Athens now
 

I was going over some old posts on Athens (up to 2003) and most reviews on the city were bad. Does anyone have any opinion on Athens after the Olympics? Have they not beautified the city?

I adored Athens, and I was there just prior to the Olympics.

It has soul, passion, and an amazing warmth. Sadly white socked Americans can only enjoy physically beautiful buildings. How ironic that they don't apply this to people.

We spent a few days in Athens in 97 and 98, way before the Olympics, and I thought it was a wonderful city.

I have bisted Athens several times over many years, the first trips I did the tourist sights but on susequent trips I got out from the center, traveled along the coast, found great places and great people. I tend to agree that the 'sights' are worth going for but you really want to absorb yourself into the daily life to feel the 'magic' of any place. I think greece overall is very laid back and hassle free, and certainly some of the towns outside the tourist areas of Greece and also the islands are great places!

We haven't been there for ten years, but loved it then and would jump at the chance to visit again. We stayed near the Plaka and had a terrific view of the Acropolis from our hotel room balcony. Enjoyed one of the best picnics we've ever had in Europe on that balcony as well.

Obviously everyone has their own opinions about cities they visit, and likewise "beauty" is in the eye of the beholder, but I won't hesitate to tell you that we thought Athens was wonderful.

We visited Athens right before the Games, and despite the fact that it was a complete construction zone, and there was a garbage strike to boot, we loved every minute of our stay -- The excitement over the games was obvious, and people there did everything they could to make us comfortable and have fun. We stayed at an outstanding hotel in the Plaka with a rooftop bar where we could sit at the end of the night and have a cheap beer before retiring, and gaze at the Acropolis.

Athens is pretty polluted (smog), but other than that it's a great city, and one I'm happy to have visited.

Have fun!

Julie

I loved Athens when I went for the first time in March. The pedestrianized streets around the ancient sites are extremely pleasant. The ancient agora, the acropolis, all gave me chills. Fascinating music, available in rembetika clubs and in every restaurant we visited. The Sunday flea market in Monastiraki, the central market selling everything from the pigs' heads to their feet. The vibrant nightlife, people in the streets night and day.

My trip report, which is admittedly very long, might interest you:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34589254