Hotel Reviews For Our Stay in Athens, Greece

We visited Athens recently and were there for about ten days staying at a few hotels. Here are my reviews for three of them:

  1. Hotel Economy - Our first hotel in Athens, about 20 km from the airport and located right in the central area of the city. Approaching the hotel and looking out from our taxi, we had serious concerns about our choice of this hotel. Our first impression of the area around our hotel was not good at all: the streets were dark with little street lighting, the walls on the buildings were full of graffitti and the streets were quiet with few signs of activities.

Plus, it was drizzling, not a welcoming feeling at all.

  Since we were hungry, we went out looking for food and came upon a small restaurant. The food was good and the people were friendly which made us feel better.

The next morning, we had a good buffet breakfast which included a good choice of hot and cold food items at the hotel's dining room.

  Located in an excellent location, Hotel Economy made it easy for us to explore the neighbourhood on foot and we visited many famous attractions close by such as the Acropolis, City Hall, Meat and Fish Market, and many interesting shops, restaurants and cafes.

However, we only booked for the first two nights there as we were unsure if we liked the hotel. After our first night of stay, we wanted to book for more nights but it was full for the rest of the week therefore, we had to move to another hotel.

  Though the room in Hotel Economy was small and looking a little tired, the breakfast, service and location were excellent; the price was affordable.

  Overall Score for Hotel Economy - 8 / 10

  We moved a few times staying in a number of different hotels while vacationing in Athens. Other hotels we stayed included:

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Alyssa Hotel, Athens

  Alyssa Hotel was one of our most favourite hotel in Athens! We liked the spacious elegantly furnished lobby with big comfy chairs and sofas where guests could sink into and relax while waiting for friends or taxi cabs to arrive.

I also liked the choice of food items available at the buffet breakfast. They even served egg whites! Very healthy food choice indeed!

  Overall Score for Alyssa Hotel, Athens - 9/ 10

  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Hotel Cortal Maltese, Athens

  We were up and were served breakfast in our room. My hubby always makes sure that when booking hotel, our breakfast would always be included as we enjoy our morning coffee and do not wish to run around looking for a place for something to eat in the morning.

Breakfast was brought to our room as there was no dining room in the hotel. This was the first time we had breakfast brought to our room. It was relaxing enjoying a hot drink and breakfast in our comfortable and spacious room.

The best part of this stay for us was the spaciousness of our room. There was a nice sitting area with a good size sofa and enough space so that we could move around comfortably. There was a good size desk where I could do some computer work. The hotel was within easy walking distance to the subway and where we wanted to go. But for some reason it was difficult for us to locate this hotel on our google map and we went around a few times asking people for directions before we finally found it. Overall, for its location, affordablility and and comfort:

  Overall Score for Hotel Cortal Maltese, Athens - 8 / 10

  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RT, Athens, Greece, 042026

Port Piraeus - A Busy and Important Port in Athens, Greece

We had a good day visiting this port city as it is one of the most important and busy port in Greece.

  Port Piraeus, with a population of around 170,000 preople, is the chief sea port of Athens, the largest port in Greece, as well as one of the largest sea port in Europe. It plays a crucial role in Greece's economy and trade, serving as a hub for international shipping and a key transportation link for the country. The port's significance is further highlighted by its capacity to handle millions of passengers and cargo annually, making it a vital asset for Greece's maritime and industrial sectors.

My husband was very interested in visiting this port as it has some ties to Asia. During the Greek debt crisis that began in 2009, Port Piraues struggled with a dire need for funds to remain operational. International creditors pressured Greece to privatize the port as a condition for bailout funding.

COSCO, a Chinese state-owned shipping giant, was the only bidder to submit an offer, as other Western companies were afraid of Greece's financial instabiliIty. Therefore, China played a pivotal role in Port Piraues' rescue and subsequent growth. It was refreshing for us to learn about something positive done by China as most of what we hear and see in the Western media about China has always been negative.

The fun part for me while visiting Port Piraeus was visiting the square right across from the opera house where a few teenagers were hanging out, listening to live music being played in the square. I tipped the band and asked the musicians to play a song which people would dance to. The band did and some teenagers started to dance; I asked one of them to teach me the Greek dance and joined in the dancing too. It was great interacting with some local teenagers and learning the Greek dance!

  A very worthwhile visit for us to have visited this port city in Greece!

  RT, Port Piraeus, Greece 042026

Standing on the Podium of the Olympic Stadium

A relaxing day for us indeed. Our last day in Athens, Greece. We enjoyed an excellent breakfast at the Crystal City hotel, located right at the Meta -----Metro station and the Krai---square.

We would have loved to visit COIRTH, another city which Saint Paul visited on his second missionary journey but it would have been too hectic for us running around on our last day.

Instead we visited the Pantheon------Stadium, where the first modern Olympic games were held in 18-----.

