Day 3 – Acropolis and Lycabettus

The next morning, we started early again. After a leisurely breakfast, we set off—again by subway—to our first destination of the day—the Acropolis, Athens' landmark and one of the most significant monuments in the world.

We had already secured the tickets online the evening before to avoid long waiting times. But actually, it wasn't too crowded that early in the morning.

The Acropolis is one of the most impressive structures I have ever seen in my life. High up on the hill stands the Parthenon, the temple of the goddess Athena.

The ascent is steep but worth it. You repeatedly enjoy views of the various districts of the city. The closer you get to the Parthenon, the larger and more powerful it seems.

Once again, I wondered how people could construct such monumental buildings with the means available at the time.

Upon reaching the plateau, you not only see the Parthenon but also the Erechtheion and another temple. From up here, you overlook the entire city in its diversity.

We spent almost two hours up here; despite the heat, it was hard to tear ourselves away. The place exuded an enormous sense of calm and grandeur, which we absorbed.

Back down, we strolled through the narrow alleys of the old town at the foot of the Acropolis.

Here, there are numerous restaurants and cafés of all price ranges and, of course, the ubiquitous souvenir shops. We picked up a few gifts for our loved ones at home and also for ourselves.

For lunch, we had pitas again in a small bar. They were, as always, delicious.

We spent the afternoon relaxing by the pool again before heading to Lycabettus Hill, the highest point in Athens, in the early evening.

You can reach it by a funicular railway, whose valley station was only about a 30-minute walk from our hotel. On the way there, we passed through an area completely unknown to us until then. There were hardly any tourists here. Locals populated the cozy street cafés and tavernas.

In a few minutes, the cable car took us to a height of 277 meters.

From up there, you enjoy a breathtaking view over the city.

We found a cozy spot in the restaurant located directly at the mountain station.

For dinner, we ordered moussaka and crisp Greek farmer's salad, along with a bottle of red wine.

While we ate, we watched the sun sink lower and bathe the surroundings in the most beautiful colors.

After dinner, we strolled a bit over the hill. It was almost dark, and the city's lights slowly came on. It was indeed a special moment.

We finally took the cable car back down. This time, we chose a slightly different route back to the hotel. Everything here also felt very cozy and authentic!

Thus, we ended the evening with a leisurely walk.