TRAVEL - Sara Shantelle Lim Travels to GREECE - Athens, Santorini & Mykonos Islands (Part 1) - The Acropolis, The Roman Agora, Dynasta Hotel Suites Athens.

TRAVEL - Greece Athens, Santorini, Mykonos

Sara Shantelle Lim Travels to Athens Greece to visit The Acropolis, The Roman Agora, 

Athens Greece Main City, Dynasta Central Suites Athens, Traditional Greek Food
(PART 1)

Top Places of Interest to Visit in Greece Athens

During my Singapore Airlines flying days, I did manage to see The Acropolis with some of my colleagues. But honestly, it feels completely different to be traveling to a beautiful place with "strangers" as compared to your loved ones. Also, I did not manage to have enough time to visit Santorini and Myokonos while I was working for Singapore Airlines. Hence, I told myself that once, I find my Mr Right guy, I will go visit Athens again. 

So here are the details of my trip

I usually use AGODA APP (www.Agoda.com) to book all my hotels.

Dynasta Central Suites Athens

15-19 Praxitelous Athens Greece 10562

from Agoda website

I booked this place called Dynasta Central Suites at Praxitelous. It is a spacious service apartment styled hotel room found under Agoda Homes. This place is walking distance to The Acropolis and the main city center of the whole Athens. I was very happy with this place when I walked into it. I usually choose only hotels that is rated 9.5 stars reviews and above. This was probably 9.8 stars when I booked it. Its the highest reviewed one and probably also the newest one. 

I like to stay in newly renovated places so that the air smells fresher and also because I am a little germ phobic. I like things to be new and everything to be very clean, and also I'm very sensitive to smell. Therefore, I prefer to stay at good and top hotels and homes. Not to forget, that it has to be middle of town too as convenience is very important when you visit a country. It is not easy to rent a car and drive around in a city center as parking can be difficult and traffic is heavy too. To truly experience a new city, you must WALK in order to enjoy the true surroundings and indulge in the surroundings like a local walking on foot. 

Dynasta Central Suites Bedroom

Dynasta Central Suites Kitchen

Dynasta Central Suites Toilet

This place is neat and clean. 

DINNER AT MELILOTOS 

Kalamiotou 19, Monastiraki, Athens 105 60, Greece

@Melilotos_Restaurant 

I landed into Athens at night around dinner time. The first thing we did after checking into Dynasta Central Suites was to find a good Greek Dinner place. We just walked down stairs and in about 2 minutes we saw the main street. There are lots of restaurants around. This is a small but yet cosy family owned restaurant. They cook simple but traditional Greek food. The price of the food here is really reasonable. It ranges from 10 to 20 euros a dish. 

Traditional Greek Salad

Grilled Octopus with Lemon

Squid Ink Pasta

Traditional Setting Inside. Modern and Sleek. 

Dinner was really good. The Greek food uses a lot of Olive Oil. 

After dinner, we decided to go walk around to explore our hotel surrounding area. Thankfully, we are staying just walking distance from The Acropolis. Well, the Acropolis is the main reason we visit Athens in the first place. 

This is how Athens' streets look like in the night..

Zions

Athens Street Art

Church of Panaghia Kapnikarea

Ermou 55, Kapinkareas 2, Athina 105 63, Greece

The Church of Panagia Kapnikarea or just Kapnikarea is a Greek Orthodox church and one of the oldest churches in Athens. 

The Acropolis from BELOW at NIGHT..

It was getting late, so after walking around the Athens streets to get our bearings. We decided to go back to the Dynasta Central Suites to rest so that we can start our day early the next day.

DAY 2

Harvest Coffee & Wine

Aiolou 64 &, Evripidou, Athina 105 60, Greece

Harvest Coffee and Wine - The setting inside feels quite English. Quite a pretty place. Colourful and nicely decorated with wine bottles for their counter area. They served delicious eggs with salmon for breakfast and my boy had some muesli with yogurt and fruit. How healthy doc! 

Guards Changing at the City Center

Omonoia Square 

Omonoia Square is a central square in Athens. Forming the centre of Omonoia, It marks the northern corner of the downtown area defined by the city plans of the 19th century, and is one of the city's principal traffic hubs. It is served by Omonoia train station.

After breakfast, we went to walk around, and we were lucky enough to see a guard changing ceremony in at the Omonoia Square.

(Photo of the Omonoia Square taken from Wiki)

Walking to the Acropolis

The Acropolis is on the top of a hill, so we basically had to keep walking upwards. This is how the streets look like, there's lots of street art and graffiti around on their buildings, streets and walls. I think the Greek people are really artistic. Some may call it vandalism, but I like to think its really cool art. 

The Acropolis & Slopes

Athen Greece

Athens 105 58, Greece

The Athenian Acropolis is the ancient high city of Athens, a prominent plateaued rock perched high above the modern city with commanding views and an amazing array of ancient architecture, mostly from the Classical period of Ancient Greece, the most famous of which is the Parthenon. A visit to Athens is not complete without visiting the Acropolis - hundreds of tourists each day accordingly make the pilgrimage.

How much is The Acropolis Entrance Tickets?

