This article is dedicated to the small things that we Greeks get to enjoy everyday but only a visitor can truly appreciate.
Two days ago we got to enjoy the first full moon of the year and this brought to our mind the post of National Geographic picturing the full moon just above the Acropolis. This was one of the farewell posts for 2018 and got almost 1.5 million likes and thousends of comments admiring this beauty. A true beauty of nature combined with an architectural miracle of Ancient Greece.
The Acropolis
The Acropolis is in the World Heritage list of Unesco . Its monuments are universal symbols of classical spirit and civilization and form the greatest architectural and artistic complex of Antiquity in the world . It is also tied to legends concerning its geographic position and the fact that it forms a perfect triangle with the temple of Apollo in Delphi and the temple of Aphaia in Aegina. This happens also with other Ancient Greek temples and it still remains a mystery how they were built and how these locations where chosen without the knowledge of Astronomy , Geology , Geography and any other kind of “assistance” to calculate distance with such precision. The Parthenon was home for the 12 ancient Greek gods and is said to have magical powers .
The Moon
The moon on the other hand, is also surrounded by legends and the effects it has on humans , animals and natural elements has been studied by many. It has definitely played a significant role in the evolution of our planet and still does. Since the beginning of the words, people have used the moon to navigate , predict the weather , count the time (months, years ) and many more. The full moon occurs once per month and brings a magical feeling to those who sit down and watch it.
The unbeatable view
We certainly get a magical feeling every time we are on our rooftop and get to admire the beauty both of the moon and the Parthenon. It is no wonder that our hotel is so famous for the view that we offer from our rooftop and the balcony rooms. Our rooms on upper floors have Acropolis and city view . Our rooftop bar has a panoramic view of the whole Athens, Piraeus , Lycabettus and of course the Acropolis. It is accessible all day long even in the morning when the bar is not operating. However, the best time to visit the rooftop is in the afternoon to wind down after a long day of sightseeing and enjoy a drink while overlooking the lit up Acropolis.
The view of the full moon over the Acropolis occurs only a couple times per year and one is lucky to witness it. Whenever it is closer to the Acropolis the moon appears lower in the sky and much bigger and brighter. However , nothing compares to the full moon in August . At that time of the year the moon gets an orange hue and is the largest and brightest it can get. It has become the inspiration for many songs, poems and paintings. The past years the whole Athens celebrates August moon with events , plays and gathering on the Acropolis hill and in Thisseio to witness the full moon. On that day there is free entrance at the Acropolis hill and the Acropolis museum and they both remain open the whole night.
No matter which time of the year you choose to visit Athens , one is for sure. You will be compelled by the urban aesthetics of the city and by the ancient Greek sights that are just one step away from our hotel . Even if you don’t get to go up to the Acropolis you will still have the opportunity to see it and enjoy it from afar right from our rooftop. Feel the magic in Athens!