Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1
A CITY WITH A VIEW
Athens is a city built on hills. Most famous is the
Acropolis
itself, which forms the backdrop to all
the finest views of the city and whose summit also offers wonderful vistas across the metropolis
and out to Pireás and the sea. But there are dozens of other viewpoints throughout Athens.
Some of the finest views are from the café terraces of
Thissío
, packed in the early evening as the
setting sun picks out the ancient monuments - try
Athinaion Politeia
(p.106) or dine on the roof
at
Filistron
(p.106). There are other great views from the roof bar at the
Hotel Grande Bretagne
(p.80), Lykavitós Hill (below), Odhós Eólou (p.83),
45°
(p.108) and from Filopáppou Hill (p.86).
Athinais Cultural Complex
Kastoriás 34-36 •
W
athinais.com.gr • Metro Keramikos
A magnificent restoration of an early twentieth-century silk factory, the
Athinais Cultural
Complex
contains a theatre, music space, movie screen, exhibition halls, a museum and
a sizeable conference centre. The museum shop is full of lavish - and lavishly priced
- arty gifts, while upstairs are galleries with temporary exhibitions. Details of what's on
can be found on the website or in the local press.
Kolonáki and the museum quarter
Kolonáki
is the city's most chic central address and shopping area. Walk up from
Sýndagma, past the jewellery stores on Voukourestíou, and you can almost smell the
money. It's also from Kolonáki that a funicular hauls you up
Lykavitós Hill
, where some
of the best views of the city can be enjoyed. The neighbourhood's lower limits are
defined by the streets of Akadhimías and Vassilísis Sofías, where grand Neoclassical
palaces house embassies and
museums
.
Platía Kolonakíou
The heart of Kolonáki is a square officially called Platía Filikís Eterías, but known to all as
Platía Kolonakíou
, after the ancient “little column” that hides in the trees on the southwest
side. Dotted around the square are kiosks with stocks of foreign papers and magazines, or
in the library of the
British Council
on the south side of the square you can check out the
British press for free. The surrounding cafés are almost invariably packed with Gucci-clad
shoppers - you'll find better value if you move away from the square a little. In the dozens
of small, upmarket
shops
the accent is firmly on fashion and designer gear.
Lykavitós Hill
Lykavitós Hill
offers tremendous views, particularly from late afternoon onwards - on a
clear day you can see the mountains of the Peloponnese. After dark, the shimmering
lights of Athens spread right across the Attica basin. To get to the summit you can take
the
funicular
(daily 9am-2.30am; every 30min, more frequent at busy times; €7 return)
or you can walk. The funicular begins its ascent from Odhós Aristípou, near the top of
Ploutárhou. To get here is in itself something of a climb - though it doesn't look far from
Kolonáki Square, it's a steep ascent through the stepped residential streets. To do the
journey the lazy way take bus #060 to the base of the funicular - this starts its journey at
the terminus beside the National Archeological Museum and has handy stops on
Akadhimías. The principal
path
up the hill begins from the western end of Aristípou
above Platía Dhexamenís, rambling through woods to the top. It's not as long or as hard a
walk as it looks - easily done in twenty minutes - though the top half offers little shade.
On the summit, the brilliantly white chapel of
Áyios Yióryios
dominates - a spectacular
place to celebrate the saint's name-day if you're in Athens at the time. Just below it,
