Neighbourhoods
Kolonaki: The best address in town
Sitting at the foot of Lycabettus Hill, Kolonaki is Athens’s smartest neighbourhood. It was the haunt of the city’s intellectuals in the 1930s and home to famous writers such as Nikos Kazantzakis and Angelos Sikelianos. Today it’s brimming with well-heeled charm and neatly coiffed locals strolling through tree-lined streets filled with upmarket boutiques. Filion Cafe is a good spot for people watching; pull up a table on its sunny terrace facing the Church of Saint Dionysius’s towering dome and watch the world go by.
For a spot of retail therapy, check out chic new perfume shop Phāon or minimalist clothing brand Parthenis. Kolonaki is also home to several of the city’s finest cultural institutions, including the Museum of Cycladic Art and the Benaki Museum of Greek Culture – the latter of which overlooks the National Garden.
Koukaki
A relaxed take on Athenian living
Despite being just a short walk from all the major tourist hotspots, Koukaki boasts a leafy serenity that feels a world away from the chaotic energy of central Athens. Located in the shadow of the Acropolis, the neighbourhood is filled with an elegant blend of neoclassical villas and chic mid-century apartment blocks. It’s also home to the National Museum of Contemporary Art, which boasts an extensive collection of 20th-century works housed within a vast former brewery.
Recent years have seen Koukaki attain culinary clout thanks to the opening of various stylish new establishments such as fine-dining eatery Gallina and lively bar-cum-restaurant Voulkanizater, situated in an old auto-repair shop. Another neighbourhood hotspot is Drupes, a low-key bar specialising in spritzes and generous plates of cheese and charcuterie. It’s a particularly popular hangout for the local creative crowd, who perch on upturned wine barrels to enjoy an aperitif on its shady terrace.
Petralona
Easy dining and a stroll in the park
The past few years have seen Petralona become one of Athens’s buzziest neighbourhoods. Troon Street, its central artery, comes alive in the evening with a wealth of top-notch bars and restaurants. Among the finest are Aster, which serves up a modern take on Cretan cuisine, and Taverna Oikonomou, a recently revamped eatery that dates back to 1930. The street is also home to one of the city’s most historic open-air cinemas, Zéphyros, where visitors can catch classic films and new releases under the stars. Merkouri Square, named after legendary Greek actress and politician Melina Merkouri, is also well worth a visit. Here, you can enjoy a coffee at pint-sized art bookshop-cum-cafe Adad Books or try some traditional Greek meze dishes at Rantevou taverna. From the square it’s a short stroll to reach Filopappou Hill, a sprawling green lung dotted with ancient ruins and viewpoints that offer stunning vistas stretching all the way to the Saronic Islands.
