Sounion commemorated in Homer’s Odyssey is at the southern tip of the Attica peninsula. Whether approached from the road or by sea, the Sounion acropolis immediately catches the eye at 70m above sea level and with the columns of the temple of Poseidon at the top. The small round bay vacationers boats sway gently now used to harbor battle ships and on the rock above, a fort was built in 400 BC to watch over the entrance of the Saronic Gulf. The coast is lined with authentic Greek taverns. The porches are shaded by climbing grapevine. The furniture is simple, straw woven chairs, the tables covered in blue and white. Entertainment is provided by the ever changing sea and the tavern cooks tempt you with delightful aromas and flavors. The menu is not very extensive. The food is simple but exceptionally delicious. The secret is the freshness of the ingredients. Freshly caught fish grilled on charcoal and sprinkled with the juice of lemon picked in the backyard served with a country salad or horiatiki, topped with white feta cheese and golden olive oil. It’s best to wash it down with some local wine.
You can still see about 500m of the old fort’s semicircular wall which is 3.5m thick. At one time, watchtowers jutted out of the wall at 20m intervals. They’re gone with hardly a trace just like Athena’s shrine of which only the wall foundations remain but of the 34 marble columns of the Poseidon temple measuring 30 x 14m, 19 have withstood the siege of the centuries. Many have written about this legendary place. According to the saga, Aegeas after whom the Aegean Sea is named stood here on the cliff of Sounion waiting for son, Thesseus to return from Crete. The young hero had promised that if he defeated the minotaur, he would change the black sails of his ship to white. Sadly he forgot his promise and his father threw himself off the cliff in despair.
The small plateau teems with tourists every evening, marveling at the sun setting on the Aegean Sea. First the color of the sea darkens, then the sun robs the columns of their golden glow. The horizon grows hazy and the water acquires an opalescent glimmer. Helios from his sinking chariot sends a last ray that covers the pearly back of the sea in purple and gold. Those unwilling to go to the end of the Attican Peninsula can enjoy the incomparable sunset over the Saronic Gulf from Athens itself. Like – hill towers so high above the city, that from here, even the acropolis seems tiny and in the background the clouds put on a new show everyday. As the sun descends, so should we because this is the time when the placa comes to life.
The placa is a quarter of Athens wedged between Odos Ermou and the northeastern slope of the acropolis. This is the most lively and most attractive part of modern Athens. When it was suggested that the old blocks of placa should be demolished to allow excavation of the ancient ruins underneath, the mayor of Athens objected. We have plenty of ruins but the placa is unique he said. The area adjoined the slope of the acropolis is uneven. Its levels and streets are connected by winding passages and alleys broken by step. The buildings are mostly townhouses built in the mid 19th century with reflections to German architectural classicism. As other parts of the city are dominated by terraced white blocks in the neogrecian style the places houses are the only reminders of the time of the Bavarian king. The placa today is a full fledged tourist attraction thick with taverns and lad with bouzouki music. Some sneer at its raucous fake ethnicity but the majority see it as a manifestation of the Greek joie de vivre and Mediterranean temperament. Either way, you can spend a fun evening strolling along its shopping streets and having a Greek style dinner at one of the taverns.
In addition to the ubiquitous gyros, the average tourist may be familiar with souvlaki, dolmathes and moussaka. But Greek cuisine has more to offer. As in other countries in the Mediterranean zone, beef and poultry are prevalent. And especially lamb which the Greeks prepare in great variety and deliciously seasoned. You may start dinner with a salad or fresh vegetables serviced with tsatsiki, yogurt and cucumber with garlic. Meat is usually grilled and slices are on skewers. The Greeks also eat a lot of fish. Fish is often grilled on charcoal. Soups are not as common as in other European countries but the avgolimono, a kind of chicken soup with egg and lemon and the Greek tomato soup are definitely worth a try. Many kinds of vegetables are grown and cooked in various ways and frequently made into casseroles. Dishes are served with flat pita bread or yellow bread sprinkled with sesame seeds. Desserts are usually very sweet and oriental in character. Those who drink neither wine nor beer may finish the meal with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.
The roman agora or forum measuring 100 x 100m is located in the placa area west of the tower of winds and close to Hadrian’s library. At its construction, it had two gates and the entire square was surrounded by double knaves porticos supported by ionic columns. Excavation uncovered the remains of the gates and of the porticos which once boasted mosaic decorations. The octagonal white marble tower of the winds is an almost perfectly preserved relic of Roman times while the mosque in the bazaar bears witness to the Turkish age. The city of Athens has a long and varied history but even in the 21st century, it’s the mythology and the remains of ancient Hellas that attracted tourists to this sun drenched land.