Quick post, to share some pics of my visit to Athens.
I have been to Athens several times before, so I didn’t feel the urge to visit all the historical sites in the 5 days I spent with my dad at the beginning of April 2022.
We revisited quite a few of them anyway, focusing on 1 museum/ historical highlight a day. For the rest of the time, we just followed our feet, randomly strolling through the city.
*This is the view from the balcony, I literally saw the Parthenon / Acropolis on waking up and before going to bed, how cool is that?
When we needed a break, there was always a terrace with coffee or lunch around.
I ate a lot of tzatziki, and countless mezzes, plus drank numerous iced coffees, but didn’t gain weight.
Apparently, I walked enough to burn all those delicious calories!
Why did I consider my walking in Athens a workout?
Walking these streets is more effective than being on the treadmill in my gym for 45 minutes if you ask me. Look at this picture.
To go back to our apartment, we had to walk these stairs. The picture only shows part of them.
We did this at least twice a day. (yes, that’s my dad, bravely climbing the stairs – equivalent of 4,5 floors inside a building)
But that wasn’t the only uphill street we walked. Athens is full of steep streets and alleys!
I really enjoyed the views of roofs, stairs, buildings, parks, graffiti, street art, historical sites, tourist streets.
No need to go to the gym to walk some stairs on a machine, this training took place in way better and more motivating surroundings.
Related: Combining Work and Travel – My 5 weeks in Athens in 2023
Peaceful walk: The First Cemetery of Athens
The cemetery opened in 1837 and is located in central Athens. I come here often for a walk. It’s a beautiful, quiet, green place in the middle of a bustling city.
Wikipedia Page of the first cemetery in Athens for more info
Street views around metro station Syngrou Fix
I enjoy everyday street life in a city just as much as the tourist and historical highlights.
Our apartment is within walking distance of this metro station, so a lot of our random strolls were in this area. My iPhone was my camera, my pictures are nothing fancy or professional, just a peek over my shoulder while walking.
I included a link to a map of Athens with metro station Syngrou Fix – this way you know in which part of Athens most of our ‘father-daughter city hike training’ took place.
If you like to see my snapshots of these walks, they are on my Instagram account. If you click on the Street Art picture below, it will lead you to my Instagram account.
Hiking Back to Health on Instagram
Sunday Morning in Monasteraki Fleamarket
Monasteraki has a Metro Station – we walked of course 😉
After my visit to Portugal, I sure recognize steep stairs like in your picture!! And you are right, way better than a gym and much more motivating because we want to see the beautiful things at the end of the stairs.
Greece is still on my bucket list. As a licensed art history teacher, I should have visited those magnificent monuments years ago of course. I am always making my life more difficult by not wanting to fly for environmental reasons and not wanting to visit countries with a right-wing government. 😀 Oh well, who knows what solution will present itself in time.
I hear you Hannie, flying is really bad for the environment – we don’t fly to Portugal anymore because of this, and I told my Love before I got on the plane to Thailand that I felt ashamed about flying. But not enough to take the plane for a 5 weeks trip, apparently…
Greece is magnificent, and you can go there by car and ferry, which is a great trip. The government problem isn’t easily solved by just taking a ferry I guess 😉