Our trip to Greece was the outcome of a most fortuitous sequence of events. Admiring one of sister Jeannie's beautiful photo books of a previous trip she and George had taken to Greece, I asked her if she thought that Jim and I would enjoy going there someday. It was only months later that Jeanne and George received a wedding invitation from a family member, that lived in Greece. Lucky us! We then received their most thoughtful invite to meet up with them after the wedding and tour the islands of Crete and Santorini. We readily accepted!
While Jeannie and George enjoyed themselves at the wedding, Jim and I fill our time touring the city of Athens.
Athens with a view of Mount Lycabettus
We've chosen to stay at Adam's Hotel located in Plaka, known as the “neighborhood of the gods,” an old historic neighborhood of Athens, clustered around the northern and eastern slopes of the Acropolis. So many sites to see, all within walking distance of our hotel.
The view from our hotel rooftop was just a hint of what
we were to see the next morning.
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| Europe starts here! |
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The Auditorium of the Theatre of Dionysus
This sixth century theatre was the first and largest theatre to be built in Athens and could seat up to 17,000 people. It was dedicated to Dionysus, the Greek god of drama. |
Odeon of Herodes Atticus
This second century theater is still in operation,
with concerts held here from time to time. |
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The Parthenon was a temple, dedicated to the goddess Athena, who the people of Athens considered their patron. Construction began in 447 BC when the Athenian Empire was at the peak of its power.
The Erechtheion or Erechtheum is an ancient Greek temple on the north side of the Acropolis dedicated to Athena and Poseidon.
The Acropolis Museum is an archaeological museum focused on the findings of the archaeological site of the Acropolis of Athens. The museum was built to house every artifact found on the rock and on the surrounding slopes, from the Greek Bronze Age to Roman and Byzantine Greece.
An ancient Athenian neighborhood is incorporated in a unique way in the Acropolis Museum. Streets, residences, baths, workshops and tombs compose the complex image of archaeological remains.
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| The west bath. |
The Greek Parliament House north of Syntagma square, in the center of Athens, now houses the Parliament of Greece. The "Changing of the Guard" occurs here every hour.
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| The Arch of Hadrian |
"Hellas Crowning" statue located in National Gardens.
