Agorá
Daily
In ancient times Athens' political, administrative and cultural heart, today the Ancient Agora in Monastiraki is a green landscape dotted with crumbling ruins.

Balthazar
Daily
Balthazar is an exclusive bar-restaurant set in a romantic walled garden decorated with fairy lights.

 
Battleship Averoff Museum
Daily
The Battleship Averoff is the most important and impressive surviving naval vessel in the history of the Hellenic Navy. Commissioned in 1911, it served for 44 years.
 

Benaki Museum
Daily; not Tue
Occupying a neo-classical house in Kolonaki, the Benaki Museum offers a walk through the history of Greek art from 3000 BC up to the 20th century. Exhibits are laid out in chronological order.

 Benaki Museum of Islamic Art
Daily; not Mon
The Islamic Museum in Athens, part of the Benaki Museum, has relocated to a bigger building for a better viewing experience. The neoclassical complex houses works from India, Persia, and Asia.

Byzantine & Christian Museum
Daily; not Mon
In its underground exhibition space in Kolonaki, the Byzantine and Christian Museum traces the Byzantine Empire from the birth of Christianity to the 1453 fall of Constantinople.

Centre of Hellenic Tradition
Daily
For orignal souvenirs and gifts, call at the Centre of Hellenic Tradition, which stock authentic Greek folk art.
 

Dimitris Pierides Museum of Contemporary Art
Daily
The Dimitris Pierides Museum of Contemporary Art houses over a thousand paintings, sculptures, engravings and ceramics and includes works by artists from Greece and Cyprus.

Frissiras Museum
Daily; not Mon or Tue
In Plaka, the Frissaras Museum is Greece's only museum to contemporary European painting. There's a permanent collection, dedicated to the human figure, as well as pieces by Hockney.

Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art
Daily; not Tue or Sun
In Kolonaki, the Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art is revered for its collection of elegant marble figurines. Surprisingly contemporary in style, these enigmatic pieces were placed in burial sites.


Kerameikos Archaeological Site
Daily
The Kerameikos was the potters' quarter of classical Athens and also the official cemetery of the city. Today it is a tranquil and fascinating archaeological site, away from the bustle of the city.

Lykavittos
Daily
Athens' highest point, 295 metres high, Mount Lykavittos is served by cable car from Kolonaki. Paths zigzag up through pinewoods to the summit, capped by a whitewashed church and cafe.

Monastiraki Flea Market
Daily
Like an Eastern bazaar, the open-fronted stores of Monastiraki Market stock copperware, backgammon sets, army surplus gear, leather goods and cheap jewellery. On busy Sunday mornings, everyone meets here.

Museum of the City of Athens
Daily; not Tue
The Museum of the City of Athens is housed in a neoclassical building constructed in 1833 which was used as King Otto's temporary palace from 1836-1842.

Museum of Greek Folk Art
Daily; not Mon
The Museum of Greek Folk Art in Plaka displays costumes, embroidery, jewellery, ceramics, arms and folk theatre artefacts from around Greece. Don't miss the Theofilis Room.


Museum of Greek Traditional Instruments
Daily; not Mon or Sun
Hidden away in pretty Plaka, the Museum of Greek Traditional Instruments displays 1,200 musical instruments, ranging from gypsy flutes to shepherds' goatskin bagpipes.
 

National Archaeological Museum
Daily
National Archaeological Museum
Home to the world's finest collection of ancient Greek art, the marble-floored National Archaeological Museum, near Omonia, displays larger-than-life sculptures of heroes from Greek mythology.

National Gallery of Art
Daily; not Tue
Tired of ruins? Make sure you visit the biggest picture and portrait gallery in Greece, the National Gallery, or Ethniki Pinakotheki.


National Gardens
Daily
Designed as the grounds of the 19th-century royal palace, now the Parliament, the National Gardens in Syntagma display lush planting, duck ponds, strutting peacocks and a small zoo.

Numismatic Museum
Daily; not Mon
With a history going back to 1829, Athens' Numismatic Museum is one of the few of its kind in the world and the only such museum in the Balkans. The strength of its collection lies in some of the world's oldest coins.

Plaka
Daily
The Plaka sits in the shadow of the Acropolis in the oldest part of Athens and with most of the streets closed to automobile traffic, it is one of the most pleasant neighbourhoods in the city.

