Athens Part I

Our final day in Greece we spent exploring the Ancient city of Athens! Our morning started very early with a 6:40AM flight. We were surprised when our hotel told us we really only needed to get to the airport an hour early (definitely used to O’Hare style waiting times). The line at the airport when we arrived was out the door! But luckily, we were literally the only flight leaving the 2-gate airport so we made it just fine. After a quick 20-minute flight, we landed! If you’re travelling from Mykonos to Athens check out flights before you book a ferry. The ferry takes 5-8 hours and we found flights for literally €30 per person.

After we landed, we hopped in a cab and headed to the Electra Palace Athens to store our luggage and start exploring. Before visiting the sites we grabbed breakfast at Klepsydra Athens. This adorable café is right near the Acropolis. If you are there for breakfast the Greek yogurt with honey and walnuts is not to be missed-it was out of this world good! However, you may want to avoid the Spinach Pie, we didn’t find this was delicious anywhere in Greece. We decided it was probably only good fresh from the oven and everywhere we ordered it, it tasted like it had been sitting under a warmer.

With our bellies full we made the short trek up to the Acropolis! We decided to splurge on the multi-site ticket for €30 which gave us access to the acropolis and six other archeological sites in Athens. I highly recommend visiting the Acropolis early in the morning. We arrived around 9:00AM and the line was manageable. When we left around 11:00AM the line was around the corner insane, I can’t even imagine what it looks like during the high season. I had read online somewhere that you could rent a headset tour guide-this was not the case. In fact, everyone looked at us like we were crazy when we asked about this! So, Gabe and I walked around the Acropolis marveling at the sites but not knowing all that much about them! At certain parts during the visit you do feel a bit like cattle being herded but once you reach the top you can spread out a bit.

Outfit Round Up: Under $50!!!
Dress: Target $18
Necklace: Forever 21 $6
Shoes: Walmart $6
Sunglasses: Forever 21 $8
Bracelet: Forever 21 (similar) $7
Total: $45

After a couple hours wandering around the ancient city we headed to Little Kook in the Psirri neighborhood about a 15 minute walk from the Acropolis. As you walk along the street towards Little Kook your eyes are immediately directed towards the sky. A whimsical string of lamps and chandeliers line the street! Once you approach Little Kook you begin to feel like a kid again! Brightly colored facades, fairy tale like store fronts even a golden carriage sits outside inviting you in. The theme of this restaurant changes every 4-5 months which is insane because the amount of detail and work that must go into changing it is mind boggling. When we visited, it was a pirate theme!

This playful café serves incredible looking desserts! Take your pick from crepes to ice cream, to chocolates and traditional Greek sweets. Gabe ordered the special which was baklava and ice cream-it was absolutely delicious. My concoction on the other hand a strawberry vanilla shake was a dream to look at but a little strange tasting. This gaudy cafe was so much fun, it would be awesome if traveling with Kids-I could just picture Davis’ little eyes lighting up at it! Little Kook is the perfect place to stop for an afternoon pick-me up. We headed back towards our hotel to check in and get a little down time in. The Electra Palace Hotel has a stunning rooftop pool overlooking the Acropolis! To be honest, this feature was part of the reason we booked it. After a quick dip in the pool and a bite to eat at the hotel we headed back to the room to freshen up for dinner and more exploring.