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Athens
Ancient and modern, grungy and graceful,
Athens’ historic centre is a legendary open-air
museum, but it’s also sophisticated,
cosmopolitan and budget-friendly.Looking over Athens
from Filopappou HillSights
Activities Food & drink
MONASTIRAKI
FLEA MARKET
The colourful, chaotic square of
Monastiraki teems with vendors,
creating a festive atmosphere for
a good bargain hunt. Permanent
antique and collectables shops
are open all week, while Adrianou
Street and those around the
station fill with jewellery, craft
and bric-à-brac stalls (btwn
Adrianou, Ifestou & Ermou; daily
May–Oct, closed Thu & Sat
Nov–Apr).ATHENS WALKING
TOUR
Aiming to make Athens a
more wallet-friendly city for
backpackers, Athens Adventures
is a cheap-and-cheerful tour
company offering £7 walking
tours of the city as well as day
trips further afield. The
operation is based at Australian-
owned Athens Backpackers near
the Acropolis. Tours last 2½
hours and focus
on both ancient and modern
attractions, plus some lesser-
known corners of the city
(athensadventures.gr; Makri 12).FILOPAPPOU HILL
Also called the Hill of the
Muses, Filopappou Hill (along
with the Hills of the Pnyx and
Nymphs) was, according to
Plutarch, where Theseus and the
Amazons did battle. Inhabited
from prehistoric times to the
post-Byzantine era, today the
pine-clad slopes are a relaxing
place for a stroll. They offer
excellent views of Attica and the
Saronic Gulf, well-signed ruins
and some of the very best
vantage points for the Acropolis.
To access Filopappou Hill, take
the metro to Akropoli station.ACROPOLIS
Standing sentinel over Athens and
crowned by the Parthenon, the
Acropolis is the most important
ancient site in the Western world.
The Acropolis pass (£17) includes
entry to Athens’ other main
historic sites, such as the Theatre
of Dionysos, the Ancient Agora
and the Temple of Olympian
Zeus; discounts November to
March (odysseus.culture.gr;
8am–8pm Apr–Oct, to 5pm
Nov–Mar).NATIONAL
ARCHAEOLOGY MUSEUM
With more than 11,000 items
in an enormous 19th-century
Neoclassical building, Athens’
flagship museum houses the
globe’s finest collection of Greek
antiquities. Treasures include
exquisite sculptures, pottery,
jewellery, frescoes and artefacts.
Allow half a day (namuseum.gr;
28 Oktovriou-Patision 44;
8am–8pm Apr–Oct, reduced
hours Nov–Mar; £9).CHANGING OF
THE GUARD
Athens’ central square, Plateia
Syntagmatos (Constitution Sq),
is named for the constitution
that was granted by King Otto on
3 September 1843 after uprisings
in the city. Today it’s home to the
Greek parliament. Every hour, the
traditionally costumed evzones
(guards) of the Tomb of the
Unknown Soldier change. On
Sunday at 11am, a whole platoon
marches down Vasilissis Sofias.FRESKO YOGURT BAR
Delicious creamy Greek yoghurt
is the base of all things here,
either fresh or in smoothie form.
You can pair it with any number of
toppings, from healthy pine
honey and walnuts to indulgent
chocolate or black-cherry sweets.
A trip here provides the perfect
cool-off after visiting the
Acropolis (freskoyogurtbar.gr;
Dionysiou Areopagitou 3;
9am–9pm; yoghurt from £1.90).MUSEUM OF GREEK
GASTRONOMY
This free museum creates
specialised displays highlighting
aspects of Greece’s rich culinary
history. Its café-restaurant then
serves up creative dishes (£6 to
£13) tied to the exhibition, and the
shop sells themed goods. It also
has occasional cooking classes
(gastronomymuseum.gr; Agiou
Dimitriou 13; 11am–6pm Tue, to
midnight Wed–Sun, restaurant
5pm–midnight Wed–Sun).The Church of the Pantanassa in
the shopping area of MonastirakiThe Changing of the Guard at the
Tomb of the Unknown SoldierGreek yoghurt is a popular,
cooling snack in AthensFold 2MINI GUIDE
KANELLA
Homemade village-style bread,
mismatched retro crockery and
brown-paper tablecloths set the
tone for this popular modern
taverna serving regional Greek
cuisine in Gazi – a former
industrial district now reimagined.
Friendly staff serve daily specials
such as lemon lamb with
potatoes, and an excellent
zucchini and avocado salad
(kanellagazi.gr; Leoforos
Konstantinoupoleos 70;
1.30pm–late; dishes from £6).