Roman Forum
Daily
From 1BC to 4AD, traders met in the Roman Forum - a rectangular courtyard lined with shops. Also on the site in Plaka stands the octangular Tower of the Winds, built in 1BC by Macedonian workers.

Spyros Vassiliou Museum
Daily
The home and studio of Greek artist Spyros Vassiliou (1902/3-1985) is now open to the public as a museum and archive, becoming the principal authority on the artist.

Stavros Melissinos
Daily; not Sun
Stavros Melissinos began crafting handmade leather sandals in 1954. When poet Stavros retired in 2004, the shop moved to Psirri and is now run by his son, Pantelis.


Technopolis
Daily
The once run-down industrial area of Gazi began its transformation into Athens' most happening nightlife district with the opening of Technopolis in 1999. Occupying the former city gasworks.

Vorres Museum
Daily
The Vorres Museum consists of a complex of ten acres of buildings, courtyards and gardens. Its collection of over 6000 items covers 4000 years of Greek history.

War Museum
Daily; not Mon
The War Museum of Athens explores the history of warfare from stone axes to heavy artillery. Other exhibits cover the classical and medieval period, the Greek War of Independence and conflicts.

Construction began in the 6th century BC during the rule of the Athenian tyrants, who envisaged building the greatest temple in the ancient world, but it was not completed until the reign of the Roman Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century AD some 638 years after the project had begun.

During the Roman periods it was renowned as the largest temple in Greece and housed one of the largest cult statues in the ancient world. Yet, the temple's glory was short-lived, as it fell into disuse after being pillaged in a barbarian invasion in the 3rd century AD. It was probably never repaired and was reduced to ruins thereafter. In the centuries after the fall of the Roman Empire, the temple was extensively quarried for building materials to supply building projects elsewhere in the city. Despite this, substantial remains remain visible today and it continues to be a major tourist attraction.

The temple is located about 500 m south-east of the Acropolis, and about 700 m south of Syntagma Square. Its foundations were laid on the site of an ancient outdoor sanctuary dedicated to Zeus. An earlier temple had stood there, constructed by the tyrant Pisistratus around 550 BC. The building was demolished after the death of Peisistratos and the construction of a colossal new Temple of Olympian Zeus was begun around 520 BC by his sons, Hippias and Hipparchos. Designed by the architects Antistates, Callaeschrus, Antimachides and Porinus, the Temple of Olympian Zeus was intended to be built of local limestone in the Doric style on a colossal platform measuring 41 m (134.5 feet) by 108 m (353.5 feet). It was to be flanked by a double colonnade of eight columns across the front and back and twenty-one on the flanks, surrounding the cella.

The work was abandoned when the tyranny was overthrown and Hippias was expelled in 510 BC. Only the platform and some elements of the columns had been completed by this point, and the temple remained in this state for 336 years. The temple was left unfinished during the years of Athenian democracy, apparently because the Greeks thought it hubristic to build on such a scale.

Fifteen columns remain standing today and a sixteenth column lies on the ground where it fell during a storm in 1852. Nothing remains of the cella or the great statue that it once housed.

The temple was excavated in 1889-1896 by Francis Penrose of the British School in Athens (who also played a leading role in the restoration of the Parthenon), in 1922 by the German archaeologist Gabriel Welter and in the 1960s by Greek archaeologists led by Ioannes Travlos. The temple, along with the surrounding ruins of other ancient structures, is a historical precinct administered by Ephorate of Antiquites of the Greek Interior Ministry.

Source: Wikipedia

- Park of Environmental Information and Sensitisation “Antonis Tritsis”.

- “Syggrou” grove in Kifissia

- The ex royal estate in Tatoi

- The Technical University’s park in Zografou

- Intermunicipal cycle track of the northern suburbs

Let history be your guide…

The longest pedestrian walkway is Dionysiou Areopagitou str. It starts at the Hadrian’s Arch; it goes past the Acropolis Museum and keeps on through Apostolou Pavlou str. to Thissio and Monastiraki and, at Assomaton square, it meets Ermou str. Take the latter and go as far as Gazi or Plaka.

Feel the energy of the surroundings: incomparable monuments of the Greek cultural heritage will set the backdrop for an unforgettable ride pas the Ancient Agora, the Ancient Dionysus Theatre, the Roman Agora. For a time journey back to the ages of the old times of Athens as capital of the Hellenic Republic, Plaka is the best choice.

