12 Step Planet: Athens

Where exactly is it?
Athens is the capital and largest city of Greece, situated in the mainland and overlooking the Aegean Sea. One of the world’s oldest cities, its estimated to be about 3,400 years old and has a population in excess of four million. The modern city was built right above the ancient one – remains are uncovered in construction sites all the time, so if you’re feeling lucky, dig deep and who knows what you will find.

How do I get there?
Aer Lingus is the only airline to fly directly from Dublin to Athens, from May to September. Alternatively, you can get daily flights through London, Frankfurt or Zürich. If you are travelling around Europe by train, catch a ferry from Bari, Italy, to the city of Patras, which is less than a three hour drive from the Greek capital.
What language do they speak?
The official language is Greek. If you studied ancient Greek in college and think this is your time to shine, don’t get your hopes too high. Although modern Greek shares the same alphabet and grammar with the ancient language, it sounds nothing like it.

What’s the local beer like?
The three most widely sold Greek beers are Alpha, Mythos and Fix. All three are blonde lagers, but you will notice the locals prefer to drink Heineken and Amstel. Fix is a revival of a 1864 multi-awarded Greek beer that ceased to be produced almost 30 years ago and was reintroduced to the market in 2010, but those who
have tasted the original Fix insist that the new version is a failure.

Other drinks?
Probably one of the most notorious tipples in the world, Greek ouzo is a must-drink but being 40% proof it can give you a nightmare hangover. Dilute it with ice water and accompany it with a few mezedes – the Greek equivalent of Spanish tapas, aka olives, cheese, meatballs and the like. Other popular and equally strong drinks include rake, tsipouro and tsikoudia. If you’re visiting Athens in the winter, order some rakomelo, a warm beverage made with rake, honey and spices.

What’s the transport like?
The city of Athens is served by a limited but efficient underground system. The red and blue lines will take you to most places you need to go, but there are a few places which are served by the green line, which is the old railway. Try to avoid it and walk instead, as it’s being renovated and waiting times can be irritating. There’s also a limited tram system and a bus network, whose timetables you can never rely on. Be advised that general strikes cause delays and cancellations every other day.

What is the food like?
Whether you love Athens or hate it, there is one thing you will most definitely fall for. Words cannot describe the heavenly magic of Greek cuisine and the list of local specialities is endless – no, really! From the humble souvlaki to the famous mousaka (one of the many Greek dishes that originate from neighbouring Turkey), most dishes will have you drooling over them. Apart from the popular stuffed tomatoes, try some other vegetarian dishes too. Oven-baked giant beans are as good as a rib-eye steak and chick peas are delicious when cooked in olive oil and tomato sauce. Do not follow the hordes of tourists into the picturesque but expensive Plaka district. Walk around the artsy neighbourhood of Eksarhia and you are bound to find good food at low prices. But to enjoy Greek food at its best, try to get yourself invited to a Greek household. Most Greek women are proud of their
cooking skills and happy to show them off to guests.

What is the nightlife like?
On a night out in Athens, do not expect to leave the house before midnight and get back home before the sun rises. Unfortunately the golden age of the Greek nightlife, when all the nightclubs stayed open until the morning all week long are gone. A couple of laws and one big recession later, few clubs are crowded on weekdays. You won’t be let down though. From the trendy mainstream nightclubs to the slightly trashy mpouzoukia, and from the sophisticated bars to the traditional rempetadika – the Greek equivalent of the pub - there is something to suit everyone’s taste.

Why should I go?
If you’re into history and ancient civilisations, you’ll love Athens. If you couldn’t care less about culture, even better. Its excellent food, impressive nightlife and close proximity to a number of sunny beaches provide the perfect setting for a fun and relaxing holiday.

What are the touristy things to do?
If there’s one word that comes to everyone’s mind when it comes to tourist attractions in Athens, it’s the Acropolis (or the Parthenon as the main temple called). And yes, you have to go. It is no Taj Mahal, but even the few remains that can be seen today are breathtaking, but hire a tour guide or do a bit of reading before getting there. Other popular attractions are Poseidon’s temple in Sounio, the old Plaka and Monastiraki districts and the new Acropolis museum.

Anything else?
Coffee please! Greeks’ favourite pastime is having coffee with friends on a sunny day – in other words, almost every day! No matter if you enjoy drinking coffee or not, you have to try the traditional Greek (aka Turkish) coffee, the very popular Frape, which has a scoop of vanilla ice-cream in it and the Freddo Espresso or Cappuccino – you guessed right, it’s the iced version of the popular Italian coffees. And if you wish to blend in with the locals, a game of backgammon is essential.

Anything to avoid?
Greek taxi-drivers masterfully manage to overcharge tourists in every way you can imagine. Before getting in a taxi, ask a local how much you should expect to be charged for your journey. Get a night-bus instead – there are plenty of them and they run all week long. Also avoid some nasty districts of the city-centre. A lot of Athens’ hotels are located on Omonoia Square and some of them are lovely, but if you want to be able to walk around after 9pm, pick accommodation someplace else. Needless to say you should avoid public protests, unless you are very adventurous. If you accidentally end up in one, do the exact opposite of what you would do if you were at home; steer clear of the police.

What should I bring home?
Forget the tasteless miniature Parthenon memorabilia and treat your mum or yourself to a litre of olive oil. Your friends may laugh at you... so what? When you invite them for dinner they will worship you like a god! And don’t forget, olive oil equals health and longevity.

When should I go?
If you don’t mind the heat, visit Athens in July or August. But be warned: temperatures can reach up to 45 degrees in daytime, making it impossible to stroll around the city for more than a couple of hours without getting heatstroke. Greece enjoys warm weather from April to late October, but June and September are the months with the most pleasant weather. And don’t forget, in late June and early September you can still catch a good summer festival. The Athens Festival runs from June to August and offers performances varying from theatre and visual arts to music and dance. Keep an eye out for events that take place in ancient theatres, it’s worth attending one just for the surroundings.

What’s my challenge?
If you only have a few days of holidays and want to enjoy both culture and exotic beaches, it’s worth spending half your time in the capital and the rest of your days on a small island. The islands of Hydra, Spetses and Poros are very picturesque, not to say exotic, they have crystal-clear waters and are less than an hour away by boat.

What’s the currency?
For the time being, Greece is part of the eurozone. Update yourself before landing though, just in case the conspiracy theories about leaving the eurozone and returning to the drachma turn out to be true.

Something to remember...
Athenians are a bit like New Yorkers – they’re loud, they are always stressed out and they get pissed off easily. Especially now with the recession, which has impacted on pretty much all Greeks, the Athenian mood has gone from bad to worse. Don’t worry, no one will kick you, but don’t take it to heart if they start yelling at you. Let it pass... In a minute they may be hugging you and treating you to ouzo! It’s all part of the Mediterranean temperament.