dearJulius.com

$type=carousel$count=12$sn=0$cols=4$va=0$source=random$show=home

Exploring the Greek Islands Without Leaving Athens

You don’t have to get on a ferry from Athens to get a taste of Greece’s legendary whitewashed houses and winding, narrow streets. You can experience the picturesque sites of the Mediterranean—and fit in a leisurely hike—right in the country’s capital.


By Maria Eliades, Eagle Creek

In the center of Athens, the enchanting neighborhood of Anafiotika rises like a mirage above the city’s modern apartment buildings and just below the slopes of the famous Acropolis. The simple, whitewashed houses and outlined steps of Anafiotika seem to be straight out of a Mediterranean island, but they’re only a short walk away from the main tourist attractions of the Acropolis Museum and the newly revived neighborhoods of Monastiraki and Plaka. Built by stonemasons and carpenters from the island of Anafi in the 1840s and 1850s, Anafiotika’s winding and narrow pedestrian ways make for the perfect urban hike. All you need is a daypack for all of your essentials (especially a camera to capture its beauty!) to explore this charming Grecian neighborhood.


Getting to Anafiotika

One of the best ways to get to this overlooked urban hiking gem is to start by the Acropolis Museum, a recent marvel that showcases Athens’s most famous landmark. Above the museum, there’s a stone-paved pedestrian road that makes for a charming walk around the Acropolis. Just past the tourist information building is Thrasillou Street, which will eventually turn into Stratonos Street. Turn right on it and head uphill until you hit a divide in the road. In five minutes, you’ll reach the church of St. George Stratonos, where you should take a left to start exploring and taking out your camera to photograph the narrow and winding streets decorated with bougainvillea and potted flowers on the balconies, rooftops, and grounds of the homes.


Exploring Anafiotika

Once you come to an unmarked major street to your left—most streets in Anafiotika lack street signs—turn on it, and walk until you enter the “Plaka” or Square of Anafiotika, enjoying the way that the view of Athens opens up before you. This lookout is a very popular spot, where you might take a water and food break with lunch tidily packed among your essentials in the summer, when temperatures regularly hit 90° F (32° C).

Before you leave Anafiotika, make sure to check out the area’s two churches, St. George of the Rock on the southeast edge of the area and St. Simeon on its western edge. St. George Stratonos is open only on St. George’s Day, April 23rd, as well as on special occasions, but if you do get to visit, the humble church is well worth it. St. Simeon, the main church of the area, was built in 1847, and has a copy of the silver-covered icon from Anafi, Panagia Kalamiotissa (“Our Lady of the Reeds”), the original of which was said to have been found on the peaks of Mount Kalamos on top of a reed.


When to Go

There’s no bad season to visit Anafiotika or to explore Athens, but the best time is the fall when the temperatures have cooled down to74 to 60° F (23 to 16° C) and when you’re more likely to have Anafiotika to yourself. The winter, Greece’s rainy season, is a time when the gardens in Anafiotika will be green, but springtime is also a great time to see and smell all the fresh flowers and herbs.

If you have limited time to spend in Athens, the hidden oasis of Anafiotika is a must-see stop.
Travel Tips & Wellness, Destination Inspiration

