Travel Series – Athens, Greece… A true hidden gem
#TravelBeaverton&Beyond
Greece is SO amazing, and it seems to be on everyone’s bucket list.
On my recent trip to Athens, Greece, we landed at 1:30pm, found our luggage and went looking for our ‘Meet & Greet’ driver whom we were so glad to see after such a long flight from PDX. After a heartfelt welcome, our driver promptly walked us out to his van to begin our sightseeing of Greece. We arrived at the Herodian Hotel within the hour.
The Herodian Hotel is in the PERFECT location. We opened our window drapes to a breathtaking, up-close view of the Acropolis and Parthenon each morning! I highly recommend spending a little bit more for this view. Imagine waking up and looking out the window and reminding yourself; you are in Greece!
The hotel is located in the heart of the city, a heartbeat away from Athens’ iconic landmarks, the Acropolis and Parthenon, and the Acropolis Museum. This hotel offers the ideal ‘home base’ for exploring all the must-see parts of Athens, especially on foot!
The ‘Plaka’ neighborhood is considered the most beautiful and historic area in Athens.
In the shadow of the Acropolis and its ancient temples, hillside Plaka has a village feel, with narrow cobblestone streets lined with tiny shops selling jewelry, clothes and local ceramics. Sidewalk cafes and family-run taverns stay open until late.
Our afternoon private Acropolis tour was lead with a guide that was passionate and knowledgeable and really knew his history of the area. It was a long climb up to the top of the Parthenon, but with stops and resting between sites, it was worth the huffing and puffing, when we finally made it to the very top. We stayed and watched the sun set behind the Acropolis. Pictures just don’t do it justice nor capture the breathtaking views.
There is not enough room in this column to write all of the wonderful experiences we had in Athens, like the food tour we did, a private intimate roof-top dinner overlooking the Acropolis, and of course, all the shopping too!
You’ll just have to plan a trip to Greece and see this wonderful country for yourself!
By Joyce Bates, owner of Sun Connections Travel & Cruises, the ‘go to’ travel agency for all occasions. For more info on this subject or to book your next trip, email joyce@sunconnections.com, visit www.sunconnections.com, or call 503-655-4850. Travel Layaway plans available!