Caressed by the sea breeze…

When you have cycled around the city centre but you are eager for more, go to the Athens Riviera and enjoy some ouzo after your ride. Our suggestions:

-From “Floisvos” marina to Eden beach

-From Fáliro to Glyfáda

-From the marina in Glyfáda to Kavouri

To read this article in full, please visit: Visit Greece
 

1. Monastiraki Flea Market

Handcrafted goods, fresh fruits and stacks of soccer jerseys and jewelry dominate the stalls of Monastiraki’s bustling flea market. Literally meaning “little monastery” Monastiraki is named for the Pantánassa church monastery located in the center of the neighborhood’s square. Here more than bargain goods are to be found; Monastiraki is also home to the ancient ruins of the Roman Agora and Hadrian’s library.

2. Mars Hill At Night

Mars Hill, known as Areopagus by the Greeks, has been the site of many speeches, trials and meetings over history. St. Paul the Apostle preached here, and The Council of Nobles and the Judicial Court met on this hill. After thousands of years of weather damage and earthquakes, it’s now a low, rocky hill located just below the Acropolis and the perfect spot to go on a warm summer night to listen to acoustic guitar, split a bottle of store-bought wine and revel in the splendor of the Parthenon lit up at night.

3. Witness the Changing of the Guards

Dressed in kilts, donned in pom-poms and kicking impressively high are the stoic Evzone Guards at The Greek Parliament building in Syntagma Square. Every Sunday at 11 a.m., the changing of the guard takes place in an elaborate parade starting from the Evzone camp at Irodou Attikou Street, marching down to Vasilissis Sofias to the Tomb of the Unknown Solider at Syntagma Square.

The Evzones are the cream of the military crop. Every Greek man is required to serve two years in the Greek military, and the Evzones are chosen based on their height, fitness level and are trained to stand motionless for hours on end. They’re also known as the Presidential Guard, after all, that is their duty.

4. Stroll Through Plaka

Nestled in the heart of Athens, in the shadow of the Acropolis, is it’s oldest district, Plaka. Reminiscent of the bygone era of Turkish-rule, Plaka’s antique charm, pedestrian-only streets, and al fresco dining make for a most pleasant stroll.


To read more, please visit  pausethemoment.com

1. City Circus

Two friends ditched corporate careers to set up this hip hostel in Psirri, a central neighbourhood of lively meze joints and gift shops. With mid-century antiques, frescoed ceilings, and graffiti art, it's way cooler and cheaper than the average boutique hotel. Nine rooms in an annex open this summer, along with a bar/restaurant that will screen films and serve cheap cocktails. The roof terrace has dazzling Parthenon views.

• +30 213 0237 244, citycircus.gr, dorm beds from €15 a night

2. Alice Inn

Decent lodgings are surprisingly scarce in Plaka, the touristy old town. This stylish "three-and-a-half-room" guesthouse is the exception. Greek-Irish architect John Consolas has converted a crummy hostel into a cosy, art-filled bolthole. Consolas, who lives on site, is a laid-back host who makes guests (everyone from top DJs to IMF inspectors) feel like old friends.

• +30 210 323 7139, aliceinnathens.com, doubles from €50

3. Black Duck Garden

Modern Athens' first public park was the gardens at the City of Athens Museum, with palm trees and fountains. One palm tree survives in the secret garden behind the museum, which now hosts a sweet, summer-only bistro. An oasis of shady calm, it's a relaxing spot for brunch or coffee.

• +30 210 3252396, blackduckgarden.gr

To read more, please visit theguardian.com

After the snow (what?!) and cold temperatures of last week, it’s almost impossible to recall the sunny, balmy 18-degree days of last weekend. I had planned a fun-filled afternoon with a friend who promised to show me around Piraeus – a part of the city, I must admit, I do not frequent. Not for any particular reason, apart from not really knowing much more about Piraeus than the passenger port for trips to the islands…

We met at Piraeus station, and made our way on foot around the port area, on  a long walk around the ‘peninsula’ that is Piraeus proper. The seaside walk was beautiful, and we stopped along the way at the endless strip of taverans and cafés of Akti Themistokleous for a coffee and maybe even a tsipouro or two… The seaside views and beachside walk was wonderful – and totally doable on foot over a couple of hours. We made it as far around as Marina Zeas, but called it a day since we were by then starving…

We decided to go nuts and go for Indian food. My friend has been trying to get me to her ‘local Indian’ for ages – so we went. The place is called Kebab & Curry – and it lived up to its praise. It’s an unassuming space, simple, run by an Indian family. ‘Taki’ the owner had saved us a table, and my friend had phoned ahead to arrange a fixed-price feast. This was wonderful – no need to look at the menu, no need to deliberate, just eat and enjoy! The food here is great – authentic, spiced according to your preference, and evidently quite popular. There was even a delivery bike outside for lucky Piraeus locals.

