Greece Vacation #3: Arrival in Athens

 In today's travel blog, we arrived in Athens, Greece. We'll walk you around Monastiraki Station (a square) and share some of our observations. In the next couple of blogs, we'll take you on the historic walking tour of the city and show highlights.  We arrived at the hotel around 9:30am and it was 78 degrees Fahrenheit- going up to a heat index of 100F. We met the group of 17 at the hotel and would begin touring the next day. But first, here's the welcome adventure we had.

(Photo: Our first breakfast in Athens with our friends Bill and Bill at the Antica restaurant).

WHAT IS MONASTIRAKI SQUARE?  Its a plaza filled with retail vendors (known as a flea market)  that has a perfect view of the Acropolis (the hill where the Parthenon and other temples sit high above the city). 

WHAT'S AROUND THE SQUARE?  Monastiraki is known for iconic landmarks including the ruins of Hadrian’s Library, the Ancient Agora and the rebuilt Stoa of Attalos (which we didn't see)    (I'll spotlight some of those later).  Monastiraki Flea Market has an overwhelming number shops selling handmade sandals, souvenir T-shirts, post cards, and every tourist trinket you can think of. The surrounding streets are crammed with traditional taverns and restaurants, too. 

(Photo: 2 handsome waiters at the ANTICA restaurant that waited  on us) 

(Photo: We took this pic of Monastiraki Square, right outside of our hotel.Credit: R.G.)

THERE'S A SUBWAY STATION THERE - We didn't go on the subway, but we saw all the graffiti-covered cars move through the city. Monastiraki station is an interchange station on the Athens Metro, between Lines 1 and 3.  

MORNING BREAKFAST/LUNCH - When we arrived at the hotel, we checked in and went to a restaurant called Antica, where we were waited on by two handsome waiters. 

WAY TOO STRONG COFFEE - Since we've traveled to Europe a couple of times, I know not to drink the coffee. Even their "Cafe Americano" was way too strong for me, so I had to opt for hot tea for 12 days (yes, it was a challenge). 

(Photo: Our hotel room in Hotel 360)

THE HOTEL 360  - We stayed in a 4 story hotel located conveniently on Monastiraki Square. The hotel was nice and the rooms were nice, too. Each had a refrigerator, and a tea/coffeemaker (which I like). Because the front facing rooms face the square - on weekends (Sat/Sun nights) there are performances in the square- and the drumming/dancing one on our first night finally ended around Midnight - so BRING EARPLUGS. On the return stay at the end of the trip, we were in a back facing room- that faced a bar, that played pounding music until 1am (which I could hear through earplugs) . Such is a hotel in the city. The staff was nice and accommodating and the rooms clean. There is also a restaurant/bar at the top floor with a view of the Acropolis all lit up at night.

(Photo: View from the hotel room overlooking Monastiraki Square)