Our Mega Rockstar Vacation - Part 1: Athens

Greek Gods, Anchovies, & Cats

Day 1: This was the amazing view as we walked into our Airbnb in Athens after traveling for 28 hours (including three flights). We were slightly loopy and felt more than a little gross, but after a quick freshen-up, we headed out to explore our neighborhood.

Rule #1 for avoiding massive jet lag: Get outside and stay awake until it’s dark.

As he does, Shawn researched local restaurants and found one with great reviews that wasn’t too far away. It was down a beautiful little street lined with flowers and trees.

We ordered a salad, moussaka, and pita with tzatziki dip for our first Greek meal. Everything was super fresh and delicious.

After dinner, we walked around a bit more to orient ourselves, then headed back to our apartment to collapse. But not before noticing that the nighttime view of the Acropolis from our apartment was even more breathtaking

Day 2: The next morning we woke up early, (easy to do when your body hasn’t adjusted yet), and walked to a local bakery for cappuccinos. Then we met our guide, Zephy, for an almost-private food tour. (We had one other guest with us, a college grad who’d gifted herself a solo Europe trip and was touring several cities on her own.)

We started with a typical Greek pastry: spanakopita, a flaky dough stuffed with spinach and feta. YUM.

Next on our tour was the market. We love visiting local markets when we travel, especially when you get to smell all the spices. One of the olive vendors let us sample several different types of olives. They were all so good, very briny and fresh, nothing like the jarred ones we get at home.

After that, we visited a deli where we got to sit down to a charcuterie board with preserved meats and cheeses. They paired it with local red and white wines, plus the Greek version of grappa (Raki) to sample as well

We were starting to get stuffed, but our tour guide wasn’t done with us yet! Next up was a small restaurant packed with locals. Very intimidating, you just have to know what to order. Zephy took care of that for us and brought out a sampling of typical dishes: giant beans in tomato sauce, greens sautéed in olive oil and lemon, tomato salad with feta, and bread with a yogurt garlic sauce.

Everything was really good. I especially liked the sautéed greens. (Do we look sweaty in this photo? There was a serious heat wave going through the area.)

To finish the tour, we stopped at one of the oldest bakeries in Athens for a cookie sampling. Unfortunately, I tried our guide’s favorite, which had powdered sugar and rosewater, and my mouth tasted like soap for the next hour. But hey, that’s the gamble of trying new foods. Occasionally you hit one that’s not your favorite.

One of the things I loved about Athens was the abundance of cats everywhere. They all seem well-fed and cared for by the locals. They are mostly aloof, but I did get a couple pets in while we were here.

That afternoon, we walked to a different neighborhood to check out a popular craft cocktail bar - rated as #12 bar in the world - Line Athens. The drinks were so creative, and we loved everything we tried before taking an Uber back to our apartment - we weren’t walking back from that one.

For dinner, we decided to wander our neighborhood again and grab a cocktail at another top bar before our meal, #17 in the world - Baba au Rum. There are so many bars & restaurants with outdoor seating, and everyone’s out having a good time once the sun goes down.

Day 3: We got up early again for a tour of the Acropolis and Parthenon. It was a long tour with lots of walking and heavy crowds, all in high heat and humidity. I cannot imagine doing this in the afternoon when the crowds and heat are even worse.

Note to future travelers: This is definitely not a tour for anyone who’s agoraphobic or has mobility issues.

All that aside, the history was fascinating, our guide was excellent, and seeing the Acropolis up close is something you just cannot miss when you’re in Athens.

We walked back to our neighborhood for an afternoon snack, and Shawn found what would become our favorite restaurant of the trip - Enastron. A charming little place with a few outdoor tables under a verandah, and the most welcoming and friendly owners.

We ordered their white anchovies preserved in olive oil, salt, and lemon juice and almost died and went to foodie heaven. It was so delightful that we made a reservation to come back for dinner.

Everything we ate was spectacular, and the owner even brought us shots of Raki and a little dessert. If we had stayed longer, we would have been back there every night.

After our last dinner in Athens, we walked around, soaked in the nighttime city sights, and said hello to all the cats, of course.

Departure Day: The next morning, we woke up early again and walked to a place our food tour guide had recommended (Stani) for a typical Greek breakfast: sheep’s milk yogurt with local honey and walnuts. I was nervous it would be too sweet, but the yogurt was so dense and sour that the honey balanced it perfectly. Honestly, it was one of the best things I’ve eaten

We said our goodbyes to all the neighborhood cats on the walk back, packed up, and got ready for the private transport to the cruise terminal.

Next Up: Part 2 – Our Mega Rockstar Cruise Experience