Central Municipal Athens Market

The Central Market of Athens is the busiest part of the city, featuring fruit stalls, meat stalls, fish stalls, and vegetable stalls. Mornings are the best time to visit, as the fresh produce is freshly stocked. The butchers here are multi-generational, having operated the market for a century. In recent years, the EU has brought the market into compliance with its standards, and the meat is now kept cool in refrigerators, giving the market a fresh look. The fish market was our favorite part. The floor was a bit damp and smelled fishy. Seeing the large prawns, squid, and other fresh items, we bought some to feast on that evening. The butchers were very welcoming and happy to take photos with us, but we did encounter a nasty woman selling chicken who immediately started yelling at us when we took photos. I don't know what had offended her. (She was a bit uncivilized, saying no was enough to justify such outbursts. Fortunately, she doesn't represent all Greeks.)

The enthusiastic butcher graciously accepted our invitation to take a photo and posed in a traditional butcher's knife-holding posture. He was truly enthusiastic and professional.

Ancient Agora of Athens

The Agora is an archaeological site located beneath the northwest slope of the Acropolis. The word "agora" refers to a gathering of people and, by extension, a place of gathering. In modern Greek, the word means "marketplace." In ancient Rome, the Agora served religious, political, and cultural functions beyond commerce. Citizens not only shopped here, but also discussed current events and exchanged information. Many renowned philosophers, including Socrates and Plato, gave lectures there.

The Temple of Hephaestus, nestled on a hillside, is a remarkably well-preserved ancient Greek Doric temple dedicated to Hephaestus, the mythological god of fire and crafts. It is considered the best-preserved ancient temple in the world. Its remarkable beauty testifies to the sophistication of the ancient Greek world. The temple's remarkable preservation over the centuries stems from its use as a place of worship from the 7th century BC to 1834. From the 7th century AD to 1834, it housed an Eastern Orthodox church dedicated to St. George Akamatus. The last mass was held there in February 1833.

The Stoa of Attalos was once destroyed by the Germans. The Stoa of Attalos, now rebuilt with funds donated by the Rockefeller family, now houses a museum showcasing the remains of the ancient agora. This portico is a typical example of Hellenistic architecture, larger and more elaborate than its Classical counterparts. It measures 115 meters long and 20 meters wide, constructed of marble and limestone. The structure ingeniously utilizes different column styles. The photos show the different shapes of the columns on the left and right.

Plaka Pedestrian Area

Plaka is a great place to shop for souvenirs. When you're tired, find an outdoor café for an afternoon cup of coffee and soak up the Greek romance. Be sure to explore the narrow streets and alleys; you might find interesting souvenir shops and bars. Even if you don't buy anything, you can still experience the relaxed Greek lifestyle. We bought a few souvenirs here, including olive soap and various utensils made from olive wood, which is very durable due to its hardness.

Roman Agora

The Roman Agora in Athens: The Roman Agora is located on the north side of the Acropolis, very close to the Monastiraki metro station. In fact, it's connected to the Ancient Agora in Thissio via a paved path. While the Ancient Agora was a place for political gatherings of Athenians, the Roman Agora was actually a marketplace—an open market.

Academy of Athens

The Athenian Trilogy: The Academy of Athens, the University of Athens, and the National Library of Greece. The Academy of Athens' design draws inspiration from the Erechtheion on the Acropolis. Flanking the academy are statues of Athena, the goddess of wisdom, and Apollo, the god of art. The reliefs within the arched finial reinterpret the famous myth of the Parthenon: the birth of Athena, who, according to legend, sprang from the head of Zeus. In the forecourt, two sages, Plato and Socrates, sit at attention on either side of the entrance, observing all who enter.

Vallianeio Megaron National Library

The National Library of Greece (Greek: Εθνική Βιβλιοθήκη), located near the center of Athens, was designed by Danish architect Theofir Hansen and is one of his three neoclassical architectural masterpieces (the other two being the Academy of Athens and the University of Athens). The National Library of Greece houses 4,500 Greek manuscripts, one of the largest collections of Greek manuscripts. It also houses numerous documents and archives from the Greek Revolution. Ascending the stairs, one can admire the architectural details up close, each inch reflecting the designer's meticulous attention to detail. One can't help but wonder how magnificent the original temple on the hill must have been.

After finishing our day's itinerary, we enjoyed the prawns we bought at the Central Market that morning in our apartment. We didn't have a pot, but people are always creative. We used a water heater as a pot and enjoyed the delicious prawns.

So fresh and delicious! Eating giant prawns caught in the Mediterranean is a real treat in Greece. Great! Great! Great!