Transition: France to Greece
The same car and driver picked us up at our apartment. What should've been a simple path to the airport turned into a speedy, back street adventure through the tight roads of Paris! A marathon shut down most of the access points to cross the Seine. The typical hour ride was extended 30 minutes. We were glad we hired a car on a fixed fee vs a taxi or trying to navigate ourselves.
Paris to Athens was a direct 3.5 hour flight. From the airport to the Hera Hotel was an easy ride via Uber Taxi. We pre-booked the hotel for an extra night at the start and end. The hotel was accommodating, we had the same room for extra and tour nights, and adjoining rooms.
After getting settled we headed up to the Hera rooftop restaurant. Wow, the view of the Parthenon was magnificent! We dined while the sky moved from day to night, The Acropolis lit up like a beacon, reminding us this was no ordinary family dinner. Steve and Leo feasted on Ribeye steaks, the tastiest beef they had in Greece. Rachel had the Crawfish Risotto and Ziana the Shrimp Linguini. The food was excellent, the service welcoming.
The teens turned in early. Mom and Dad couldn't leave the grandiose view and stayed for drinks. There were two couples talking about Rick Steves and we joined in on the conversation. One couple was on our tour and the other had started the day before. We chatted into the night, enjoying cocktails and Greek beer (Mythos) while getting to know each other, sharing stories, tips and tricks to get the most out of our trip. We love how touring brings people together!
.jpg)
Day 1: Welcome to Athens!
On our own until the group meeting at 6pm, we explored our home for the next couple of days (and end of trip). One of the best features of the Hera Hotel is the location. Ten steps and you’re in the Plaka, a glorious neighborhood that is brimming with character, shops, restaurants, people and cats, with easy access to some of Athens greatest sites!
We walked to the Roman Agora. We didn’t walk though, but could see it easily through the fence. There was a jewelry vendor set up under some trees, with several cats underneath. Ziana was overly excited to find Greek cats!
After spending time with our new furry friends, we visited the Museum of Illusions. A great thing about traveling with kids is they find the fun activities! The Museum was cool. There were dozens of illusions to keep us entertained. We continued back through the maze of streets and alleys of the Plaka, admiring the goods, architecture, trees and abundant flowers.
For lunch, overwhelmed by the selection of restaurants, made the rash decision to eat someplace familiar. We’d been away from American food for days, and figured we wouldn’t have any for two weeks. We had a handful or reasons for doing it, but lunch at The Hard Rock Café was not our best meal decision. Lesson learned! Later we lifted our spirits with gelato. Great choice!
Group Meeting and Dinner
We met our tour guide Dafni. As a reminder that life had changed in the last few years, we had to show our vaccination cards. Dafni explained how the tour worked and her expectations. Each tour member introduced themselves. We had an array from different countries; America, Canada, Switzerland and Thailand. There were five teens in the group. For most of the members, this was their 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 9th tour!
We had wine and snacks, and chose our buddies. For our first group dinner, we dined al fresco at The Gods, and it was a feast! Plate, after plate of food appeared, each overflowing and full of flavor. We talked, laughed, drank wine and beer. Some shots of Ouzo appeared. The night was an excellent introduction to our new friends!