ATHENS acropolis to plaka

[angelina46]

does anyone know how long it takes to walk from the acropolis down to the plaka?

thanks angelina46

[TLCOhio]

does anyone know how long it takes to walk from the acropolis down to the plaka?

thanks angelina46

 

It is downhill and about 1.25 to 1.5 miles of distance to cover from the top of the Acropolis to the Plaka. Depending on your walking speed, that might be 20-25 minutes. BUT, the steps on Acropolis Hill can be smooth and/or slick. There are some twists and turns as you go down. It's not that hard, but it is not as easy as walking along a simple, straight, flat street.

 

Below are a couple of Acropolis and Plaka pictures to sample what you'll see there. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For more details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle Silver Cloud experiences:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

From the Parthenon, a view of Athens and another temple:

 

 

 

A view from below the Parthenon:

 

 

 

Outdoor dining in the Plaka. Lots of music and fun, plus good food:

 

 

 

Mythos is the beer to enjoy while dining outdoors in Plaka:

 

[Seabee]

Not to disagree with my friend in Ohie, but I think it is more like 1/2 mile. However much of that is getting down from the Acropolis to the Promenade. I do agree with the 20-25 minutes and the views are inspiring, so take your time. It actually took us a good bit longer and we hooked up with a couple of sidewalk musicians and had a dance or two on the way to the Plaka.

[janina]

Not to disagree with my friend in Ohie, but I think it is more like 1/2 mile. However much of that is getting down from the Acropolis to the Promenade. I do agree with the 20-25 minutes and the views are inspiring, so take your time. It actually took us a good bit longer and we hooked up with a couple of sidewalk musicians and had a dance or two on the way to the Plaka.

I love that .....how fun!!!!!!!!!!!!111:)

[zqvol]

It is between 5 and 10 minutes maximum, as the plaka is located at the bottom of the Acropolis. It is maybe 250 meters, at most, probably less than that.

[Rocket4Oh]

Mathemathical Formula: Dr = Ar

Remembered distance walked is directly proportional to the age of the rememberer.:D

[Keith1010]

I agree. It should take you about 10 minutes. Now whether it's a few minutes shorter or longer because each person walks differently the point is that it is a relatively short walk.

 

Keith

[MercedMike]

Mathemathical Formula: Dr = Ar

Remembered distance walked is directly proportional to the age of the rememberer.:D

 

LOL I like that one!

 

The Plaka is a big area. As noted, it starts at the base of the Acropolis, so essentially down the steps and you are in the Plaka. What part of it are you going to?

 

We followed our guide down the Acropolis and through the Plaka to a lovely restaurant. At my age and walking with a cane ( and frequently yelling at the guide to slow down!) I would say it took a half hour. On down further to the main shopping area was a few minutes more.

 

On the other side on the Antiquities Promenade is the area known as Plaka's Gate which is a very nice, albeit touristy, area with some good restaurants too. The walk might be a bit shorter to go down that way.

 

Check out our trip report and pictures at http://www.bully4.us/med.html

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[TLCOhio]

Not to disagree with my friend in Ohie, but I think it is more like 1/2 mile. However much of that is getting down from the Acropolis to the Promenade. I do agree with the 20-25 minutes and the views are inspiring, so take your time. It actually took us a good bit longer and we hooked up with a couple of sidewalk musicians and had a dance or two on the way to the Plaka.

 

It is a little funny as there are many ways to go from the top of the Acropolis to the Plaka. I was relying BOTH on my memory and checking it on the detailed Google maps. Just going down the hillside from the center of the hilltop and on those slick stone steps and paths takes a little time, even for us "middle-aged" folks. Then you have to twist and turn to get there. I was calculating going to the heart of the Plaka, not just the edge of the area. I re-checked this am and the only way, half joking, to only travel a half mile would be to go over the side of the stone walls, straight down. Maybe the distance, depending on where going to in the Plaka, could be around a mile. It's not a big distance and the sights are spectacular.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For more details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle Silver Cloud experiences:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[angelina46]

thanks everyone! got a good idea now

angelina46

[Keith1010]

It is a little funny as there are many ways to go from the top of the Acropolis to the Plaka. I was relying BOTH on my memory and checking it on the detailed Google maps. Just going down the hillside from the center of the hilltop and on those slick stone steps and paths takes a little time, even for us "middle-aged" folks. Then you have to twist and turn to get there. I was calculating going to the heart of the Plaka, not just the edge of the area. I re-checked this am and the only way, half joking, to only travel a half mile would be to go over the side of the stone walls, straight down. Maybe the distance, depending on where going to in the Plaka, could be around a mile. It's not a big distance and the sights are spectacular.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For more details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle Silver Cloud experiences:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

Terry, yes if you started at the top of the acropolis then it would indeed be longer. If you start at the bottom then it would be shorter.

