"And then there was Athens...." Athens by Maryimelda

Athens Travel Guide: 4,404 reviews and 10,114 photos

Fast paced to say the least.....

We came into the city by bus from Rafina and then though we would just get a taxi to our hotel near Plaka. Not so easy I'm afraid. The taxis as a rule, will not stop when you hail one on the street. There are literally hundreds of them speeding past every second, but it seems they are all booked. We couldn't find a taxi stand either and we were getting desperate when at last a taxi pulled up and picked us up.

Not out of the woods yet...

We were so grateful to the cab driver for picking us up, that we tipped him very generously and proceeded into the hotel reception (Best Western Pythagorian) where we were greeted with the news that due to a burst water pipe, two whole floors of accommodation had been rendered out of order and that they would have to move us to another hotel. We weren't happy at first but they were so apologetic and had a taxi waiting to take us, at their expense of course, to the other hotel (Best Western Museum).
Here too, the staff were very welcoming and apologetic for the inconvenience that had been caused to us. We forgave all very quickly.

First impressions...

It would be fair to say that my first impressions of Athens weren't the best. I was comparing it to Naples for a little while,but once I was settled into the hotel and we were on our way to have a look around, I settled down somewhat and looked at this ancient city with different eyes. Next time, I will be better informed. And yes, I do hope there will be a next time.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Good hotels and restaurants and some very interesting history...
Cons:That frantic traffic speed and noise.
In a nutshell:It's not Paris or Vienna, but I liked it all the same.

Last visit to Athens: Sep 2009
Intro Updated Feb 23, 2010
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Reviews (9)

The House Next Door.... Things to Do (7)

Right next door to the new Acropolis Museum and directly opposite the Acropolis and Parthenon stands this lovely old... more travel advice

The New Acropolis Museum Things to Do (7)

The New Acropolis Museum is situated right across the street from the entrance to the Acropolis site. It covers an area... more travel advice

Cathedral undergoing restoration - Athens

Athens Cathedral Things to Do (7)

the Cathedral was built over a period of twenty years in the 19th century. It was then dedicated to the Annunciation of... more travel advice

Church of Panaghia Gorgoepikoos - Athens

Church of Panaghia Gorgoepikoos Things to Do (7)

This is the cutest little church, which is also known as the Little Cathedral as it stands right next to the Cathedral... more travel advice

Warnings and Dangers (1)
Beware of speeding scooters...

Hotels (1)
A great substitute.....

Comments (3)

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balhannah Jul 31, 2010 at 11:24 PM

Interesting page. I think I would like to explore the Plaka area.
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Mikebb Jul 25, 2010 at 6:21 PM

Hi Kate, nice page, interesting how hard to obtain taxi. We had 2 nights 2008, now found I mis calculated cruise finish date and will have an overnight Athens stay. Most likely close to train station.
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omidamini Mar 28, 2010 at 10:10 PM

Dear, I have a plan to visit Athens in May and your Athens page help me, Thanks