Last weekend, from June 5th-7th, I went back to the Classic City.
No, Georgia. Not that Classic City. I explored Athens, Greece. This is the city that gave birth to philosophy, and inspired tremendous works of art. It is a city that represents Greek culture, and the very roots of civilization.

In an ode to its important role in human history, Athens is a city like no other. It is completely different from any other European city that I have seen. If I could describe it in one word, it would be chaotic.

When I stepped out of the metro station and into Monastiraki Square, I was hit with a whilwind of sounds. The city was alive with the beehive buzz of hundreds of voices, which seemed desperate to drown out the the chaotic mixture of greek music and blaring car horns.

The city is an awkward blend of new and old. The tall, pale ruins of Hadrian’s Library stood out against the graffitti-covered modernity of the square, like an elegant woman in a dive bar. Above the city, I gawked at the first sight of illuminated Acropolis. The golden temples of the gods seemed to be so far above the dirty, crowded streets below. As I attempted to make my way through the crowds, I tried to ignore the awful feeling that everyone was staring at us. People were everywhere, lazily lounging on church steps and benches, and they were indeed staring at us. I wish that I could say that we made it to the hostel unscathed. Unfortunately, my friend had his wallet stolen before we even crossed the street.

Despite this initial- again chaotic -introduction to Athens, we quickly fell in love with it. After meeting Gwen and Adam in the hostel, the five of us explored the city together. On Saturday morning, we hiked up to Acropolis. There we saw a few cave temples, the Old Temple of Athena, Parthenon, and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus theatre.

Monastiraki Square at night

Old Temple of Athena (My favorite)

Odeon of Herodes Atticus

Cave Temple of Zeus

Parthenon

We also sat on Aeropagus Hill. This famous rock was once the meeting point of the ancient Council of Elders, and it later became the homicide court of Athens. The god Ares himself was once tried here for murder. In biblical times, the Apostle Paul spoke from the rock about an “unknown God.” How strange to think that we sat where legends were once made.

The view from Acropolis is stunning. I was shocked by the sheer expanse of the city. I had no idea that Athens was so huge, and it stretches for miles into the horizon. It is also extremly dense, and it is difficult to see where one white building ends and another begins.

After the exhausting hike, we were starving. We found a traditional Greek lunch in a small restaurant (with a name that I can’t even try to remember or pronounce.) I had a variety plate of meat and cheeses.

In the evening, we went back to the hostel to relax. I would only recommend Pella Inn Hostel for the rooftop bar. It offers an incredible view of Acropolis and the city below.

In our eight-bed room, none of slept for more than two hours. Yet somehow we were able to wake up early on Sunday to check out the Changing of the Guards in front of Parliament. Normally I wouldn’t find this to be that interesting, but the Greek military is so very odd. The soldiers were dressed in elaborate costumes with frilly white shirts, tight leggins, and huge shoes with fluffy balls on the toes. The guards slowly marched, one arm and leg at a time. Their movements were painfully slow but quite elegant. It reminded me of a dance more than anything.

I headed home after a long walk along the pier. Athens is a stunningly beautiful city, and it has a vibrant energy that is all its own. I hope to see more of Greece in the future.