 

Keith

[MANURULES]

Ok,guys here is what the locals consider to be Plaka,in general terms.

Plaka is old Athens not ancient Athens ,even though there are plenty of sites thought-out the area.

Most Athenians consider Plaka the area enclosed by the following streets:

Around the north base of the rock,to Dionisiou Areopagitou street,then west to Amalias,turning left ,north there, and left again by the Aglican church towards Fillelinon ,turning right on Fillelinon (north and continuing towards syndagma) ,turning left on Mitropoleos and continuing west to Aiolou,then turning left there, heading south towards the Acropolis again,with the tower of the winds to your right.

The tower is -generally- considered to be the westward boundary of the area.

The temple of Hephaistus,the agora ,the stoa of Attalos and the area to the north and west of the rock are not Plaka.

Those areas are generally ,addressed -depending on the exact location-,as Agora,Thysseion,and Monastiraki.

If you ask where the center of Plaka is ,most likely people will say the corner of Kythathinaion,and Andrianou.

Kydathinaion turns to Thespidos there.

Adrianou is considered the main street of Plaka.

 

So with this in mind, from the top of the Acropolis to Kythathinaion,is aprox. .75 of a mile, if you go down Dionisiou Aeropagitou and turn left on Vyronos towards the center on Kydathinaion,and Andrianou.

[MANURULES]

"then west to Amalias" should be: east to Amalia's (Vasillisis Amalia's) ave.

[jen1206]

LOL I like that one!

 

The Plaka is a big area. As noted, it starts at the base of the Acropolis, so essentially down the steps and you are in the Plaka. What part of it are you going to?

 

We followed our guide down the Acropolis and through the Plaka to a lovely restaurant. At my age and walking with a cane ( and frequently yelling at the guide to slow down!) I would say it took a half hour. On down further to the main shopping area was a few minutes more.

 

On the other side on the Antiquities Promenade is the area known as Plaka's Gate which is a very nice, albeit touristy, area with some good restaurants too. The walk might be a bit shorter to go down that way.

 

Check out our trip report and pictures at http://www.bully4.us/med.html

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

I saw the Antiquities Promenade that you did on a previous post. Can you tell me, if we are taking the metro from port which station would we get off? You mentioned Akropoli, but would we have to switch lines? We are thinking of doing this on our cruise in October. It looks great.

 

Jen

[MANURULES]

If by Promenade you mean The Attalos Stoa and Agora then get off at Monastiraki.You will be a couple blocks away,just walk towards the Acropolis.

 

You cannot connect from the green line metro from the port so that you can get (via red line at Omonia station) to Acropolis.

This section of the Green line from the port is closed now and is scheduled to reopen in December.

The closest station to Acropolis now is Thisseion.

This is the stop before Monastiraki,where the port line now terminates due to the conctruction.

 

 

Not to confuse anyone but it is possible to get to the Acropolis station by metro but it will require 2 transfers.

Greenline to Monastiraki,from there take the blue line(towards the airport) to Syndagma one stop down,and then the red line(towards Agios Dimitrios) to Acropolis.

It a lot easier to get off Thisseion and walk up from there.

[jen1206]

If by Promenade you mean The Attalos Stoa and Agora then get off at Monastiraki.You will be a couple blocks away,just walk towards the Acropolis.

 

You cannot connect from the green line metro from the port so that you can get (via red line at Omonia station) to Acropolis.

This section of the Green line from the port is closed now and is scheduled to reopen in December.

The closest station to Acropolis now is Thisseion.

This is the stop before Monastiraki,where the port line now terminates due to the conctruction.

 

 

Not to confuse anyone but it is possible to get to the Acropolis station by metro but it will require 2 transfers.

