We are doing the Hop On Hop Off bus in Athens today.  Since the Acropolis is a very busy site in Athens, we decide to head there first. We need tickets to enter so we hope that we can get them on site.

We arrive and walk up to the area where the ticket booths are. The line up is so long that we can’t really see the end of it. Michael read online that it is possible to get tickets for the Acropolis at the Temple of Zeus. So we get back on the next Hop On Hop Off bus and head there.

The Arch of Hadrian is very close to the stop for the bus.  It is a triumphal arch which lies in proximity to Syntagma Square, right between the Acropolis and the Temple of Zeus. We have a view of the Parthenon where is sits atop the Acropolis.

We stand in a short line for this attraction. Signs indicate that we can buy a combo ticket for this temple and the Acropolis. Once we reach the cashier we are told, no, those tickets are not available. So we purchase tickets for this site only. It is a very very hot day. Lindsey and Nicole have decided to head back to the ship. I will stay touring with the “Boys”. I go online to buy tickets to the Acropolis and manage to get 4 for 2:00pm.

The Temple of Olympian Zeus is a former colossal temple at the center of the Athens.  It was dedicated to “Olympian” Zeus, a name originating from his position as head of the Olympian gods. Construction began in the 6th century BC.  Not much remains today.  A few ornate Corinthian columns still stand, but not much else.  We can see in the center to the collapsed column that there is a hole in the middle. 

We have the Acropolis as a background as we get another family photo.

After Lindsey and Nicole leave on the bus, we walk to a different bus stop. Here we come across the Panathenaic Stadium. It is said to be one of the main historic attractions in Athens, but I must admit that I have never heard of it. It is an interesting looking structure and the only stadium in the world built entirely of marble, that was opened in 566 BC. Yes, extremely old! At one time it had a capacity for 80,000 people. Today, still in use, it can hold 45,000. I borrowed an image from “interweb” as it has a different perspective than I had.

Traffic is just as bad as Istanbul! The guys and I ride around in the Hop On Hop Off bus listening to the audio guide as it describes the site we are seeing. Michael suggests that we get off the bus and have a bite to eat. We find ourselves in a busy square surrounded by restaurants. We stop at one that their “promoter” promises “Greek Food“. Hahaha, hard to find around here. The likelihood of being disturbed by smoking seems small, so sit down.

We enjoy our meals and head back to the bus stop as it is getting closer to 2:00 pm. When we arrive at the Acropolis, the line for tickets is basically nonexistent. 🤷🏻‍♀️Oh well. There are still lot of people here. It is a very good thing that they have implemented the ticket system. It would be overwhelmed without it!

We head back down to the Hop On Hop Off bus stop to ride it back to the ship. It takes us about 30 minutes to return. Once there we hear from Lindsey and Nicole that it took them 2 hours to get back from the exact same bus stop!! Traffic was at a standstill at times for them.

The photo below will give you an idea how busy it is in Athens today. According to a site that tracks cruise ships, there are 9 ships in port with approximately 20,000 passengers. This photo shows 3 large ones, ours being the 4th. If these 20,000 passengers had this impact on a large city like Athens, just imagine what a small island like Santorini could have been like with the same number of people arriving. Glad we are skipping that!!