The Olympic Stadium is a spectacular stadium with all the seats made from white marble providing seating for 68,000 people, We were awestruck by the shear size and beauty of this stadium!.

In order for the king and queen to sit comfortably and have a good view of the sports event, two pairs of throne seats were built and part of the front row seats have been designated as the VIP seats for the royalty. Without heistation, we invited ourselves to sit in these throne seats and felt like royalty for a few moments and saw what the kings and queens had seen from these seats!

There were some sports events taking place on one part of the field with a big group of people competing in various activites. However, the other part of the field and the tracks were available and visitors could use these tracks. We did! We ran on the track where the Olympians ran and stood on the same podium when they were crowned as the champions of the games!

The moment that struck me the most was when we were walking through the tunnel in the lower level of the stadium. This was supposed to give us the feeling of what the gladiators were feeling when they were walking in this long tunnel towards the huge stadium with the massive crowds screaming for their names and cheering for their life/death fights to begin. It gave me goosebumps just thinking about the fear in those men's hearts. How cruel was that kind of games!

We did some souvenirs shopping for my family at the shops in the Acropolis area.enjoyed a nice lamb dinner too there. A totally relaxing last day in Greece What a fun and educational day learning about the modern history of the Olympic games!

RT, Athens, Greece 04152026

Learning the Difference Between Patheon vs Acropolis in Athens, Greece

Confused about these two words - Acropolis and Parthenon, I was never sure about what the Acropolis was for until we visited this UNESCO landmark in Greece. On our recent visit to Athens, I learned that "Acropolis" translates from Ancient Greek (akron + polis) means "high city". Hence, the Acropolis refers to the entire rocky hilltop plateau site.

The Acropolis of Athens served as a high fortress during the Bronze Age. It was a fortified citadel & military stronghold. Around the Bronze Age, 1700–1200 BCE, kings built palaces on the hill. Surrounding defensive walls made it an emergency fortress where citizens from the surrounding city below could retreat during invasions. However, by the Classical period (5th century BCE), the top of the hill was predominantly transformed into a sacred place.The Acropoils was not a place where everyday citizens lived. The actual residential city of Athens spread out around the base of the hill.

 

 

  In postcards and pictures sent by friends who are visiting the Acropolis, we usually see the Parthenon, the most photographed and famous temple dedicated to the goddess Athena sitting atop it. The Patheon also functioned as the treasury of the Delain League storing the city's wealth. Besides the Parthenon, there are other structures: Propylaea, Erechtheion, and Temple of Athena Nike. They were completed in a few decades in the 5th century BCE.

  Far from the stark, white marble visible today, original structures like the Parthenon and Erechtheion were painted in vibrant shades of blue, red, gold, and green.

  The Acropolis witnessed centuries of religious transformations:

Originally, it was a complex of pagan temples honoring ancient Greek deities. Then it was converted into a Christian Cathedral during the Byzantine era. Later on, it was connverted into an Ottoman Mosque in the 15th century.

  The Catastrophic Explosion of 1687: During the Morean War, the Ottoman forces used the Parthenon as a gunpowder storehouse. A Venetian mortar shell hit the ammunition, causing a massive explosion that blew out the center columns and destroyed large sections of the structure.

  Avoiding the crowds and the heat, we visited the Acropolis in late afternoon. Taking the Metro subway and getting there was easy! We had a relaxing walk up the hill, paused and read about all these buildings lingering there as long as we desired without following a tour schedule. It was relaxing and educational;

we even saw the flag lowering ceremony by the Greek soldiers! What I liked the most at the Acropolis was learning about the background and history of these great structures and the following:

1. Discovering how huge these temples are and that the Patheon is not the only building as there are others in the building complex; there are many more things to see.

2. the Erechtheion temple which features columns sculpted in the shape of six draped women known as Caryatids. The ones on the hill today are exact replicas; five of the originals are housed in the nearby Acropolis Museum, and one is in the British Museum.

3. Having a bird's eyeview of the city of Athens below us.

4. Watching the sunset at the Acropolis

As the sun went down and it was getting dark, we concluded our wonderful day at the Acropolis making our way down to the bottom of the hill. We discovered a mom and pop restaurant along the way and enjoyed a delicious Greek dinner and recounting what we learned and saw during our visit to one of the greatest site in the world!

RT, at the Acropolis, Athens, Greece 042026

A Hotel Review for Hotel Esperia, Kavala, Greece

We stayed at the Hotel Esperia recently when we visited Kavala. The hotel is reasonably new and modern with a spacious lobby furnished with comfortable chairs. Guests could hang out, relax or just read a book by himself/ herslef in a quiet corner.

We liked this hotel - Our room was spacious, clean and comfortable. The best part was we could walk to the waterfront and to the fortress on the hill.

We like the breakfast served at Hotel Esperia. The dining room was spacious, nicely decorated with food items thoughtfully displayed and served. The choices of food served was great including hot and cold breakfast items, a variety of pastries and desserts. We enjoyed our breakfast and our stay at this hotel.

