The Odeion of Herodes Atticus, which stands at the base of the Acropolis in Athens, was built in AD161 and could hold an audience of 5 000. It was destroyed in AD267, but restored in the 1950s and is now the main venue for the annual Athens Festival (held from May to October).
History in the making Curious to know what it’s like to be surrounded by ancient history, Narina Exelby wandered the old neighbourhoods of Athens before driving north to a place that was considered by the ancient Greeks to be the centre of the universe. 64 May 2014
www.getaway.co.za 65
Right: Writing on a marble block at the ruins of Delphi has been exposed to the elements for more than 2 000 years. Below: The Tholos of Delphi, about 800 metres from the main ruins of Delphi, was a building of 30 columns that was constructed between 380 and 360BC. Three of the Doric columns were reconstructed in the 1930s. Bottom left: Many derelict buildings in central Athens are becoming spaces for creative initiatives. This building – covered with graffiti – has become the working space of a picture framer.
So small, in fact, that you could drive through it in a matter of seconds – and yet at the same time so vast that it could consume you for an entire day. A lifetime, even. What is held here – the knowledge, the beauty, the sense of history – is astounding. It was the Greek god Zeus who proclaimed this place, Delphi, to be the centre of the world. Curious to find out where it was, the myth goes, he had two eagles fly from the eastern and western edges of the universe and their paths crossed above the western slope of Mount Parnassus, just outside what’s now the town of Delphi, 120 kilometres northwest of Athens. It was here, Zeus deduced, that the naval of Gaia, Grandmother Earth, was situated. And it was here, late in the Greek winter, that I tried to understand ‘history’. Today, you could hardly call Delphi the centre of anything. It’s a lethargic little mountainside village whose narrow streets are lined with small hotels, a few restaurants and higgledy-piggledy curio shops. But what it lacks in grandeur, it more than makes up for in drama. The road to the village, along the steep slopes of Mount Parnassus, rivals Chapman’s Peak Drive as hairpin bends zigzag a route cut between the ski-resort town of Arachova and the Corinthian Gulf. Many of the hotels and restaurants that teeter on the edge of the mountainside lure travellers with spectacular views across the valley to the sea and distant mountains. But it’s not for the views that people come to Delphi; they travel here, as I did, to walk among the ruins of what was considered some 2 500 years ago to be the most important place in all of Classical Greece: the Temple of Apollo. The Classical period – the fourth and fifth centuries BC – became immensely important to the development of the Western world in terms of politics, art, literature, philosophy and architecture. Historians have established that it was to the Temple of Apollo that Greek leaders went to find answers from the Delphic Oracle, the priestess Pythia. She would inhale vapours released from the earth and give guidance apparently inspired by the god Apollo (who, incidentally, was the son of Zeus). Pythia delivered 66 May 2014
Shutterstock.com
he centre of the universe is a pretty small place.
www.getaway.co.za 67
Clockwise from right: A view of the Acropolis in central Athens; blue ‘evil eyes’ are common around Greece, often sold as souvenirs to tourists – they’re believed to protect the beholder from evil; detail of the top of the Corinthian columns at the Temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens – of the original 104 columns, 15 still stand; in the Monastiraki area in Athens, antique and second-hand stalls sprawl their wares out onto Avissinias Square; many of the walls in Athens’ old neighbourhoods around the base of the Acropolis are covered in graffiti, bringing life to what could be dingy spaces.
