Beating the Crowds to the Best View: Athens in Spring

chillibreeze writer — Moya McDermott

Need an editable PowerPoint map of Greece

Athens has present and past glories waiting to be discovered by the discerning tourist. There’s no point in trailing the well-worn path of ancient sights during the blazing heat of July and August when the temperatures soar in the capital and you’re surrounded by a mass of tourists. The perfect time to visit the capital of Greece is during the spring months.

Moods are livened (Athenians have a reputation for being a surly race), during March and April and the longer milder days are the perfect time to visit this glorious city. Everyone is in a better mood and there’s a discernible spring in people’s steps. On walks around the Athenian streets, you’re met by the most intoxicating smells of jasmine and cherry blossom. How much more enjoyable to climb the marble steps leading up to the Parthenon at your own pace (high heels not recommended), and be able to admire the view from the top without being jostled on each side by parties of school children. Viewing the Parthenon close up is breathtaking. Nothing prepares you for the goose-bump inducing magic of it all.

If you’re lucky and there’s a slight wind, then the smog will have cleared to reveal a most spectacular view over Athens. On one side there’s the port of Piraeus and then a panorama which stretches to Lykavitos, the tiny church perched on a rock, right in the middle of Kolonaki, the up-market shopping district. All of the designer shops are situated here and you can watch the well-dressed Athenians pass by as you enjoy a filter coffee or a Greek coffee at the countless bars lining the streets. It’s fortunate that many of the cafes are in pedestrianized areas, so you can relax without being bothered by cars speeding by.

If you don’t want to pay the entry fee of ten Euros to most of the sights ,then organise your visit between November and March when Sunday entry to the state-owned monuments are free (The Acropolis and Parthenon are included in this category, along with The Archaeological museum).

A perfect day would include a visit to the Acropolis and Parthenon followed by a coffee and dinner at one of the cafes at the foot of the Acropolis. You have your pick of establishments so why not plump for one of the restaurants playing live music?

Keramikos, an ancient cemetery in Thisseion (it is much more interesting than it sounds) is often overlooked by tourists who flock to the more well-publicised places. Keramikos has a similar atmosphere to Pompeii-the feeling that you’ve ventured into another place and time. There’s a certain eeriness about it-as if you’re walking into someone’s living room (or walking over somebody’s grave). And again, if you organise a trip in spring then Keramikos is even more of a spectacle, with a bed of flowers blanketing the huge area.

It isn’t necessary to seek out a guide for these places-if you do, you’ll find that you’re jostling for space and craning your neck to hear what the guide is saying. The constant background buzz of traffic doesn’t allow for any type of talk being given in the open air, so your best option is to pick up a leaflet and browse through it as you explore the city.

The museums lining Vassilias Sofias Street next to Syntagma Square have permanent exhibitions which are fascinating to investigate at your own pace. Most of them will have extra exhibitions running alongside the regular ones, and you could spend a whole afternoon without seeing everything. Both the Benaki and Cycladic museums have three floors, and the Cycladic museum is in two buildings, one of which doesn’t house exhibits, but is a quaint old mansion which is a sheer delight to walk around.

The Archaeological museum near Omonia metro station is a mammoth building housing an enormous collection of Byzantine and Roman artefacts. As in all of the museums, there’s a cafe to chill out at when you need a refreshment break.

On a more relaxed itinerary there is always the chance of encountering the unexpected-a quirky shop stuck in the backstreets with wares which are reasonably priced, or coloured little houses, bright in the Greek sunshine, with vases of flowers spilling out onto the street.

If you want to discover Athens, put on your walking shoes, take an umbrella for the intermittent rain showers and make sure you book your tickets for a trip in the spring. Sample what Athens has to offer at your leisure, and you’re sure to make it one of your regular holiday destinations.

Chillibreeze's disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article.

Out of 5 “chilies”, our editorial team gave this article...

—About our writer:

Moya saya, "I have been a British ex-pat for ten years, living and working in Athens. I enjoy quirky films and comedies and have a love of classic literature-most notably Wilkie Collins.

The article about Athens shows that there is a lot to be said for visiting the city during the spring months where the pace is slower and less frenetic than during the crazy summer season."

>> Read more articles written by Chillibreeze writers:

Chillibreeze Premium Services

Speedy document, PPT and Keynote makeover services for Companies and Business Consultants.
Rough hand drawn sketches and white board diagrams converted into professional PowerPoint slides for next day delivery.
Quick editing and fine tuning of content.
Raw data converted into reports and PPTs, to your specification.
Contact us with your editing and formatting requirements.

Resources for Editors and Writers

Get visibility as a writer by publishing on our website.
Pick a topic from the list provided by Chillibreeze, write and submit. (Note: only 10% make the cut and get published)
Contact us to find out about the process for submitting articles.
Upgrade your writing: English Essentials a course on the nuances of editing and writing error free.