Athens Crash Course

A short hop into the big city was enough to see the Acropolis.

Most backpackers will agree that Athens is just another big city with nothing more to do than see the Acropolis. The beauty of the Greek Isles had soaked up so much of our time that Athens was a short [but enough] venture. We arrived from Mykonos into the Rafina port at 5am awaiting the first circuit of buses to transport us into the city centre about 45 minutes away. In Athens, we first got lost in the Greek alphabet, then found the train station, booked train tickets to Patras, left our bags, and ventured to the Acropolis. In Athens, the underground tube stations are museums with precious static displays. A newly designed underground tube momentarily arrived and transported us to the Acropolis stop where we got off and got lost. Finally making way to the entrance with a lady from Barcelona, I paid €6 to walk up and through the historical ruins of the Parthenon, Theatre of Herodes Atticus, Theatre of Dionysos, and Erechtheion.

I confirm that the Parthenon is still there, but most of the pieces were acquired and are in London’s British Museum. I’ve basically seen it already. Plus, I was too overwhelmed with historical landmarks by this point and couldn’t honestly appreciate another one. Afterwards, I walked down to the flea market and tried to find some souvenirs and eat something besides some Gyros pita. I picked up some Ouzo, wine, and other goods and rushed back to the train station for our journey to Patras.

From Patras we took an overnight ferry to Ancona, Italy. For a few hours we walked through the market with meats, cheeses, wines, and crafts. I reminisced on my previous Italy trip with lasagna, cappuccino, gelato, and picked up a fresh proscuitto to bring back to London. From Italy we got onto our Ryanair flight and arrived into London. Our trip didn’t end just yet, as London’s “efficiency” forced us to wait for bags another hour, Stanstead Express closed to engineering works, and another hour wait for an hour and half bus to Victoria Station. All in all, the most two tiring days of the trip came to a close and I was happy to be settled in London.

Pictures of Acropolis, Porch of Caryatids, Theatre of Dionysos, Theatre of Herodes Atticus, Lykavittos Hill in Athens

Greece Travel Recommendations

From London I took Ryanair to Ancona Italy and then took the ferry to Greece. Rather than flying directly to Athens, it mapped out a fun travelling experience.

Ryanair | www.ryanair.com
Ryanair has some incredible deals from London and most places around Europe. I would consult with their website before you hand over all your money to a package deal. Check it out and travel smart.

Anek Lines | www.anek.gr
Anek Lines offer ferry services to and from Italy. The boat trip felt like a little cruise and was a good time out on the sea. It’s definitely not as comforting as taking a cruise but it still was a cool way to travel especially when you’re on a conscious budget and want to do something different.