Athens was both our landing and departure point for Greece. We spent several days in the capital city on each end, and there was SO much history and culture to learn and absorb during our time there!
Food is undoubtedly a big part of any culture, so we began with an excellent food tour around the city. Our guide brought us to many hole in the wall places that locals patron, and we were elated to try many Greek specialities. It was a walking tour, so in between the eating, we stopped in different parts of Athens to learn about the lifestyle there. For example, in one fresh seafood market, we were told that to keep the quality high for the seafood sold there, the merchants would donate to different local charities any unsold seafood that’s been sitting for more than 48 hours. Also, chicken feet is a hot commodity because fishermen like to use the nails as fish bait!
Another tour we did was of the Acropolis, ofcourse! We started at the Theater of Dionysus, the birthplace of Greek drama in the 6th century B.C. The Partheon was undergoing some restoration work when we were there, but it was still amazing to be standing right in front of such a historical and symbolic monument! Even though it was considered “off season” at the time (October), the crowds were still overwhelming, and the wind situation was a bit out of hand, lol.
That same day, in the late afternoon, we joined a bike tour that took us around more areas of the city. Athens is not a bike friendly city at all, so we ended up having to walk our bikes half of the time. We visited the Panathenaic Stadium, the stadium that held the very first Olympic Game in 1896, and also the only stadium in the world built entirely of marble.
Every now and then, we will splurge on a fine dining experience abroad, because the prices are so much cheaper than back home in the Bay Area. We discovered one of our all-time most memorable dining experiences in Athens, at the 2 star Michelin restaurant Delta. From the moment we walked in and saw the sunset through its floor to ceiling windows, we knew we were in for a special treat. Every single course was a work of art in its presentation and flavors. Their service was so attentive that our server warned us we must let them know if we’re leaving the table to use the restrooms (or for any other reason) so they can coordinate with the kitchen to ensure our food would be properly timed to be brought out when we return. We truly savored every single dish with all our senses!
One last tour we did in Athens was with a Political Scientist, who explained the refugee crisis in Athens and took us to the parts of Athens that most tourists would avoid.
While it’s a complicated issue that still needs some viable solutions, I think raising awareness is a key first step, and I’m glad we had the chance to be exposed first hand to see and hear the realities of this crisis. Worldschooling, at its core, is learning to be a responsible, compassionate, and impactful global citizen, which means we NEED to take an interest in everything that’s going on around our world, not just the happy and comfortable topics.
The rest of our time in Athens was spent just exploring on our own and catching up with work at our Airbnb. Greece is definitely a country that I can see us returning to, as there is still a lot to explore!
