Athens has a bit of a bad reputation. Supposedly it has improved greatly in recent years largely due to the 2004 Olympics, however the guidebooks still recommend seeing the sites and getting out. A friend of ours told us “only some who hasn’t been to Athens would look forward to it.” Perhaps this has set low expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised with Athens.
We stopped over our first night before heading out on an early morning ferry. With just an evening to spend we’d have to save the Akropolis for our return, but we were able to enjoy its floodlit beauty from below in the city center. With the well-lit pedestrian streets and the shops open late, the city not only felt safe, but indeed pleasant. We browsed the shops and settled in to kick off a week of al fresco dining on authentic Greek cuisine. Yum!
I wouldn’t rank Athens among my favorite destinations, but would certainly recommend it for a weekend break.