Impression Book: Athens

Nine tourists open up about their likes and dislikes of the Greek capital.

What is the nicest thing you had to eat in Athens? Are Greeks “loud”? Which stereotypes were shattered in your mind? Spending a day as a tourist at the Acropolis recently, I realized that October is the best month to visit the ancient sites – people are less stressed than during the summer as there are no queues or high temperatures. The quieter pace also gave me lots of time to ask nine visitors about their likes and dislikes of the capital, what they expected to find and what they eventually discovered in Athens, a city that most of them knew only from the news.

NATALIA AND GERARD
HOTEL MANAGER AND LAWYER – FROM ARGENTINA AND AUSTRALIA.

We thought Greeks were louder! The truth is that they are truly kind. Even if they don’t know a word of English, they will try to help you. We loved that!
Gerard: We were at the hipsters area around Aghias Irinis square, and I asked a woman how to get to Monastiraki square. Three women then took me there by the hand. That was just amazing!
Natalia: Everyone is friendly. I didn’t see any people grumbling about money, maybe because the situation is worse in Argentina. However, I think that things are getting better. Time will tell.
We ate a lamb’s head at Omonia. It was delicious. Kebab here looks like real food. Tasty and simple. I have seen kebabs in other countries and you feel disgusted just by looking at them.
We bought four kilos of black and green olives to bring back home. I went mad for them. I think they are the best in the world. The beer also is good, even the cheapest labels.
Our advice: Walk around the center! Eat olives!

ESTELLA AND KENTRI
FROM TAIWAN

We were expecting Athens to be more classical, more ancient. What we’ve discovered is a very casual atmosphere and people who are relaxed, helpful and enthusiastic. Life’s not like that in other capitals, where people mightn’t be aggressive but can be stern and less generous with their time.
We had eggplant salad and didn’t like it at all! But the octopus was very, very good!
We sent some postcards to our friends, just to make them jealous. Most of them have never been to Greece, which they view as a dreamland!
Our advice: Come as you are!

IDA AND ANDRY
FLORIST AND NURSE – FROM THE NETHERLANDS

We’ve already visited Delphi, the National Gardens, Syntagma Square and Lycabettus.
How has it been? Better than what we saw on television!
We ate mousaka, gyros, orange pie … all of which were lovely.
Our only Greek words are kalimera (good morning), pame (let’s go), geia sas (hi).
Our advice: Stay casual. The sea is everywhere, as is seafood. Eat, eat, eat!

AMY AND DAN
MATH AND PHYSICS TEACHERS – UK

We expected to see a lot of poverty and more refugees. But we saw people working very hard, even if there is a lot of tax, corruption and all that.
Dan: I like Greek history because it starts with mathematics. That’s just brilliant.
We ate katsiki (goat) and it was very, very nice! In the UK you can’t buy goat. No one sells it. We also drunk raki. Man, that drink is just too strong!
Greek people are very outgoing. What we really liked is that they gesticulate like mad. They move their hands up and down, otherwise they feel that they can’t be understood. There was this man on the sidewalk and even though he was talking on his cell phone, he still made a whole performance with his hands. Crazy or what?
Our advice: The center is nice, but also try to see what’s beyond it. We went to Kifissia, in the north of Athens, and it was great. And also to Aghios Stefanos, which was lovely. That side of eastern Attica is so green.