Ancient wonders, ceremonial guards, and the most mouthwatering Greek salad!
Our Athens stop was another perfect day, and honestly, it started with us doing everything right without even trying!
We booked a private tour through Tours by Locals. Our guide met us at the port with this gorgeous luxury van that easily fit twice as many people as our group of eight, so we were incredibly comfortable. With air conditioning blasting, thank goodness because it was definitely a hot day, we were ready to explore Athens!
Our guide was absolutely wonderful and took us to some predetermined spots we’d discussed but also gave us those perfect local insights you can only get from someone who knows the city inside and out.
First stop: the Acropolis…
We got up there, explored, and soaked in all the incredible history. There’s something so surreal about walking around the Acropolis. You’re literally stepping where people walked thousands and thousands of years ago. It was one of those moments that just hits you – like, wow, I’m actually here, in this place that’s been standing for over 2,000 years. Pretty crazy to think about! We somehow managed to time it perfectly! When we came back down, the lines to get in were massive. It was easily at least an hour wait.
As we drove through Athens, our guide pointed out so many landmarks. We saw the modern Olympic Stadium and got to take photos there. We drove past the US Embassy.
And then we got to witness the changing of the guard at the presidential residence, which I honestly didn’t think I needed to see but I’m so glad we didn’t miss it. It was really, really cool! The guards in their traditional uniforms with such precise, ceremonial movements – it was mesmerizing to watch.
We also saw the Temple of Olympian Zeus during our travels around the city. Athens really is like an open-air museum – everywhere you look, there’s something with incredible historical significance.
But let’s talk about lunch, because… Oh my!
Our guide brought us to this local Taverna called Kapari, which means capers. I didn’t know anything about the history of capers. The cover of their menu shared all about it. Apparently, the caper plant has quite a resume.
Our guide had specifically chosen this place because it’s where the locals actually eat – not just another tourist restaurant.
Once again, we ordered way too much food, and this time the portion sizes were absolutely massive – much bigger than we expected! Just like in Mykonos, we all kept looking at each other as dish after dish arrived, probably thinking the same thing: “Did we really order all this again?”
We started with keftedes – perfectly golden, crispy meatballs and a delicious feta spread.
Oh, and the bread was this rustic, crusty bread covered in herbs… forget the carbs, I could not pass it up!
But the Greek salad alone was a masterpiece. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to enjoy a Greek salad the same way again after having it in Athens. It was so fresh and crisp, and that feta – oh my god! This massive slab of the creamiest, most flavorful feta cheese I’ve ever tasted. It was also topped with yummy capers and Kritamo, which is sea fennel… delicious!
For meals, a few of us had gyros, which were fresh and delicious.
My son’s friend got this amazing pasta dish that was like a Greek version of carbonara, with pancetta in the creamiest sauce.
My other son’s daughter got a Greek veggie risotto and topped with a very sharp crumbled cheese.
And my daughter got an herb-crusted chicken that came out glistening with olive oil and Mediterranean herbs, served over roasted potatoes. Every bite was like tasting sunshine and herbs together.
We ended the meal with shots all around – some kind of brown, coffee-colored drink that was the perfect way to cap off this incredible meal!
After lunch, we spent some time exploring the Plaka District, wandering through the narrow streets lined with little shops perfect for souvenir hunting. The whole area has this charming, old-world feeling that makes you want to get lost in the winding alleys.
Toward the end of our day, our guide brought us to the Acropolis Museum, which was perfect timing. After doing some exploring outside before going to the Acropolis, it was so nice to be in air conditioning while exploring all the incredible artifacts and learning even more about what we’d just experienced at the actual Acropolis.
Our guide kept raving about Greek frappé. Now, I’m not usually a big, iced coffee person, but she kept saying “you have to have this!” So, I did, and you know what? I really enjoyed it! It’s a frothy, refreshing iced coffee that’s perfect for a hot Athens day.
When it was all said and done, our guide got us back to the ship with plenty of time to spare. No stress, no rushing, no worrying about missing the boat. Just another perfectly timed day where everything seemed to fall into place exactly as it should.
Athens gave us memories that’ll last forever. It was the perfect combination of incredible history and amazing food!
Next stop: Croatia!
Recent Comments