Orange Blossoms

Saturday, March 18

One detail that probably surprised me the most about living in Athens is the large number of orange, tangerine and lime trees in the middle of the city. To my surprise, these trees are not only found in well-maintained parks in the city center, but also on the side of the road on almost every street!

Neither Christoph nor I have ever been to Greece and since we booked our trip to Athens quite spontaneously, we didn’t have too much time for travel preparations. So I was enthusiastic when I noticed the high density of orange trees on site, which are not only full of beautiful white blossoms, but also full of bright orange fruit.

That the climate here is perfect for orange trees is a dream for orange lovers like me! It is also particularly great that you can buy a large cup of freshly squeezed orange juice for only 1.80 euros at every kiosk. I’ve been using this service regularly and enthusiastically since I’ve lived here.

A detail in everyday life that makes me happy every day is the scent of orange blossoms that wafts through the streets. So sweet and intense that at first I couldn’t believe that this fragrance is actually of natural origin and comes from the orange trees on my street. It is also surprising that the scent of orange blossoms from the many trees actually manages, at least for a moment, to cover up all the other unpleasant smells that are unavoidable in a big city. Exhaust fumes, dog waste and garbage cans cannot compete with the smell of a blooming orange tree. Maybe that’s why these trees can be found on every street in Athens!