Christmas holidays are coming, and I finally booked my next trip!
As usual, the first step is downsizing and so my ten days in Athens and Skopje turned into one week in Athens… but I’m sure it will be amazing as well!
I did my homework and jotted down a weekly itinerary; now it’s your turn: let me know your favourite places in Athens and all those secret spots I haven’t been able to track down: please write your suggestions in the comments area below!
My main concern is that I will find many places closed for holidays, so I would like to add some outdoor attractions.
The fil rouge of the trip will be investigating whether or not Athens (and therefore Greece) has that Balkan soul I love so much, so any tip on where to find “Balkans” in Athens will be more than welcome!
I’m also looking for some modern novels located in Athens, to get in the mood, and especially some books about anarchist movements in Exarchia… if you happen to know a good book in English, please let me know in the comments area below!
So… here is my travel plan to visit Athens in one week:
I guessed that the perfect neighbourhood for me is Exarchia, so on my first day I will just wander around Exarchia and beyond, exploring also the neighbourhoods of Omonia and Kypseli. Some highlights I won’t miss:
EXARCHIA
Farmer Market at Kallidromiou
Bars, Restaurants & Shops:
Tsin Tsin, Kiafas 6
OMONIA
Areos Park
Omonia square
Varvakios Agora (central market)
Bars, Restaurants & Shops:
Romantso, Anaxagora 3-5, Omonia
KYPSELI and beyond
Demotiki Agora (old market, now squat place)
Santiago Calatrava’s Skeleton at the Olympic Sport Complex
On the next day, I will discover Metaxourgeio and Psyrri neighbourhoods.
METAXOURGEIO
Achilleos street
Avdi square
Platia Karaiskaki
Bars, Restaurants & Shops:
The Breeder Project, 45 Iasonos
Bios, Peireos 84
Nixon, Agisilaou 61
PSYRRI
Jordan Makarof’s outdoor gallery, Avliton street
a.antonopoulou.art 20 Aristofanous St.
Ermou street
Industrial Gas Museum, Anthimou Gazi 100
Bars, Restaurants & Shops:
Cantina Social, Leokoriou 6
Key Bar Praxitelous 37
Koumbaki 24-26 Pallados St.
Guadeloupe, Protogenous 12
Another great combo I’m looking forward to exploring is the area of Thisio neighbourhood and Gazi neighbourhood:
THISIO
Admiring the view from Fylopappus Hill
Herakleidon Museum, Iraklidon 16
Bernier-Eliades art gallery, 11 Eptachalkou
Bars, Restaurants & Shops:
Filistron, Apostolou Pavlou 23
Gevomai Kai Magevomai, Nileos 11
Hytra, Leoforos Andrea Siggrou 107
Peonia Herbs tea room, Amfiktyonos 12
GAZI
Technopolis, Pireos and Voutadon
Benaki Museum at Pireos annex, Pireos 138
Bars, Restaurants & Shops:
GazArte, Voutadon 34
Gazi College, Persefonis 53
Every Sunday morning in Athens should start at the Monastiraki flea market! After exploring the Monastiraki neighbourhood I would like to discover also Anafiotika, Mets and Pangrati.
MONASTIRAKI
Monastiraki flea market, Ifestou
TAF the art foundation, Normanou 5
admiring the view from Areopagus Hill
Kapnikarea Church, Ermou & Kapnikareas
Bars, Restaurants & Shops:
6 D.O.G.S., Avramiotou 6-8
Baba Au Rum, Klitiou 6
Loukoumi, Avissinias Square 3
ANAFIOTIKA
Tom’s art garden, Sotiros Street & Iperidou
METS
Athens Cemetery, Anapafseos
Bars, Restaurants & Shops:
Cucina Povera, Efforionos 13
PANGRATI
Plateia Varnava
Another amazing combo I’m looking forward to exploring is the posh neighbourhood of Kolonaki and the hectic area of Syntagma.
KOLONAKI
Gennadius library, Souidias 61
admiring the view from Lycabetus Hill
Bars, Restaurants & Shops:
Yozen, Tsakalof 7
Briki, Mavili square
Filion, Skoufa 34
Skoufaki, Skoufa 47-49
Ratka, Charitos 30-32
Graffito, Solonos 34
SYNTAGMA
National Gardens
Sotira Lykodimou church, Filellinon st and Amalias ave
Bars, Restaurants & Shops:
Pure Bliss, Romvis
Barley Cargo, Kolokotroni 6
Booze Cooperativa, Kolokotroni 57
Anavasi, Voulis 32
Blue Bird, Ipitou 4
Lacandona, Ipitou 4
Of course, I’m also planning some explorations of the suburbs, even if I’m not 100% convinced with the areas I’ve picked so far… what do you think?
KIFISSIA neighborhood
FLISVOS MARINA
PIRAEUS and Kastella neighborhood
I also picked two possible day-trips from Athens, but I still have to figure out how to reach them, how long it will take and how does it cost… Anyway, my day-trip options are:
CAPE SOUNION
VOULIAGMENI LAKE
And now…it’s your turn!
Let me know your favourite places in Athens and all those secret spots I haven’t been able to track down so far: please write your suggestions in the comment area below!
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