Athens is a multifaceted city with a rich history and honorary statuses, such as the homeland of democracy, philosophy, theater, the Olympic Games of our time and with the ancient heart – acropolis. The Greek capital is contrasting and temperamental, like its locals. Athens is a city outside of time and outside of space, full of wonderful places and pleasant discoveries.
Interesting excursions from local residents in Athens
Constantly lives in Athens since 2013. In this article, she talks about secret and cozy places in the city, which only local are known about.
Which area to choose for living
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The historical center of the city is compact. All the main attractions are close to each other and you can get to them if you live in one of such areas as posters, Tisio, Kukaki, Macriyanni, Sintagma, Monastiraki, Kolonaki. With clear planning and unhurried rest, all significant historical monuments can really be seen and visited in 2-3 days.
During long travels in the warm season, and especially in the hot months (from mid -June to mid -September),
In Athens, it is better to relax according to the scheme: the center with sights for a couple of days and the sea vacation in the southern regions of Athens on the remaining days. Few people know, Athens – the only European capital with access to the open sea, with city beaches and a huge embankment, called the Attic Riviera, with a length of almost 70 kilometers. In this case, for relaxation by the sea, the areas of PE PHOO Faliro, Alim, Glyifada, Wula, Vuliagmens, Varkiza are suitable. For a quiet and secluded vacation – anavissos and saronida.
Hotels:
Hotel 2* BedBox Hostel – accommodation from 1,126 rubles/day;
Hotel 3* Hotel Pythagorion – accommodation from 2,842 rubles/day;
Hotel 3* Centrotel Hotel – accommodation from 2,895 rubles/day;
Hotel 4* on the Sintagma Sintagma Hotel – accommodation from 7,730 rubles/day;
Hotel 4* Coco-Mat Hotel Nafsika-accommodation from 8,060 rubles/day;
Hotel 5* with a view of the Electra Metropolis Acropolis – accommodation from 12 019 rubles/day;
Sweet HOME HOTEL Cozy BUTIC Hotel-BUTICS-accommodation from 5,743 rubles/day.
Along with the list of the best areas, there is an unofficial list of the worst areas, in which it is advisable not to stop due to the non-parade side of life: homonia, exarchy, Napoli, Victoria, Kato Patissia and near the railway station Larissis.
Where to eat
Most Greeks have a cup of coffee instead of breakfast, and cold. Frapp is served in a high glass with a straw. The tonic coffee drink is from the Greek city of Thessaloniki, it is ideal in the summer heat. At another time of the year, the Greeks prefer the cold Fredo Kapuchino. Traditional Greek coffee is prepared in a Turk and on hot sand.
Delicious coffee of different types can be tasted in Mokka (Athinas, 44). The cost of 1.5 euros per cup, additionally, a piece of handmade rakhat-lobster is served as a compliment to Greek coffee (with the taste of rose and masticha-delightful!).
It is customary to buy coffee with them from the Greeks at local institutions: Mikel, Everest, Grygoris, Coffee Island at a price of 1 euro per paper cup with a drink.
In the morning, the Athenians can afford the Kuluri – sesame seeding on the run before work. Sold at a fixed price – 50 cents apiece right on the street.
However, the latest, just pulled out of the stove, hot kuluri can be bought in the bakery to Koulouri Tou Psirri (Karaiskaki, 23). By the way, this is one of the few stores working in Athens around the clock, offering the delivery of bagels to houses and offices on branded mopeds.
At a snack, local residents choose pies from the thin dough of fillo, which are called Pete in Greece. Spanakpit – a pie with spinach, ticopia – with cheese, which with chicken. The cost is from 1.2 euros for a huge piece of cake.
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Satter and fresh are sold on Ermma Street, 98 in the Fresh bar Cardia Café. The owner of Greek Vasilis also offers freshly squeezed freesh from 80 cents per glass.
It is best to feel the taste of real Greek Mediterranean cuisine with fish and seafood in the central market of Varvakios (Athinas, 42). A huge selection of fresh sea delicacies – octopuses, squid, mussels, shrimp. For gourmets – oysters, local mollusks, caviar of sea urchins. The advantage is that taverns work in the market where all this can be tasted: a grill dorada, octopus on charcoal, rings of squid, royal shrimp, mussels in olive-shift sauce.
Pay attention to the Tavern OI Filoi, where the hostess, Greek Anna, at the end of the meal treats with sweet compliments. The portions are large, it is better to take one dish for two from the calculation. The average check per one is from 15 euros. Keep in mind that the hours of work are daily from Monday to Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 5 pm.
The Greek cuisine does not provide for the preparation of the first hot dishes. If you really want a soup, then for Magiritsa from giblets or a rich patsa at a price of 8 euros per portion, you should go to the Epirus tavern (in the Varvakios market).
Tasty pumpkin, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes are prepared in the Vegetarian cafe Avocado (Nikis, 30) at a price of 6 euros per serving.
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The Greeks have the main meal – a late dinner, it begins no earlier than 21:00. Until that time, light snacks in the form of a Greek salad are welcomed at lunch and afternoon snack, and in Greek, the salad is called “rustic”-Khoryatiki.
The Athenians eat Greek yogurt with a sweet filler of jam and marmalade. Be sure to try a bomb based on goat yogurt (without a specific smell) with a hazelnut. The awesome and unique taste is made in the Fresko Yogurt Bar Acropoli yogurt bar at Dionysio Areopagitou, 3. A glass of smoothie costs from 4.5 euros.
To visit Athens and do not taste a hearty giros (chopped meat removed by a knife from the spin, with the addition of potatoes, onions, tomatoes and cucumber-shousing of Dzadzika, all this wrapped in a cake)? The most delicious gyro is prepared on the Monastiraki Square in Kebaby Leassis, Savvas, Bairaktaris. The cost of giros is from 2 euros.
