We Start Our Tour of Greece and Turkey

 These blog posts detail our trip to Greece and Turkey that we took from 3/29 to 4/14/2025 and were produced after our return.

 

3/29-4/1/2025

Here we go again! We awaken at 0200 for another ungodly early flight that will take us to the other side of the world about 20 hours from now—we are headed for a tour/cruise of Greece, Turkey, and the Aegean Sea.

Statue of Sheet Glass

We arrive at the airport around 0400 and check in for our 0610 flight to New York. In New York, we have a fairly long layover, but the amenities of the first-class lounge make the waiting tolerable.

Very Old Olive Tree

We board our connecting flight, and after 11 boring, sleepless hours, we arrive in Athens. After passing through immigration and collecting our bags, we meet up with our tour representative and are taken to our hotel—The Grande Bretagne Hotel. Since it is around 0930, our room is not ready; we may have a long wait in the hotel lobby. We are exhausted. A little past 1000 we get lucky and are told that our room is ready.

The bed looks inviting, so we decide to get some rest. A few hours later we wake up and find that we are both really sick. Capt. Larry has spiked a fever. Jane has developed some major stomach cramps. We suspect some bad airline food.

The Grande Bretagne Hotel

Our travel agent had purchased tickets for us to a Greek dinner and show that evening. Not knowing if we were going to be able to attend, we called the vendor and made arrangements to be taken to the venue.

Rooftop Restaurant View

We dip into the traveling pharmacy and return to bed, hoping to be feeling better in a few hours. We awaken and assess our conditions but feel that we should forego the dinner show in order to make a full recovery.

The next morning, we are feeling much better. We head up to the hotel’s rooftop restaurant, where we enjoy a wonderful view of the Acropolis while having our breakfast. In fact, we have great views of most parts of the city. After breakfast we decide to go for a walk and do some exploring. Our Canadian travel friends, David and Linda, aren’t due to arrive until very late this evening, so we are on our own.

Tzistarakis Mosque (fore)

We decide to walk to Monastiraki Square, the site of last night’s dinner show. We consult with the hotel’s concierge and find that the square is a short distance away at the end of a pedestrian walkway. We head out and enjoy the sights and shops along the way. Monastiraki Square is a vibrant and historic area in the heart of Athens.

Meeting Up In Monastiraki Square

It's a popular meeting point for locals and tourists alike and is known for its lively atmosphere, flea markets, and great views of the Acropolis. The square is surrounded by a mix of ancient and modern landmarks, including Hadrian’s Library, the Roman Agora, and the Tzistarakis Mosque.

After exploring the square, we return and explore our hotel. As part of the Marriott brand, this five-star hotel has been offering hospitality since 1874. After viewing most of the hotel’s public areas, we enjoy a late lunch in one of the restaurants. Then it’s time for a nap!

Panagia Kapnikarea Church

Because our biological clocks are all screwed up, we end up napping till the next morning.

Not knowing how late David and Linda got in last night, we decide not to disturb them and go to breakfast by ourselves. Around 0900, we get a message that they are at breakfast and to join them for coffee. Reuniting is grand and is the one thing that we look forward to almost as much as the trip itself!

A Great Greek Lunch!

We chatted and updated until the breakfast staff started to give us those “time to go” looks.

We decide to go for a walk and end up back at Monastiraki Square. Linda and Jane enjoy the numerous street vendors and the flea markets. We find the streetside café and order drinks, which we enjoy while we people-watch. As lunchtime approaches, we head back towards our hotel and find a restaurant located above an Apple Store and overlooking the beautiful Syntagma Square, which is directly across from our hotel.

Back at the Square

After a delicious Greek lunch, we spend the rest of our day with afternoon naps, dinner in a Greek restaurant, and a nightcap in the hotel’s rooftop restaurant with a wonderful view of the Acropolis lit up at night.

We meet David and Linda in the rooftop restaurant for breakfast and a discussion of what sightseeing we are going to do today. We agree to begin with the Hellenic Parliament Changing of the Guard. This tradition takes place in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where the Evzones, the elite Presidential Guard, perform a meticulously choreographed ceremony.

The Square on the HOHO Bus

The changing happens every hour on the hour 24/7. The Evzones wear their iconic uniforms with pleated skirts with 400 folds—symbolizing 400 years of Ottoman rule—and pom-pom-topped shoes with nails that create a distinct sound as they march. We enjoy the ceremony but agree that the choreography is definitely not for older bones and muscles!

We return to our hotel to meet our tour director. Coincidentally, he is the same director that David and Linda had when they did a tour of Egypt. Small world. After the meeting, we head out to a Hop On Hop Off bus stop next to the parliament building and buy tickets for a tour of Athens. Some of the landmarks we pass include Parliament/National Gardens, the War Museum, the National Gallery, the Ancient Olympic Stadium, the Temple of Zeus, the Academy of Athens, the University of Athens, the National Library, the Archaeological Museum, Hadrian’s Library, Monastiraki Square (again!), Hadrian’s Arch, the Acropolis Museum, and the Acropolis Entrance.

At the Meat Market

We exit the bus and decide to walk back to a meat market we spotted on the bus tour. Along the way, we stop and enjoy some Greek street food for lunch. We finally make it to the meat market but aren’t really quite sure what to make of it. Everyone is dressed in a butcher’s uniform, and there are animal carcasses and parts of every type and size. We were not sure how the market functioned, as there was no sign of any customers or retail transactions.

After a long walk back to the hotel, we rest up and get ready for the evening’s welcome reception and dinner. Numbering around 80, we learn that the tour participants will be divided into two groups with a tour director for each. We also learn that although we were scheduled to go to the Acropolis tomorrow, that tour will be delayed until the following day due to concerns about the weather. Tomorrow we will visit the National Archaeological Museum. After dinner we turn in, hoping for a fitful night’s sleep. It was a long day.