So few people travel from Paris to Athens that my afternoon flight was canceled and I was moved onto the evening flight. Even then, I saw that roughly a third of the seats on the plane were still empty, probably because the peak season was over.
There is no cell signal in the Athens metro. The estimated arrival times are precise down to the minute and second, the elevator signs even indicate whether they are going up or down, and you can tap a Visa card to enter and exit the stations.
The Acropolis is steeped in history. The temples themselves are badly ruined, but standing in front of them still felt awe-inspiring. The area around the Acropolis is also full of olive trees—olive branches paired with the Caryatids: nothing could be more quintessentially Athenian. The street performances below the Acropolis were also excellent; they were so impressive that they even eclipsed the concert I attended at the Odeon. Also, if you follow the road beside the Acropolis downhill, you will find many jewelry stalls worth browsing. Keep going and you will reach the lively bar district.
In Athens, I attended a meetup for locals and expats. If you have time, you should definitely attend one: you can meet interesting people, learn a lot, and broaden your horizons. I learned that local salaries are low and life is relatively low-pressure, but many digital nomads earning foreign currency and retirees come to Athens to buy homes, settle down, and spend money because Greece offers good benefits for retirees, the cost of living is not high, and the weather is sunny and pleasant.
From what I observed, Athens has about as many smokers as Paris. Athenians are warm and helpful, but you need to be the one who speaks first. Once you take the initiative to connect with them, they respond very warmly.
Everyone seems to be a night owl. Their nightlife does not really begin until midnight, and the metro even runs 24 hours on Saturday nights. I walked around Athens at night every day while I was there. Although there were few people on the streets, I never felt unsafe, and there were hardly any people loitering or begging.
The whole city is run-down but not dirty, and cars are parked all along both sides of the streets. Athens has a simple architectural style, mostly in off-white tones, and you often see dilapidated houses.
In late September, the air in Athens is dry and dusty, and the air quality is average. It is extremely windy on the Acropolis hill—the wind often made even the hand holding my phone sway, and dust was frequently blown into my eyes.
Athens also has many cats, but they are not as chill as the ones in Istanbul. The first time I tried to pet one, it scratched me, scaring me so much that afterward I only dared admire them from a distance rather than touch them.
I watched the Acropolis at dusk from Yellow Hostel. In late September, go at around 7 p.m. as soon as they open: the sun will just be starting to set. The prices are also very reasonable and are not exorbitant just because it is a rooftop venue.
Conclusion: Athens is a friendly city that offers excellent value for money, and I will definitely return! That is very high praise from me, because I generally do not want to visit the same city twice.