Panathenaic Stadium

We decided to brave the Athens bus network, and jumped on the 15 northbound on Siggrou Ave, heading towards the Panathenaic Stadium. This was a site that we were very keen to see, and I must say, was a bit of a hidden gem.

The stadium was originally built some 2300 years ago, but went through various periods of disrepair and rebuilt. It is the world's only stadium built of marble which makes for a stunning contrast to the black running track in the centre. We followed the audio guide supplied to us and sat on the thrones where kings and dignitaries sat at various events over the years, including in 1896, where the site held the first Modern Olympic Games.

Making our way into a cave-like tunnel, we heard about the ancient women that would dance naked around flames in the hopes of being blessed with fertility by the Goddess Demeter. No naked women appeared during our tour.

After viewing the posters and olympic torches for each of the Games over the past 130 years, we walked back down the tunnel and back onto the arena. It was fun to imagine the roar of the crowd as you emerge onto the track, ready to compete. The boys did exactly that, having a series of 100m handicap races, although someone always complained that I didn't get the handicaps right.

Inspired by the Olympic spirit, we left the stadium and headed over the road to the National Botanic Gardens. We found a huge playground and the boys enjoyed an hour or more running around, meeting other kids and spending their energy.

It was close to dinner time by the time we left, and we made our way back over to Plaka to find a suitable establishment. Walking up alleyways, we came across a restaurant in the shadow of the Parthenon and settled in. The food and and wine were terrific, the view was outstanding. We were living the life.Lue lisää