Athens is one of the world's oldest cities. The Greek capital offers fans of the ancient world more than their money's worth. But there's plenty to discover beyond the Acropolis and the Parthenon. Let us show you.
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00:00 Over 3,000 years of history, friendly faces, and lots of music.
00:05 I'm here in Athens, Greece.
00:07 The Greek capital is like a second home to me,
00:23 and I'm going to show you what we can do here in just one day.
00:27 We're going to check out a mix of the classic sights and some you probably have never heard about before.
00:32 So, as the Greeks say, "Pame!" Let's go.
00:35 Before we dive into the hustle and bustle of the city,
00:40 I want to show you one of my favorite spots,
00:42 Philopapou Hill, a giant and pretty rugged park right in the center.
00:47 I don't think I wore the right shoes for this terrain.
00:53 Walking around the park, you'll also find more amazing views of the Acropolis from different angles.
00:59 And from this side, you can even see the Aegean Sea.
01:07 So, let's get to know Athens, one of the oldest cities in the world.
01:13 So, now we head down to Monastiraki Square, the heart of Athens.
01:17 And in this place, you can see layers of the city's history in just one spot.
01:22 First, we have the Church of the Virgin Mary, Patanesa, from the Byzantine era right there.
01:27 And then over here, we have the Tsitsarakis Mosque from the Ottoman era.
01:31 And this neoclassical building right here houses the metro station,
01:35 which is a very good way to get around the city.
01:38 But I prefer to take a walk now.
01:39 In the historic neighborhood of Plaka,
01:43 which is known for its colorful buildings and perfect location at the foot of the Acropolis.
01:51 Nearby, you'll find several of the city's main archaeological sites.
01:55 I never get tired of looking at them.
01:57 I have like 500 photos of the same thing.
02:00 That's Hadrian's Library, built in 132 AD,
02:07 and the Roman Agora from the 1st century BC.
02:09 If you plan to enter several archaeological sites, including the Acropolis,
02:13 I recommend you buy the multi-pass ticket.
02:16 That's 30 euros and it gets you into 7 archaeological sites over a period of 5 days.
02:22 So it's really worth it.
02:23 If you buy the pass down in Plaka,
02:25 you can skip the sometimes long line up here at the Acropolis.
02:30 But now, one of my ultimate Athens recommendations, the Acropolis Museum.
02:34 If you plan to visit one museum while you're in Athens, this is it.
02:40 Inside, you'll find over 3,000 items taken from the ancient site of the Acropolis.
02:46 The Parthenon is just one of many temples that stood on the ancient citadel.
02:51 The museum displays finds from the entire site,
02:57 from ancient pottery
02:59 to the majestic karyatids of the Erechtheion Temple.
03:03 And did you know that ancient statues were once brightly colored?
03:09 On some, you can still see traces of the original hues.
03:13 And if you still want to see more, you can go under the museum
03:17 to check out an ancient Athenian neighborhood.
03:20 The entire museum was built right on top of it.
03:25 And by the way, I don't recommend wearing a skirt or dress when you visit the museum.
03:29 Because...
03:31 The Acropolis.
03:34 You can still see some parts of the archaeological site without buying a ticket.
03:38 Like the Odion of Herodotus Atticus.
03:41 An ancient theater at the southwest slope.
03:44 But the Acropolis is the main touristic site for a reason.
03:47 So definitely pay it a visit.
03:49 My tip is to get there as early as possible after it opens
03:53 so you can be one of the few people there.
03:55 It's not only about ancient stuff here.
04:00 Athens is a cosmopolitan city with tons of cool bars, restaurants
04:05 and generally whatever kind of nightlife you're into.
04:08 I'm into music, so tonight I'm going to take you to hear some of my favorite musicians.
04:13 First things first, we ordered Tsipouro, a popular distilled spirit.
04:21 The Greek version of grappa.
04:23 That's strong, that's strong.
04:27 And a public service announcement.
04:29 Tsipouro! Be careful!
04:31 It's not to be drunk on an empty stomach.
04:36 We order a few plates to share.
04:38 Like Saganaki fried cheese, zucchini balls, fava
04:43 and one of my favorites, tacos, Cretan rusk salad.
04:47 So this is something very Greek.
04:52 Coming, getting these shared plates, mazeves, being with your friends
04:56 drinking and of course listening to music.
05:04 I hope you enjoyed this day in Athens as much as I did.
05:08 Yia mas!
05:10 Yama! Yama!
05:12 (laughing)