“There are no secrets that time does not reveal” – Jean Racine
It’s always hard to understand why a majority of people dislike somewhere you find really interesting. “I didn’t like Athens” is something I hear all too often. I soon worked out why people couldn’t summon up much love for it – they simply hadn’t spent enough time getting to know it.
While Athens is not your typical ‘enchanting’ city, we all know charm isn’t always about looks, but revealed through character.
My recent ‘surveys’ have put the average time spent here at 24 hours, two days at a push. Its ancient ambience is the main draw and the modern grittiness alongside just confuses people. Then I hear the word “dirty” and get defensive. Dirty is only relative to your definition of it – what some find unkempt and filthy, others find genuine and edgy.
People stay in the heart of the tourist area of Monastiraki without straying far, not knowing that just a few streets away is the real Athens and the allure of an emerging, changing city. I know because I tried it. Social experiments are key to understanding a difference of opinion, so I deliberately put myself in a similar position, staying in a hostel two minutes walk from the Monastiraki Metro station. I went no further than a coffee chain bar, falafel shop and the touristic shopping street, and wandered the crowded streets approaching the Acropolis.
I didn’t find it that enticing either. But I know Athens better than that – confining yourself to a small area isn’t representative of the whole, and you can’t formulate a strong opinion based on that.
It all starts here at the Monastiraki metro
Those who told me they liked Athens showed me on a map where they ventured, and they ventured far. A true explorer always finds the treasure and I’ve loved nothing more than to wander the city’s MANY neighbourhoods – from the upmarket and more residential areas, to the politically outspoken and those formerly run-down and avoided, but now in regeneration. Even the little side streets off the popular tourism hub conceal windows into local life.
Inquisitiveness soon shows you a different side of Athens. Attempting to understand it in context of its recent plight makes you appreciate it even more so.
CENTRAL ATHENS NEIGHBOURHOODS
* Monasteraki *
Monasteraki is the pivotal point for everything ‘Ancient Greece’. From here you’ll get your great views of the Acropolis standing mighty on the hill, and wander the buzzing Adrianou street to access the ground level ruins. It’s historical blasphemy not to do so, regardless of the intense crowds they draw.
But you don’t always have to go completely off-grid in Athens to see its true persona. Deliberately shoot off into the side streets that line the main market thoroughfares, even if they look nondescript (Athens is a safe city). You’ll soon find yourself in quieter, local spots; alleyways with local restaurants and hangouts, and family run stores with not a tourist t-shirt in sight. Greeks are very welcoming and will appreciate your curiosity, and you will get to see Athenian life away from those bound to the heaviest tourist traffic in the city.
Nearest Metro
Monastiraki
Monastiraki Local Recommendations
Kωστας /Kostas. A souvlaki favourite. (St Irinis Square)
Krinos. The most historical sweet treats shop.This place opened in 1923 and boastsexcellent loukoumades (dough with honey and cinnamon) but the traditional Thessaloniki bougatsa will leave you with a difficult choice. Just take both. (87 Aiolou street)
Μάνας Κουζίνα / Mother’s Kitchen for a quick traditional foodie fix. (St Irinis Square)
LUKUMAΔΕ. A modern, more hip sweet shop. Bold and funky, you won’t miss it as you walk past. (21 Aiolou street)
Six D.O.G.S. I loved this bar on my first visit to Athens and it’s a place has to be checked out, tucked away on an arty side street. Open all day as a coffee and cocktail bar, the atmosphere is electric at night as locals gather to hang out in this large open space – a hidden paradise in the centre of the city. (Avramiotou 6-8)
TAF. Although it gets crowded,the space here is fantastic. It is located in an old building with a courtyard and regularly hosts cultural events and exhibitions. (Normanou 5)
Cine Paris. Athens’ first outdoor cinema (a trend that caught on quickly elsewhere) and rooftop garden with an incredible Acropolis backdrop. Open in the summer and showing popular movies. (Kidathineon 22)
WEST OF MONASTERAKI
* Thesseion / Keramikos *
Don’t jump on a Metro to Thesseion station, walk there on the Adrianou road. You then have two options. Walk south towards Filopappos Hill, where you will pass through local neighbourhoods and some of the old stone houses of the city that sit alongside or which are factored into the modern apartment buildings, or venture North toward the Southwest of the Keramikos neighbourhood.
I found some great murals here, more on the graffiti side of the street art spectrum, as well as quirky old houses, where I found some older people chilling one Saturday selling every old piece of junk imaginable. But interesting junk nonetheless.
