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A Week In Athens, Greece

BabsV

By BabsV
in Traveling with Celiac Disease

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BabsV Enthusiast
BabsV
Posted

I'm just back from a week in Athens...it was my first 'real' trip since diagnosis and I alternated between excited and erm, terrified. I shouldn't have worried so much as it turned out to be very easy to dine out.

I took my restaurant cards and the Greek Cuisine one proved invaluable. I gave it to every waiter and they paid very close attention each and every time, asking questions if they had any. Usually they would take it back to the chef to confer and then came back with recommendations of what to choose from the menu. A couple of times the waiters immediately rattled off ingredients when I asked about certain dishes! Best of all, all the waiters were extremely solicitous and didn't ever seem to be annoyed by my requests. I have to admit being rather ignorant about real Greek food but from what I saw and ate a lot of the cuisine is naturally gluten free!

I enjoyed: grilled salmon + pureed potatoes; grilled Dorado + eggplant stew (eggplants, tomatoes, oil, onion, oil, salt + pepper); enormous salad (lettuce, olives, red onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots...) + grilled pork chop; grilled chicken + fried potatoes; eggplant salad + more grilled chicken.

We rented an apartment so were only eating out once a day, and I did carry my own snacks because the street vendor snacks (pretzels, etc.) were off limits. There were fruit & veg stalls in many areas so in a pinch I could have gotten a banana or something!

It helped that we were visiting during the slow season -- I'm not sure the waiters would have had the time to be so attentive if it had been the height of tourist season in August. We also stuck to nicer restaurants and tavernas and avoided the corner kebab/souvlaki shops -- my husband and daughter wanted souvlaki one night and enjoyed it but I took one look at the grill and figured I would not take the risk!

One tip, if you ever go and are renting an apartment for your stay don't arrive on a Sunday since shops are closed. I knew this and had packed some foods that I'd be able to eat that first night.

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AVR1962 Collaborator
AVR1962
Posted

Wonderful! I'm glad it was a great experience for you. I'll have to look into the cards, we travel quite a bit and I think they would be well worth it. Thanks for the tip!

pricklypear1971 Community Regular
pricklypear1971
Posted

I'm so jealous!

I loved Greece, and want to go back.

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

Oh Babs,

I am so happy you had a good time!!!!!!!

I am glad the travel cards worked so well!

Did you print them from the site I recommended?

Oh boy, I LOVE Greek food (being half-Armenian) and I just knew you would be okay since most of the food is -as you say--naturally gluten-free!!

Yaaaaay!

and no "glutenings" for you--awesome! :)

Cheers, IH

BabsV Enthusiast
BabsV
Posted
  • Author

I am glad the travel cards worked so well!

Did you print them from the site I recommended?

Almost as soon as I was diagnosed I had ordered Triumph Dining cards at the recommendation of a friend's brother who has Celiac and travels a lot. I also had the cards from the site you recommended -- thanks so much for that link! I was probably over-prepared but better that than glutened, right?!?!

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

Almost as soon as I was diagnosed I had ordered Triumph Dining cards at the recommendation of a friend's brother who has Celiac and travels a lot. I also had the cards from the site you recommended -- thanks so much for that link! I was probably over-prepared but better that than glutened, right?!?!

yes, definitely! Really happy you traveled without getting "hit"....makes me feel confident about traveling myself! :)

  • 4 years later...
SherriN Newbie
SherriN
Posted

I'm a recently diagnosed celiac,and my trip to Athens next week will be my first foreign holiday since diagnosis. I'm a bit nervous about eating out, to be honest,as am also a vegetarian. Any advice? Have a good day everybody :-)

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