If you rang my bell in the morning, we would go to Plaka, in Old Athens, and have breakfast there, in a little café. They make pastries, pies, juices, nice coffee and they have lots of teas. Then, we would stroll aimlessly, so you could see the architecture, the street vendors, the monuments. We’d walk under the Parthenon, on Dionyssiou Aeropagitou street and we’d see the theatre of Herod Atticus under the Acropolis.
Kafe Avysinya
We’d go to Monastiraki, the flea market, and buy silly things, and have coffee with a view to the temple of Thission. Or we could have lunch at Kafe Avysinya, in the flea market area. The food is great and the setting is dramatic, since you eat among the antiques.
Benaki Museum
Then we’d go to Benaki Museum in Kolonaki, central Athens, where you can see the history of Greece from prehistoric to modern times. Connie would love the Byzantine art section. I know she likes icons. We could have refreshments out in the veranda, on the top floor of the museum. It’s a lovely café that overlooks the National Garden. In the evening, I’d take you to Lake Vouliagmeni (the photo is from the web, so thank you to the anonymous photographer). That’s when people have stopped swimming and you can have dinner or a drink. So, we’d have dinner by the lake and then, we’d head downtown again, to Galaxy Bar, at the top of the Athens Hilton hotel. It has the best cocktails, an amazing view to the city and nice music.
Kastella
If we had another day, I’d take you to Pireaus, our port. We’d go to Kastella and have coffee among the masts of the boats and if you like seafood I’d take you to my favourite place (although I don’t eat seafood) Kollias. It has the best food, the proprietor is a sweetie and we’d get drunk on tsipouro (or wine, for Pille!) Or we could leave the city. Two hours later we’d be in Nafplio, one of my favourite places in Greece. It’s a historic, seaside town, with an imposing fortress and a little fairy tale castle in the sea. You just have to get on that plane. Viva It’s my son’s nameday today. Here he is playing with his new toy (Captain Hook’s island).
And viva again My blog is not a baby anymore. It’s one year old and by blog standards, I think it’s a toddler.
June 29th, 2006 at 8:27 am
I thought you were going to say Captain Hook’s hand!
They all like special places…can you go to the castle in the ocean or is somebody’s home?
No man is an island anybody?!
June 29th, 2006 at 8:29 am
Second paragraph *look
Or does the castle ever set sail as the lonely prince continues his search for a princess that might want to live with him in his castle…
June 29th, 2006 at 8:37 am
you can go there by boat. it’s a monument. it’s been there since 1473 (or so i read in Wikipedia). i think there is a cafe and i think i’ve had -horrid- coffee there once. No prince to serve me.
June 29th, 2006 at 8:40 am
It’s not the Greek Alcatraz is it?
June 29th, 2006 at 8:41 am
HAPPY NAMEDAY PETRΟ!
ΧΡΟÎΙΑ ΠΟΛΛΑ ΠΕΤΡΟ!
June 29th, 2006 at 8:46 am
June 29th, 2006 at 8:50 am
I’ll be in Athens some time in the next couple of years, so I’ll send you advance warning ;-). Great photos. Remember to stop your blog eating too much dirt or insects from the garden ;-).
June 29th, 2006 at 8:58 am
Finn
No silly. criminals run free in Greece.
Chlorina
ευχαÏιστοÏμε, thank you, merci, grazie
Kimananda
in my opinion, spring, especially Easter when athens is not crowded.
Jack
it’s the terrible two’s. it only says NO, NO, NO.
June 29th, 2006 at 9:03 am
happy blirthday!
June 29th, 2006 at 10:42 am
I wish I could get on that plane now. It all looks and sounds wonderful.
And guess what my blog is one year old now too.. as of Saturday.
So happy B-day Boggie!
June 29th, 2006 at 10:45 am
I’m laughing at my fast typing I left out the “L” and spelled boggie instead of bloggie…
June 29th, 2006 at 10:48 am
zona
thank you. i got something from you today! we are made for the good life zona! xxxx
day
i wish you could come too. one day you will. or i will. we’ll see. happy birthday bloggie xx
June 29th, 2006 at 11:18 am
Happy Name Day to your son!
Happy ist Birthday to your Blog!
