#111 Urban jungle at the beginning of the high season

April 13-15, 2022: Athens, Piraeus

Camping in the big city is always a challenge, as the metropolitan area does not offer much space for a camper. That's why we spent the last night before our visit to Athens on a beach near Megara. When we arrived, we were greeted by a very fluffy street dog, who apparently greets every newcomer in the same way: wagging its tail, a wide grin on its face, then rolling onto its back, stretching out all paws, and waiting to be scratched on the belly. This tactic worked for Jenny.

The next morning, we headed into the jungle of Athens. The main roads have 3-4 lanes in one direction, but in the residential areas it can get very tight. We had chosen a public parking lot at the end of Metro Line 2 and after waiting for 10 minutes, we finally found a free spot. The city is crowded, and not just with locals. Between 30% and 50% of Greeks live in and around Athens (exact numbers are currently unavailable). In addition, there are many tourists who use the Easter holidays for a short trip to the sun.

We haven't seen so many people in such a small space in a very long time. While strolling through the neighborhoods of Plaka, Anafiotika, Monastiraki, and Syntagma, we encountered minor traffic jams (no cars) in the narrow alleys. The National Garden next to the Parliament building is much more spacious, so we took a short break from the urban hustle and bustle while watching turtles.

In the afternoon, we went up to Mount Lycabettus, where you have a magnificent view of Athens and its surroundings. In the center, the Acropolis stands out, and otherwise, you can see almost only square, white, or beige concrete buildings. It feels like Athens only has buildings that are either over 2000 years old or buildings from the last 50 years. The urban development in the 20th century must have been extreme.

The next day started with half an hour of standing in line at the ticket counter of the Acropolis. Not only have ticket prices doubled since April 1, but also the number of tourists, it seems to me. The price increase is normal, as the high season starts in Greece from that date - from November 1st, it goes back to the low season. Another fun fact for all Europeans under 25: Admission to most sights is free for you.

The Acropolis is an impressive complex and offers an extraordinary history. From worshiping gods to the first Greek national bank to a defensive structure, it offers everything a heart desires. For decades, there have been attempts to reconstruct parts of the complex with as many original pieces as possible. Sometimes it felt a bit like being on a construction site.

After visiting the Acropolis, we had booked a free walking tour, as this has always been a lot of fun in the last big cities and also provided a lot of information about the city's history and the people living there. However, in Athens, this offer is still expandable. Not only was the selection of tours limited, but there was also hardly any new interesting information about the history. We only learned about the reason for the funny tassels on the shoes of the National Guard through the tour. Hidden under them is a small dagger, which serves for self-defense in case of close combat.

On our last day in Athens, we went to Piraeus - the port of Athens. More precisely, Piraeus is its own city, so to speak, Athens does not have its own port. Here, there are many large and small ferries that take their passengers to one of the approximately 100 inhabited islands of Greece. However, the nearly 3000 uninhabited islands of Greece can only be reached by private yacht or sailboat.

Day 182 - Total tour 13,828 km

---- Subscribe ----

If you want to subscribe to our blog, you can either sign up with Vakantio and click on subscribe or send us a message and we will add you to our own distribution list. We also appreciate feedback!