Lonely Planet Pocket Athens

Contents

Plan Your Trip

Welcome to Athens

Top Experiences

Dining Out

Bar Open

Treasure Hunt

Show Time

Museums & History

Activities & Events

Under the Radar Athens

LGBTIQ+

For Kids

Responsible Travel

Four Perfect Days

Need to Know

Athens Neighbourhoods

Explore Athens

Acropolis Area

Monastiraki & Psyrri

Syntagma & Plaka

Kolonaki

Mets & Pangrati

Omonia & Exarhia

Filopappou Hill, Thisio & Petralona

Gazi, Keramikos & Metaxourgio

Worth a Trip

Faliro

Survival Guide

Survival Guide

Before You Go

Arriving in Athens

Getting Around

Essential Information

Language

Behind The Scenes

Our Writer

Welcome to Athens

By Alexis Averbuck, Writer

Athens in the early morning is a treat to behold. When I visit, I always make sure to explore during those quiet initial hours when the stores are just opening, the views are unobstructed and the air is cool. Then, as the day heats up, along with the action, catch the ride: through elegant museums, chaotic shopping streets, verdant oases, all surrounding that impeccable monument, the Acropolis. The other extreme, the night, is when the city’s world-class restaurant and bar scene comes alive – better hope you’ve had a siesta.

The Acropolis and Parthenon Temple | SVEN HANSCHE/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Athens

Top Experiences

1 Explore ancient Greece at the Acropolis

PETR F. MAREK/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Athens Top Experiences

1 Examine treasures at the Acropolis Museum

R.NAGY/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Athens Top Experiences

1 Step into the past at the Ancient Agora

GEORGIOS TSICHLIS /SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Athens Top Experiences

1 Immerse yourself at the Benaki Museum of Greek Culture

SAIKO3P/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Athens Top Experiences

1 Admire antiquities at the National Archaeological Museum

HERACLES KRITIKOS/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Athens Top Experiences

1 Wander the ruins at Kerameikos

MILAN GONDA/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Athens Top Experiences

1 Stroll up Filopappou Hill

MILAN GONDA/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Athens Top Experiences

1 Marvel at the Temple of Olympian Zeus

VICTORIA KURYLO/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Dining Out

Eating, drinking and talking are the main entertainment for Athenians. The current restaurant scene is vibrant, and some of the best cooking is found in just-slightly modernised tavernas that showcase fresh produce and regional ingredients. Add in a culture of convivial alfresco dining, and no wonder meals tend to last for hours.

RAWF8/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Restaurant Types

Tavernas are neighbourhood anchors. A psarotaverna focuses on seafood; a hasapotaverna or psistaria does meat. Also casual, a mayirio specialises in home-style stews and baked dishes (mayirefta). More formal is the estiatorio, with cloth on the tables.

Casual ouzeries and mezedhopoleia both serve small plates with drinks. Souvlaki (aka kalamaki) is Athens’ favourite fast food; restaurants that do these grilled meat skewers usually also do gyros (slivers of meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie).

What Looks Good

In summer, an empty room doesn’t necessarily mean bad – it could just be that everyone is on the roof terrace or in the courtyard.

At family-run places, it’s normal to go into the kitchen to see the day’s dishes.

For other tips on ordering, see Menu Advice.

Best Traditional Greek

Karamanlidika tou Fani The corner butcher, reimagined as a restaurant.

Aspro Alogo Simple taverna smack in the middle of downtown.

Diporto Agoras Legendary cheap lunch spot near the central market.

I Kriti Super-rustic Cretan specialities.

Atlantikos The freshest seafood, simply prepared.

Best Mezedhes

Ivis Watch the Psyrri scene from a little table at this sweet corner bar-cafe.

Glykys Complement ouzo with meatballs, spicy sausages and other classics at this Plaka courtyard spot.

Atitamos Laid-back spot in Exarhia for delish small plates.

Ama Lachei stis Nefelis At this converted school you’ll learn about the vast variety of seasonal Greek food.

Best Modern Greek

Soil High-concept, creative, contemporary tasting menus.

Merceri Food & Drink Thisio’s entry, with Mediterranean flair.

Mavro Provato The best of Athens’ modern tavernas.

Spondi A beautiful garden setting and Michelin-lauded food.

CTC Urban Gastronomy Ambitious mystery tasting menus.

Best Snacks and Sweets

Elvis Excellent-quality meat goes into the skewers at this rockin’ souvlaki joint.

Feyrouz Fresh, healthy and spicy – a budget diner’s best friend.

Kallimarmaro Spinach and cheese pies, cookies and treats, made in the most traditional way.

Cremino Sumptuous gelato and sorbet.

Kostas Eat your souvlaki standing.

Standard Practices

A Athenians start eating dinner around 9pm.

A For trendy restaurants, book ahead on weekends (try www.e-table.gr ) or go early.

A Plates are typically not cleared until you ask for the bill (and you must ask for it).

Bar Open

In Athens the line between cafe and bar is blurry. Most places segue from coffee to drinks, and maybe music and a DJ, at night. There is usually food – although places that serve only drinks have become more common. The smoking ban is often ignored.

SUN_SHINE/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Neighbourhoods

Gazi and Kolonaki tend towards slicker, spendier clubs. For cheaper drinks and live music, head for Keramikos or Exarhia. Psyrri and north of Syntagma are the best central areas for interesting bars.

Greek Music

Traditional music pops up all over. Bars and tavernas – especially in Plaka, Psyrri and Exarhia – host bands evenings and Sunday afternoons. More formal clubs operate September to May, start around 11.30pm and do not have a cover charge (though drinks are pricier than in bars).

