“Doing Europe” Part Two: Getting Around

This lady really did her research! For people who want to travel on their own, here’s a tip for you!

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When it comes to backpacking around Europe, no two countries are the same. That being said, when it comes to transportation it pays to know what you’re dealing with. Literally. Most people have no idea how much money they could be saving if they only did a little research on the transportation networks in each country they’re visiting. The difference could mean adding another city to your to-do list, which I think is reason enough to do a little digging!

For the most part, Europe is based upon three different types of public transport: planes, trains and buses. Bare with me here… there is a lot of ground to cover.

PLANES

One of the best things about European travel is the insanely cheap, low-fare airlines. This means getting somewhere a lot quicker than on the ground and it is often necessary when heading places divided by bodies of water.

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Stunning Santorini

Where can I even begin to describe this stunning creation of God? From afarone would think it’s magical- how can the mountaintops retain snow in a very, very hot weather? Then you take a second look and realize, it’s not snow, but the structures and it will leave you just breathless. Famous for their dramatic views, impressive sunsets and fantastic beaches, Santorini will leave you nothing but wanting more.

 

Athens: Broke but Rich

 

3 whole weeks in beautiful Italy, it was now time to head to Gorgeous Greece. It is a 3-hr flight from Fiumicino Airport to Athens. At the time we visited Athens, the economy was rising to the height of its bankruptcy so we were greeted with a lot of rallies and strikes; it was petrifying but these didn’t stop the tourists from visiting. The weather was very promising compared to that of Italy. I was finally able to wear a dress! Despite the country’s situation, the city still put its best foot forward and offered us an unlimited experience.

Athens is one of the oldest, greatest, historical cities in Europe. Just like Rome, as you walk along the streets of Athens, there are proofs of how great this city once was; every few meters you come across an Ancient monument. The city has clearly preserved its history and has unified it amidst the city’s modern day life.

Accommodation

From the Airport, we took the X95 Bus to Syntagma Square and took a cab to our hotel, Joker Hotel, in Omonia where we stayed for 3 nights. It wasn’t the best place to stay at. The hotel is located in an extremely dodgy area of Athens with a lot of homeless people sleeping on benches just outside the hotel; it felt very unsafe, especially when walking around at night and there was no air-conditioning in the room, not that we needed it anyway. The person in charge didn’t even know how to speak English. I can’t complain, really, as we got what we paid for. I only have 3 good things to say about this place; 1) it served breakfast 2) it was a few meters away from the train station and 3) the room was pretty big.

Day 01

ACROPOLIS

We were in this city for three whole days, which was enough time to really feel Athens. On the first day, we dedicated our day to exploring the historic center and the sites around the Acropolis. From Omonia, We took the train to Akropoli stop and explored the ruins of the great Acropolis, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. As we bought our ticket, it came with a little “buy 1, take all” surprise. For €12, the ticket is already packaged! Meaning, you buy a ticket for one monument, it includes most if not all the archaeological sites in the city. The ticket is sold at the entrance of any of these places – not bad, huh?

• The Acropolis of Athens
• The Ancient Agora
• Kerameikos
• The North slope of Acropolis
• Olympeion
• The Roman Agora and
• The South Slope of Acropolis