Tell someone you’re heading to Athens, and you’ll likely get a mix of reactions. Those who have been there might look at you strangely and then ask where else you’re going. Those who have not visited Athens will simply say something like “Wow, that sounds exciting!”
I’m not going to sugarcoat this post. As I’ll explain, Athens is a mixed bag. It was the foundation for Western civilization. The Ancient Greeks were amazingly smart and innovative. And, yes, if you’ve seen the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the root of many, many words is Greek. (The locals we met were sure to let us know.) But Athens is also dirty and full of crime (like pickpockets and theft). This is not to say Athens shouldn’t be included in an itinerary or on a destination wish list, its just important to note some of the experiences we had. Athens is both a jumping off point for other places in Greece (like lovely picturesque islands) and a city worth spending a few days for a fantastic ancient history lesson.
Just a few months before, we visited Rome, which gave us a wonderful foundation to the ancient world, but Greece took us back even further to give us a more complete picture of how Western civilization started and grew.
If Athens is on your itinerary for the upcoming year (or any year), here are a few things first-timers should know before getting off the plane.
Expect a Slower Pace
We’ve been living in Germany where the pace is already very slow compared to Northern Virginia. Our recent trips to Rome and Croatia have slowed us down quite a bit. If coming from the U.S. or the UK, just plan for everything to take a little longer. Our trip started very slow with an hour and a half wait for our luggage to get from the airplane to the baggage claim at 10 pm on Sunday. I realize this probably isn’t the norm as locals were standing on the carousel to yell into the “behind-the-scenes” baggage place, where I think they were loading bags by the 10s. Things run late and slow so plan to take it easy.
Related: How to Train Like Olympians in Athens
Know That Tourist Athens is Small
Yes, Athens is the capital and yes, it’s a city, but the area where tourists will wander is small. Why does this matter? It’s easy to go from nice tourist area into scarier areas very quickly. When looking for a hotel, google “best neighborhoods to stay in Athens,” and find one that fits your needs. Places may say they are a 5-minute walk to the main area and that’s likely true, but you may not want to stay with your family on that street. Do your homework and ask around or do some research before booking a place to stay.
On the flip side, the small size makes the city very walkable for seeing many thing in a short period of time.
Related: Taking a Peloponnese Day Trip from Athens
Don’t Flush Toilet Paper in Athens
When we walked into our fantastic AirBnB in Plaka, the sign instructing us not to throw paper into the toilet caught us all off guard. This was going to be interesting with four people and one week. After a little research, I discovered the pipes in Athens (and other places around Greece) are just too narrow for paper. Most places have signage to remind you, and there is a little bin next to the toilet for used paper. If you forget, don’t worry about it. When we returned to Germany, I was pretty excited to head to the toilet for some flushing.
Related: How the Internet Made the Adventure Even Better
Beware of the Professional Pickpockets
Despite all the warning from friends and our diligence every day to split up belongings, it happened to us. The pickpockets are experts trying to hand you rose or a bracelet and distract you while they take your wallet, bag, or phone. The pickpockets apparently prey on tourists on the Metro trains and stations so we avoided them.
My daughter unfortunately had her fairly new iPhone, which she purchased herself, stolen while sitting at a cafe on New Year’s Eve. A man walked up to our table, during the two minutes she set her phone down on the table, and started pointing at a map and asking for a euro. We asked him to go away. We let our guard down for just a few minutes, and the phone was gone! There’s so much crime in Athens there’s a special office just for tourist to report the crimes which happened to them–sadly, the police there were clearly just serving time and not interested in catching bad guys.
Along the same lines, the taxi cab drivers have been known to be dishonest and cheat riders on the fares. With pickpockets on the metro and taxi drivers cheating, it leaves tourists less options for reliable and safe transportation. Uber made its way into Athens, (as of January 2020) and is a good option going from point A to point B.
Know Your Greek Myths
The Greek myths are intertwined in Greek history. Whether they were real or not, is up to you to decide, but it’s still part of the landscape. It’s important to know the Greek God(dess) family tree before you go. If your kids were fans of the Percy Jackson book series, that may be enough to get them by, but it’s worth brushing up on Greek deities before heading to Athens.
We recommend the D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths as a great starting point to keep track of the entire family tree. If lacking time, this ‘Meet the Greek Gods‘ list from Rick Riordan might do the trick.
Related: Learning to Cook Greek Food in Athens
Enjoy the Good, Cheap Food
The food in Athens is delicious. For us, the focus is seafood since Germany is void of it. We found tons of yummy shrimp, octopus, squid, fish, and sardines. Athens is home to multiple Michelin-starred restaurants if you’re up for reservations far in advance and the extra money (although still a good price compared to the U.S.) But other staples like souvlaki, moussaka, dolmas, and lamb are almost everywhere in big portions and small prices. Kalí órexi! (Enjoy your meal!)
Make a note that the Greeks eat dinner later than some might be used to. Most restaurants open around 7 pm although finding open restaurants in the touristy places all day long is possible. Just note if you head to dinner before 8 pm, you will be dining with the non-Greeks.
Related: 13 European Foods to Try in Their Native Country
Embrace the Stray Dogs and Cats
My daughter is a total animal lover. We have seen stray cats in other cities, such as Rome, but never so many stray dogs. They are everywhere and appear to be well fed and well behaved, too. In a few places, they will find their favorite person and follow them around. (See above) The cats are everywhere, and it was hard for some of us to keep from petting them.
Lots of great things in Athens and a few things that could turn people off. The important thing is knowing that it’s a mixed bag. Plan accordingly, research ahead of time, watch your belongings, eat some great food, and whatever you do, don’t throw the toilet paper down the toilet!
All photos © Linda Kerr, TravelTeening
