Our week in Athens: exploring the Acropolis, savoring local and international cuisine, uncovering ancient history, and navigating an unexpected travel hiccup that led to new adventures!

We were up bright and early, heading to the Thessaloniki train station to catch our train south. After a quick breakfast at the station café, we boarded and settled in for the journey.

Greek trains are fantastic — comfortable, clean, and efficient. Interestingly, they’re owned by Trenitalia, the Italian railway company. The trip to Athens was smooth and enjoyable.

It had been years since our last visit, and we were excited to return. Upon arrival at Athens’ main train station, we switched to the metro and within a few stops reached the station nearest our apartment.

Our apartment was a delightful find — small but comfortable and clean. Best of all, it was in an exceptional location, surrounded by restaurants, cafés, and bars. It was just one metro stop from the Plaka and the Acropolis (or a pleasant 30-minute walk), yet blissfully far from the main tourist crowds.

During our stay, we visited the National Archaeological Museum, a treasure trove of Greece’s incredible history. Our main reason for going was to see the Antikythera mechanism — an ancient device used to predict astronomical positions and eclipses decades in advance. Its advanced technology still baffles historians today.

We also returned to the Acropolis. Though we had been there before, no trip to Athens feels complete without seeing this awe-inspiring site. We walked there early in the morning to beat the heat and crowds — a very wise decision. As we were leaving, the cruise ship groups began to arrive in force.

Most of our time in Athens was spent enjoying its fabulous restaurants and cafés. We had Greek food in open squares, some of the best Indian cuisine in a long time, and excellent coffee everywhere we went.

Alas, our time came to an end too soon. On our final night, we dined at an upscale restaurant for a special farewell meal. I chose seafood-filled pasta in a seafood broth — a decision I deeply regretted. At 3 a.m. I woke with severe food poisoning.

I was so ill we had to reschedule our flight. Our lovely host kindly let us stay one extra night, but we still needed a new apartment for the following two nights. Fortunately we found one nearby, and by the time we moved, I was over the worst of it.

In our new neighborhood we discovered a wonderful fresh food market and a charming family-run restaurant with a terrace overlooking a park. It was a pleasant way to finish our time in Athens.