Winter comes to Athens 2022

Sometimes a spontaneous trip isn’t a bad idea. And so, in January 2022, I decided to visit my friend Tom Pfeiffer in Athens. I hadn’t expected much from Athens — rather that it would be damp and chilly.

The first few days were surprisingly spring-like, and we were able to hike up Mount Hymettus and even visit a prehistoric “Dragon House.” That’s also where the ancient marble quarries are located, where the stone for the Acropolis and other famous monuments was once extracted. Only insiders know that you can go hiking around Athens. From the city center, you can reach nature in about 45–60 minutes. Alternatively, you can take a bus or taxi to the Kaisariani Monastery.

A trip to Laurion was a must as well, since we’re both interested in minerals and ancient mining.

But starting January 23, winter arrived with full force. Snow came pouring down, followed by a snowstorm with thunder and strong winds. Chaos broke out across Athens — even the highway was affected, and hundreds of people got trapped.

On January 25, I took many photos of the Acropolis and its surroundings — breathtakingly beautiful!

Our last tour took us to Sousaki, a very unusual volcanic area with extremely intense gas emissions.

Conclusion: Greece is worth visiting even in winter!