Acropolis, Hill of the Muses, and the Ancient Agora

Today was the day. Tickets bought the day they were offered for the earliest time. Uber caught at 7:00 am. Forecourt climbed, and tenth in line for the Acropolis

The climb was steep, but the payoff was out of elementary school history lessons, high school mythology lessons, and top travel destination checklists.

We entered through the beautiful Propylaea, then hurried to see the Parthenon while the crowd was limited, but it was hard to wrench your gaze from all that surrounded us.

Another highlight was Erechtheion, particularly a porch with six caryatides.

When we were fully overwhelmed by the history, culture, and the oncoming swarms of people, we headed to the lower slopes.

First up was the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, a restored amphitheater. Then the Stoa, or food vendor area, to support it. Even more impressive was the Theatre of Dionysus.

Our next stop was the Hill of the Muses, variably called the Hill of the Nymphs. We climbed it to see first the Prison of Socrates, then Philopappos Monument and the view of the Acropolis.

En route, we saw what have elicited one of our strongest reactions – a tortoise! 🐢 It was awesome.

After the hill we had some repast at a sidewalk restaurant, before wandering some shopping areas.

The last major stop of the day was the Ancient Agora, where we saw the Temple of Hephaestus.

A bus ride back to our temporary home, showers, and a bit of relaxation rounded out the day. Whew!

(Oh, and we tried one of the oranges from the trees that line the street. Sour!)