Nearest Metro
Thesseion
Thessios / Keramikos Local Recommendations
Cabezon. For good coffee, delicious food and drinks set within a wonderful green courtyard. (Kerameikou 110)
Cantina Social. A funky bar within an arcade that is home to many alternative music DJs. (Leokoriou 6)
Kerameio. A quirky former pottery shop made of stone and wood with a huge backyard you can lounge in while the loud music plays. (Plateon 26)
* Psiri *
Ah Psiri – the street art HAVEN, the long streets and buzzing squares of restaurants and cafes. Psiri has a unique buzz, but it isn’t a secret. However, it’s likely you’ll find yourself gravitating straight to one of the eateries on the squares and dining for hours.
One of the things I like doing here is heading away from the main squares and finding old stores with retro signage, local bakeries, stairways leading down to funky boutiques and giant artworks hidden around corners.
There’s a LOT to uncover here in such a short space, and exploring further will simply give you a better excuse to work up an appetite and chow down later on. Don’t miss out on a visit to the sensory overload that is the Central Market on Athinas Street and its surrounding specialty food stores and eateries. This is a tasty area to get lost within.
Nearest Metro
Thesseion, Monastiraki and Omonia
Psiri Local Recommendations
Nikitas Tavern. A traditional tavern since 1967 with good prices, fast service and welcoming locals. (Agion Anargiron 19)
To Serbetospito. A delightful sweet shop favourite in the area, where the profiteroles and ice cream feature heavily in reviews. (Heroes Square 1 & Karaiskaki St)
Koulouri Tou. A tasty bakery and coffee shop, best known for those who like indulging in tasty traditional ‘Koulouri’ (Greek Sesame Bread rings). (Agias Theklas 23)
* Gazi *
Gazi is a new neighbourhood, lined with funky restaurants and bars, yet dominated by the old gasworks, now cultural centre, better known as the Technopolis venue. You can walk through it, since it also serves as a museum and admire the old architecture, now given a modern and edgy makeover. It’s particularly impressive at night when the gas chimneys shine with a red glow and the streets are heaving with busy bars.
Nearest Metro
Keramikos
* Petralona *
Petralona is a tranquil and beautiful hideout over in the West of the city and is split, (roughly by the metro train line that runs through it) into Kato Petralona and Ano Petralona.
The former is the quieter of the two, which is great to lose yourself in and have conversations with locals, and the latter (head over the rail bridge) is a little more hip and happening, with local tavernas, which soon fill up in the evenings (Greeks dine for HOURS and I love it) and bohemian café hangouts. Mercouri Square (Platia Mercouri) is said to be the place to be.
Nearest Metro
Petralona
Petralona Local Recommendations
To Perivolako’ café. A beautiful café with plenty of outdoor space right in the heart of a local neighbourhood. A collective of six people (now eight) pooled together their resources after the crisis to form this new business – a real local success story. (7 Athineou St & Ious Square)
Aster.A cute and cosy taverna that served some of the best Greek food I’ve had here so far. It fills up quick, so get here early to land yourself a good table and wine and dine for hours, just as the Greeks do. (48 Troon St)
EAST / NORTH EAST OF MONASTERAKI
* Plaka *
It may draw the crowds but Plaka is a beautiful stroll and one of my favourite places to wander freely, without a plan or a map. An historical district Northeast of the Acropolis, wedged between the built up Syntagma Square and Monastiraki, it retains its classical character and charm, with neoclassical architecture, old winding streets, and high rents to boot.
Adrianou Street runs all the way through here, so it’s easy to navigate from Monasteraki, but cut away from this main lane and dip into the alleys and the side streets. Voulis street in particular is easy to find and hosts some great wine bars like Oinoscent, alongside hip cafés and restaurants.
Head further south, to the edge of the Acropolis area, and you will find a small and scenic ‘village within the city’. Known as Anafiotika, this small, scenic hideout was built by masons from the island of Anafi who came over to Athens as construction workers back int the 1800′s.
Over 40 houses remain and once you wind through the floral terraces, small corridors and narrow staircases, you are rewarded with one of the most spectacular views of Athens.
Nearest Metro
Syntagma and Monastiraki
Acropolis (for Anafiotika)
Plaka Local Recommendations
Oinoscent. A stunning wine bar right in the centre of Athens, and popular for wine tastings. (Voulis street)
Ipitou Street. An adjacent street street known for its collection of really cool bars.
* Kolonaki *
Upmarket, and with an air of discreet snobbery, Kolonaki is as far removed from the general vision of Athens as you can possibly imagine. Here’s where the rich have got richer while the poor got poorer, and you only have to walk past or through some of the alfresco coffee shops to see a different class of Athenian, mainly older and rather more… refined.
