The cosmopolitan capital hides several aces up its sleeves. Markets, entertainment, historical journeys, parks and beaches, all compose a complex beautiful puzzle of experiences worth living.
During the night, the heart of the city beats at the districts of Psyrri, Gazi, Monastiraki and Peiraios Street.
In small music taverns serving ouzo and local dishes, traditional taverns and even big live music dance clubs, entertainment is guaranteed.
PLAKA ATHENS
Around and near HEART OF ATHENS there are many choices, only 50-100 meters away. You may listen to rebetika songs [ at “STOU KORRE”], taste delicacies and raki in picturesque small taverns on Agion Anargyron Street [such as “To 21”, “Prothermansi”, “Zeidoron”, “Nikitas”] or choose a play at the neighbouring theatres: Ivi (just next to HEART OF ATHENS), Apothiki, Emporikon and Politeia.
You will discover numerous restaurants and atmospheric cafés at every step, up to Iroon Square, at the junction of Agion Anargyron and Karaiskaki Streets. On all the roads surrounding HEART OF ATHENS, there are numerous cafés, bars and restaurants offering something different for every hour of the day and for every taste.
ROMAN AGORA
After dinner, you may choose small atmospheric Rock, Soul, Jazz and Funk bars on Solonos Street, at Kolonaki and at Exarcheia, dozens of clubs, pubs and alternative bars at Gazi and Kerameikos.
Another completely transformed area in the Southern Suburbs, which was in the past known for its “sins”, is the area of Troumpa, that is the new hot spot of night-life, with numerous bars daily gathering patrons until the early hours in the morning.
Shopping
The most commercial areas of Athens are Ermou Street [282.00 m/ about 4 minutes walking distance from HEART OF ATHENS), Kolonaki [1.53 km / about 18 minutes walking distance from HEART OF ATHENS] and Plaka, each having its own special profile. All along Ermou Street and the side roads you will discover modern stores and branded goods at low prices. Top fashion designers, brands and jewellery shops adorn the streets in Kolonaki district, while you should move to Plaka and its alleys that are full of souvenir shops, fur boutiques and tourist stores for more traditional purchases.
THREE BIG DEPARTMENT STORES ARE DIRECTLY ACCESSIBLE BY METRO:
Athens Heart Mall [180 Piraios and Hamosternas Streets, Moschato - Tavros] is the ultimate shopping experience near the historic centre of the city and with easy road access. It has 4 levels with branded stores with fashion, technology and household, 80 shops, restaurants and entertainment venues and underground car park for 750 vehicles.
ATTICA [9 Panepistimiou Street, Athens]: an emblematic, perfectly restored historic building in the centre of Athens, hosting 360 stores with more than 860 famous brands.
ATHENS METRO MALL [276 Vouliagmenis Ave., Ag. Dimitrios]: 5 levels with 85 stores, 18 restaurants, 5 cinemas, supermarket and bank.
DISCOVER THE HISTORIC CENTRE
You can discover the historic centre of Athens beginning from the area of Psyrri in three different courses.
Just a few minutes from the square towards the south-east we meet the bustling square of Monastiraki where Tzistarakis Mosque (1759) dominates, next to part of the wall of Hadrian’s Library that was constructed in 132 AD as an offer to the city of Athens by the Roman Emperor Hadrian and near them the small Church of the Pantanassa. From here we continue to the Flea Market, the marketplace on Ifaistou Street with the antiques shops, bazaars and dozens of shops of traditional items, as well as Avissynia Square. Monastiraki is directly connected to Theseion via Andrianou Street, around the Ancient Agora.
A second trail includes the picturesque neighbourhood of Plaka, the most ancient and aristocratic district of the Greek capital, the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens, the Byzantine church of Panagia Kapnikarea (11th century) and Ermou Street, that is ideal for shopping. The whole distance is not more than 1.5 km and it is a true revelation. The narrow alleys, the beautifully preserved historic houses, the monuments and the squares you can discover during your walk make this trail a true revelations’ game.