All in all a nice afternoon in an under-rated part of the city. Next time we will walk the opposite way around and stop in Mikrolimano and the endless fish tavernas – a popular city highlight for locals and visitors alike!

Kebab & Curry
Skouze 14, Piraeus
210 428 5937

Until next week,

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

Those of you who know the Thiseio neighbourhood may have wondered lately what happened to the old Stavlos bar at the top end of Iraklidon street. It had been a neighborhood staple for years, but lately lost some of its popularity – and over the past months was closed down completely. The space has since been completely gutted and transformed into a wide-open, airy, multi-function space called Root Artspace.

I went by accident on Sunday afternoon – the open door and warm noise coming out of the small door made me wonder what was going on inside… There was plenty going on!

The original building dates from 1845 when it housed the horse stables of King Otto. It later became a prison, and then a school, until the late 1980’s when it as transformed into the well-loved Stavlos bar. (This seems to be a not-so-unusual story for some of Greece’s historic properties – don’t they all become a bar at some point??)

On my unplanned Sunday visit, the place was buzzing with activity.  A few questions to the barista got me some interesting answers about the Root Artspace concept.

This place has a grand vision. The venue will host performances, exhibitions and festivals. The restaurant offers up an urban street food menu based around organic and ‘paleo’ principals.  The bar – called a ‘wellness bar’ – offers a range of healthy cocktails, some even sugar-free and gluten-free. And there is an actual record store (of the vinyl type) inside the space. The day I went they had a live band playing jazzy/blues music. And the service was very friendly (warm smiles and thank-yous all around).

This is seriously forward-looking stuff for Athens.

I have to say that this may be my new favourite place. The multi-room space itself is more than cool – it’s incredible. The menu and drink list is unique in the city. The music is eclectic. Good service, great vibe. With enough creativity to make it seriously interesting. And enough ‘urban attitude’ to make it very Athenian indeed.

Root Artspace
Iraklidon 10, Thiseio
+30 210 345 0003
www.rootartspace.gr

Until next week,

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

Strategic since antiquity, in 1579 the Venetians erected a gargantuan fortress befitting of their superpower status, and indeed, its protectors defied Turkish conquest for several decades longer than any other Cretan garrison.  The fort finally fell to Ottoman rule in 1715. 

On a warm October day our cozy group of four Americans and four Greeks planned to kayak over to Spinalonga Island.  From there, we would head down its bay, a short portage, then down Poros Bay to Agio Nikolaos.  At most, the trip was fifteen kilometers.

From Plaka, a local fisherman can probably make the voyage to Spinalonga Island in about twenty minutes.  It took my best friend Pia and me about two hours.

Pia and I had never kayaked.  Our initial hour was spent on land just trying to get a grasp of this sport and its paraphernalia.  We donned life jackets, colorful wetsuits and learned how to put on a “kayak skirt.”  This is a sturdy cloth worn around your waist: when seated in your kayak, you attach the skirt’s hem to the open perimeter of your seat so that water doesn’t enter the boat.  Next were some rudimentary rowing lessons.  We sat on the beach, pretending we were at sea, and went through the motions of manipulating the paddles. 

Pia and I reasoned that, being first-time kayakers, we should operate the two-seater.  Wrong. We didn’t know when to paddle, how to coordinate our rowing or even which direction to face when a strong wind blew.  Not but fifteen minutes after setting out to sea, one moment we were dry, the next moment we were wet.   The boat capsized so suddenly we didn’t even have a chance to shout the proverbial “Man Overboard!”   Sobered by the incident, we took our friends’ advice and got our own kayaks, and discovered that individual navigation was superior to teamwork, at least when the team was clueless in the art of kayaking. 

When we arrived to Spinalonga Island some of us were quite wet and all of us looked a little goofy in our loudly colored kayak mini-skirts. The tourists stared, mostly at Miltos.  While our skirts laid flat, his undulated with a flamboyant pink hem akin to an Argentine tango costume that got shrunk at the cleaners.  For some reason, he kept it on during our entire visit to Spinalonga which prompted endless guffawing. 

