By far, the best part of our stay was our host, Manos. Yes, the Acropolis, Panathenaic Stadium, National Gardens and other tourist sites took our breath away and were amazing experiences, but Manos was friendly, classy, helpful and provided the warmth that we came to know as truly reflective of the people of Athens.
I visited from Toronto with my adult daughter. For 2 and a half days after we landed in Athens, her one piece of checked luggage did not arrive. She did not bring any carry on. Manos completely immersed himself in the issue. He even drove me in vain, to the airport on NIGHT, 50 mins each way, to get the luggage when we thought it had arrived. It eventually came on the 3rd day and Manos accepted delivery on our behalf as we were out at the time.
Everywhere we visited during our 7 day stay was recommended by Manos. We were never disappointed. Finding places on our own was easy as, he provided maps and other key information to get to our destination.
We rented a studio apartment. It was very clean, comfortable and well-maintained. The queen bed was great. The pull-out couch was a bit rustic, but comfortable as well. The kitchen was well equipped for our needs. Television provided a good variety of english channels (I was able to watch the NBA playoffs), including news and movies. The wifi was always strong and efficient. We have no complaints about the apartment.
Some 20 meters from the apartment is a corner bakery which opens at 6:00 am and closes at 11:00 pm on weekdays. It's also open on weekends. It offers fresh bread and pastries daily. My opinion is that they sell the best baklava anywhere in all of Athens. Their prices are reasonable and service is amazing.
Across the street from the apartment is a grill which serves local Greek fare which is tasty and affordable. The cook, Bill, greeted us everytime with a warm smile and friendly composition. He speaks english well and is quite helpful.
Both of these places were referred to us by Manos, and his recommendation was on point. There rally isn't any interaction we had with Manos that wasn't positive. I hope to visit Athens again but with my wife. When this happens, I look forward to introducing her to him as my new friend, who will no doubt also be our host. THANK YOU, Manos!