In August the streets of Athens are a paradise for every driver. The city is almost empty, there is no trace of the usual traffic and the cars are moving with ease. Walking people, cars and drivers are at rest. On the other hand, the red double-decker City sightseeing "Hop on - Hop off", for which there is not enough room during the year, is at its most active. Now, the jolly bus proudly goes around the streets of the capital and the curious tourists sticking their heads out give a more summer mood to the city.
City sightseeing "Hop on - Hop off" double-deckers are an attraction in many capitals of the world. Many tourists worldwide make their first tour around a city by these buses. Effie, a guide in one of the buses in Athens, tells us how popular they are. “Tourists know and love these buses. This is a really good and attractive way to get to know the city. Most of them know about the chain from abroad, others learn about it here ... Many different tourists come to us. There are those who are in town for a week and those who have just a day, because they are returning from an island or just passing through. There are more French tourists today, but Italians prevailed yesterday. We most often drive young families with children or retirees. There are students from time to time, but things are more difficult as every cent is important to them...”
The City sightseeing "Hop on - Hop off" offers a rich program with its 15 stops. Syntagma Square, the New Acropolis Museum, Acropolis and Parthenon, Statue of Zeus, the National Park, Benaki Museum, Panathinaikos Stadium, the National Library, the National Archaeological Museum, Omonia Square, Karaiskaki Square, Tisio, Kodzya Square. The ticket price for children is 8 euros and 18 euros for adults. The trip lasts an hour and a half, but anyone can get out on one of the stops to rest or to see a site. Then, the person can continue the trip later the same or the next day. Tickets are valid for 24 hours.
The world looks different on the second floor. Even a local, sitting on the red bus, starts to feel like a tourist .... Real tourists with cameras and camcorders in hand eternalize precious moments and ancient monuments. Audio guides introduce the city to them in over 8 languages.
After the end of the tour a young journalist from Colombia named Andrew talks about the problems that haunt him during his stay in Athens. The Colombian tourist and his girlfriend did not manage to find the embassy of their country and therefore have a bunch of unarranged documents. Despite his serious problem, however, Andrew reveals with a smile why he has come on vacation in Greece. “I’ve heard that people here are friendly and the food is delicious and cheap. We knew that the weather is warm and there is sun. And this is what we seek. So, we came” – says the young boy, pointing to the sun, which as usual heats the Syntagma Square during the August days.
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