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Friday, September 30, 2016
Friday Travel Tip - Athens - FINDING A TAVERNA
While there are many chain restaurants in Athens, there are far more locally (and sometimes family) owned tavernas (Greek taverns). While they all sell Greek food, many of them have something unique about them. It could be a specialty dish, or just a certain environment. Many offer specialties from areas in Greece but outside of Athens. I have yet to taste a really bad taverna, but I have seen a few very overpriced places.
A good rule to know if you're going to pay too much depends on your proximity to parked tour buses. The further you travel from tourism, the cheaper your meal will. But don’t worry, a cheap meal doesn’t mean you’re getting lesser quality food. If you leave tourist filled neighbourhoods like the Plaka, Thesio, and Kolonaki, you’ll find some great treasures. But you may have some trouble navigating the menus, since many of the smaller tavernas in residential neighbourhoods may not offer English menus.
As an added note, my favourite gyros shop looks like a tourist trap, but it's reasonably priced and fantastic (Thanasis at Monastiraki square).
Later
Thursday, September 29, 2016
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Monday, September 26, 2016
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Saturday, September 24, 2016
Friday, September 23, 2016
Friday Travel Tip - Athens - YOUR NEED FOR A BEACH
If you are desperate for a swim, then heading to Glyfada is your best bet. Found along the coastal road towards Sounio there are many beach options. It’s fairly easy to get to using public transportation, but it is fairly slow. You will find a few beaches before you hit Glyfada, but keep in mind the further you travel from the somewhat polluted port of Piraeus the better. Keep in mind that some beaches are pay beaches; you can be charged up to 50 euros per person, so a quick dip might cost you.
If you're feeling a little more adventurous, you can find some very nice beaches in the Nea Makri area. These beaches are very popular with the locals for a quick getaway. To get to them you need a car, and getting there can be a little challenging, but they’re well worth it.
Later
Thursday, September 22, 2016
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Monday, September 19, 2016
Sunday, September 18, 2016
Saturday, September 17, 2016
Friday, September 16, 2016
Friday Travel Tip - Athens - GETTING OUT OF THE CITY
If you want to stick to the mainland, there are many other options as well. Sounio is the home of the temple of Poseidon; this site is the perfect place to watch the sun set. If you're driving to Sounio you'll also pass some great beaches, perfect on a hot day.
If you don’t mind walking, Corinth is well worth a visit. With 4 key sites to see you can easily fill up your day. If you have the energy you should start with a climb up the Acro-Corinth, a beautiful fort on a hill. After the climb you can eat lunch in the village bellow and explore Ancient Corinth. Next head over to new Corinth and sit by the statue of Pegasus, after all he was born here. On your way out of town check out the world famous canal, an engineering marvel.
If you're in Athens for more than 5 days scheduling a day out is a great way to see some of Greece that you may have missed, as well as getting a little fresh air. Buses/boats are available to all of these destinations, inland you can also drive.
Later
Thursday, September 15, 2016
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
Monday, September 12, 2016
Sunday, September 11, 2016
Saturday, September 10, 2016
Friday, September 9, 2016
Thursday, September 8, 2016
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
Monday, September 5, 2016
New Bathrooms!!!
Click here to check out the whole map.
Later
Sunday, September 4, 2016
Saturday, September 3, 2016
Friday, September 2, 2016
Friday Travel Tip - Athens - THE PLAKA
First of all, the Plaka is probably the most mapped area in all of Athens, and maybe even all of Greece. Finding a detailed map of this area is very easy, often even for free. Secondly you have a great visual marker to help you find your way, the Acropolis. This entire neighbourhood is pretty much built up on the hill of the Acropolis so it makes for a great visual marker.
When you first step into the Plaka, you'll probably think that you've been dropped into an outdoor tourist trap. In some ways this is true, but don't judge this neighbourhood too quickly. Amongst all the tourist shops there are many fine artisan shops, great hidden restaurants and quite hidden streets. All of this, and it's literally littered with ancient sites.
A good way to know if you're buying from a shop selling average tourist fair vs. a store selling finer crafts is to see what kind of range of items they're selling. I find that stores not selling a huge range of items and focusing on one particular kind of products are most likely dealing in finer products. Most people assume that any restaurant in the Plaka must be tourist only places and not "local". This isn’t true; locals in Athens regularly enjoy a snack, coffee, or meal in this neighbourhood.
Later
Thursday, September 1, 2016
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