The cost of entrance to the Acropolis is about 20 euros and is good for the other sites in the area including the ancient agora, theatre of Dionysos, Kerameikos, Roman Agora, Tower of the Winds and the Temple of Olympian Zeus and is supposedly good for a week. You can also buy individual tickets to these other sites.

Where is the Acropolis Entrance?

The entrance to the Acropolis is off Theorias St. From the Akropoli metro stop and New Acropolis Museum, walk west along Dionysiou Areopagitou Street and take the first right on to Theorias; from the Thissio metro stop west of Monastiraki, walk west to Apostolou Pavlou St, turn left on it, and walk south to turn left on Theorias. From Plaka, you can walk south up steep Mnisikleous St as far as you can go and turn right on Theorias.

How much time is needed to visit The Acropolis?

The complete tour takes about 1h 30 minutes, You can visit Acropolis and museum in 4 hours and the archeological museum 2 hours, but you will be more tired when you visit in the hot sun during the summer hot temperatures. The best time to visit would be during autumn and spring time. Winter may be a little bit cold, but ticket prices would be slightly cheaper during winter as well. 

The Parthenon at The Acropolis

What is the difference between The Acropolis and The Parthenon?

The Parthenon is the most famous monument on top of that rock. The Acropolis, a rocky hill in the centre of Athens. On its flat top, three temples: the Parthenon, the Erechtheum and the temple of Athena Nike. The name Acropolis derives from the Greek words AKRO (meaning peak, top) and POLIS (meaning city).

It is really windy at the top of the hill. Do wear comfortable shoes as you need to walk upwards a lot. 

What is the Acropolis used for? What is its Purpose? What does it serve as?

The Acropolis is the crowning jewel of Athens and one of the most important cultural sites in the world. This incredible, sprawling complex was the birthplace of democracy and the most important center of ancient Greece.

View of Theatre of Dionysus from The Slopes of The Acropolis

The Theatre of Dionysus Eleuthereus is a major theatre in Athens, considered to be the world's first theatre, built at the foot of the Athenian Acropolis.

How was the Acropolis destroyed?

The Acropolis was captured and destroyed by the Persians 10 years later (in 480 B.C.). Although the Athenians and other Greeks were eventually victorious over their eastern enemies, the Acropolis lay in ruins. Athens was invaded and partially destroyed by the Heruli from northern Europe.

Ancient Buildings

On the Acropolis

• The Parthenon— The largest temple on the Acropolis, originally dedicated to the goddess of

the city, Athena, later converted to a church and then a mosque. Built between 447 and 438 BCE at the height of the Classical period. Original home to what some refer to as the "Elgin Marbles", now in London's British Museum.

• The Temple of Athena Nike— First temple on the Acropolis to be built in the Ionic style, and one of the few exemplars of an amphiprostyle temple in all of Greece: what made it truly unique was the unit by which it was planned, which turns out to be the Egyptian foot of 300 mm.
• The Erectheion— Dedicated to the worship of the two principal gods of Attica, Athena and Poseidon-Erechtheus.
• The Propylea— The ancient monumental gateway to the Acropolis.

On the South Side

• The Odeon of Herodes Atticus: This ancient theatre is still used today for concerts and plays.
• The Theatre of Dionysis

LUNCH AT COLLAGE

 Kapnikareas 3, Athina 105 63, Greece

Its time for lunch! We walked into this modern looking restaurant, it is huge and spacious and it has a very nice wine collection. It has a very colourful bar counter too. Ambience was perfect. Food was served like as if it was like fine dining, as the Cod Fish I had was really pretty. Well done for their food plating and decorations. 

I wanted to try another Greek Salad again, because I really loved the one I had the night before.

Look at how pretty my COD FISH looks. It even has caviar on my spaghetti. 

The Collage's Wine Collection

Roman Agora of Athens

Polignotou 3, Athina 105 55, Greece

The Roman Agora is located to the north of the Acropolis and to the east of the Ancient Agora.

Public life in the city of Athens was concentrated in and around the Agora, the market, a large rectangular shaded with plane trees, willows and poplars, ornamented with fountains, statues and votive offerings, surrounded by porticos where the merchants and sellers sold all sorts of goods and provisions. There were also the bankers of the time, the hairdressers, the perfumers, men of business, men of letters, artists and artisans, politicians, orators, philosophers, who walked and discussed on all issues of life and the questions of the day.   ​

The structures in this Roman Agora Area - Tower of the Winds, Gate of Athena Archegetis, East Propylon, Fethiye Mosque, Agoranomion, Vespasianae (Latrinae). 

Tower of the Winds

Aiolou, Athina 105 55, Greece

The Tower of the Winds or the Horologion of Andronikos Kyrrhestes is an octagonal Pentelic marble clocktower in the Roman Agora in Athens that functioned as a horologion or "timepiece". It is considered the world's first meteorological station. Unofficially, the monument is also called Aerides, which means Winds.

STAY TUNE FOR GREECE ATHENS  -  PART 2 

TRAVEL - Sara Shantelle Lim Travels to GREECE - Athens, Santorini & Mykonos Islands (Part 2) - Ancient Agora of Athens, Temple of Hephaestus, Hans & Gretel, Monastiraka Flea Market, Athens Sea Sponges.

- CLICK HERE -

Museum of The Ancient Agora

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