Athens

9:30:00 AM Out And About Global 4 Comments

If you've been reading my blog for a while you know we traveled to Greece two years ago and I wasn't super impressed with Athens. I found it dirty and a bit disorganized (you can read about it here), but we gave it another try in November when my husband ran the marathon. Last week I reported on the race and shared with you a hotel recommendation. Today I will share a FANTASTIC gelateria and restaurant we discovered on our first trip that was still as good as we remembered.

Le Greche

Address: 16 Mitropoleos

I loved this small boutique gelato cafe so much we stopped by each night. The prices are a bit more and portions smaller, but the flavors are so powerful, I found the small to be just the right amount of ice-cream for me. We tried a few different flavors, but I think my favorite was the chocolate orange--oh my, died and gone to heaven rich!

My second recommendation is the restaurant we discovered on our first trip.

Thanasis
Mitropoleos 69 Monastriaki Square
Athens, Greece
+39 210 324 4705
This restaurant was recommended by our tour guide; he said it was a local favorite and he must be right because it was packed both times we ate there. Despite being in a central location for tourists the restaurant felt like it was full of locals, at least I didn't hear any other languages being spoken. They serve typical Greek food, but man, the meat was good and the garlic sauce and the bread and the salad; it was all tasty!

Since this was our second trip to Athens we didn't feel so inclined to revisit all the ruins, however I did make a trip up to the Acropolis while Bob was running his marathon. I ended up meeting a 19 year old boy who was touring Europe all by himself. He sort of attached himself to me for a couple of hours--so we walked around the city a bit and I shared with him what little I know about Greece, the architecture and history. He stayed with me until Bob finished his race--it was nice to have the company and I hope he felt a little less lonely, at least for a couple of hours.

Athens makes me a little crazy--they have an amazing heritage, but I feel like they don't take very good care of it. Aside from the ruins, which you expect to be run down, the buildings are in general disrepair. The main basilica for the Greek Orthodox branch of the church is in an atrocious state--There is scaffolding wrapped around the entire building, so it looks like they are making renovations, but truth be told I never saw any workers. All this aside, Athens provides many many photographic opportunities and I swear they have the best shoe prices! I came home with two pair this trip.

4 comments:

Tamar SBJanuary 26, 2015 at 3:12 PM
Oh how I would love to see Greece and the ruins! Gorgeous pictures!
KmcblackburnJanuary 26, 2015 at 4:33 PM
When I think of Athens, I think of CATS....EVERYWHERE! And I am NOT a 'cat person' so I was a bit freaked, haha. Wow...to run a marathon in ATHENS??!!??? That's kinda epic I'd say :) Beautiful photos, you make Athens proud.
SaraJanuary 28, 2015 at 12:21 AM
My feeling about Athens is similar to your. It is great but it could be so much better if taken care properly. The food, however, is absolutely amazing. I dream of running the marathon in Athens, but I'm still on the half level. It must be quite an experience.