messages in a divine language, so her prophecies were interpreted by priests and given to the leaders who always consulted with her before making any major decisions. Today, there’s no trace of those vapours (although there are geological explanations as to where and why they existed), but the remains of the Temple of Apollo are still there, on a hillside of other magnificent ruins – a theatre that could hold an audience of 5 000, a 6 500-seater stadium, the marble building blocks of various columns, a treasury, temple, gymnasium and some retaining walls. The omphalos – the stone naval of Gaia – is there too, safely housed in the awe-inspiring Delphi Museum, a few hundred metres from where it once lay. It was on a winter afternoon, with chilled air infused by pine needles, that I walked among these ruins; it was quiet except for the hollow clanking of distant goats’ bells that haunted the valley from far-off olive groves. The crisp stillness fuelled contemplation as I tried to come to terms with the history of this place; 2 500 years is a lot to comprehend. There is something utterly profound – and totally humbling – about standing in the middle of history. I wanted to stay as long as I could and watch
Taste Athens
There is something utterly profound – and totally humbling – about standing in the middle of history. the late afternoon shadows lengthen across what was once a stage. I wanted to imagine magnificent marble statues standing tall on their columns, as they had done back in 400BC. I wanted to conjure the ghosts of people who’d walked these same paths. What did they hope for? What did they look like? What did they fear? I wanted to touch history; to be able to trace my fingers over the letters of a hymn inscribed into a wall nearly 2 000 years ago. I wonder, had I stayed longer, how long this enchantment would have lasted. At what point would the novelty, the intrigue, of being surrounded by so much history have wilted? Because what had struck me when I strolled the streets of central Athens, five days before driving out to Delphi, was how much a part of daily life this ancient history is for locals. ‘We’ve been raised with this history,’ one Athenian had told
Papadakis, a restaurant in the trendy Kolonaki neighbourhood, is where chef and owner Argiro Barbarigou puts a special twist on traditional Greek fare with outstanding results. Argiro has cooked for celebs including Pierce Brosnan and Jean Paul Gaultier, who is a regular patron. www.argiro.com.gr Nice n Easy, also in Kolonaki, offers delicious, good-for-you food, most of which is organic and locally produced. Owner Dimitris Christoforidis is one of the key players in the organic food movement in Greece; the buffalo steaks served
68 May 2014
here come from his farm near Lake Karniki in northern Greece. www.niceneasy.gr Brettos is a very special little distillerycum-cafe’ in Plaka, near the base of the Acropolis. The flavour of liqueurs offered varies from apple to peach to watermelon; don’t leave without sampling mastika, made from trees native to the small Greek island of Chios. www.brettosplaka.com Tip: Many of the restaurants and cafe’ s in Athens offer breadbaskets (with olive pa^te’ ) for less than €2.
www.getaway.co.za 69
Shutterstock.com
Clockwise from top left: Graffiti artists are brightening the walls of old Athens; built in the last 20 years of the fifth century, Erechtheion is a temple that stands on the northern part of the Acropolis in Athens; every day at 11 am there is a changing of the guard at the parliament buildings in Athens, just behind Syntagma Square; old Vespa scooters are scattered around so many European cities – Athens is no exception; the Temple of Hephaistos, better known as the Theseion, is a part of the Ancient Agora, a gathering place for Athenians. It’s beautifully lit in the evenings.
70 May 2014
me as I marvelled at the beautiful Theseion temple at sunset. ‘This is all normal for us.’ It blew my mind. We were drinking ouzo in a café in Athens, watching for the lights to come on across the city; immediately below us were the fenced-off ruins of what was once the Agora, a gathering place for Athenians. ‘You know, this history is all around us; it’s even underneath us,’ he continued. ‘When they built our metro it took much longer than planned because they kept finding more ruins, which they had to tunnel around. And I think sometimes they might just have gone straight through.’ The old neighbourhoods around the Acropolis, the historical heart of Athens, were already a few centuries old when Christ walked the earth. Wander through the fascinating little streets of pastel-coloured buildings and every few blocks you’re bound to stumble across a wall or monument that’s more than 2 000 years old. There’s very little fuss surrounding many of these ruins; they’re simply there, as they’ve always been. All roads in the tangled web of Monastiraki, Plaka, Thissio, Koukaki, Makrigianni and Kolonaki neighbourhoods seem to eventually lead to the Acropolis, the citadel from which the Parthenon and other temples loom over the city. Construction of this Greek icon began in 447BC and it took nine years for the 6 500 blocks of white marble to be cut and assembled. It’s surrounded by cranes and scaffolding – has been for years – as efforts are made to restore this mighty building. I spent five days exploring the streets of Athens’ old neighbourhoods, brooding over the ruins as I sipped on strong Greek coffee and filled up on moussaka – and that didn’t feel like enough time. During winter this city, so full of character, is empty of the summertime crowds who flock here for a day or two before moving onto one of the islands, and Athens’ attractions feel open and unrushed. This sense of space invites contemplation
I spent five days exploring Athens’ old neighbourhoods, brooding over the ruins as I sipped on strong Greek coffee ... and that didn’t feel like enough time. and gives you the time to enjoy simply being there. It’s a city that I look forward to returning to. Not just to explore its vast history, but also to witness the birth of its future. Aware that the old economic system no longer works for them, young Greek people are finding new ways to make a living and Athens is becoming a hub of creative initiatives built around the collaboration of talents and resources. New life is being breathed into run-down buildings as they become cafés and art galleries and theatres and music venues. Talented graffiti artists are washing the old city with colour. Small bakeries are the new trend. Shop owners in quiet streets organise festivals to attract people to their spaces. Internet start-ups are blossoming. There is a pulling together of people; a pooling of resources; that sense of creation where before there was nothing. It was while marvelling at the enormous columns of the ruined Temple of Olympian Zeus that it all made sense to me: creation and destruction
What does Greece’s economic crisis mean for your wallet?