Delicious ice cream in the center of Athens: In Le Greche (Mitropoleos, 16a), be sure to try the taste of mochito, in Davinci (Adrianou, 50), select from more than thirty different tastes, and in small homemade jalateria Cremino (Nikis, 50 a) offer ice cream with natural and rare tastes. A ball of ice cream costs from 2 euros.
From the height of the bird flight, Athens are represented by an even more magnificent and immense white city with dense development. An enchanting view of the Monastiraki Square, the old city of the posture and Hill Acropolis open from the panoramic roof located at the hotel a for athens. On the top floor there are a two-tier cafe-bar and a restaurant with an amazing cocktail card and cold appetizers, and the view from there is just a sight for sore eyes (Miaouli, 2). In the daytime, cocktails cost from 6 euros.
Gurmans and connoisseurs of Greek cuisine should go to the restaurants of Kuzina (Adrianou, 9),
Kiouzin (Likavittou, 16),
Avissinia (Kinetou, 7). Average account from 50 euros.
Greek wines are not inferior to French and Georgian. A huge selection of local dry wines is located in tasting kawas: Vintage Wine Bar & Bistro (Mitropoleos, 66),
Oinoscent (voulis 45-47),
Yoleni’s Greek Gastronomy Center (Solonos, 9). From red dry, order agorgic and Mavrodafni, from the White – Malaguzi and Assortico. A tasting glass costs from 3 euros.
What to see (non -tourist places, unusual places)
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National Botanical Garden Located in the very center of the city next to Sintagma. The former royal garden was artificially defeated in the middle of the 19th century, seedlings of trees and shrubs were brought from all over the world. Nowadays, for local residents, the garden serves as a salvation in the sultry heat and from the bustle of the city. A pond with turtles and goldfish, geese and ducks, enclosures with deer and rabbits, peacocks and parrots are transferred to the world of wildlife. The palm alley and the sunny clock are the pride of the park. The botanical garden works all daylight hours – from dawn to sunset.
Picturesque and miniature Church of St. Demetrius of the Lumbardian (Church of Agios Demetrios Loumbardiaris) was built in the 17th century in greenery on the slope of the Filopapper hill. A special and very quiet place transfers to another era, there you do not feel the frantic rhythm of the city, but only silence and harmony.
Kalimarmaro stadium. The marble “horseshoe” was built for holding the Olympic games of our time in 1896 and accommodates up to 50 thousand spectators. This is the only place where there is an audio guide, including in Russian, but tourists inside the unit, most prefers to look at the stadium outside. Few people know that there is a cave in the stadium, which leads to the Museum of the Olympic movement, where posters and torches are stored, including from the Moscow Summer Olympiad of the 80th year, from the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014. The cost of the input ticket is 5 euros.
The ancient district of Tisio With ancient mansions, the posters are in no way inferior to the tourist area, but mostly local residents walk there. One of the first open -air cinemas, the current observatory, the Church of St. Marina is only a part of the objects that can be seen in Tisio. The main thing is to throw along the streets of the city and sit at the table of any of the cafes you like.
Anaphiotics – The residential area of the island type, located at the very foot of the acropolis. The descendants of the builders from the Cycosa archipelago live in their closets surrounded by lemon and fig trees, and among the whitened narrow streets, well -fed cats walk. Two dozen residential houses have been preserved in this area, and one of the best views of the city opens from the “balcony” of anapiotics.
Cultural Center of Stavros Niarhos He opened his doors in early 2017. The complex, built in the latest technology on the site of the former hippodrome, consists of buildings of the National Library and the National Theater. An ideal place for walking with children and in order to go to the sea. Near the picturesque bay, Marina Flizva is located, where the military battleship Orphan is moored – the current museum on the water.
Sports complex OAKA Located in the north of the city in the Athenian suburb of Marusi. It was here in 2004 that the Summer Olympic Games took place. Objects on the territory of the complex are active, and bizarre forms. On the way to the OAK on a suburban train (green metro line), it is possible to see how and what the northern Athenians live, almost the whole way along the rails is a ground.
What to do
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1. Campaigns in museums. A rich collection of coins is stored in a numismatic museum occupying the former residential palace of the self-scientist Henry Shliman. The entertaining exposition of Greek treasures of various temporary years is stored in the Museum of Modern Art of Benaki. For originals and lovers of a car – a unique Hellenic Motor Museum Museum.
2. Open -air spa. 25 kilometers from the city center is the thermal lake of Vulogmen, glorified by its healing properties and inhabitants – Garra Rufa fish. When bathing, the fish surround the human body and bite it, thereby making massage and cleansing him of coarse skin. The temperature in the lake does not drop below +22 degrees all year round. On weekdays, the entrance costs 12 euros, the weekend – 15 euros.
3. With children, you can go to Zoo in the spat area In the suburbs of Athens, near the Elefterios Veniselos International Airport. A visit to one of the best zoos in Europe does not leave indifferent not only children, but also adults. Local life hack: To combine the pleasant with useful, after the zoo go to the large designer outlet McArthurglen, located in the neighborhood.
4. Mount Pandif. Wildlife lovers should go to the north of the city in the Parkinifa Park, where deer, foxes, hares live freely. At an altitude of 1000 meters above sea level for fans of gambling, they opened the Mont Parnassus casino.
5. Saronic Gulf islands. One day you can get to the Piray’s Athenian port and buy a ticket for one of the six islands of the Saronic Gulf with unique architecture and nature. The fishing Salamin, the pistachio island of Aegin, the emerald tonsillitis, the royal specials, the bohemian island of Hydra, the artistic growth are relatively close to the Greek capital.
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