Travelling with a friend
My by default setting is solo travelling. I have travelled with company of course, but it’s rare. I don’t know how many times my friend Andi has asked me if I wanted to join her to either her family’s Athen apartment, or to their summer house by the coast, but I was always booked on an assignment and couldn’t go. But this time… ten years later, assignment free and having started this travelling blog, what would be a better opportunity?
One little dilemma… flying. I’m not supposed to fly. The train will take me days, and it’s a six day stay in Athens. Yes, I did fly. Sally the bike and I… did fly. Climate compensated of course, but compensating doesn’t make the Co2 disappear.
Andi was working during the days, so I had plenty of time on my own, and a great weekend as well as evening with Andi. Suited me perfect being the incurable solo traveller.
Attiki in Athens
Andis apartment is located in Attiki in the city center of Athens. It was just renovated and looks splendid, the most amazing thing though is the huge corner terrace. As the days progressed…I could actually imagine living here somewhat permanent. In their apartment😇. I just loved the sunrise, hearing the birds, looking out over the roofs. I absolutely loved it.
The area is so very authentic, the everyday Greek life completely tourist free. Attiki is also very multicultural, so it’s a dynamic mix. Easy to reach all other parts of town with either subway, or by… bike. You do the math🙃. Once a week there is farmers market one street above Andis, and it’s soooo very lovely. I kind’a fell in love with Athens.
Athens in February
Climate? Lovely, cause as a Swede I’m dying for some sun and freckles. The Athenians, including Andi who lives in Stockholm are still wearing their winter coats, and some their knitted wool hats. This while I just want to get into my skirt. No… I didn’t cause it would have looked too weird. At nights even I needed a down vest for comfort. But it was most certainly spring.
Orange, my Favourite Color
The things that strikes me the most are all the oranges. In the middle of the city, as well as every where there are trees filled with oranges. To me it was so very exotic. And a bit weird seeing them in the gutter… Yes, I do understand Newtons law of gravity, but oranges in the gutter is still… wow and oops at the same time.
Andi is a huge fan of eating oranges, and I guess I kind of caught it as well. To me oranges comes as a flavouring in chocolate, or out of a juice box. They don’t hang in a tree above my head 😇
Art in Athens
It’s pretty much everywhere depending on what are you fancy. Museums as well as street art. Some of the street art might be artistic to some, while not to others.
Alekos Fassiano
A Greek artist that was born in Athens, but moved to Paris after finishing his art studies in Athens. His work is very graphic as well as colorful, much to my delight. He passed away at the age of 86 in January of 2022. And since, his home has turned into a museum.
Alekos Fassianos Museum is located at Neofitou Metaxa 15. Well worth a visit.
Athens Municipal Gallery
A museum that caters to us that like contemporary art. I wasn’t that impressed though. Since I returned to Athens later on this spring I could se another show here, and it was a tad better, but still not that… impressing. I still recommend going, cause I like the area and one of my favourite cafés Ble Papagalo are located just outside on the Avdi Square. Last but not least, admission is free.
Athens Municipal Gallery doesn’t have an official web page, but it’s located in the Metaxourgio area in the corner of Leonidou & Myllerou Streets by Avdi Square.
Street Art in Athens
I’m pretty sure my concept of art is pretty wide, and I don’t hold it against anyone if they feel it’s a bit too wide. I’m from a very creative family, and many of my family members do have an artistic schooling. I was about to say, but I’m not one of the ones with a professional art education. Of course that’s not true since I have a background as a professional photographer, a commercial one though. When I was young I actually made a conscious choice not to study art, cause I’d like to keep it playful and not think about the technique or history behind it. To this day, I’m very happy with that choice.
I consume art from the mental place I’m at, at the time I indulge or dismiss. As well as see or not see. One thing I’ve noticed though, if you start seeing, you see more. As well as you might become full if seeing too much with no distraction in-between. I guess that’s why street art is so appealing to me. It’s there and there is also many more things around. It’s lovely when you get a street art flow❤️. You just keep on seeing more and more and more.
My dear friend Lisa most polite declared that to her, grafitti on a building is not art, it’s destruction. And I totally understand her view. While I can get intoxicated by the destructive creativity.
Street Art in Exarchia
I absolutely love getting lost. Now I could get lost during Andis working hours, as well as get the joy of being guided by her. On our way to wherever, I don’t really know… we walked through the Exarchia where there are plenty of restaurants and cafés, as well as lots of street art. There are many streets that don’t include cars, which makes it a bit calmer. Not that the cars are rushing you in Athens, cause they don’t.