It’s an interesting time to visit Greece. While the economic crisis hasn’t sent rates at hotels or restaurants plummeting, they’ve dropped a little and prices are now more competitive, says Iosif Parsalis, MD of Marketing Greece. That doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a cheap destination for people travelling on South African rands. Accommodation at a two-star hotel will likely cost around R500 a double room a night and a meal for two at a restaurant, with a drink each, will be about R400.
www.getaway.co.za 71
Plan your trip are inevitable cycles. This temple, designed to be the greatest in the ancient world, is a good example of that. Its construction began in the sixth century BC but the whims of political turmoil meant that it took more than 600 years to complete; it was ransacked for building materials in Medieval Athens and centuries later blasted by Turkish gunpowder. Yet, despite some being reincarnated into churches and mosques, 15 of the 104 columns still stand. We now place so much value on ancient history and do what we can to preserve it, and re-
Money Matters
build it, and understand it all. But, I wonder, if we could send Zeus’s eagles 2 500 years into the future, or if we could consult with the priestess Pythia, what words of wisdom would they bring us? What part of our present world would they urge us to take better care of? And, I wonder, what would it take for us to listen?
We now place so much value on ancient history and do what we can to preserve it, and rebuild it, and understand it all.
The currency in Greece is the euro; the exchange rate at time of going to print was R15 to the euro.
Pretoria or Durban at least three weeks before departure. www.vfsglobal.com/greece/southafrica
Getting there
Getting around
There are no direct flights from South Africa to Athens, so be prepared for a journey of at least 15 hours, including one stop. Greece’s largest carrier, Aegean Airlines, recently signed a codeshare agreement with Etihad, which offers flights between South Africa and Athens with a stopover in Abu Dhabi. Visit www.aegeanair.com for more information and to book.
The easiest way to get from the airport into the city is take the fast, efficient and clean Metro (€8) train service. There’s no shortage of taxis in Athens, and they’re easy to spot: they’re bright yellow. All have meters, so be sure to ask the driver to set it at the beginning of your ride. If you’re staying close to the historical sites, the easiest way to get around is on foot; it’s very pleasant walking through the streets of this old part of the city. An excellent way to get to know Athens is to take a guided walking tour with Dopios (www.dopios. com). This young start-up uses dopios (Greek for ‘local’) who will
Visas
South Africans need a Schengen visa. This costs €60, plus R280 service fee. Applications need to be made in person in Cape Town,
ROMANIA
BULGARIA
Top attractions in Athens The Acropolis
Built on a limestone crag in the heart of modern Athens, the Acropolis is the flagship of the city’s historical sites. You’ll find the Parthenon, a marble temple built to honour the goddess Athena; the Propylaia, the monumental entrance to the site; the Erechtheion, a temple that overlooks the Monastiraki district of Athens; and the (relatively small) Temple of Athena Nike. At the base of the Acropolis is the Theatre of Dionysus, built in the fourth century BC and with a capacity to seat 17 000, as well as the Odeion of Herodes Atticus. The latter has been reconstructed and is still used for concerts and theatre productions. Entrance costs €12; the ticket is valid for four days and also covers entrance to Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Kerameikos, Theatre of Dionysus, Temple of Olympian
72 May 2014
Zeus and Hadrian’s Library. acropolis-virtualtour.gr
Acropolis Museum
TURKEY
ATHENS
from previous Olympic Games. Entrance costs €3. www.panathenaicstadium.gr
