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I didn't do much blogging after I got back from last year's trip to Greece and here it is, time to embark on another. So while looking through my photos I came across many of the adventures I enjoyed, from the islands to visiting archaeological site and hanging out with my friends.

I started my holiday adventures on my favorite island NAXOS, at my favorite spot, Maragas Camping, Agia Ana. The most fabulous beach, and fun staying in a bed-tent for three days.
Then I moved into a lovely pension in the town with a room right by pool-side.


 Then, back to Athens, an on to many more adventures.  These included a couple of day trips with friends, a visit to the island of Salamina, an afternoon at the Temple of Poseidon, Sounion, and many others.  Here's a sample of a few of them.

There's a lot more than ancient Greek ruins around Athens.  In the Plaka you'll find remains of the Romans and Ottoman Turks as well as the Classical.  The Romans took control of the city in the second century BC and added some of their own architectural splendor, though it could never match the Greek's.  During his reign from 117 - 138 AD the Emperor Hadrian left his mark in many areas. www.europeupclose.com/article/greece-hadrians-athens/  Beyond Hadrian's Arch which marked the border of Classical Athens, was the Roman city, including the Roman baths. Although it had been begun centuries earlier, he also put the finishing touches on the Temple of Olympian Zeus. Hadrian built a library in the Plaka area and nearby is the Roman Forum with it's notable Tower of the Winds. Years later, a wealthy Roman senator built the Herodes Atticus theatre in honour of his wife. Today the "Herodian" is a popular theatre for nusic concerts and staging ancient dramas.
Not just Roman ruins can be found in the Plaka.  There are reminders of the Ottoman occupation of the city from 1456 to 1821. Most of these have been left in ruin or turned into museums to house Greek artifacts.

The Tzistarakis mosque, built in 1759, dominates Monastiraki Square. It is now the Museum of Greek Folk Art: Ceramics Collection. Take time to go inside and see the collection of pottery and other artifacts


The oldest mosque in Athens,  the Fethiye Tzami built in 1458 occupies a corner of the Roman Forum. It is now used to store artifacts found around the site.

Across from the Forum entrance are the remains of the medresse, an Islamic  school. During the Ottoman rule and Greek independence it was used as a prison and notorious for it's harsh conditions. A tree inside the courtyard was used for hangings. The prison was closed in the early 1900's and most of it was torn down.

A place that has always intrigued me, is the Turkish bath house. Finally this time in Athens I was lured inside and spent a pleasant hour wandering the halls and rooms.  It was originally built in the 1450's and has been carefully restored. Roman and Byzantine bath-houses served as models for the Turkish hammams though there were some differences to meet the prescription of the Koran. The baths were used in shifts by men and women until an expansion in the 19th century provided more space for what you see today. Restoration work was completed in 1998. It's called "The Bath-house of the Winds" and is located at Kyrrestou 8, a street that leads to the back of the Roman Forum near the Tower of the Winds. It's open Mon & Wed- Sun 9 am- 2.30 pm. Free.









Also nearby, around the corner from the Roman Forum at Dhioyenous 1 - 3 is the Museum of Greek Folk Instruments. It displays every type of instrument played in Greek history all attractively displayed in this old mansion. Open Tues & Thursday-Sun 10 am - 2 pm; Wed. noon - 6 pm. Free. There's also a museum shop where you can buy CDs of traditional Greek music.

In the past years there has been a great deal of gentrifying of old areas around Monastiraki that have now become popular 'hip areas' with Athenians and tourists.  These areas are located near Monastiraki and you can walk there or take the metro.


THISSIO is located at the west end side of the Agora and was named after a nearby ancient temple - the Temple of Hephaestion also known as the Thesseion.  It's a charming neighbourhood with neo-classical houses and many street restaurants, some with great views of the Acropolis.  Stop and have a drink of iced frappe at one of the cafes at Thission Square. The central pedestrian zone, Irakleidon St. has lots of cafes and bars  as well as traditional tavernas.


The National Observatory is nearby, the oldest research institution of Greece. The building is located on the Hill of the Nymphs where a sanctuary once stood.

Thissio Park is at the north-west section of the Agora. It was first planted with trees in 1862 and  was once the place where Greeks celebrated Easter.

You should visit the Islamic Museum of Art located in an old neo-classical building in Thission near Keramikos. www.benaki.gr  It's a change from the usual Classical and ancient displays in Greece but there is a section of the old city wall there and an ancient tomb as well.




PSIRI is located north of Monastiraki, just off Athinas Street. It is an older area that has been gentrified with several good reasonably priced hotels, restaurants, wine bars and other attractions such as the Museum of Greek Gastronomy  www.gastronomymuseumgr.com located at 13 Ag. Dimitriou St. It's worth a visit and you can have special meals there to learn more about unique Greek food. 

GAZI where the old Gas Works is located can be reached by foot from Monastiraki or from the Thesseion Metro Station. This is an interesting area to browse around and the Gas Works has been turned into an exhibition centre for art shows and other events. Gazi is now considered one of the trendiest areas of Athens.


Gazi has lots of popular eateries and wine bars. I visited Cartone for lunch one day and enjoyed a delicious lunch with my favorite Mythos beer. If you prefer a change and like Asian food, Gazi has a Chinese restaurant, Asian Taste, where you can enjoy Cantonese food while taking in an excellen tview of the Acropolis.

KERAMEIKOS was given its name because back in the ancient days it was where many potters had their shops (kerameikos=ceramics). Today it's most notably know as being the site of the ancient cemetery built just outside of Athen's original city gates.  The site itself is open daily 8 am - 8 pm, admission 2 euro. There is a small museum on the site. It's worth a walk around to see the dozens of monuments erected for the notables of the ancient times as well as portions of the old city wall and gates.



I toured around these areas a number of times during my recent stay in Athens, mainly because I was doing research for the Athens Guide e-book which I wrote for an American publisher.  It was fun exploring new territory and I'll definitely check out a few more of the restaurants next time I'm in town!

NEXT:  Roman & Ottoman Plaka