I think I might change my mind about the trip to Italy next year; would you like to host us? Two adults, a six year old and two year old? Really?…because we might just ring your bell with that itinerary.
June 29th, 2006 at 11:36 am
cool! I sent you an email too. thanks in advance!
June 29th, 2006 at 11:39 am
hiccups
June 29th, 2006 at 11:40 am
Cathy
i’d love to! i’ll get to pinch that babe!
zona
you are welcome xx
June 29th, 2006 at 11:46 am
cool! I sent you an email too. thanks in advance!
June 29th, 2006 at 11:57 am
Happy Birthday to your blog!!!
I would so love to come visit you some day. Just to give you a hug and have a good conversation. Of course the scenery looks wonderful too!
Take care,
Connie
June 29th, 2006 at 12:27 pm
Hi Chloe,
I had emailed you a while ago asking for information about traveling to Mani - Ismini is my new Blogger name!
I just wanted to say that your list of things to do in Athens and around Athens is lovely (a lot of the places you mention in Plaka and Thisio are the ones favoured by myself whenever I visit my parents). In fact, it is so good you should honestly be the one creating the campaigns for the Greek Tourism Office - the spots broadcast on foreign TV channels are not half as good! xxi.
June 29th, 2006 at 1:47 pm
Again I say, I’d rather be living your life.
Happy Nameday, beautiful boy.
June 29th, 2006 at 3:08 pm
Happy 1st year to Froth on the Daydream!
Ooh, you know, I think I have been to that cafe!
June 29th, 2006 at 4:43 pm
And then I’d kill my camera battery taking lots and lots of photos.
Happy Nameday to your son!!
June 29th, 2006 at 5:27 pm
Oh God..I’m rotting in here now, looking at those pictures! lol
I love Plaka, I love that castle and the lake!
Viva to your son and to you for the blogversary (I think there was a baby blog boom last Summer
By the way, does viva mean “long live” or something like that? Because we say viva over here too
June 29th, 2006 at 6:04 pm
Happy Birthday to Chloe’s son and to Chloe’s blog. what a fine day it is in the world.
i love your pics. i want to see ALL of that, but mostly the water.
June 29th, 2006 at 6:06 pm
I am checking for deals right
now. Can i bring my son?
June 29th, 2006 at 7:26 pm
Happy Bloggerversary Chloe! Happy nameday to your son :o)
Super photos….just glorious :o)
June 30th, 2006 at 12:29 am
Oh ace photos! Just lovely !
And what a handsome boy you have!
June 30th, 2006 at 1:21 am
I love it!! I would love to be there. And happy birthday to your blog. What is your sons name day?
June 30th, 2006 at 1:23 am
Birthday? (sorry I’m slow!) Oh how neat! Happy Birthday to your boy. We are birthday (week) partners. Gotta love a Cancer. xoxo
June 30th, 2006 at 4:51 am
Happy γιοÏτή to Petro! And congrats on the bloggiversary.
- Can we go to ΑγοÏά as well? ‘Cause last time I was in Athens, they had closed it down to finish the metro before the Olympics… And since I read Plato and all in Ancient Greek classes, I really would have wanted to walk where Socrates walked…
June 30th, 2006 at 8:57 am
Happy nameday to your son, and happy blog birthday to you!
We tried to go to Kafe Avysinya on my first night in Athens, but it was closed:( Another time..
July 1st, 2006 at 8:08 pm
Please sign me up for the tour - Greece looks beautiful
I’ll have to figure out the Boston edition. Music, shopping, and a Red Sox game if it is summertime. I’m sorry to report that the whole Quincy Market/Fanuel Hall area is just a bunch of chain stores now though. It’s fun to see a tourist view of your own city sometimes.
July 3rd, 2006 at 4:06 pm
Found your blog by chance and boy am I glad I did! I’m in Athens at the end of July and was trying to find different intresting places to visit, will certainly try kafe avysina, did you say it was in the Plaka area? Loved the pic of your family as well.
July 4th, 2006 at 7:23 pm
Your blog just keeps getting better and better, Miss Chloe.
And with that invitation, you’ll soon be inuadated with guests (one day I’ll make it back there!)