Athenian Adventures

With no real agenda for the day, I had read that although the guard changes at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier hourly, on Sundays at 11 am, there is a larger ceremony and pageantry.

So after breakfast and a quick metro ride on the red line, we arrived at Syntagma Square, Athens’s central square across from Parliament. Evzone guards dressed in traditional uniforms high step distinctively, apparently to assist with their blood circulation after being so still for so long.











There was also a band and a parade down the street. So there were crowds on both sides and in front of the tomb:







You can see the slain soldier wearing his helmet and holding on to his shield:







After the ceremony, we walked south and passed a Roman bathing complex that apparently was discovered when they were building the metro:



In only ten minutes, we arrived at Hadrian’s Arch where you get a view of the Acropolis:



Next to the Arch, is the Temple of Zeus. Instead of entering, we just took some snaps from outside the gate:



We then walked through the National Garden where in the center is Zappeion Hall - it was used during the 1896 Olympics, but is now used for conferences and events:



Our next leisurely stop was the Panathenaic Stadium or Kallimarmaro meaning “beautiful marble”. It is the only stadium in the world built entirely of marble. After being excavated and refurbished, it hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the first modern Olympics in 1896 and again for events during the 2004 Olympics. Now, it is the finishing point for the Athens Marathon and the last Greek venue from where the Olympic flame is handed to the host nation. The weather was gorgeous with a light breeze for us to take in the site:







The royal thrones:



Walking through the Tunnel of Fates where gladiators had once stepped through:



A museum of Olympic paraphernalia:





Great views of the Acropolis:



We then ordered a Uber / city taxi to the funicular station at Mount Lycabettus. A photo of the hill from the stadium:



It has panoramic views - a photo of the stadium from the hill:



A view of the city and Acropolis:





Also at its peak is the church of St. George and courtyard:







We then rested at the restaurant enjoying some cold drinks and ice cream:



After making our way down on the funicular, we chatted with the Greek-Australian taxi driver who was very friendly and kind. His family had moved back and forth and he approved our sightseeing stops, as he drove us back to the hotel so we could recharge. Our hotel is in Omonia, famous for its fountain and is conveniently where the red and green metro lines intersect:



I had made reservations at Linou Soumpasis and Co. for dinner where we shared fish soup, bread with fish roe, fried fish collars, a rooster patty with bernaise sauce, pasta in a langoustine sauce, and milk cake with ice cream. The restaurant had an open kitchen and trendy vibes. A food collage below:



To walk off our dinner, we meandered past some soccer game enthusiasts and to Monastiraki Square:



It’s known for shops, flea market, and we started to see the sunset:



It’s also next to the remnants of Hadrian’s Library:



And of course, you could see the Acropolis:



Then we boarded the green line metro for just one stop back to our hotel in Omonia. Here we are double checking as Google Maps gave us the wrong direction this morning and we had to double back a stop:



A photo of the train in its graffiti glory below. Athens is known for its graffiti as there are even walking tours. Apparently, it boomed after the 2009 financial crisis and has a lot of political and socioeconomic meanings…



We returned to our hotel for an early night and to get ready for our next adventure!