Travel Guide: Athens
Summary
Athens is a 'Top 5' city. The quality of living is high. The weather is hot & mild. The energy of the city is vibrant with restaurants, bars and nightlife. Walking around this city with the ancient ruins surrounding you is surreal. On top of this, you have the Aegean Sea at your doorstep and islands are only a ferry away.
Food & Drink
Top Restaurants
- Tavern Klimataria • Serving up home-style Greek cooking since 1927, this tavern is an intimate old-school restaurant with stone walls & live Greek music and dancing.
- Hytra • Serving up home-style Greek cooking since 1927, this tavern is an intimate old-school restaurant with stone walls & live Greek music and dancing.
- Baldo • Best compared to fast food pasta, the noodles/dishes are made fresh to order and served as the perfect takeaway meal.
Top Bars
- Clumsies • Inventive cocktails and great hospitality put this bar at #4 on the World's 50 Best Bars 2021, the most recent menu is called F<3lings with drinks categorized within happiness, excitement, or tenderness.
- Baba au Rum • Rum specialists serving up signature rum cocktails (Star-5-Zombie or Devil's Milk) in a dramaticly decorated cocktail lounge.
- The 7 Jokers • Cafe by day and bar by night, this quirky downtown bar serves up some of the best cocktails in the city.
Markets
- Athens Central Market (Varvakeios) • Filled with every ingredient used in Greek dishes, the historic food market is bursting with flavours, aromas and colours.
- Eleonas Flea Market • Every Sunday vendors and shoppers flock to Agias Annis Street for traditional Greek food and music, while searching for piles of things for hours. Reminiscent of the frenetic and colourful bazaars found throughout the Middle East.
- Avissinias Square Antique Market • One of the oldest markets in Athenes, Avissinias Square has hosted this flea market hosted for over 100 years. Every weekend, vendors start setting up their stalls at around 5am, filling them with old lamps, knick-knacks and porcelain dinnerware.
Other Food & Drink
Other Food • Restaurants in Koukaki Square and along Georgaki Olympiou Street, Tuk Tuk Thai Street Food
Other Drinks • Drank Sinatras, Barro Nego
Coffee Shops • Dope Roasting Co, taf, The Underdog, Morning Bar
Activities & Attractions
Top Activities
- Ancients Ruins of Athens • A walk around Athens will let you see many important ancient sites from the Classical and the Roman times. Tip: Purchase the pass that lets you visit all the ancient ruins once.
- Athens Riveria • Located about 16 km from downtown Athens, this coastline stretches from the southern suburbs of Athens to the southernmost point of Attica, Cape Sounio. Recommended for beach lovers!
- Ferry to neighbouring islands • Travel to Kythnos by ferry from the ports of Piraeus and Lavrio in Athens. Taking the ferry from Lavrio to Kythnos is the most popular option, with daily itineraries in summer. The trip duration is 1.5-2.5 hr, depending on the type of vessel.
OTHER ATTRACTIONS (SITES, PARKS, ETC.)
Other Activities • Athens 'Original' marathon (in November)
Stay
AREAS/NEIGHBOURHOODS
Plaka, Monastiraki, Koukaki