Wonders of Athens, irresistible dishes & Greek sun make for perfect getaway

HAVING not visited Greece since a holiday to Rhodes as child, a return was overdue — and where better to go than the bustling capital Athens.

So off my partner Claudia and I went to spend four glorious nights at the beautiful Wyndham Grand, in the lively Metaxourgeio area of the city centre.

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Despite having nearly 300 rooms the nine-floor hotel felt quiet and private, perfect for a relaxing stay.

It had everything we needed, including en-suite and comfy king-size bed.

But the best thing, for sure, was the window stretching the width of our room offering a stunning vista of Athens, and the iconic Acropolis.

We’d lucked out with the hotel after searching the hotels.com website.

There were so many places on offer in a city we had never visited so we hadn’t the first clue of where to stay.

Thankfully their choice and reviews were invaluable when making our final decision.

Arriving late at night we decided the best thing to do was grab a quick bite to eat and drink in the views from the hotel’s roof top bar and restaurant, before getting an early night.

Breakfast was a massive buffet offering an array of meat and vegetable options, tasty Greek style coffee, and my favourite — fresh honey straight from the comb.

We’d bought a package ticket which offered access to many of the city’s ancient wonders, including the Temple of Olympian Zeus — a colossal ruin in the centre of Athens — and the Roman Agora, a marketplace in ancient times.

And, of course,  the magnificent Acropolis and Parthenon.

The ancient citadel offers a panoramic view of the sprawling city from it’s hilltop site and is worth the climb to the top.

Nearby Psyri is a fun-packed neighbourhood with cafes and bustling nightlife and that evening we dined at Nikitas, a traditional restaurant, popular with locals which offers Greek staples.

The chicken souvlaki was deliciously tender and the spinach parcels and grilled halloumi made for a tasty appetiser.

Afterwards we stopped off at nearby Bougatsadiko for loukoumades (irresistible honey covered mini doughnuts) and dropped by Be Social and the Jazz Cafe Bar for some drinks to unwind.

The next morning we went on a street art walking tour with knowledgeable guide Pascal through the picturesque and colourful alleys of Metaxourgeio and Psyri.

In recent years Athens has become a haunt for Greek and international street artists with its relaxed rules around spray-painting.

Pascal said “Athens is an open canvas” and he wasn’t wrong, with impressive murals painted on the side of buildings and smaller designs covering just about every wall.

In the afternoon we visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier where we watched two pom-pom-toed soldiers perfectly synchronise the changing of the guard.

Afterwards we walked to the historic Panathenaic Stadium, which hosted the first modern Olympics, and trekked up Filopappou hill to enjoy more sweeping views of the city from the summit.

Having hired a car, we used our last day to explore part of the Attica peninsula and drove to the Temple of Poseidon.

The site, dedicated to the god of the sea, is around 40 miles southeast of Athens and the scenic route hugs the glistening Aegean coastline. Utterly beautiful.

The fifth-century BC temple is perched on a clifftop and the site offers captivating views over to the islands of Makronisos, Patroklos and Agios Georgios.

Nearby Kape Beach is a seaside gem and we couldn’t resist going for a swim to cool off in the mid-afternoon heat.

For our last meal of the trip we ate at Gyristroula, a short walk from Monastiraki Square. Their delicious gyros are divine.

We both agreed we won’t wait years before we return for another trip and the Wyndham Grand will be where we’ll stay again.

It was a perfect base to experience our short odyssey around the city.

GETTING THERE: easyJet flies to Athens from Edinburgh twice a week from March 2023, with flights from £37.99pp one-way. See easyjet.com 

STAYING THERE: Rooms at the Wyndham Grand start from £126 a night. See hotels.com for this and more in Athens.

MORE INFO: For more on visiting Athens see thisisathens.org and for more on Greece in general see visitgreece.gr