#4/4 - Athens - Panathinaikos-Stadion - Lofos Filopappou - Akropolis

May 24, 2024 - Day 4
Last day in Athens! What a pity!

A very good start to the day includes a very good breakfast (more like brunch in this case 😅). We definitely had that! I had scrambled eggs with all sorts of things and Elisa had cheese + a yogurt with fruit. In general, the food in the restaurants we visited is plentiful, delicious and also reasonably priced. The waiters are generally very hospitable and really pleasant. They are happy to hear a few words in Greek and we also gave them a reasonable tip. We often had water or small snacks on top of that. On top of that, they do a tough job from morning to night. Awesome! Really! Hats off!
By the way, on the last day I was asked in a shop if I spoke Greek. My accent would probably be quite good. You learn that in our restaurants 🇬🇷 from the napkins 😂💁🏼‍♂️.

In the afternoon we took an Uber to the Panathinaikos Stadium. On the way to the stadium we drove through the government district: it is very clean, well protected and the buildings are beautiful palaces. I knew the building (government seat?) from TV. Our Uber drivers made several comments about it like: "There are only idiots in there!": We said that it looked familiar 🙈.

The Panathinaikos Stadium was the venue for the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. It was rebuilt on the foundations of the ancient stadium. Today the stadium is hardly used anymore. However, it is the finish line of the annual Athens Marathon. Parts of the site were unfortunately not accessible during Pentecost week as an event was being prepared. What is special is that the Olympic flame is lit here before the games and handed over to the host country.

The employee at the entrance looked very sad. So I went up to him with a big smile on my face and said with great enthusiasm: "Kalimera!" 😃. That broke the ice. He laughed and was happy. It's the little things in everyday life that put a smile on your face. I particularly liked the rulers' seats (and box) in the stadium and the way the athletes enter the arena. But the tour is over relatively quickly. The Olympic rings are also pretty cool.

The day was quite exhausting in the midday sun. So after the stadium and a stroll through the city we took an Uber to the apartment. But we had missed the most beautiful view of the Acropolis so far... So I got a ride to Lofos Filopappou for 6.70 euros, but I had communicated an unsuitable location or entered it in the app (and paid for it)... Sameh kindly drove me to a place at the foot of the hill anyway, from where I could easily walk to the "summit" 😅. I got a 5 euro tip for that. He was very happy about that. On the way up I took every lookout. I was completely alone at the best viewpoint for 10 minutes, I absolutely enjoyed the time and am happy that I was able to see this sight with my own eyes.

We are quite pleasantly surprised by the Athenians. Even if we only got a brief glimpse. We find the people to be helpful and very warm. We were not treated unfriendly once. They are also extremely hardworking and work in the restaurants from morning to evening - with a minimum wage of 4.51 euros (since April 2024). However, I am not sure about some bills whether they are actually settled or whether the income is taxed... 😂. Nevertheless, or perhaps precisely because of this, the restaurant prices are generally relatively cheap. The historic city center is something for everyone who sees not just old stones in the ruins - that's all they are - but the history behind them. After all, Greece is the cradle of civilization. Much of it goes back to the (ancient) Greeks. In addition, the Acropolis is special, well staged in the evenings, but very crowded with tourists. There are many sights to discover in the surrounding area: the Corinthian Moat or Olympia. However, there wasn't enough time for day trips and we hadn't planned for them either. Overall, we really liked Athens and we're glad we chose this destination 😊.