It’s the area where the designer stores are concentrated and buildings are more classical. It reminds me of a cross between LA’s Rhodo Drive and London’s Mayfair, with the typical Athens neighbourhood layout thrown in. Explore, dream, discover, and then leave. Those locals in the coffee shop do know you are not from around here.
Nearest Metro
Syntagma and Evangelismos
* Exarchia *
Expressive Exarchia – the centre of anarchy and political outspokenness – can be quick to put people off with its edgy grime and assertive artistic messages. When there’s a riot or a face-off with the police, it normal starts here and its residents are proud to fight for their rights.
Yet this area is said to have changed a lot over the years, where local residents called upon their more rebellious neighbours to help clean up its image, make it more enjoyable to live in, and accessible to all. Now a student hub, lively evening hangout, and a space for the alternative ‘cool’, it still remains at the core of everything ‘anti’, which I find more fascinating than fearful.
Nearest Metro
Panepistimio and Omonia
Exarchia Local Recommendations
Kimatothrafstis. A small but colourful self-service tavern where you can choose from a number of Greek dishes and salads. Great prices, with a small plate at 3 Euro and a large at 6 Euro. (Harilaou Trikoupi & Baltetsioy Streets)
* Gizi *
I ended up living in Gizi through an Airbnb rental and found myself enjoying local living, with my own balcony overlooking the sloping street. Like many other neighbourhoods it has a main square, super cheap coffee shops, all the local amenities you need and random boutique stores where you can find yourself some bargains.
The most interesting thing here is the run-down but graffiti covered residential building blocks on Alexandras Avenue.
The eight blocks of Bauhaus style apartments were constructed back in the 1930’s to house refugees from Asia Minor – those residents gaining rights to the property and passing down to their children. As generations moved out, the properties soon became abandoned and the state planned to demolish them in 2001, before declaring that they should be preserved because of their historical legacy. However, since then, nothing much has been done to restore the properties, which are now said to be home to original owners, political asylum seekers from the Middle East, squatters and those who came here in need following the economic crisis. They may be rotting, but there really is a distinct vibe and character to this area, which immediately catches your eye when you walk past it. You’ll find them just minutes away from the sport’s stadium outside the Metro.
Nearest Metro
Ambelokkipi
SOUTH OF MONASTERAKI
* Pangrati / Mets *
Through another Airbnb rental, I lived south of the Mets area that sits right behind the original Olympic Stadium (Panathinaikon Stadium). There’s nothing of significant interest here, except being a good area to escape it all and find a cheap rental within walking distance to the historical sites – if you like living local.
Pangrati has more going on. Lively Mavili Square is small but buzzing, especially in the evenings with al fresco dining spots and a couple of cosy, local bars, including lesser, known for underground places. There’s also a big food truck that’s parked right next to the main road, which commanded a big queue every night that I walked past it on my way home.
Just further down the road in The Athens Concert Hall (Megaron Mousikis) that attracts a hip crowd – The Megaron Plus programme features Sunday Morning Events and an annual series of lectures delivered by renowned architects, writers and other individuals, for which admission is free. Behind that you have a beautiful park and the highest hill in Athens to conquer – Lycabettus Hill.
Nearest Metro
Megaro Moussikis and Evangelismos
Pangrati Local Recommendations
A comprehensive list of underground bars can be found here. Look out for the random house next to the Alexandros Hotel on Mavili Square featuring a dog logo. A local informed me the owner cooks for people I the early hours after a heavy night out.
CAN YOU REALLY LOVE ATHENS?
“You ACTUALLY really like Athens!” many still say. I’m still confused as to why this is said with a tone of impossibility. But, as much as I love my time spent in countryside or outdoors haven, I’m a city girl drawn to places that are, in parts, frenetic and in flux and which constantly surprise or offer something new.
For me, this perfectly sums up Athens – a place where creativity and a determination not to falter in the face of adversity have aided the regeneration of a city and given it a new and unique vibe.
Even though I was invited back to work with DiscoverGreece.com to share more insights on Athens, I’m a loud and proud Athenian now (minus this Greek genes and my own apartment). Their insights and connections in the city, alongside the great team at Athens Insiders (who can provide customised neighbourhood walks for you) have only speeded up my immersion into this city I’m looking to call home early next year. I need to slow down and have a base, yet be somewhere I can still discover.
You’ll still find me defending it.
My challenge to you is to come and see for yourself, spent more than 24 hours in the city, and dig a little further… with the guarantee of seeing the real Athens. Will I see you here?
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