Wonders of Acropolis
When I started my official summer vacation on 25th of May, I wondered which European city would be nice to experience for a few days before heading to Portugal. Actually, Portugal was therefore the final destination of my summer vacation this year, as I had long dreamed of visiting that country. Another thing that led me to Portugal was also the two days surfing and yoga-camp that I already booked long time ago.
However, I decided again to take a surprise card up my sleeve and I stopped for a couple of days to explore Athens from 26.5.-28.5.2022. I do not regret my decision at all, it was great to see the Acropolis at close range and get to know the history of that significant place. Through Airbnb experiences, I booked a guided tour of the ruins of the Acropolis, which also included a guided tour of the Acropolis Museum. In total, a tour of the Acropolis, a museum tour (incl. tickets) cost a total of 80 euros. I was willing to pay that price as the guided tour arranged through Airbnb experiences was good. The tour was organized by a company called Athens Walks. The tour started at their office near the Acropolis. There were about 15 participants. Each of us got ourselves a headset. There was a guide's voice on the headset. This helped everyone hearing the guide's speaking without any background noise. Amazing!
I also walked around the centre of Athens with a local person I met through Couchsurfing. I am more than grateful for his kindness. We also went to eat local, authentic Greek food. I love it! For the first time in my life, I tasted a real Greek salad. Olives and olive oil have a completely different flavor in Greece. I don't know if it's a psychological thing or real but everything tastes better in an authentic environment.
On the second day I took a day trip to an island called Aígina, which is about 30 kilometres from the coast of Athens. The journey to the island was made by a speedboat called dolphin. The trip takes about 40 minutes, and the price was about 27 euros for a return trip. It is worth the wait, because Aígina island charms with its beauty and fishing village-like atmosphere. In Aígina, I walked around the island's harbour for small souvenir shops and then took a bus to one of the island's most popular beaches, the Aeginita beach. It was lovely to swim in a crystal-clear water and enjoy the sun. All in all, my time in Greece was wonderful and I had great memories. But of course, I want to go back and explore its wonders more.
αντίο!