This first week in Greece was a rush, and to end it we took a drive to Athens. Athens is about a 6 hour bus ride from Thessaloniki, without any stops. We took a round-about way of getting there and had the opportunity to spend the day in Meteora and Trikala, then to Athens.
Meteora
If you don't know what Meteora is known for, that's okay...I didn't either, but it was absolutely incredible. Meteora is home to 6 different monasteries that is inhabited by around 50 nuns and monks who practice Greek Orthodox Christianity. The fascinating part of these monasteries isn't just the age, but the location. Each one sits on top of rock formations in the middle of the mountains!
While I couldn't take photos of the insides of the churches, I 100% would recommend going to see them for yourself. Some of the art had been preserved for thousands of years, all telling the story of Saints from the Bible and history. Each section was created with such incredible detail that when visitors saw it, they could see the pictures and understand exactly what they meant. The area was very quiet and calm (besides the tourists going through), even the cats seemed tranquil. ;) This short stop is a bit out of the way if you are visiting either Thessaloniki (2ish hours by car) or Athens (4ish hours by car) but the views and history are worth the trip.
We spent the night in a little town called Trikala, where we had a HUGE dinner again and did a little shopping. This town gives you vibes from Amsterdam and London with the bridges over water and the little alleys with shops. I had a snack before dinner (mistakes were made) and a beer at a nice little cafe. I had a pizza that ended up being big enough for 3 people, then had to go eat a huge meal at another taverna for dinner. Once again, everything was delicious! I, unfortunately, only snagged pictures of my pizza and dessert.
More Wine Please?
The next day we made our way to Athens. Along the way, we had the opportunity to speak with Stevia Corporation (that little green leaf that turns into 0 calorie sugar!). I learned a ton about the processing and growing of Stevia, plus we got some free samples!
Finally, we made it to Athens around 5:30pm, giving us just an hour to explore before dinner. Luckily, our hotel was in the heart of Athens, allowing us to find plenty to do before then. We did a little shopping and exploring (had to stop at Sephora!) before making our way to my favorite dinner of the trip. We went to a taverna where we had so much food our pants didn't fit, and so much wine that we were dancing on the tables (literally). We had kebabs, moussaka, Greek salad, pita and tzatziki, fried zucchini, fries, a delicious pasta casserole thing, shredded pork, sausage, and lots and lots of wine! All of the food was incredible, but the experience was what made the night. The restaurant had musicians playing for us some Greek music, that we would get up and dance to throughout the night. By the end of the meal (and many glasses of wine) I ended up being pulled onto the table by the owner to dance! We all danced and sang while people walking by stopped to take videos and pictures of us. It was an incredible experience!
After dinner, we all decided to experience a little Greek nightlife. We had a great bar on the rooftop of our hotel (with a spectacular view of the Parthenon). Then, we made our way to a few other bars, including one called Dirty Blonde...That is all that I will say about this night ;)
Acropolis and the Parthenon
The main reason most people go to Athens is to see the ancient architecture, including Acropolis and the Parthenon. A little knowledge for all of you who don't know anything about Greece or its history - Acropolis basically translates to "high city", meaning it is above the city of Athens. Parthenon means "chambers of the maiden goddess" aka Athena. So why Athena? Long story short, Athena and Poseidon were trying to prove to the citizens who was the best God (a literal God Complex). Poseidon created a stream that was basically useless because it was salt water, and Athena created the olive tree (kinda a big deal here). The olive tree would be able to feed and house the citizens. Apparently, the vote was totally male vs. female (all of the men voting for Poseidon, the women for Athena....classic) and it came down to one vote - a woman. When all was said and done, Athena won because the women were actually voting on the more useful item and there just so happened to be an extra female in the room. So, after this was decided, all of Athens was dedicated to Athena (hence the name) and Acropolis was built to honor her. In Acropolis is the Parthenon that is meant for Athena, a palace that was shared between the king and Poseidon (because someone was a sore loser) and a few other monuments necessary to make it worthy. Everyone brought gifts to the Parthenon, like statues and art, for Athena. An interesting tidbit - Acropolis was actually destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC, so this is the New Acropolis. There is a museum that has one piece of the Parthenon before the destruction that actually represented the Gods as scary creatures (much different than how they were represented later on).
If you are going to Greece, obviously make your way here. Seeing it in person is a whole different experience than the pictures. The giant structures surviving from ancient times is absolutely incredible. If you are a history junky, check out the museum and learn more about the items found in Acropolis (gifts, artifacts, etc.). Be sure to save time to explore Athens as well! I wish we had more time to wander the streets and find other sights. We did a lot of shopping in markets and eating at little shops, including gyros, gelato, and some wok (we needed something a little different). We called it early that night to get some rest before our big travel day.
Olympic Athletes
Our final day in Athens involved seeing the infamous Olympic Stadium, Panathenaic Stadium. We walked around the track and went to the very top of the steps (ancient Greeks were in great shape). I even had the chance to run on the track! It was very cool. Later, we hiked up Lykavittos Hill, where we had a quick lunch and saw some incredible views. Coffee is always a staple, as well as the cats, so I enjoyed both up here Our trip was spectacular and much too short. I am looking forward to returning to Athens with my parents later in March so I can show them the best spots and see some new things myself! After a 7 hour bus ride, we finally made it back and it was time to prepare for our first week of classes.
Check out next weeks blog to see how my first week of classes went and what I do during my weekend trip in Brussels!