Prolog
Exactly
24 before my departure when i know Im going to Greece, not even have my bag
ready, cloths, snacks (typical Indonesians if going abroad) or anything else,
its like sprung the moment thing, don't know how the weathers there, is it
cold, warm, super cold, or super warm, plus where to go there, my thought just
like "ahhhhh Zeus, the famous of Greek Mythology, and Greek Yogurt"
haha, well the planned we go for 4 days 3 night there, so we booked Airbnb
immediately and get super lucky with the owner of the house, Maria, we
get connected with her via Watsaap, and she helped me with direction to her
house, and the detail how to reach there with two option by bus and with taxi,
she also help us with our random check in, yeah, i can said that because normal
check in always at day time or at least afternoon, while we landing at Athens
at 12:00am and arrive at her house almost 01:00am but Maria and her husband
already waited for us ohhhhh Blessed them both... they showed us the
house, the facility, and leave us one bottle of white wine, cheese, greek snack
and all equipped kitchen ( thats why i love Airbnb over hotel, i
can cook my own food yeayyy) and over all the house so beautiful, clean,
cozy, with balcony that you can see the most iconic site in Athens, Acropolis
even not that close as u imagine, but its precious btw i leave u the link here
for Maria's Airbnb.
Visa
well,
for you all Indonesian out there, for going to Greece or in Indonesia we called
"Yunani" we to apply Schengen visa, i will post all about Schengen
visa soon, from A to Z that i know about Schengen visa and how to get it, once
you have Schengen visa, you can go around Europe country's that member under
Schengen agreement, and there's 22 country in Europe include Greece,
Netherlands, Belgium, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, and more you can check
here http://www.schengenvisainfo.com/ .
Just make sure you have more than 6 months valid passport and of
course Visa Schengen to enter Athens, the immigration officer not asking you so
much question here in Athens, its different story when i'm enter the Netherlands,
wow so much question they asked haha but it is the way it is you have to passed
this step.
To Get Around
Before i go somewhere
abroad, i always do little browsing about how the transportation work there and
how to get around with bus, train, metro, tram and even if they have an Uber?
for some reason i trust to use Uber when i really needed, and emergency ride
when u get lost or panic, yeah panic! haha! so i found an app called TaxiBeat
that work exactly like Uber, that you can find nearest car with you in this case
taxi, you can rate driver too, also without worry you get overcharged price i
cant said is cheap, but its reasonable price. Well, When we told at prolog that
we landed at Athens International Airport, around 12:00am, so we decide for using
TaxiBeat service that night, its take us 40 min to our homestay location at
Kolokotroni nearby Syntagma Square is 36km from the airport, and cost us
40euro. Actually there’s other cheap solution which is take bus no X95 direct
to Syntagma Square every 15 min and olny cost 6 euro per person. Here some
transportation information for getting around in Athens Tripadvisor & Lonelyplanet.
Where to go
Because our Airbnb (homestay)
located so strategic, which is close by Syntagma
Square, Kolokotroni Square, and Monastiraki Square, you can see the map below, so for us everything
under walking distance to most of iconic site in Athens, yeah for me this
walking distance, just put on your most comfortable shoes, and you ready to
rock on’ plus you will not getting bored even feel tired because every part in Athens are beautiful, specially when u walk through the
open market at Ag. Irinis Square, (get your camera ready) if you walk a bit
more you can start to see uphill road to Acropolis, and the view are
breathtaking, and specially at night time, the temple are dim with light so beautiful,
and you can enjoy this in so many restaurant that offer the good Greek food and
the view, our choose that night are going to 360 cocktail bar, is sky bar with Acropolis
view.
this beautiful uphill road to the Acropolis.
that you can see all is walking distance, if u choose for take metro also possible, but feel like lost the view right :D
this the 360 cocktail bar, is open sky bar with THE view!
Acropolis didn't lost the magic after all, yeah!!! go uphill indeed feel tired, but the view at Acropolis is real deal, but first you have to bought the ticket to go inside Acropolis, you can see Parthenon, Herodeon, Theatre Of Dionysus, Erechtheion and you can see the famous the Porch of Cryatids, and if you into the history, even you're not, go to Acropolis Museum, this museum are awesome, modern, only 5euro for fee entrance, transparent floor that you can see the real site of ancient greek, all the statue of Zeus, Athena, Aphrodite, Hermes, and the story how they built the Acropolis, everything that you might interest about ancient Greece, and the second floor there's a restaurant and souvenir shop and book store too if you into a book person (like i do ), than we walk down again to temple of Zeus, and to old Stadium of Panathecnaic, and Ancient Of Agora, is one one of the famous and to do list if you going to Athens in short day.
this Herodeon
is like the big door before you enter the Parthenon area
theres some restoration there, but the view still unbelievable!
This temple of Zeus, to worship Zeus only, wow... but this not on Acropolis area
This the entrance of the Museum Of Acropolis!! I love it!
This a how it look like the Acropolis Museum, just a glitch :D
This Panethenaic Stadium
This Temple of Hephaistos in Ancient Of Agora with giant donut ;D
and in the afternoon, hunting for famous Greek food, just open Tripadvisor (i always check here tho for good recommended food) or go around follow your nose and eyes, where the best good smell of food come from haha, this always work too. Greece are known for good food, to bad i cant try them all, but this some of the Greek food I try, the famous Gyro is almost look like Kebab they serve in big plate with your choice of grill meat on the side, fries, than flatbread such as pita and tzatziki sauce (yogurt mix herbs and cucumber) so you assemble your own, than we go to Moussaka this for me like Lasagna but in Greek version, instead of layered with pasta in they substitute with potato than layered again with eggplant and ground meat, taste? reallyyyyy good, next food i try is Dolma, is all time classic grape leaves wrapped rice parcel inside is great finger food, than Baklava you must be familiar with this dessert also known in Turkey since they share some similar food too, and don't forget if you at Athens you try some street snack, like giant donut, pretzel, mix nuts, and for you Coffee lover you don't wanna missed Greek Coffee is thick and creamy is t you can find it everywhere here.
this Restaurant with big sign of menu you can find it easy in almost ever corner close to Monastiraki or all the way to Acropolis.
This Dolma, and Chicken Gyro!!!
Moussakka!
Foto on the left and right is breakfast and lunch Restaurant called "Just Made 33" that we go every morning 4 days in a row for breakfast there is just 3 minute walk from our Airbnb at Kolokotroni street, they have really good Greek Coffee and sandwich from fresh ingredients also cake, why not breakfast with cake, no rule what you eat at breakfast :D
3 nights in Athens- Greece
By Zozo
