Originally Posted by
Pausanias
On our recent trip we thought Athens as an absolute dump. Traffic is appalling, graffiti everywhere, the full modern horror show. Many in our small group gave up on it, as we did. The Acropolis is a termite mound these days and the Parthenon partially covered in scaffolding. Best seen from a distance, like the GB's roof terrace. I know I'm old and out of touch, but I do remember our trip to the Acropolis in 1976 and I guess there were less than 50 people up there.
I don't see Athens that critically and I was impressed by the ancient monuments, but it's definitely not my favorite city either. It's actually quite dirty and I don't think the atmosphere is that great. That's one of the reasons why I really appreciated not staying right in the center, despite all the undeniable advantages. It's probably the same for others, which is why (beside the possibility of combining culture with beach vacation) MO and O&O are also settling outside.