Two wonderful days in Athens…
(See the photos on my Facebook page)
During the holidays back in 2023, my husband and I headed over to Athens for two days, and we were determined to visit new places while aiming to get as much festive fun as possible. We chose a tiny hotel at the heart of Monastiraki. It was an old neoclassical building without any staff on site – which was a novelty for us and a little unnerving, but the place was clean and beautiful, with the typical neoclassical high ceilings, tall windows and wooden floors.
Monastiraki itself felt safe to walk around in, even late into the night, and the streets were packed, especially in Psyrri where we went to admire the Christmas lights outside the whimsical cafe, “Little Kook”. During that first day, we did quite well in our quest to try new experiences! We went to A for Athens for coffee – a café that’s part of the hotel of the same name. It’s on a terrace and overlooks Monastiraki Square with the Acropolis on the opposite hill. As you can see from the first two pictures above, the view was as spectacular as we had imagined it to be!
After visiting a few shops, we wound up at our favourite haunt – the Irish ‘James Joyce Pub’ at the heart of Monastiraki, but committed to make it a new experience, we both ordered new things on the menu. Andy had sausage with onions and I utterly enjoyed a meal I had come to miss from my days living in the UK in the 90s. It was a dish of steak and Guinness pie and it was absolutely delicious.
The evening found us having dinner on Athinas street, near the Athens market. We walked a lot around Monastiraki, Plaka and Psirri afterwards, enjoying the lights and taking in the city vibe.
Even though by bedtime we thought we’d had an absolutely perfect day, little did we know that the next day would impress and please us even more! For a while now we both wanted to visit the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre (SNFCC) but never seemed to get the chance. It is situated south of Athens by the sea, on the grounds where the old Hippodrome (race horse track) used to be. The free shuttle picked us up from Syntagma Square early in the morning. We were at our destination in just 10 minutes.
To say that our mouths were gaping open, on and off, as we discovered the place would be an understatement. It wasn’t just because of the grandeur of the National Opera and the National Library that are housed in the SNFCC. It wasn’t even the beautiful canal with the musical fountains that operate to the sound of music. It was the sheer GENIUS of the whole undertaking and the design of the place. I chose this picture above to show you the one thing that impressed me more than anything else:
In the picture, I am standing on top of an edifice called Faros (Lighthouse) at the SNFCC. From there, visitors have a generous view of Athens and the Acropolis. On the other side, people can admire the sea view. Faros stands on the highest ground of the Foundation. Behind me, you can see the edifice of the National Opera and the canal. Do you see what’s on top of the Opera? Grounds! Gardens! I could not believe, as Andy and I were making our way downhill after seeing that, now realizing that we were basically stepping along the top of the opera building. It was just too mind-blowing to wrap my head around it.
The gardens were beautiful, to say the least. There are pine trees, an olive grove, planted herbs and vegetables of many kinds, and a large clearing in the midst of it all that is perfect for family picnics and open-air cinema viewings throughout the summer. Amidst the greenery, one finds surprises as they walk around. Delightful features and fun things for the kids to do, and some also for the adults. ‘The Maze’ impressed me the most, but as the ground was soggy from an earlier rain we gave it a miss. Perhaps next time!
People can cycle in the park or jog or just sit and enjoy nature or the beautiful canal that uses sea water, being in direct connection with the sea. Events take place in the summer period in many parts of the Foundation outdoors. It’s just a fun place to be, and I’m certainly going back – probably in the spring, when I hear it’s beautiful with the flowers in bloom.
I’d also love to combine my visit next time with one at the Eugenides Foundation with its state-of-the-art planetarium – it’s literally across Syggrou avenue from the SNFCC via an underground passage (under said avenue). The educational shows there about astronomy and nature are said to be spectacular.
If you’re planning a trip to Athens, I highly recommend you visit the SNFCC. In case you intend to use the free shuttle service, please note it does not depart from Syntagma, but only comes and stops briefly at the corner bus stop, just in front of ‘Public’ superstore. Timetables for the shuttle and all sorts of information you will find at the SNFCC website.
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