Over 3,000 years of history,
friendly faces, and lots of music.
I'm here in Athens, Greece.
The Greek capital is like a second home to me.
And I'm going to show you what you can do here in just one day.
We're going to check out a mix of the classic sites and some
you probably have never heard about before.
So as the Greeks say "Pame" – let's go!
Before we dive into the hustle and bustle of the city,
I want to show you one of my favourite spots –
Filopappou hill, a giant and pretty rugged park right in the center.
I don't think I wore the right shoes for this terrain.
Walking around the park you'll also find more amazing views
of the Acropolis from different angles.
And from this side, you can even see the Aegean Sea!
I'm dreaming of summer already, I don't know about you.
So let's get to know Athens – one of the oldest cities in the world!
So now we head down to Monastiraki Square, the heart of Athens.
And in this place you can see layers of the city's history in just one spot.
First we have the church of the Virgin Mary Pantanassa
from the Byzantine era right there.
And over here we have the Tzistarakis Mosque from the Ottoman era.
And this neoclassical building right here houses the metro station,
which is a very good way to get around the city.
But I prefer to take a walk now!
In the historic neighbourhood of Plaka which is known for its colourful buildings
and perfect location at the foot of the Acropolis.
One of the advantages of being here in the off-season,
which is roughly November to March,
is that you won't have all the high-season crowds.
So you can enjoy this neighbourhood without a lot of tourists around.
That means you'll be able to find a seat at one of the many cute cafés and restaurants.
And maybe even make a new friend.
Or not!
Greeks are usually so welcoming, I don't know what's happening here.
Nearby you'll find several of the city's main archaeological sites.
I never get tired of looking at them.
I have like 500 photos of the same thing.
That's Hadrian's library, built in 132 AD.
And the Roman Agora from the 1st century BC.
If you plan to enter several archaeological sites, including the Acropolis,
I recommend you buy the multi pass ticket.
That's 30 euros and it gets you into 7 archaeologocal sites
over a period of 5 days, so it's really worth it.
If you buy the pass down in Plaka you can skip the sometimes long line
up here at the Acropolis.
While you explore the city you might be wondering what souvenirs to take home.
I have to admit I find these crowns very fun!
I mean who doesn't want to feel like a Greek goddess?
But I'm gonna show you where we can find some authentic Greek souvenirs!
And have a real Athenian experience.
In the vibrant neighbourhood of Kypseli,
I meet up with my friend, Athens expert Zacharoula.
She takes me to her local farmers market.
Every neighbourhood in Athens has at least one a week.
And many of the products are fresh and locally grown.
I promised our viewers some authentic Greek souvenirs.
What do you suggest?
Olives, of course, easy to travel with.
If you want to spice things up, you can have all this collection of spices, like oregano,
thyme, rosemary.
Fystiki Aeginis.
Pistachios!
Where are they from?
They're from Aegina.
From Aegina! Aegina is an island really close to Athens by the way!
And "Stafida" as well is very local.
It's dried...
Raisins!
That's really good.
And these are Stafida Corinthou [raisins from Corinth].
Want to try? Have some!
I hear somebody – or some group of people! You too?
Yes!
Let's check it out.
Ok, so this is Sourloulou.
They play all over the streets of Athens. Traditional music from all over Greece.
That was really funny! That was amazing with the balconies.
People were dropping money from the balcony.
They throw it like that, as you see, not to hit some heads.
I can never get enough of Greek music.
But now one of my ultimate Athens recommendations: The Acropolis Museum.
If you plan to visit one museum while you're in Athens, this is it.
Inside you'll find over 3,000 items taken from the ancient site of the acropolis.
The Parthenon is just one of many temples that stood on the ancient citadel.
The museum displays finds from the entire site.
From ancient pottery to the majestic Caryatids of the Erechtheion temple.
And did you know that ancient statues were once brightly colored?
On some, you can still see traces of the original hues.
And if you still want to see more, you can go under the museum
to check out an ancient Athenian neighbourhood.
The entire museum was built right on top of it!
And by the way, I don't recommend wearing a skirt or a dress
when you visit the museum, because...
The Acropolis! You can still glimpse some parts of
the archeological site without buying a ticket.
Like the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, an ancient theatre at the southwest slope.
But the Acropolis is main touristic site for a reason.
So definitely pay it a visit.
My tip is to get there as early as possible after it opens
so you can be one of the few people there.
It's not only about ancient stuff here.
Athens is a cosmopolitan city with tons of cool bars,
restaurants and generally whatever kind of nightlife you're into.
I'm into music. So tonight I'm going to take you to hear some of my favorite musicians.
First things first, we order tsipouro, a popular distilled spirit, the greek version of grappa.
That's strong.
And a public service announcement:
Tsipouro – be careful!
It's not to be drunk on an empty stomach.
We order a few plates to share.
Like saganaki fried cheese, zucchini balls,
fava and one of my favourites, Dakos, cretan rusk salad.
So this is something very greek– coming, getting these shared plates, mezedes,
being with your friends, drinking, and of course listening to music.
We're lucky to catch the Skoutas-Mitarakis duo at Skordópistē restaurant.
So tonight we have bouzouki and guitar,
two instruments that are classic Rebetiko instruments.
And that's a genre that was born in the ports of Greece in the early 20th century.
And still today it's very popular with young and old.
I hoped you enjoyed this day in Athens as much as I did – jámas!