Under the blue sky of Athens

Photos in Athens

I had forgotten about that sky. So blue, so clear. Day after day the clouds stayed away, perhaps finding somewhere cooler. For the neverending azure blanket that lit up the city but also brought an oppressive heat.

I was reminded of summer in Athens when I was looking through some photos of a trip there last summer.

Around every corner was another ruin, usually an ancient one. And sadly, because of current economic conditions, quite often a modern one too.

But each is rich with stories of history and culture. A self-guided walking tour through Athens need only take a few hours (everything is so close to each other) but it can take you through millennia of human civilization.

It seems like a good time to share some of the photos I took there which I haven’t done anything with. I have no other plans for them and it would be a shame not to publish them somewhere.

If you’ve never been there, I hope this gives you a bit of a sense of Athens: the imposing buildings, the fascinating archaeological sites, and the richness of the people.

If you have been, I hope this brings back the same kind of happy memories it did when I rediscovered the images in my archive.

THE BEST ACCOMMODATION IN ATHENS

There’s a good range of accommodation in Athens and I would recommend finding something near Syntagma Square for convenience.

BACKPACKER

For a backpacker option, I would recommend the modern and comfortable Bedbox Hostel.

BUDGET

If you’re looking for value, I would suggest the Athens Mirabello, which also has a great location.

BOUTIQUE

There are some cool design hotels in the city and one of the nicest is The Artist Athens.

LUXURY

And for 5-star luxury, I would suggest the modern Electra Metropolis with a great view of the Acropolis.

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT Greece?

See my Greece Travel Guide

To help you plan your Greece travel:

• As 3 day itinerary for historic Athens
• Hoe to get a free local tour of Athens
• The wonder of the Acropolis in Athens
• How to see the origin of the Olympics
• An ancient civilisation as a day trip from Athens
• Is this where modern medicine all began?
• The Greek island where Jackie Onassis escaped to

Let someone else do the work for you:

You may also want to consider taking a tour of Greece, rather than organising everything on your own. It’s also a nice way to have company if you are travelling solo.

I am a ‘Wanderer’ with G Adventures and they have great tours of Greece.

You could consider:

• Sailing Greece – Mykonos to Santorini (8 days)
• Best of Greece (15 days)
• Sailing Greece – Athens to Santorini (15 days)

When I travel internationally, I always get insurance. It’s not worth the risk, in case there’s a medical emergency or another serious incident. I recommend you should use World Nomads for your trip.