Athens, Greece is a Blend of Ancient History and Modern Life
Visiting Athens, Greece, was a highlight of my time with Semester at Sea and my favorite city today. Growing up near Houston, Texas, and visiting places like New York City, I expected major cities to be similar. Looming skyscrapers with shining windows mirroring the streets below. People crowding the sidewalks with phones in their ears and coffees in their hands as they make their way to work.
Athens defied my expectations from the start. The city was an extraordinary melting pot of modern cityscapes and ancient historical ruins, with the Acropolis being the most well-known. Plants lined cobblestone sidewalks and poured from windows and balconies. Streetside restaurants decorated alleys with Europeans sipping coffee or glasses of champagne at candlelit outdoor tables.
Athens was my first impression of a modern European city, and visiting put into perspective how young the United States really is compared to Europe. I only spent one night in the city; however, my two friends and I had an absolute blast. Where else can you dine at the MS Roof Garden, dance at the top-rated Lohan Club, and visit the Acropolis the next day?
Modern Athens
My travel partners and I grabbed an apartment-style Airbnb tucked away in central Athens. We had a view of the Acropolis from our balcony (which was a 15-minute walk away) and a plethora of restaurants below us. It’s on the pricier side, but worth the money you’ll save on taxis and the experience of being in the middle of the city life.
We dined at the magical Fairytale Cafe and the charming Pantheon Restaurant. Then, we shopped (or, in our case, window-shopped) at stores like Golden Goose and Levi’s and grabbed new piercings and jewelry at the Athens Tattoo Parlor. At night we bar-crawled down Kolokotroni Street before heading to the Lohan Club with many friends from the ship.
Modern Athens was a thrill from start to finish, and I couldn’t get enough of the famous European city.
Ancient Athens
Some know Athens as the birthplace of Western civilization, which rings true. Athens has been inhabited since the Neolithic Period, before 3000 B.C. Western intellect, artistry, and policy were born in the city, including democracy. Athens is a hub where philosophy, art, and architecture sprouted and soon flourished across the globe. The preserved ruins of the Acropolis and the Parthenon demonstrate the city’s important and impactful history. There’s also evidence of Greek mythology in the carvings.
It’s fascinating to me how the people of Athens live so casually at the start of Western civilization. So many things about the West that make it “unique” originated from Athens. As I visited, I recall seeing various groups of schoolchildren touring the Acropolis ruins for their education. I thought, “How cool is that?” These children were learning about history on site. Semester at Sea granted me the same experience, and I couldn’t be more grateful. As I’ve mentioned before, I hope I can create content that pays it forward.
Source: https://www.britannica.com/summary/Athens
