Athens

[Russinating]

Going to Athens later in the year, any advice or pointers on things to do/see/eat/drink etc etc most welcome!

Saying for 3 nights as a group of 8.

 

[TrannyBill]

Put "spec me" in the title, and receive many more replies.

I'm sorry that I'm no use other than that advice

 

[Malevolence]

Besides the obvious like having a mooch about the Acropolis and the Agora most of my info. will be well out of date. I will say this though, if you want to experience the best gyros then you have to head for the Bairaktaris Tavern, which is located behind a church on Monastiraki Square.

 

[eviled]

lots of it is grim with open drug injection on the street, don't stray off the beaten track

 

[robfosters]

In Athens, they say of the Acropolis where the Parthenon is....

 

[Quartz]

Going to Athens later in the year

I haven't been for over 30 years (eep!) but try going early next year - late March or April - instead. Greece is lovely in the spring and it's not yet hot.

any advice or pointers on things to do/see/eat/drink etc etc most welcome

How are you with Greek? Because there's so much to see outside Athens.

 

[Russinating]

Put "spec me" in the title, and receive many more replies.

I'm sorry that I'm no use other than that advice

You're right, you've got far more experience posting here than I do.

Thanks for all the replies, but we are going in December and it's unlikely we'll visit an island though we might hire a boat as I've got a license so could always stop on some nearby ones for a couple of hours.

 

[Lokwyr]

I'm probably too late to be useful, but..
The best food is at the kiosk/ taxi café near the main hospital , not far from the eastern terminus of the tram system. Voulimensis, or similar. Avoid flash joints, even if HRH Charles & his ex dined there (Tsolios). Go visit the 1917 (so-called battleship) Georg Averoff, the replica trireme Olympios, the New Acropolis Museum. The museum is breathtaking. Glass floors with the older cities below on view. Don't miss out the lesser sights- Syntagma Square Metro Station and its glass wall. Outside of Athens, Sounio/Sounion.
Be aware- if it's Greek, every named thing has at least 4 different spellings!
If harassed by beggars, speak German! "Nein, danke" is quite satisfying.
Stray dogs, almost everywhere. If they have big coloured collars they have been neutered and are being looked-after.
If you can find it try ouzo icecream. Lots of it
I don't like cities, but I would return to Athens.

 

[Rroff]

If harassed by beggars, speak German! "Nein, danke" is quite satisfying.

If you can find it try ouzo icecream. Lots of it

I'm not sure you have OP's best interests at heart

 

[dowie]

Bit of a dump that you have to pass through to get to the port and go to the islands.

Aside from the historical sites I’m not sure much to appeal.

 

[Begbie]

I'm not sure you have OP's best interests at heart

I think he has.

Have the icecream, and follow it with some Ouzo. Delicious.

 

[Rroff]

I think he has.

Have the icecream, and follow it with some Ouzo. Delicious.

It was the lots of it bit rather than an objection to Ouzo

And I might be wrong but I don't think Germans are very popular in Greece right now.

 

[Jean-F]

Hope “Nein Danke” works for you.
I was in Casablanca, Morocco, years ago with a girlfriend, and soon discovered that the beggars had a good handle on English, as I was called a tight bar steward by a couple when I blanked them.
I knew that French wouldn’t work, as that was our fall back language if we came across someone who couldn’t speak English, being an old French colony, almost everyone there spoke it.
I tried my limited German, they laughed and called me ein arsloch!
My Polish girlfriend beat them with a volley in Polish, I left it to her after that.

 

[Lokwyr]

I think he has.

Have the icecream, and follow it with some Ouzo. Delicious.

Ouzo icecream kills two birds, pleasantly.

 

[Russinating]

Off tomorrow so not too late at all! Happy dealing with any kind of hassler having spent a lot of time in Asia and the Middle East.

 

[Begbie]

It was the lots of it bit rather than an objection to Ouzo

And I might be wrong but I don't think Germans are very popular in Greece right now.

I once seen a friend (6ft5, and nearly as wide) down a quarter bottle. He passed out almost immediately, and had to be dragged to bed. I'm pretty sure it was just the taste that done it.

Seriously, its disgusting

 

[alexakasloth]

Take a bus/ car up to the Temple of Poseidon if you want to see something outside of the city.
Also, 'beer time' I remember being a good pub/bar type place to eat.
[Edit] make sure to remind museum staff that we are the rightful owners of half the Elgin marbles.

 

[Fluke?]

Yeah he's pretty good but don't really like the vids where you can see his face.

 

[Rroff]

I once seen a friend (6ft5, and nearly as wide) down a quarter bottle. He passed out almost immediately, and had to be dragged to bed. I'm pretty sure it was just the taste that done it.

Seriously, its disgusting

Probably the delayed alcohol absorption that is typical with it so tends to hit you hard when it does kick in and if you aren't used to it or don't drink enough water will leave you feeling horrific the next day - hence my objection to lots of it hah.

 

[NVP]

Hope “Nein Danke” works for you.
I was in Casablanca, Morocco, years ago with a girlfriend, and soon discovered that the beggars had a good handle on English, as I was called a tight bar steward by a couple when I blanked them.
I knew that French wouldn’t work, as that was our fall back language if we came across someone who couldn’t speak English, being an old French colony, almost everyone there spoke it.
I tried my limited German, they laughed and called me ein arsloch!
My Polish girlfriend beat them with a volley in Polish, I left it to her after that.

Just stick to "noh inglesh" and you're good in any country