(or wherever you are)
Summer is upon us. There is no doubt about it; even though it was raining cats and dogs last week. In Greece it can be very hot during the summer. Whether you’re living here or you’ve just visited it during the summer, feel free to nod behind your screen freely. If this summer finds you somewhere in Athens unable to find salvation from the everlasting heatwaves, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s what I do when it’s excruciatingly hot outside and what you could do as well, if you’re doing none of this already.
- Visit a museum. Okay, okay, I know you’re ready to give up on me after this. But don’t. You know why? Museums can be cool. Take the Acropolis Museum or the National Achaeological Museum for example. They have hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Also, museums are cold. Hence, why you could just go there for a change of scenery (if you’re into art/history) from your hopefully air conditioned house.
- Go to an open air cinema. Open air cinemas are the best place to go in a hot summer night for three main reasons: the greenery, the atmosphere and the film. These types of cinemas that thrive in Greece during the summer months are usually surrounded by some type of greenery that serves as an elimination of distractions and a source of oxygen. They’re an open spaces and provide you with a view of the night sky. ( Another reason why this could be your best chance of escaping the heat is that this time of the year comes with the return of some great films like the Godfather that was airing two weeks ago.
- Hang out in a park. Athens doesn’t have a lot of parks. Especially if you live in the center, you won’t have a great deal of options. There is the national garden, right next to the Parliament and the garden of the Megaron, the Athens Concert Hall. During the summer, a lot of concerts are organized in the garden of the Concert Hall. So why not? The tickets are affordable as well.
- Go out at night. But on a terrace. Monastiraki, Plaka and Kerameikos (or Gazi, as we call it) have a lot of rooftop bars that are just perfect for a hot summer evening. Whether you prefer your drinks classy (A for Athens) or trendy (Couleur Locale), terraces are the place to be in Athens in the summer. A lot of bars throw parties or invite cool DJs so be in the lookout for those.
- Avoid the bus in the afternoon. 3 pm is not a great time to be catching the bus in Athens for two reasons. Number one: It’s always hot in the afternoon and buses are crowded during that time of the day. Everyone wants to go home, so they get on the bus frantically and all of that, in a 35 degree heat. Not the best place to be. Number two: there is always the metro. Faster and with good air-conditioning, there is nothing like escaping the heat by entering the train. If you can avoid the bus, do it at all costs! Exception: the dreadful green line.
So there you have it! I hoped you enjoyed this summer-inspired post. Hope it made you laugh a little. And if everything else fails.. you can always avoid the great outdoors during the heat wave!
See you on the streets!
Kleanthi
theartstories.blog 