This spectacular new museum at the base of the Acropolis houses many of its statues and friezes. On the third floor, an AV show about the Parthenon is screened throughout the day; this floor is walled with glass, and offers spectacular views of the Acropolis and Athens. Entrance costs €5. www. theacropolismuseum.gr/en
Temple of Olympian Zeus
Panathenaic Stadium
Surrounded by the trendy Kerameikos neighbourhood, the Agora was the gathering place of ancient Athens and the centre of social, spiritual and economic life. Its main feature is the well-preserved Temple of Hephaistos, better known as the Theseion. Entrance costs €4 or use the Acropolis combined ticket (see above). www.athens24.com
The world’s oldest marble stadium and the site of the first modern Olympic games in 1896, the Panathenaic Stadium was constructed in 329BC and rebuilt in 1895. The (free) audio tour offers interesting insight to the history of the stadium and will lead you through a tunnel to a room that houses all the torches and posters
GREECE DELPHI
Originally planned in the sixth century BC, only a few traces of its foundations remain and what we see today are the columns of a Corinthian temple that date to about AD130. Costs €2 or use the Acropolis combined ticket (see above). www.athens24.com
The Agora
Athens is a year-round destination. Summers are hot (temperatures can reach the 40s) and busy, and a visit to one of the islands is obligatory. During winter (highs are around 15 degrees), the city and its attractions are far from crowded and a beach break can be replaced with a skiing trip – visit www.discovergreece.com for ski resorts in Greece. The atmospheric neighbourhoods of Monastiraki (where you’ll find plenty of interesting stores and markets), historical Plaka, cafe’ laden Thissio, genteel Makrigianni and Koukaki, and chic Kolonaki are great places to base yourself in Athens. Find accommodation at www.discovergreece.com, where you can search using various filters. Here are a few hotels I’ve stayed at and can recommend.
ALBANIA Left: History is all over – and under – Athens. The new Acropolis Museum has been built on pillars, allowing the ruins beneath it to become part of the displays. Below LEFT: Paintings and parkas – souvenirs from Greece.
When to go
Stay here
SERBIA ITALY
take you on a tour of their city; you choose your guide online according to their interests. Prices vary according to guide and length of tour, but you can expect to pay from €12 for a stroll through an area to €210 for a market tour and cooking class. It’s well worth spending that money to orientate yourself in Athens and find places often off the general tourist radar.
ATHENS THE AGORA
54
THEATRE OF DIONYSUS ACROPOLIS MUSEUM 91
New Hotel is a hip, designer establishment very close to Syntagma Square, a popular meeting point in Athens. It’s on the edge of the history-rich neighbourhood of Plaka, and is an interesting, artsy base for those interested in spending a few days around these parts. B&B from €175 a double room a night. www.yeshotels.gr The stately Electra Palace hotel in Plaka offers a good view of the Acropolis and all of Athens from its rooftop garden and pool. Set your alarm and get there for sunrise; you’ll get lovely photos of the city. B&B from €130 a double room a night. www.electrahotels.gr Quirky Alice Inn Athens is a funky townhouse in Plaka. There are four micro-apartments, two of which have kitchenettes. Pay a little more and ask for the Harry Belafonte Suite – you’ll get your own rooftop terrace with a view of the Acropolis. Bed only from €45 a person a night. www.aliceinnathens.com
Delphi
Iniohos is a small hotel on the main street of Delphi, with cafe’ s and curio stores a stone’s throw away. The rooms are simple yet comfortable; ask for one with a view. B&B from €40 a double room a night, www.delphi-hotel-iniohos.gr
54
UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS
54 1
91
THE ACROPOLIS
Athens
TEMPLE OF OLYMPIAN ZEUS
1
91
PANATHENAIC STADIUM www.getaway.co.za 73