Greenline to Monastiraki,from there take the blue line(towards the airport) to Syndagma one stop down,and then the red line(towards Agios Dimitrios) to Acropolis.

It a lot easier to get off Thisseion and walk up from there.

 

Thanks for the information. If i read this correctly, we can take the green line from the port and get off at either Thisseion or Monastiraki. Is this right?

[cruisemom42]

Thanks for the update on the construction, Manurules. It's good to know what the options are!

[MANURULES]

Yes cruisemom42 you normaly can ,but the green line section from Monastiraki to Omonoia is closed now,or at least it was closed earlier this month.

I will be there this week and verify this .

I am 99.9% certain its closed (the section from Monastiraki north to Attiki station),but you never know in Athens things change quite often.

 

Yes jen1206 Monastiraki ,or Thission station will get you to the Acropolis.

Thission is easier and less confusing .

Just walk up Apostolou Pavlou str towards the Acropolis.when you get to the top of the hill you will see the path leading to the entrance on your left.

[jen1206]

Yes cruisemom42 you normaly can ,but the green line section from Monastiraki to Omonoia is closed now,or at least it was closed earlier this month.

I will be there this week and verify this .

I am 99.9% certain its closed (the section from Monastiraki north to Attiki station),but you never know in Athens things change quite often.

 

Yes jen1206 Monastiraki ,or Thission station will get you to the Acropolis.

Thission is easier and less confusing .

Just walk up Apostolou Pavlou str towards the Acropolis.when you get to the top of the hill you will see the path leading to the entrance on your left.

Thank you for the information. It is much appreciated.

[susietb]

Manrule,

 

Can you tell me how to get to Omonia on the Metro from Piraeus. We want to go the the Central Market?

 

Thank you.

[MercedMike]

If you look at the map of the Antiquities Promenade on my website

http://www.bully4.us/athens.html

you will see that the two closed off streets that compose the pedestrian promenade run essentially from the Akropolis station to the Monastariki or Thissio stations. Now starting the walk at the Akropolis station and the Temple of Zeus, going down to the Acropolis and museum, and then on down the promenade to the Agora at the other end is a nice way to do it, which would leave you at the Thissio station. But coming from the port on the green line, you would have to make two changes to get to the starting point. (Google a metro map.)

 

We found the Athens metro pretty easy to negotiate. Essentially, at the end of our walk of the promenade to get back to our hotel that is exactly what we did, going from Thissio to Akropolis stations, and it was not hard. In fact if you start at the other end, you would need to do that to go back in reverse.

 

UM,did that make sense? I think I confused myself too ... ;)

[MANURULES]

Manrule,

 

Can you tell me how to get to Omonia on the Metro from Piraeus. We want to go the the Central Market?

 

Thank you.

 

 

You do not need to,but here is how,just in case.

You have to go to Monastiraki on the green line,change there to the Blue line(towards airport/Doukissis Plakendias), get off at the Syndagma station which is the next stop,and change to the red line towards Agios Antonios.

Second stop down is Omonoia.

 

Assuming it is the fish/meat market by the town hall you are looking for,Monastiraki station is 100 yards further to the market than Omonoia , you don't have to go through all the transfer ...stuff and you will probably walk the same distance just by transferring at Syndagma station.

 

Here is how:

As you exit the station at Monastiraki make sure you face towards the middle of the square there.This is not difficult to do,i am just trying to orient you correctly towards Athinas Str.

In front of you you will see an old church ,behind that church and running perpendicular to it is Athinas street.

Walk down the right side of that street away from the station.

You will be heading directly towards Omonoia.

After 4-5 blocks you will be at Euripidou street.

The main market building is half the way down the block from the corner of Athinas and Euripidou on Athinas street..

Athinas street runs between Omonoia and Monastiraki squares,it starts and ends there.

The market(s) are bordered by Athinas, Evripidou, Eolou and Sofokleous Streets and runs to Kotzia square where the City hall is.

 

[MANURULES]

The map Mike is talking about is one of the few I have seen that when calling out the names of the different areas,the name (as in Plaka, Monastiraki, Makrigianni,Thission an so on) has been located at the geographical center of that area.

 

You can see Athinas street runs perpendicular to Monastiraki (the name) and can probably make out the name "central market" down Athinas on the right top corner.

[susietb]

Thank you manurules!!!!