We kicked off the morning with a guided tour of the legendary Acropolis. Our guide, Giorgio, steered us through the Parthenon and other classical treasures, weaving fascinating tales about ancient Greek civilization.
Before reaching the Acropolis itself, we wandered through a cluster of nearby historic gems: — the elegant Agios Eleftherios Church, the ornate Choragic Monument of Lysicrates, the storied Theater of Dionysus, the time-honored Temple of Asclepios, and the melodious Odeon of Herodes Atticus. Giorgio’s commentary spun layers of history beneath each stone.
After soaking in the ruins, we detoured to the Acropolis Museum, where rows of artifacts and excavated treasures felt like whispers from the past. Later, we retreated to our room for a bit of rest—every explorer needs a brief reprieve.
By mid-afternoon, we ventured into **Anafiotika**, that dreamy little neighborhood perched like a secret garden on the slopes of the Acropolis. Narrow, winding alleys, whitewashed cottages, and the occasional cat reclining in a sunlit doorway made us feel we’d slipped into a painting. The views back toward the city were enchanting.
On our descent toward the hotel, we set our sights on Lycabettus Hill. Hoping for an easy ascent, we planned to ride the funicular—but things got unexpectedly strenuous. The route curved ever upward, and before long we were scrambling up steep lanes, steps, and inner-city switchbacks. It felt as though we’d already climbed most of the way before we even reached the funicular’s base. Note: the funicular’s “help” is modest. (Very modest.)
Once at the station, we discovered the funicular ride itself was a short 4 minutes—proof that we’d done the heavy lifting ourselves. Still, from the summit, the panoramic vistas of Athens were richly rewarding. We descended by funicular, drained but triumphant.
Famished and craving something green and comforting, we called an Uber (in a rather swank Mercedes, no less) toward Veganaki, near Hadrian’s Arch. The vegan fare was delicious and indispensable after our exertions. Then, we wandered homeward via the winding lanes of Plaka, pausing to snag a few souvenirs along the way.
✨ Day 3 verdict: We conquered stairs we never signed up for, fended off exhaustion, but earned views—and vegan food—that made every misstep worth it.
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