New Years Day

Athens
Spoiler alert. There will be pictures of the Acropolis in this piece. Lots of pictures of the Acropolis from lots of different angles. The Acropolis is visible from all over the city of Athens. A majestic centre piece to the city. Not overlooked. Not competing with skyscrapers. It dominates the Athens skyline and it's wonderful how that continues to be the case in the twenty-first century. On top sits the crowning glory of the Parthenon. An incredible vision of architecture almost two and a half thousand years old which is still focusing minds, influencing culture and crystalising the look of a major capital city. A rare thing indeed in these modern times. I make no apologies for taking such a romanticised view of a large lump of rock and a crumbling temple, of which most of the original sections have been replaced. It is a breath-taking and awe-inspiring sight, no matter how many times you look upon it.

The Acropolis, visible from all over the city of Athens

We arrived in the Greek capital on new year's eve and were quickly sucked into a warm, welcoming city, where food, drink and merriment was to be found in every bar, restaurant and café that would have us. Hospitality spreads like cosy blanket across the nooks and crannies' of this mazy cosmopolitan capital. Lost in this wave of generosity we almost missed the new year countdown but just managed to get back to our apartment (and it's fabulous balcony) to welcome in 2024 with a fireworks display with a spectacular backdrop. Not a bad first evening.

Celebrating the arrival of 2024 in the city of Athens

So we were obviously doing Athens out of season, and there are lots of excellent reasons to do this. Number one, no crowds. Also, the temperature in January is perfect for a city break. Most days were comfortable t-shirt weather. Outdoor dining was comfortable during the day and with an outdoor heater and a cardigan the evening was also perfectly pleasant. As a seasonal comparison the Acropolis was closed last year during mid-summer as a health and safety measure when afternoon temperatures were peaking at 45 degrees.  And finally, value for money. Whether that's hotels or Airbnb, your euro will stretch a lot further in Greece during the Winter months.

 The Parthenon, Athens

We should start with the large lump of limestone that is the Acropolis. In fact this blog concerns itself with just the Acropolis, the immediate surroundings and the museum, as there is a lot to cover.
The Parthenon is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, so no matter what time of year you are visiting make sure you book ahead. Athena's Combined Ticket covers entrance to the Acropolis Slopes plus the following six sites and monuments: Ancient Agora, Hadrian's Library, Kerameikos, Aristotle's School, Olympieion and Roman Agora. The ticket is excellent value and is valid for five days from the date of your first visit so there's plenty of time to check out all the sites. The ticket can be bought at the official website here

The famous six maidens of the Erechtheion  

The site is closed on new year's day so we had to wait until the 2nd January before we could visit. As early birds we chose to hit the Acropolis first thing and booked the first available time slot at 0800am (but forgot the two hour time difference between Greece and the UK, which hit home hard when the alarm went off!). But the timely start paid off and we ambled up the slopes of the Acropolis unawares we had quickly left behind the other queueing tourists. Some were already on selfie duty and others were not used to climbing steps. So we emerged through the Propylaea, the majestic monumental gates to the Acropolis plateau and found ourselves as the first folk to visit the incredible Parthenon in the year 2024. And for one or two minutes we had the ancient site to ourselves and we soaked up the history in silent awe.

The Odeon of Herodes Atticus

Exploring the site of the Acropolis with a basic map, such as the one found here will make sure you cover all the big hitters including the dramatic Theatre of Dionysus and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. My favourite was the Erechtheion which is almost opposite the Parthenon. Supporting the roof on the south porch of the Erechtheion are the statues of six maidens, the famous Caryatids. Five of the original statues are now safely on display in the Acropolis Museum.  At the start of the nineteenth century the sixth Caryatid and other sculptures were removed from the site by a British aristocrat, Lord Elgin and put on display by the British Museum. Now collectively known as Elgin's Marbles it's about time the British government returned them to their rightful home. 

Growing in the shade of the Erechtheion is a solitary (and sacred) olive tree, supposedly a decedent of one planted by the goddess Athena. A fabulous tale.

A good two-hour stomp will get you around the Acropolis site. We found by mid-morning the small paths on the slopes were beginning to get a little bit busy, so the early kick-off is highly recommended.
But what a place!  

A hall of the Acropolis Museum

The Acropolis Museum is an impressive-looking modern building that sits over a huge alcohological site which is visible through glass floors throughout the building. The Museum is built over three floors, each dedicated to separate themes and also incorporates a restaurant and café with an outdoor veranda with great views of the Acropolis itself. You could easily spend a day in the museum and not scratch the surface of the wealth of information and artefacts on display.

Rightly so the original Caryatids are the centre piece of the museum and up close they are breath-taking. A poignant empty plinth awaits the return of the sixth Caryatids from London.

The five Caryatids and empty plinth. The Acropolis Museum

Having explored the actual Acropolis and Museum make sure you take the time to explore the immediate surrounding area to get some fabulous views of the site. A good starting point is a stroll along Dionysiou Areopgitou Street which is the longest pedestrianised walkway in Athens and it circumvents most of the Acropolis. On here you'll come across the busy Areopagus Hill which has great views of the city. A bit further afield but absolutely worth the gentle climb to the summit is Filopappou Hill, which once again boasts incredible views. From here it's a short walk to the National Observatory and in my opinion the best views of the Acropolis and Athens.

The Acropolis from the National Observatory

That's the Acropolis done. Lots more sights and sounds of Athens next time including the stunning Panathenaic Stadium, exploring the neighbourhoods of Plaka, Monastiraki, Psrri and Thissio and even a trip to the seaside.

The Panathenaic Stadium, Athens