From the heart of the city, Syntagma Square (20 minutes walk from HEART OF ATHENS/ 1.5 km) you may begin from the building of the Greek Parliament and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier where you can admire the changing of the guard. Then, following the boundaries of the National Garden, you shall reach the Zappeion Hall (19th century) with the beautiful neoclassical portico of Corinthian order, the interior circular lobby with the marble colonnades and its green garden that combines French and English garden architecture. Just a few meters to the east of Zappeion, the road leads to Panathenaic Stadium (also known as Kallimarmaro), the Stadium that hosted the first Modern Olympic Games (1896)! If you have some time, it is worth a visit (gen. admission ticket €5), and you can enjoy a personal audio guide tour as well. The guide tour is available in 10 languages (Greek, English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Russian, Chinese, Portuguese and Japanese) and its duration is 20 minutes.
At a short distance from the Panathenaic Stadium you can find the archaeological site of the Temple of Olympian Zeus, also known as the Olympieion (6th century), the Columns of the Olympian Zeus and the Arch of Hadrian that separated the old and the new city, about 500 m to the south-east of the Acropolis. Directly opposite you will find Dionysiou Areopagitou Street, a pedestrian walkway that leads to Herodion, the New Acropolis Museum, Philopappos Hill and of course, the Acropolis.
ATHENS RIVIERA / SEAFRONT
Just 20 minutes from the centre of Athens, via Syngrou Avenue, you will find yourself at the coastal area, the Coast of Sun, and the coastal resorts of the south suburbs. The lacy coastline, dotted with bays and sandy shores, ends at the most southern tip of the prefecture of Attica and at the amazing temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounio.
Along the coastal road, the blue of the sea joins the blue of the sky and offers you a sense of relaxation. Palaio Faliro, Glyfada, Voula, Vouliagmeni, Anavyssos, Sounio, Lavrio are only a few of the most popular resorts of the coastline, suitable for walk along the beach, coffee, food or drinks by the sea or even for water sports and swimming. The temperate climate and the sunny days during the majority of the year attract visitors who do not hesitate to swim in the crystal-clear water, even during the winter.
The culmination of this excursion to the southern part of the prefecture is the visit to the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounio that stands majestic on the steep shores overlooking the Aegean Sea and gives you the opportunity to admire one of the most splendid sunsets you have ever seen. At a short distance from Cape Sounio, it is worth visiting the Lavrion Technological and Cultural Park. The Handicraft-Industrial Educational Museum accommodated there, gives the opportunity to people of all ages to discover through hands-on activities the handicraft and industrial history of the country.
Read MoreTOURS WITH HOP-ON / HOP-OFF BUSES
Three different tours, lasting 90 minutes each, are available on double-decker Hop-on Hop-off buses that allow you to get off at the stops you wish to discover places and then get again on the next bus of the company. Buses leave every 15-30 minutes, depending on the season, throughout the year, apart from the one of the Seafront, due to its specific seasonal nature.
You may choose, among the tour of Athens, the most significant landmarks of the centre of the city [Syntagma, Plaka, New Acropolis Museum, Acropolis/ Parthenon, Temple of Olympian Zeus, National Garden, Benaki Museum, Panathenaic Stadium, Parliament, National Library, Archaeological Museum, Omonoia Square, Karaiskaki Square, Monastiraki, Theseion, Kotzia Square], the tour of Piraeus [Miaouli Coast/ Cruise Ship Terminal, Lions’ Gate, Archaeological Museum of Piraeus, Votsalakia Beach, Eugenides Foundation/ Planetarium, Acropolis/ Parthenon, Municipal Theatre of Piraeus] and the beach riviera tour [from April, 1st to October, 31st] that includes Athens Riviera [Glyfada, Voula, Kavouri, Vouliagmeni]. There are separate tickets for each tour or for a combination of tours. HEART OF ATHENS is very close to the nearest hop-on/hop-off stop: MONASTIRAKI/ THESEION
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