Steve and I wanted to catch a sunrise over Athens, Greece at Philopappos Hill. It was within walking distance from our Hotel so we gave it a go! So we woke up early our first morning in Athens and headed for Philopappos Hill to see the sunrise over Athens.
Philopappos Hill
Philopappos Hill is also known as the Hill of the Muses and is dedicated to them. At the summit of Philopappos Hill is the Monument of Philopappos. Constructed during the 2nd century and dedicated to Gaius Julius Antiochus, who was an exiled Roman Prince who settled in Athens. Nicknamed Philopappos and highly esteemed by the Athenians. Philopappas Hill is a beautiful place that has several walking trails, many overlook all areas of Athens and reportedly Socrate’s prison, which we did not see at this time.
Coffee First
It was dark when we started out and it was serene to see the bustling city of Athens relatively quiet, albeit for a few people out and taxi cars. We were still on Iowa time so first things first, coffee! We found a quaint little shop and grabbed a couple of cups. The coffee was amazing! We plan on finding it again when we are back in Athens.
Daybreak
After winding through the many streets we found Philopappos Hill and started the hike upward. The hike up was a well maintained path with some steps, it had a gentle incline. We arrived shortly after dawn and just before sunrise. The views were amazing, especially of the Parthenon.
Sunrise at the Top of Philopappos Hill
As we made our way up to the Philoppapos Monument the sun began rising which illumianted the area. It was so amazing, we could see all around Athens, from the Parthenon to the Sea! Truly awesome!
The Trail
On our way down the town our path was much better to see with the sun brightenng the beauty of the park. The path itself is well maintained and has a beauty of it’s own.
We made our way back to our Hotel feeling full of life and energized. The town of Athens was slowly waking up ready for another day. Nothing like a sunrise to brighten your day. Had a delicious breakfast at our hotel and enjoyed a view of the Parthenon while dining.
After breakfast we we headed to the airport to fly to our next destination, Chania in Crete!
Planning
Last year when we were in Athens we used the Rick Steves Pocket Athens guidebook and found a lot of useful information in it. There is also a pocket map.
This year we added Top 10 Athens (DK Eyewitness Travel Guide) to help us plan and found it extremely helpful and organized. It includes top 10 places for restaurants, things to see, shopping, etc. It also divides into top 10 of each area. This is my favorite guide book. It does come with a pocket map.
We also bought an Athens Street Map which was more in-depth and very useful as we explored more areas on this trip.
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Links to My Other Athens Posts
Arriving in Athens on Our Anniversary September 2019