Summer Clubs

In summer, Athenians decamp to mega-clubs along the seafront in Glyfada, along the tramline. If you book for dinner you don’t pay cover; otherwise, admission ranges from €10 to €20 and includes one drink. Glam up to get in.

Best Neighbourhood Bars

Six d.o.g.s. One of the best in Psyrri: indoor-outdoor, rooms upon rooms.

Chelsea Hotel Pangrati-style chill, packed day and night.

Galaxy Bar A gorgeous old vintage space, hidden in a Syntagma arcade.

Dude Bar Late-night with great grooves.

Nabokov Low-key literati spot on the edge of Exarhia.

Alphaville The Keramikos (night) lifestyle in a nutshell.

Blue Parrot Metaxourgio staple on Plateia Avdi.

Best Speciality Bars

Baba Au Rum Takes umbrella drinks seriously.

The Clumsies Repeatedly cited for world’s best bartenders.

Heteroclito Lovely unpretentious wine bar.

Barley Cargo The Greek beer experts.

Best Cafes

Taf Coffee House roasted, perfectly brewed.

Buñuel Uptempo Bistro A newer name in Kolonaki.

Little Tree Book Cafe Coffee, wine and snacks with local bookworms.

To Tsai For the tea lovers of the world.

Best Photo Ops

Couleur Locale The Acropolis looks close enough to touch at this rooftop bar.

Little Kook The view in this case is not the Acropolis, but the wild decor.

Noel Everyone looks photogenic in this beautifully lit bar.

Yiasemi Look at you, sipping a drink on the most scenic steps in Plaka!

Nightlife Tips

A Bars begin filling after 11pm and usually stay open till 2am, or 4am on weekends.

A Public transport stops or slows after midnight, but cabs are very cheap.

Treasure Hunt

Central Athens is the city’s original commercial district, and one big shopping hub, with an eclectic mix of stores. The area is still organised roughly by category – lace and buttons on one block, light bulbs on the next. The main (if generic) shopping street is pedestrianised Ermou, running from Syntagma to Monastiraki.

JOSE HERNANDEZ CAMERA 51/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Style Hunting

As with many creative endeavours in Athens, fashion and design are flourishing. For the shopper who wants what no one else has yet, Alternative Athens runs tours of designers’ workshops.

Sales & Pricing

The big months for sales are mid-January to February and mid-July to August, especially on clothes, with additional mid-season sales in the first 10 days of May and November. Bargaining is acceptable at flea markets, and perhaps gently at dustier antiques dealers, but in general prices are fixed.

Best Creative Souvenirs

Korres Stock up on this Greek beauty brand.

Forget Me Not The original dealer in smart souvenirs and other cool design items, all with a Hellenic twist.

Flâneur Love feta? Show your loyalty with a cute pin or patch.

TAF This gallery-cafe also has a very cool design shop.

Benaki Museum at 138 Pireos Street The gift shop at this contemporary art museum is top-notch.

Best Arts and Crafts

Amorgos Handmade puppets and toys.

Benaki Museum of Greek Culture Excellent handicrafts in the gift shop.

Zoumboulakis Gallery Prints of work by some of Greece’s finest artists.

Chrisanthos Spread the worry-bead habit with a set from this old shop.

Monastiraki Flea Market Dusty treasures are waiting to be discovered.

Eleni Marneri Galerie Local modern art and super jewellery.

Best Accessories

Lemisios Classic shoe shop that can customise its designs.

Katerina Ioannidis Delicate jewellery with a folkloric touch.

Melissinos Art The (son of the) ‘poet sandal maker’ is an Athens legend.

Zacharias Lovely leather goods screen-printed with ancient patterns.

Best Food

Varvakios Agora Maybe you don’t need a whole lamb, but you do need to see the city’s central market.

Exarhia Weekly Market Athens’ neighbourhood veg markets are a treat; this is a great one.

Pantopoleion Kolios Much more than the usual grocery store, this shop stocks excellent regional items.

Mastiha Shop All kinds of products featuring the miracle resin mastic.

Best Music

Yiannis Samouelan Best bouzoukis in town.

Xylouris Traditional Cretan music, instruments and general knowledge.

Plan 59 Especially good selection of Greek vinyl.

Typical Shop Hours

A Normal closing (5pm or so): Monday, Wednesday, Saturday.

A Late (8pm, sometimes with an afternoon break): Tuesday, Thursday, Friday.

A Exception: Plaka tourist shops, always open late.

Show Time

The Athens arts and music scene depends largely on the season: many big halls and theatres close or scale back in the summer, when open-air spaces take over. Bonus: Greeks consider every musical event an opportunity for a singalong, which can make the most formal concert venues feel chummy (even if you don’t know the words).

PIT STOCK/SHUTTERSTOCK © ARCHITECT: RENZO PIANO BUILDING WORKSHOP

Athens Epidaurus Festival

June to August is time for this world-class festival of local and international music, dance and drama at the ancient Odeon of Herodes Atticus at the Acropolis. It’s absolutely worth planning around.

Open-Air Cinema

One of the delights of Athens is watching the latest Hollywood or art-house flick in the warm summer air. The settings are old-fashioned gardens and rooftops, with modern sound and projection. Cinemas start up in early May and usually close in September. For movie times, see Athinorama (www.athinorama.gr), which has a filter for outdoor theatres; use a browser translator, as it’s Greek only.

Listings & Tickets

Check the Kathimerini English Edition (www.ekathimerini.com), which is also a print supplement to the International New York Times, and This Is Athens (www.thisisathens.gr). Greek site ελculture (www.elculture.gr) is more comprehensive. Viva (www.viva.gr) is a major ticket vendor.

Best Multiuse Spaces

Gazarte Multiple venues in this big building in Gazi.

TAF A cluster of 19th-century buildings with a great courtyard