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There is not just one city that never sleeps. Athens is just as fast-paced as New York, albeit less known for it. Here, the sun smiles all over your face and in the heart of every Greek. You can feel this joie de vivre in the music, on the beaches and even in the food, because here you don’t just eat, you enjoy. In Athens, people hold hands, dance sirtaki late into the night and still sit together when the first rays of sunshine have long since risen over the Peloponnese. Photographer John Athimaritis loves nothing more than taking pictures of his homeland and shows us in June why we should get on a plane and head straight to Athens.
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Living
The Hotel Hera is located at the foot of the Acropolis. Everything is just right here, from the ideal location, especially for night owls, to the breakfast, the rooms and the price. Shopping fans are better off booking their bed in the middle of the old town at the Periscope Hotel in Kolonaki. The stylish rooms and the Jacuzzi on the roof are among the reasons why a visit is worthwhile.
Hotel Hera, Falirou 9, 11742, Acropoli, Athens, herahotel.gr
Periscope Hotel, Charitos 22, 10675 Athens, periscope.athenshotels.it
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Food
The Osterman Bar Restaurant is known for its retro bistro style, really good food (try the mussels with roast potatoes) and cocktails that really get you going. If you like music as well as good drinks, head to the Drunk Sinatra Bar or dance until dawn at the Tiki Bar Athens. Hot parties take place in the rooftop bar Gazarte, for a coffee and a piece of homemade chocolate with the right jazz soundtrack, head to Halandri in the Petite Fleur.
Osterman Bar Restaurant, Plateia Ag.Irinis 10, Athens
Drunk Sinatra Bar, Thiseos 16 Syntagma, 10562 Athens, facebook.com
Tiki Bar Athens, 15 Falirou Street, Makrygianni, Athens, tikiathens.com
Gazarte, Voutadon 34, 11854 Athens, gazarte.gr
Petite Fleur, Omirou 44, 15232 Athens, facebook.com
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Shopping
Vassilis Zoulias sells clothes inspired by films from the 50s and 60s: Beautiful and definitely worth a visit to his boutique. Bargains can be found at Kilo Shop, one of the best addresses when it comes to second-hand fashion. Funny detail: Here you pay for your clothes by the kilogram. Organic fashion is available at Heel Shop, while expensive and exclusive clothes can be found at Ionna Kourbela. Apivita Natural Cosmetics’ new store in Kolonaki is a must for beauty fans – the basis for the creams and oils is honey. If you like sweets, try the treats from the Sweet Alchemy display, while Greek art can be found either in the Benaki Museum or in the Zoumboulakis Gallery.
Vassilis Zoulias, Akadimias 4, 5th floor, Kolonaki, Athens, vassiliszoulias.com
Kilo Shop, Ermou 112, 10554 Athens, facebook.com
Heel Shop, Doiranis 72, Kallithea, Athina 176 72, heelshop.gr
Ionna Kourbela, 109 Adrianou St. & 12 Hatzimihali St., 105 58 Plaka, Athens, ioannakourbela.com
Apivita Natural Cosmetics’, 6 Solonos Str., 10673 Athens, apivita.com
Sweet Alchemy, Irodotou 24, Kolonaki 10675Athens
Benaki Museum, Koumpari 1, Athens, benaki.gr
Zoumboulakis Gallery, 20 Kolonaki, 10673 Athens, zoumboulakis.gr
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Party
Finding the tap-dancing bear in Athens is more difficult than you might think. The addresses with the best parties are a better-kept secret than the recipe for the tastiest tzatziki. Talk to the locals around Gazi or Kolonaki, smile in a friendly manner and ask for tips. And if that doesn’t work out: bands regularly play on the large stage of the 4711 Live Bar in Kolonaki, and their gigs also regularly turn into memorable parties.
4711 Live Bar, Karneadou 25, 10675 Athens, facebook.com
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Quarters
For extensive shopping, stroll through Kolonaki, Glyfada or Halandri and along Ermou Street. Take an afternoon stroll through the Areopagitou pedestrian zone, through Thisio or Plaka, and sit down in one of the bars near Agias Eirinis or Kartisi Square in the evening.
Must do
The best way to discover Athens is on foot. Start at Gazi, walk through Thisio and along Andrianou Street, where you can sit in one of the small cafés and enjoy the view over the Acropolis. Then it’s on to the flea market in Monastiraki. If you can tear yourself away from the huge range of products on offer from the traders afterwards, you can eat your way through the Greek delicacies at Café Avissinia on the square of the same name while a local band performs their songs.
Flea market in Monastiraki, Avissynias Square, 10555 Athens
Café Avissinia, Kinetou 7, 10555 Athens, avissinia.gr
Events
European Jazz Festival, 1. June
Five days of straight jazz, funk, jazz rock and ethnic jazz in Athens’ Gazi district.
Peiraios 100 Gazi, 11854 Athens, technopolis-athens.com
Rockwave Festival, 11. July
Greece’s largest open-air rock festival takes place over three days on the Terra Vibe site.
Eptanisou 3, 11257 Athens, rockwavefestival.gr
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John Athimaritis
is a photographer.
Loves his neighborhood and the morning sunshine over Athens.
Hates a lack of respect for the history and beauty of a city.
www.jathimaritis.com