Mount Lycabettus
Bear in mind that in Athens lots of places places have a variation of names when you search online. Lycabettos, Lycavitos, or Lycabettus Hill are a few of this wonderful, and easily accessible hill, or mountain… is I’d say an absolute must. Mount Lycabettus is located in-between the the wealthy area of Kolonaki and the artsy Exharcia.
The hill is a perfect place for your morning exercise, or for a short excursion any time of the day, at sunset or at night. All different times of day offer something new and amazing. And who can resist a view from high above, regardless of city? I could throw a image confetti…
If you’re into the religious aspect of Greece, the church of Saint George (Agios Georgios) is located at the top of the hill. You will, regardless of your interest in organised religion or not, for sure hear their chants during their ceremonies.
Last, but not least… there is a restaurant as well as public bathrooms at the top.
Last but not least #2 you can take a cable car up, as well as down the hill. The entrance for the transport is located at the corner of Aristippou and Ploutarchou in Kolonaki
Sunset at Mount Lycabettus
At sunset the Greek military has a lowering of the flag ceremony. If you’re in Athens off peak season I’d highly recommend attending. The atmosphere is quite nice, as most people quiet down and focus on the flag while the sun sets, all accompanied by the Greek national anthem.
Stavros Niarchos Foundation
Athens newest and grandios cultural center, located by the water (and… highways) a bit outside of the Athens city center in the area of Faliro Delta. It’s quite an impressive modern building, that radiated concrete and glass. It contains a library, a fairly quiet study area, art exhibitions, a room with a grand piano for people who like to play, as well as a cafe and a museum shop. From the top you’ll have a nice view of parts of Athens, as well as a roof top herb garden. As you can imagine, the climate is very dry in Athens so don’t expect any massive growth. I don’t know what they had in mind planning it like this. Greece is as far as I understand quite severly hit by climate change with extreme heat and complimentary fires.
The study environment in those areas is very serene, and if I did study or needed a quiet place (I rarely do, apart from when I’m sleeping 😇) this seems perfect!
FYI… Stavros Niarchos Foundation is impossible to pronounce unless you know greek. It’s located at Leof. Andrea Siggrou 364, Kallithea, and if you go by bike like I did you’ll pass a very active park with outdoor gym and a good mix of people using the sports facilities.
Food in Athens
I don’t know if there is any way you can do Greek cuiine justice. Either you like it, or you’re not impressed. It’s impossible to NOT like it at all. To me, Greece IS food. Just like Italy is Gelato.
Visiting Andi, of course I get the insides to Greek food, but to her it’s probably something completely different being born here, and leaving at the age of five. Andi grew up in Sweden, but has since both travelled plenty as well as lived abroad in a few countries as an adult. She’s so funny while in restaurants here, when they try to modernise och make esthetic efforts… no, not ok. She’ll tell them this is not how you (meaning her mum) do it. I love watching this.
I myself love Greek food cause it’s plain and very understandable. If it has ingredients I don’t fancy, it’s very obvious and I can choose plenty of other courses. It’s a no frills cuisine.
Restaurant The Grandmother Elisabeth
WOW!! Just by chance, and in a situation where Andi showed there are limits to her Super Woman performance. Food was needed, kind of immediately… Out of the blue and as our saviour, the local and uttermost genuine Greek restaurant The Grandmother Elisabeth. Only Greeks, no tourists in sight, and the way Greeks dine with three generation and a table full of small dishes on a table cloth of paper. I absolutely adored it. One of my absolute favourite meals during this week.
The Grandmother Elisabeth is located on walking distance from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation at Navarchou Votsi 2, Kallithea. If you go, you’ll get the genuine atmosphere and a most delicious meal, if you’re a fan of Greek food that is.
I find this guide to Greek cuisine to be quite helpful.
Go Ask a Local
Digital Nomad in Athens?
The week was coming to an end, but I wasn’t ready… I felt like asking Andi if I could rent her family’s apartment for a month during the spring to do a worcation? I had so very much to do that would benefit from being in another environment than my Malmö (Malmo, Sweden) office. You know what it’s like when you move in the regular path….
So I searched online for the computer friendly cafés in Athens, and found Digital Nomads Networks useful list. And after this I set out to inspect these places to see if they would make a good worcation backdrop for me. Out of all of these I found Minu to be the most attractive. Unfortunately their web reacts to english when you search, but the site itself is only in Greek so far.
When you search online for things in Athens the engine will most often send you right into Plaka, Psyri, Akropolis which are so very touristy it’s a complete turnoff to me. Yes, slap me since I’m a tourist myself. The Greeks don’t seem to mind as it’s a good mixture of tourist and locals, but still… it ain’t for me.
Next, I asked Andi if they would consider letting me rent their apt for a month, and if so, what month would suit them?
After a conference with the family I was given the green light. Thank you so very much!
