Thursday morning we awoke to find ourselves docked in Piraeus, the port city for Athens. It’s the largest port I’ve seen, and it even had a control tower resembling ones found at airports.

We got off the ship early and headed to the Acropolis and the Parthenon. On the way we passed The Panathenaic Stadium. One of the main historic attractions of Athens, it is the only stadium in the world built entirely of marble.

We arrived at the Acropolis early, but not early enough; people were everywhere. The whole site is undergoing restoration, and even with the cranes, scaffolding, and heavy equipment, it was spectacular. We took a LOT of pictures but I’m only publishing a few. The sky was so clear, we could see for miles.

After leaving the Acropolis we went for lunch in the Plaka. Plaka is the oldest and most beautiful neighborhood in Athens. Clustered around the slopes of the Acropolis, it incorporates labyrinthine streets and neoclassical architecture. We got off the beaten path and found a really good open-air restaurant to grab lunch. After wandering around (and finding artifacts everywhere) we headed back to the ship.

We had dinner reservations at a restaurant that had a wonderful view of the Parthenon. The visual transformation between day and night was really something. Dinner was a lot of fun because we were able to secure an outdoor table on a beautiful night.

Back at the ship we landed in our now favorite spot: the Commodore’s Club. It’s a small bar at the bow of the ship where a singer/pianist softly sings old standards. The make the best craft cocktails. There are seldom people in there which is amazing given the view and atmosphere.

Tomorrow is a sea day and we’re all ready to relax!