After Crete formally united with Greece in 1913, Spinalonga became a leper colony and remained so until 1957.  The island is larger than expected when you peer at it from the Crete mainland. One can easily spend several hours strolling its pathways and perimeters. The elegant Venetian architecture—curved arched portals, for example—contributes to Spinalonga’s beauty, yet a haunting feeling pervades,perhaps attributable to the cemetery whose open graves bear the assumingly impaired bones of the prior inhabitants. 

My afternoon kayaking was far more successful once I got the hang of it. And the disappearance of the winds helped appreciably.  Our group soared along pretty much all together instead of scattered leagues apart as we had been during the morning. The scenery in Spinalonga Bay is breathtakingly spectacular -- mountains in the distance on a blinding shiny blue sea devoid of any other seafarers except the eight of us.  The rock cliffs on the coast mesmerized me: they were wavy, in layers, like slabs of thick uncooked bacon stacked on top of one another, truly of postcard caliber.  One area we paddled to was peculiar as it felt sheltered like inside a cave but actually we were in an open area on the sea. 

If you are inclined towards a little physical activity while vacationing, I heartily recommend sea kayaking in Spinalonga Bay.  Beginners can complete the journey from Plaka to Agio Nikalao, with a pit stop on the island, easily in one day.  By the end of your adventure, you will feel exhilarated by the aquatic workout and gain yet another reason to place Crete high on your list of magnificent Mediterranean islands. 

By Colleen McGuire

Managing Director of cyclegreece.gr

Admittedly, we landed at one in the afternoon, but still, I had just spent several days cycling from morning to dusk in Crete, so even though I was accustomed to a mid-day sun, Gavdos was of another order. 

The island is only ten kilometers long and five kilometers wide which makes it bikeable in its entirety in less than a day.   The heat and hills probably account for why I didn’t see a single biker during my brief three-day sojourn.   Many people walk where they need to go on the well maintained network of paths.   

As of September 2014, Gavdos has no hotels, no banks, no ATMs, no post office, no nightclubs, no full time resident doctors.  There is a heliport.  There is one policeman for the 100 or so residents.  I heard his car siren blare when he picked up his daughter from school.   In the 1930s Communist political prisoners were exiled to Gavdos.

I stayed at Sarakinika, the beautiful beach settlement (it can’t possibly qualify as a village) where visitors can rent a smattering of rooms and eat in about a half dozen tavernas, some with wi-fi.  Most folks like myself camped in tents in the coastal dunes amidst the pines trees and Juniperus shrubs less than a minute’s walk to the sea.  I bathed in a rigged up shower on the beach with no curtains but no matter because nudity doesn’t raise eyebrows.   My second shot at bathing was a bust because there was no water in Sarakinika which I’m told happens regularly. 

As you may have guessed, many of the residents are hippies in retreat.  I met Vasilis whose tall frame and long narrow beard evoked what I imagine Pythagoras to have looked like.  Vasilis has lived on Gavdos in a tent for fifteen months.  I guess he has had a full social calendar because he hasn’t even made it to Trypiti yet, which was the highlight of my visit.  I met Antonio from Portugal who epitomized the permanent nomad with his tattoo sleeve and plugs in both ears the size of a one euro coin.   His purpose in life seemed to be moving from one outdoor summer music festival to the next. 

I wanted to sit on The Throne in Trypiti.  This beach is the most southern point on Gavdos island.   Where the gravel road stops is a path that takes thirty minutes walk downhill to reach Trypiti.  At the beach’s most southern tip is a giant chair that faces north towards Europe.  The local Russians built the chair and made the path.  Their small community began with a nuclear physicist fleeing Chernobyl.  They are scientifically attuned to ecological ways to live and they trade their skills for food and other needs.   The locals appreciate them and their presence adds to the mystique and allure of Gavdos. 

You’ve really got to have a low footprint to visit Gavdos.   This is not a place for those expecting mints on their pillow, a pile of ice cubes for your ouzo or to buy a new pair of sunglasses.  Gavdos is raw.    It is a place where the nymph Kalypso is said to have imprisoned the shipwrecked Odysseus holding him as her lover.   I suspect Gavdos has had its share of modern-day Kalypso and Odysseus wannabes. 

By Colleen McGuire
Managing Director of cyclegreece.gr