The Acropolis, Athens

Acropolis in Athens is one of the most popular, if not the most popular, spots in Greece and for good reason. It is a flat-topped rock which rises 150m (490 ft) above sea level, also known as the Cecropia after the first Athenian King, Kekrops (or Cecrops).

The very next morning in Athens, honey and I put on our walking shoes, applied lots and lots and lots of sunscreen lotion and headed off towards the towering splendor of the Acropolis. Equipped with a map, a traveler’s book and 3 liters of water (two 1.5 bottles), we hiked our way towards the “sacred rock”. From our hotel, we had to pass by the Plaka and we ended up getting side tracked and arrived at the Acropolis later than planned but it all turned out for the better. We started our uphill climb towards the site after a short rest from a hearty lunch thinking that it would give us enough fuel to hike up a seemingly enormous feat when looking up from the bottom.


We decided to climb up on a slow pace, we’re on holidays after all and there is really no need to rush, I wouldn’t think that the Parthenon will go anywhere (all these are excuses of course to justify our pace and give us more time to catch our breath). The hike was seriously very steep and the scorching heat of the sun didn’t make climbing any more comfortable, the refreshing gusts of winds were more than a relief to our sweating body though.

The beauty that we behold was more than enough compensation for the liters of sweat that were shed and the gallons of water consumed. Apart from the stunning ruins that are all historically and aesthetically rich, the view of the entire city from the top was simply wonderful. We entered through the Propylaea, one of the stunning ruins in Acropolis. According to Athens (a guidebook by E. Gouvoussis), of all the surviving specimens of Athenian art, Propylaea may be considered the most perfect and most characteristic, a genuine wonder to the whole of Greece rivaling the Parthenon itself. This building is truly impressive with its massive columns and almost perfect symmetry.


Walking past the grandeur of Propylaea, we beheld the ever-famous Parthenon, the temple of the Virgin Athena, the goddess of wisdom. This is rightfully well renowned for it is indeed awe-inspiring. Another ruin that caught our attention was the porch of the famous Caryatides on the Erechtheion. The intricate details accorded to each of the columns were simply beyond words. The Acropolis is indeed a jewel in the center of the Athens metroplis

Our journey to Acropolis is absolutely breathtaking. Both the climb and the Acropolis itself, and I haven’t decided yet which one took my breath away more. It was an amazing view to behold, wonderful beyond words.