Exploring some new places in Greece.

WANDERING AROUND PLAKA.

When I first visited Athens back in 1979, it was the Plaka that attracted me most.  I stayed in an old walk-hotel on Aeolou St. and wandered the area (though for some odd reason, those first few visits I totally missed Plaka Square, choosing instead to hang out in the area around Hadrian's Library and the old Roman Agora.  Perhaps because I had made friends with the taverna workers there and they always made me feel at home.

 PLAKA

 I decided to go to live in Athens in 1983 but a friend and I had an apartment farther away in the Koukaki district.  It wasn't until 1984 that I moved into Plaka in a basement suite at #14 Vironos St.
This appealed to me partly because "Vironos Street" was "Byron's Street" named so because at one time there was a small monastery at the end of the street where he used to stay. And right around the corner from that was Shelley Street named after Percy Byce Shelley,  Bryon's poet friend. 

My suite opened to a lovely courtyard in which there was another small house (spitaki) and over the years a variety of interesting people lived there including artists and writers.  Most of my years at #14 though it was Roberto, an artist from Argentina, who became my best friend. The owners lived upstairs, Dina and Ioannis and yiayia - lovely people, so friendly and accommodating. And in another small house behind Robert's spitaki, in a back courtyard, was a workshop of one of the curator's of the acropolis museum (the old museum) where he was often restoring old statues.

Down the street at the place where Bryon used to live, there was a milk shop. The excavation on the old monastery site had caused a lot of dust so we called it "The Dirty Corner".  Right there at the corner was the old monument of Lysikratis, a tripod monument award the chorus of a drama held long ago in the ancient theatre of Dionysus.  This are, it seems, was once the theatrical part of old Athens. That suited me fine!

Milk shop (now a posh cafe) at the "Dirty Corner"

I still love browsing around Plaka every time I'm in Athens. It's quite touristy with many souvenir shops, tavernas and tables crowded with visitors, but it's a fun part of town.  I used to pass #14 every day I was there and look through the gate. Sadly the owners are no longer there and the last time I went the gateway was totally boarded up.  The Dirty Corner is now a rather posh restaurant. And the dust is gone from the excavations. 

One of the things about Plaka is all the graffiti. This is a big thing in Athens - good or bad. I find it upsetting in some cases but in others it is attractive and artistic. Sometimes it's political slogans or people's names sprayed on the old walls, but often it is well-crafted artwork. What I don't like is when it's sprayed on neo-classical buildings.

There's lots to see around Plaka from the shops to the old ruins and Plaka Square is a great place to meet up and enjoy a cold frappe or a beer at one of the sidewalk tables, or to just sit inside the square on a bench under the trees to watch passers-by.

One of my favorite taverans on Tripidon Street

Plaka is the old Athens and that's what I like most about it -- philosophers and dramatists once walked those cobbled streets. And yes, people like Byron and Shelley too!  And once when I was sitting in Square who came strolling by escorted by her 'bodyguards', dressed all in white, her red-gold hair like a halo, but the beautiful Greek actress Melina Mercouri.  There's a museum for her now in one of the old houses.

Roman Agora

former Mosque, now folk art museum

Former Turkish school

Plaka Street

  

Plaka Wine Bar

From Plaka you can visit the Monastiraki bazaar and experience some of the Ottoman parts of the city alongside the Roman.  And towering above it all is the magnificent Acropolis crowned with the Parthenon.  If you want some quiet away from the bustle of it all walk along the pedestrian roadway beside the Herod Atticus Theatre and you'll come to the tree-covered Filopappou Hill and a bit farther than that, pathways through the trees will lead you to the Hill of Nymphs, my favorite picnic spot.

And whatever you do, don't miss the New Acropolis Museum which is one of the most wonderful museums I've ever visited. I had the thrill of watching it being built from the first excavations to the shining finished product. It's all part of my old 'hood!

FINDING YOUR WAY AROUND ATHENS



Tourist Office





I'm as familiar with Athens as I am of my own home town, Vancouver, and consider it my 'second home'.  But as I was working on an Athens Guide e-book for an American publisher, the last time I went to visit I had to spend extra time exploring and making note of things that would be useful for a tourist.

Athens can be overwhelming but it isn't that difficult to find your way around, in particular since most tourists are most interested in the old part of the city and the ancient sites, all of which are walking-distance from most hotels if you are located near the Plaka or Syntagma Square areas of the city.

There is a very good tourist office located on Dionissiou Areopagitou pedestrian walk that runs along beside the Acropolis.  The New Acropolis Museum is nearby, across the road.  The entrance to the Theatre of Dionysus is right there and just up the street is the entrance to the Theatre of Herod Atticus (The Herodian) where you can see some outstanding performances during the summer months.

 New Acropolis Museum

 Acropolis

Entrance to Herod Atticus Theatre.

The entrance to the Acropolis is through the area of the Theatre of Dionysus and the tickets include this site as well as the Ancient Agora on the other side of the Acropolis.

I used to live on Vironos Street (Byron's Street) that runs right into the Areopagitou.  Across the square where the roads cross are lots of good tavernas (on Makrigiani as well as on the Areopagitou. And this is where you can board one of the cute little tourist trains or perhaps take a ride on a horse and buggy. 

 Vironos Street

Gypsy Boy

I enjoy walking along Areopagitou to the end where it turns down past Filopappou Hill toward the area of town known as Thissio.  This is a popular part of the old city and one I will explore along with the newly gentrified parts of town called Psiri and Gazi.  There's lots to see here, new restaurants as well as places of interest. 

As you walk along Apostolou Pavlou Street, on the right hand side is a part of the Agora that is partially excavated with some interesting things to see as well as a great view of the Acropolis and Parthenon. On the left had side there are also some bits of ancient Athens that are often by-passed by tourists who don't know they exist.

View of Lykebettus from Thision.

Acropolis View 

Church built on site of ancient sanctuary

Entering Thissio there are several outdoor tavernas where you can sit and enjoy a cold frappe and the remarkable view of the Acropolis.  Then you'll come to the road that leads into Monastiraki, passing by the entrance to the Ancient Agora, into the flea market and bazaar.

 Thission Street cafes

Enjoy an iced frappe

 Street painting

Entrance to Monastiraki from Thission

 Mosque 

Make your way through the busy shopping crowds to Monastiraki square where you'll see the big old Mosque that is now a museum. During the Ottoman occupation, this was mainly the Turkish part of town.  Some of the best souvlaki shops are in this area and my favorite is Bairaktaris, at the corner of the Plateia Monastiraki.  It's one of the oldest tavernas in the area and the walls are lined with photos of celebrity visitors and wine kegs setting up a real old-world atmosphere.  And the souvlakis are delicious!

 Mmm good gyro on pita!

 Guess who is in this photo? (Joan Rivers!)

Outside Bairaktaris Taverna

If you wend your way up the busy street past the Mosque you'll come to a different part of the Plaka, with several Roman ruins, including the Library of Hadrian and the Roman Agora.
This part of Plaka is one of my favorite places to browse, and if you're an archaeology/history buff like me you'll enjoy it too!  There are also many pleasant tavernas under the trees where you can enjoy a glass of krasi and a delicious Greek meal.

There's so much to explore in Plaka and you need to spend a couple of days here if you really want to enjoy it all.

You can tour around this area on the Fun Train! 

NEXT: Exploring the Roman and Turkish parts of PLAKA.