HippieTravels

Where the Feta Cheese Comes From

nicolemesa — Thu, 28 May 2015 02:29:24 GMT

First impressions mean a lot, and meeting a new city is no exception.

One bike ride, train, bus, airplane and a kamikaze Greek bus later, I had arrived at the front desk of my hostel in Athens. I was really here. I dropped my backpack off and headed out to the 75º F weather.

I had arrived. A raw city I knew immediately would be worth discovering.

Maybe it was the greatness of the Acropolis, or the fact that I was traveling solo, but the main square in Monastiraki made me feel alive for the first time in years. The history around the city was trying to tell me somethings and I was ready to use all my senses to discover it.

In between dodging a handful of cars and eating some gyros, I turned the corner just opposite Monastiraki and found myself in another Athens completely.

"Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore."

Fish and sweat had replaced the salty smell of pitta bread and souvlaki. Tourists snapping selfies with old ruins, by locals with trolleys doing their weekly food haul. The cheerful laugh of children playing, by fishermen shouting out in Greek something that my foreign ears couldn't quite decipher. An exhilarating scene none the less.

"So this is where the Greek taverns get their feta cheese", was what came to mind while absorbing my surroundings at the Central Food Market.

It hit me: The true wonders of Athens may not be in the dead past but in the very alive present, and Greek markets are buzzing.

My mother once told me I had to learn how to color inside the lines when I was a child, but "what's outside is just way more fun", I used to think. This is how I live my life now. I follow the back roads everywhere I go in order to see not just what a city wants me to see, but what I feel I need to see. To learn from it. To grow.

Also, the next time I visit Athens Central Food Market I will definitely wear shoes, not flip-flops.

Quick Guide to Athens, Greece

nicolemesa — Mon, 18 May 2015 19:58:00 GMT

Day 1

The Library of Hadrian: The last of the major ancient Archeoligical sites to visit! Be sure to get there with time to visit the museum inside the site, it closes at 3 pm.

After climbing the Acropolis you’re bound to be hungry, so now is a good time to grab a bite to eat. I got a big Greek salad and a vegetable pita at this restaurant just off Monastiraki Square.

Stop for Refreshments: Beat the May heat with ice-cream! Along Adrianou Street you will find many options, from frozen Greek yogurt with toppings which you can buy by the gram, to peanut butter gelato and iced coffee.

The Ancient Agora: At the end of Adrianou Street on your left you will find the Ancient Agora. It’s worth paying a visit and wandering around this landmark. Entrance is free for EU students.

Climb up the Acropolis Hill: We found a way to climb to the Acropolis by exiting the Agora and heading left. You find a path that leads you to the top of the hill to enjoy the view of the city and take time to meditate.

Dinner: Coming back down the Acropolis Hill, heading back towards Monastiraki, there are many restaurants to get Gyros or Greek salads for very cheap.

Day 2

Visit the Central Food Market: starting on Monastiraki Square, take Athinas Street and you’ll find the city market, with fish, meat and spices on the right side, and fruits and vegetables on the left. The market is open from 7:00-15:00 every day.

Head to the Botanical Garden: Walk to Syntagma Square and head towards the Parliament (the big building with the Greek flag), and then take your time to stroll around the Botanical Garden. Tip: try to avoid using their toilets if you can!

Enter Zeus Temple: Another one of the must-see Greek ancient ruins. Spend some time contemplating (and taking selfies if you’d like). Entrance is free for EU students.

Visit Plaka neighborhood: Head left when you exit Zeus Temple and you’ll encounter this neighborhood, famous for its’ nice souvenir shops. It also has great side streets, so make sure to look around you.

Walk to the Athens Flea Market: Check out the cheap souvenir shopping and discover one of the many juice bars around Monastiraki. Also, there are little fruit stands all over selling inexpensive bananas, apples, pears, coconut and pretty much everything you could imagine!

Day 3

Explore Nafplio: We decided to take a bus from the Central Station in Athens and head to the Peloponnese for the day. Two hours later we arrived to the sea-side town of Nafplio.

Climb the Stairway to Palamidi Fortress: The 800 steps are well worth the sweat once you get up to the top and see the view and get the feeling of the town and its’ architecture.

Lunch at a Greek Tavern: enjoy a delicious Greek salad, fried feta cheese, moussaka or rice-stuffed peppers at one of the local restaurants.

Head down to the Beach: This pebble beach is a great place to be on a sunny day. It’s a free beach and has showers and restrooms.

Quick Dinner of Gyros: Any place you go, Gyros are on the menu, so I tried a vegetarian option with cucumber, tomato, tzatziki sauce and french fries wrapped in a pita bread. (1.60€).

Day 4

Hike Lykavittos Hill: Start at the end of Ploutarchou Street and make your way up to enjoy a great view of Athens and its’ archeological landmarks (like the Acropolis) from the highest point of the city. There is a cute little chapel at the top too.

Refresh at the beach: Athens is the only European capital with a beach in the city centre, so it’s worth discovering. Take the 5 tram to Edem beach and enjoy a day in the sun, with a stop for lunch and some Greek yogurt with honey and nuts at one of the beach front restaurants.

Photos: Athens, Greece

nicolemesa — Mon, 18 May 2015 19:53:00 GMT

Photo journal of Athens, Greece