Heading to Greece? Here’s some tips.
Athens Airport
Primary entry into Athens is Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport situated 30 kilometres east of the capital. A modern airport built early in 2001 in time for the 2004 Olympic Games, it is big and beautiful and I believe one of the least complicated airports in the world.
Once you arrive, it’s a short walk to passport control where the lines move very quickly. It takes seconds for your passport to be stamped before you’re free to collect your bags. In what seems like no time at all you’re through customs and out the door.
Leaving the airport is easy as the airport is connected to Athens by all forms of public transport, as most modern international airports are these days. When deciding on how to get to your hotel I always think the easiest way is by taxi, but Athens airport metro is super simple. The metro system is clean, efficient and a fast way of getting around. And it’s cheap! It is also unique in that it doubles as a stunning Greek cultural space, displaying many major archaeological discoveries found during its construction. Taxis in Athens are modern and clean as a result of the Olympics. New roads leading to and from the airport allow the trip to the city centre to be made in around 40 minutes. Prices are fixed at 35 euros by day and 50 euros by night.
Stay in the Plaka, Athens
Whatever mode you take, most visitors will find themselves in a hotel somewhere around the Acropolis as we did, arguably the heart of Athens. A great area is the Plaka. It is an old historic neighborhood situated around the northern and eastern slopes of the Acropolis. Very much a tourist area, it still retains a village feel.
Most of the streets have been closed to traffic apart from delivery vans and motor bikes. The labyrinth of streets are lined with restaurants, cafes, gift shops and museums. Stores of all kinds stand by ancient ruins thousands of years old. Walking the streets you’ll see shopkeepers sitting outside their stores deep in conversation, only to stop when a customer enters. Friendly and fluent in English, their livelihoods depend on the tourist trade and they eagerly talk to everyone about anything. The buildings are under strict conservation regulations retaining the area’s small town feel amongst the modern city that Athens has become.
Friendly people
Arriving at your hotel you will find, as we have, an equally warm reception from the staff. Settling in quickly to begin exploring is made easier by having prepared beforehand. A plan means valuable time is not wasted on working out what see or do. Having said that, our hotel as most would, had a staff member who was on hand to help with any arrangements from organising tours and suggestions on where to eat, down to how to fill a few hours before dinner.
Our time was filled with endless walks, exploring ancient sites, eating, drinking and shopping. Athens overloaded our senses, the colours, sights and sounds enthralled us until it was time to eat and drink again.
The food was delicious, huge salads and servings of everything. Yes, we had Greek salads, yes we ate Gyros and drank retsina (an interesting wine deriving part of its flavour from the exposure to pine resin. Definitely an acquired taste). It was the best food we’ve eaten. But it got better each day as we tried more local and traditional foods, immersing ourselves in every culinary delight. Every taverna had a home style feel. Athens was a city of surprises and easy to fall in love with. Time was filled easily and late into the nights. Its beauty is hard to deny as is the rest of its rugged mainland, and then there were the islands.
The Northern Sporades
Greece has 6,000 islands splashed across the waters of the Aegean and Ionian Seas. Of these, 227 are inhabited, all are beautiful. Geographically divided into several major groups, it is an almost impossible task to choose between these natural wonders. Our travels took us to the Northern Sporades, a small group of islands which include Skiathos, Skopelos and Alonnisos. Skiathos has a small international airport which takes 30 minutes to reach from Athens. A stunning island, it combines lush forests with golden sandy beaches on its southern coast and pebbles on its northern shores. Most of the activity lies to the south with its town centre situated at one end covering two low hills overlooking the waterfront. White washed buildings and terracotta rooftops jut from every angle. The old port is lined with restaurants, bars, tavernas and shops. Boats bob on the water and provide a typical Greek island vista. A bus that leaves the town centre every half hour follows the coastline. 27 stops drop you at the most popular beaches and small villages. Easy and inexpensive, it allows you to be within reach of everything the island has to offer. The locals are warm and friendly and you feel instantly at ease. Along with the surrounds, it is these people who make this such a special place. The island is a paradise, one we found by accident, but one of many that are waiting for the intrepid traveler.
Everyone has their own idea on what makes the perfect holiday, and we’ve asked ourselves why we came away from this place with memories of a perfect time spent in a perfect place. Was it the history or natural beauty, was it the shopping or the weather, or the lazy days eating and drinking? It was a combination of all those things and something more. It was the people of that country. The warm and friendly people, the laughing, gracious, helpful people who made this holiday our favourite destination Greece.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not reflect the view of the ESSSuper.