History comes alive in modern Athens
With a belly full of mezedes and just enough retsina, I walk off dinner on the pedestrian street that runs along the base of the Acropolis. Wandering this modern walkway under the floodlit Parthenon, I enjoy a mix of ancient splendor, the charming 19th-century "old town," and a steady parade of modern Athenians doing the same thing.
IF YOU VISIT...
SLEEPING: Hotel Phaedra is simple but wonderfully located, overlooking a peaceful Plaka square with ancient ruins and a Byzantine church (budget, www.hotelphaedra.com). Hotel Cecil has 36 quaint rooms in a once-grand old building located in the heart of Athens (moderate, www.cecil.gr).
EATING: Scholarhio Ouzeri Kouklis is a fun place specializing in mezedes and homemade ouzo liquor, with a lively terrace and romantic balconies for two (Tripodon 14, tel. 210-324-7605, www.sholarhio.gr). Strofi Athenian Restaurant serves classic Greek dishes on an elegantly modern rooftop with striking Acropolis views (Rovertou Galli 25, tel. 210-921-4130, www.strofi.gr).
GETTING AROUND: The tourists' core of Athens is very walkable, but public transportation -- buses and the Metro -- is useful for reaching farther-flung destinations, such as the National Archaeological Museum.
FOR TOURIST INFORMATION: www.visitgreece.gr.
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Rick Steves (www.ricksteves.com) writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio. Email him at rick@ricksteves.com and follow his blog on Facebook.
(c)2014 RICK STEVES DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
