How to be a Local in Athens?

‘When you’re in Rome, Be like the Romans.’

The best piece of advice for every travelling enthusiast and following it will give you the right feel of the place you visit. Now, when you are in Athens, how will you be like the Athenian (this is what locals of Athens are called, Thank you Google!)?

Welcome to my beginner’s guide on How to be a Local in Athens.

Chapter 1: Know its History

The first thing to do in order to be a local is to learn the history of the place you are visiting. In the case of Athens, being an ancient city has its share of history left behind in the numerous relics and monuments scattered all over the place.

You can start off by visiting all the historical sites like the Parthenon, Acropolis, and also to the different museums to get a feel of the history of Athens. The right place to begin your Ancient Athens tour is from Monastiraki Square with a beautiful view of all the ancient landmarks.

Another important thing to being an Athenian is to know the difference between the Parthenon and the Acropolis. There is always the confusion on Parthenon and Acropolis being the same thing.

Well, they aren’t!

Parthenon is a former temple dedicated the Goddess Athena, which is located in an ancient citadel called Acropolis overlooking the modern city of Athens. So now that you know its history, it’s time we delve right into being the local in the next

 

Chapter 2: Places the Locals Visit

The next step to being a local is to spy on some to know where they go. Just Kidding! Just ask them, they would love to tell you or maybe even go with you.

Sun, Sand, and Boats

If you like beaches then don’t miss those here in Athens. It’s the best place to spend a seaside day with the family, not that you can’t enjoy on your own. Always keep your swimwear ready, go for a swim and relax on the beach.

Enjoy a beautiful walk along the Athens coastline and spot the Averof and Trireme, an old battleship and an ancient Greek ship respectively and hear their amazing stories.

Art, Films & Culture

Athens is a haven for art with it is becoming Europe’s sought after art destinations with The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center with impressive local art and culture.

Movies are adored here in Athens; you can pop into any of the cute and charming outdoor cinemas strewed all over the city. Do drop in at Cine Paris for the view of the Acropolis, and Cine Flisvos in Paleio Faliro to watch a movie with the sea as a backdrop.

Fun Fact: Foreign films are shown in their original language without any dubbing but with Greek subtitles.

Chapter 3: Food the Locals Visit

You should try the Greek dishes, they might all have a –ki to them except for Gyros, which is a toasted Greek pita wrapped around a seasoned succulent grilled meat with French Fries and tomato slices. Then you ought to try the Souvlaki (a Greek pizza) at Kostas or the Kalamakia (grilled meat on skewers) at Kalamaki Kolonaki.

If you like to try out the local delicatessens like Feta cheese, Raki, Dolmadakia, etc., stroll through the meat and fish markets and start eating whenever you see them. You need to pop some local Greek olives and even learn the art of making the perfect olive oil. Then, if you get the time, smell your way through a spice market.

                                                                                      Greek Olives

Once you’ve had your fill, find a quiet and quaint teashop and have a traditional Greek coffee with Koulouri, a popular snack.

Chapter 4: Be Them

The best way to be locals is by speaking to them in their own language. It’s not possible to learn to speak Greek fluently in a short while. But you can go a long way with a few phrases, like,

Kalimera = Good Morning

Ti Kanis   = How are you?

Efharisto = Thank You

Parakalo  = You’re Welcome

In Conclusion,

You can always go to Greece, visit all the historical sites, come back tanned, and eat the best food but to be a local in Athens is the best feeling ever.

They have no goodbyes in Athens, just Ta Leme, which means ‘until next time’!

Read more of our travel stories at https://blogs.ayantours.com/.

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