|Featured Content_$type=three$c=3$l=0$m=0$s=hide$rm=0


A Part of Julius LLC
Made with in NYC by Julius Choudhury
Name

Abu Dhabi,3,Adventure,29,Adventure Travel,728,Advice,72,Africa,30,Air Travel,195,Alabama,5,Alaska,29,Albania,2,Alberta,2,America,79,Amsterdam,3,Anguilla,4,Antarctica,9,Antigua,5,Antigua and Barbuda,1,Argentina,18,Arizona,29,Arkansas,4,Armenia,1,Aruba,4,Asia,2,Asia Travel,45,Athens,3,Austin,9,Australia,108,Austria,18,Azerbaijan,1,Bahamas,19,Bangladesh,8,Barbados,3,Beach Travel,76,Belarus,2,Belgium,16,Belize,17,Bermuda,7,Bhutan,9,Blue Lagoon,2,Boatswana,2,Bolivia,6,Bosnia and Herzegovina,2,Boston,3,Botswana,3,Brazil,57,Brunei,1,Budget Travel,106,Bulgaria,3,California,140,Cambodia,6,Canada,97,Caribbean,57,Caribbean & Mexico,6,Chicago,14,Chile,12,China,28,Christmas Travel,21,Clothes,1,Coliseum,1,Colombia,20,Colorado,53,Columbia,3,Connecticut,6,Corporate Travel,1,Costa Rica,20,Country Travel,253,Croatia,29,Cruiser Travel,18,Cuba,18,Cultural Travel,65,Cyprus,3,Czech Republic,7,D.C.,2,Delaware,2,Denmark,21,Destinations,31,Dominican Republic,4,Dubai,17,East Africa,4,Easter Island,1,Eco Travel,23,Ecuador,11,Egypt,13,Emirates,1,England,21,Estonia,2,Eswatini,1,Ethiopia,2,Europe,120,Fall Travel,52,Family Travel,130,Faroe Island,2,Faroe Islands,1,Featured,72,Features,417,Festival Travel,26,Fiji,10,Finland,16,Florida,92,Food,7,France,65,Free Travel,1,French,6,French Polynesia,11,Galapagos,4,Georgia,21,Germany,30,Ghana,3,Great Britain,1,Greece,56,Greenland,2,Grenada,2,Guatemala,3,Halloween Travel,11,Hawaii,74,Hayden Panettiere,1,Hiking Travel,69,Historical Travel,86,Holiday Travel,42,Holland,1,Honeymoon Travel,140,Hong Kong,16,Hotels,77,Hungary,4,Ibiza,1,Iceland,53,Idaho,8,Ideas,11,Illinois,20,India,42,Indiana,5,Indonesia,15,Iran,1,Iraq,1,Ireland,48,Island,64,islands,2,Israel,15,Italy,86,Ivory Coast,1,Jamaica,14,Japan,65,Jordan,7,Kansas,8,Kentucky,2,Kenya,3,Korea,2,Kosovo,1,KSA,2,Kyrgyzstan,1,Las Vegas,5,Latin America,4,Latvia,2,Lithuania,4,London,29,Louisiana,15,Lowa,4,Luxembourg,2,Luxury Travel,35,Madeira,1,Maine,12,Malawi,1,Malaysia,1,Maldives,23,Malta,8,Maryland,9,Massachusetts,18,Mauritius,5,Mexico,99,Miami,18,Michigan,10,Mississippi,2,Missouri,8,Moldova,1,Monaco,3,Mongolia,1,Montana,18,Montenegro,3,Morocco,22,Myanmar,10,Namibia,5,National Parks,1,Nature,4,Nature Travel,130,Nepal,7,Netherlands,22,Nevada,30,Nevis,2,New England,6,New Hampshire,3,New Jersey,4,New Mexico,12,New Year,1,New Year's Day Travel,9,New York,77,New York City,32,New Zealand,58,Newfoundland,1,Nicaragua,2,North America,14,North Carolina,14,North Dakota,1,North Ireland,1,North Macedonia,2,Northern Ireland,1,Norway,24,Occasional Travel,8,Oceania,3,Ohio,6,Oklahoma,1,Oman,6,Oregon,15,Orlando,1,Pakistan,4,Panama,10,Paraguay,1,Paris,27,Pennsylvania,14,Peru,27,Philippines,5,Phoenix,2,Photo Feature,1,Poland,5,Portugal,32,Prague,1,Puerto Rico,16,Qatar,5,Quebec,1,Resort,13,Rhode Island,5,River Travel,2,Road Trips,66,Romania,7,Romantic Getaways,16,Rome,7,Russia,17,Saint Lucia,4,San Francisco,2,San Miguel de Allende,1,Scotland,18,Seasonal,54,Seasonal