We have rent an apartment this time, instead of the regular hotel bedroom. It is very convenient like this. With a seperate bedroom, Arthur and I can spend time reading and watchin tv, while our baby is sound asleep next door. And having your own kitchen is also great for cooking Femke's meals for the day. (To quote http://not-so-desperate-yugowife.blogspot.com/ A note to new parents thinking of going on a holiday with their young one: Unless you can afford a suite, staying in a rented flat rather than in a hotel room really makes a huge difference. Not only can you cook, eat, play or nap when you feel like it, but you can actually enjoy your evenings à deux by having dinner, a chat, playing cards, watching TV etc. while your babe is safely asleep in another room.)
Our first day we walk up to the Acropolis through Plaka, the old town.
Athens is visited by millions of tourists from all over the world, and especially in the Acropolis area it is crowded with them.
We always enjoy making long walks to discover a city's best spots, eat where the locals eat, and just wander trough streets the locals live.
Plaka with the narrow streets and old houses are this time not so relaxt with a baby and pram..
Athens is not child-friendly at all! Cars are parked on the pavements which makes it im possible to go there with the pram, no single child seat to be found in restaurants, and very few playgrounds for children. We found out that a one year old also has special needs while on holiday, this means time and space to practice her walking, and life is more adventurous on foot anyway than sitting on daddies lap or lie in the pram.
The best place for her was actually the Archeological Museum, clean floors (no sigarettes!), spacious, nothing that she could break, and friendly guards everywhere. She walked with me for more than an hour, making noices to sculptures of dogs, lions and horses, and saying ''hela'' to everyone (which means hello) and waving byebye when we move on.
We especially enjoyed the Asian restaurants! You don;t have them in Izmir, only one good Chinese restaurant; so we visited the Noodles bar twice, ate at a Vietnamese restaurant (take away as Femke would not sit quietly) and only once we had traditional Greek food.
Starbucks's were everywhere so our need for Caramel Machiatio's were satisfied.
What else did we do?
Visit the harbour of Pireus, and walked along the coast
Watch the guards at the grave of the unknown warrior (I am convinced they choose the most hansom men for this job!)
Go with a funicular up the Lykavittos hill, with beautiful views over Athens
Visit the meat and fish market