  Customer service was excellent and the staff was friendly, helpful and welcoming.

  The location was fantastic for us too!

Score - 10/10, highly recommended from two Canadians vacationing in Greece!

  RT, Hotel Esperia, Kavala, Greece

  042026

Our Amazing Race Journey in Greece!

Today was a hectic day for us in Kavala! The morning started out very well as we had a delicious and healthy breakfast at our hotel.

We walked from the hotel to the Kavala Fortress enjoying the coastal scenery of the beautiful city of Kavala.

 

  However, having spent too much time taking pictures and enjoying the scenery on our way up the hill, we could only do a quick tour of the fortress as we needed to get on the 3P.M. bus back to Athens. We had to rush back to our hotel to retrieve our luggage via the short cut to the bottom of the hill.

 

At the half way point and thinking of getting back to our hotel faster, S. used the UBER app. on his cell to order a cab but the taxi never came. We ended up wasting more time waiting for the UBER to arrive. Sadly, this was the second time it happened to us in Greece - calling for an UBER which never arrived. Hurriedly, we raced back on foot to our hotel at around 2 p.m .

  We retrieved our luggage and asked the hotel front desk to call a taxi taking us to the bus station. We told the driver that we were in a big hurry to catch the bus at 3p.m. He was very understanding and did his best to get us there. As soon as we reached the bus terminal, I ran to the ticket window and asked when the next bus to Thessaloniki would be.

  " In 1 minute! Your ticket please! " the ticket lady replied loud and clear. We bought our return tickets days ahead but I was unable to find them! I searched through my purse, my wallet and the pockets in my pants. I couldn't located them!

  " Hurry up! Buy your tickets. You will miss your bus!" The ticket lady urged me.

  Feeling the heat and sweating all over, I kept praying and searching through all our belongings. Where were these darn return tickets?

  Thank God! I finally found our two bus tickets folded carefully in my cell phone wallet. We rushed to the bus driver, handed them over to him and got on the bus just before it left!

 

Making it just in time for the Thessaloniki bus, which took about 2 ½ hour from Kavala to Tessa, we were able to catch our next connection and caught the 5:30 PM bus from Thessaloniki to Athens. Thank God!

Breathing a sigh of relief, we settled into our seats and tried to calm our nerves. My husband and I looked at each other and he said with a big smile on his face, " Dear, how do you like our amazing race in Greece so far?"

  Letting out a big laugh, I replied," We made it!" By the time we arrived back to Athens, it was way past 11:30 pm and we were exhausted!

  RT, Just made it to the Bus going to Thessaloniki Kavala Bus Terminal, Kavala, Greece

Climbing to the top of the Kavala Fortress, Kavala, Greece

We would have loved to visit all of the famous places and cultural landmarks of Kavala, Greece, however, due to time constrain, we chose to see the one that stood out the most for us:

  The Kavala Fortress (Acropolis) - a historical & architectural landmark of Kavala.

After fueling our bodies with a nice buffet breakfast at our hotel, we walked towards the fortress. We were simply awed by the beauty and the slower pace of life in this Greek city.

Not the busy tourist season yet, Kavala was not as busy as Athens and there were no busloads of toursits. It was just peaceful and quiet.

 

Normally, this walk up to the hill might have taken about 30 to 40 minutes. But the scenery walking up the hill was just too beautiful for us not to pause for a few minutes, admire for a while, enjoy and take pictures of these awesome scenes.

One thing we did notice was the number of signs and pictures outside churches and buildings reminding visitors that this was a city visited by Saint Paul years ago after seeing a vision in which a man calling him to go to Macedonia.

 

 

 

  There were churches, numerous shops, nice cafes and restaurants along the hill up to the fortress. I loved those colourful houses along the hills.

The littel gardens were decorated with thriving plants, pots of seasonal flowers, birdhouses, baskets and comfortable seating inviting guests to sit and linger for a while. There were so much to see! We made numerous stops on the way to the top.

We even found a restaurant serving a traditional Greek Easter lamb dinner which we had been looking for in the past few days! How we wished we had time to stop and enjoy that! ( Too bad, we had purchased our return bus tickets already for the late afternoon, therefore, we didn't have the flexibility to pause as long as we desired.)

Having reached the hill, we paid for the entrance admission and climbed up to the watch tower of the fortress. The climb to the top of the watch tower was a little challenging as the stairs were quite narrow. We needed to be very careful.

Sitting atop the Panagia peninsula, this 15th-century Ottoman fortress (built over Byzantine ruins) offered panoramic views of the city, port, and Aegean Sea.

Standing on top of the fortress tower, we felt the power of being able to see the city below us and its surrounding area.

Taking in the stunning 360 degree views before us, we were glad we came to the fortress and made the efforts of climbing the steps and reaching to the top!

 

RT, Kavala Fortress, Kavala, Greece 042026