Travel,62,Serbia,2,Seychelles,1,Sightseeing Tours,2,Singapore,21,Ski Resorts,11,Slovenia,8,Solo Travel,30,Solomon Islands,1,Somoa,1,Soth Africa,1,South Africa,22,South America,7,South Carolina,13,South Dakota,8,South Florida,2,South Korea,7,South Pacific,3,Space Travel,15,Spain,52,Special,21,Special Features,298,Spring Travel,24,Sri Lanka,9,Student Travel,1,Summer Travel,79,Summer Vacation,9,Sweden,21,Swiss Alps,1,Switzerland,32,Sydney,2,Tahiti,5,Taiwan,7,Tanzania,5,Tasmania,1,Tennessee,11,Texas,63,Thailand,43,Thanksgiving Travel,8,Things to Do,167,Tibet,2,Tips,116,Train Travel,29,Transportation,21,Travel,187,Travel Advice,66,Travel Apps,1,Travel Guide,39,Travel Stories,28,Travel Technology,1,Travel Tips,290,Trip Ideas,1,Tunisia,3,Turkey,21,Turkish,1,Turks and Caicos,1,Tuscany,1,UAE,12,Uganda,1,UK,49,Ukrine,1,Urban Travel,56,Uruguary,3,US Virgin Islands,3,USA,685,Utah,21,Uzbekistan,2,Vacation Travel,319,Valentine's Day Travel,1,Vehicle Travel,2,Venezuela,1,Vermont,6,Victoria Falls,1,Vietnam,10,Village Travel,1,Virginia,12,Virtual Travel,6,Wales,5,Washington,18,Washington DC,22,Weddings Travel,5,West Indies,2,Wildlife Travel,13,Winter Travel,71,Wisconsin,9,Worldwide,158,Wyoming,13,xxx,1,Yemen,1,Zadar,2,Zambia,5,Zimbabwe,6,
ltr
item
Travel Magazine: Exploring the Greek Islands Without Leaving Athens
Exploring the Greek Islands Without Leaving Athens
Dreaming of exploring a Greek island while in Athens, but cant get away to one? Find out where the city hides a charming urban oasis that you can hike around.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiomQ_a444Z95PPvTx0jVAkupDI4NVkcId0Qfc8lWmoI30oX2oIiDaRRE_MNesODUH6glIIYTcASo2lorQ4ZK9h3jTeBFc-Y7TRLxCq5ejDb3kqXaEOPHENU2_x_A9jLp6ukfAsDKRBjX9K/s1600/travel.dearjulius.com.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiomQ_a444Z95PPvTx0jVAkupDI4NVkcId0Qfc8lWmoI30oX2oIiDaRRE_MNesODUH6glIIYTcASo2lorQ4ZK9h3jTeBFc-Y7TRLxCq5ejDb3kqXaEOPHENU2_x_A9jLp6ukfAsDKRBjX9K/s72-c/travel.dearjulius.com.jpg
Travel Magazine
https://travel.dearjulius.com/2018/11/exploring-greek-islands-without-leaving.html
https://travel.dearjulius.com/
https://travel.dearjulius.com/
https://travel.dearjulius.com/2018/11/exploring-greek-islands-without-leaving.html
true
5866858605520326948
UTF-8
Loaded All Posts Not found any posts VIEW ALL Read More Reply Cancel reply Delete By Home PAGES POSTS View All RECOMMENDED FOR YOU LABEL ARCHIVE SEARCH ALL POSTS Not found any post match with your request Back Home Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat January February March April May June July August September October November December Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec just now 1 minute ago $$1$$ minutes ago 1 hour ago $$1$$ hours ago Yesterday $$1$$ days ago $$1$$ weeks ago more than 5 weeks ago Followers Follow THIS PREMIUM CONTENT IS LOCKED STEP 1: Share to a social network STEP 2: Click the link on your social network Copy All Code Select All Code All codes were copied to your clipboard Can not copy the codes / texts, please press [CTRL]+[C] (or CMD+C with Mac) to copy Table of Content