Greece’s charm is found in the variety of experiences it offers. Before arriving in Athens, I spent a few days on the island of Kos for a friend’s wedding. They were married at sunset, with the Aegean Sea bathed in hues of pink and red as the sun dipped below the horizon, the mountains of Turkey just visible beyond the coastline. I spent days swimming in clear turquoise waters, basking on pebble beaches, dipping into thermal baths, and exploring old ancient ruins. We visited a few islands, but by far, my favorite had to be Milos. When it was time to leave the island, Athens was a ferry ride away—a dense city waiting to be explored.

From shows of major international artists like Anselm Kiefer and Cindy Sherman to the debut in Greece of talented visionary painter Yu Nishimura, there's a lot to see in the Greek capital.

Siesta, sun and spritzes.

Here at Fashion Journal, we want to unearth the hidden spots in Australian cities that only the locals know about. There’s no gatekeeping here – this is a breakdown of the best bits of our cities. We want the underrated date spots, favourite restaurants, treasure trove op shops and the bars people will always want to go back to. We also want to sniff out the best spots people find overseas.

This week, 27-year-old Melbourne local Monica Palad takes us through her short stint in Athens, Greece. The fashion marketing and PR professional stayed in Greece’s capital city for two nights between her time in the Greek Islands and Albania. “Athens was never on my bucket list, however, it’s a must,” she says.

When I first visited over two decades ago to research my books on ancient Greece, I found it a sprawling, gridlocked and gritty eyesore with graffiti-covered streets. Back then, most travelers allocated a day to visit the Acropolis, which is crowned by the beloved Parthenon, then fled to the glittering beaches and seafood tavernas of the Aegean islands.

Para garantir que os bairros de Atenas não sejam afetados negativamente pela atividade turística, o Município de Atenas anunciou a realização de um estudo sobre a capacidade de carga turística (TCC).O estudo deverá estar concluído até ao final deste ano e será realizado em três fases pela Agência de Desenvolvimento e Gestão dos Destinos de Atenas (ADDMA), em colaboração com a Universidade do Pireu e os consultores de planeamento Gimisis + Associates.“Estamos a conceber o futuro de Atenas tendo em conta as necessidades da cidade e da sua população”, afirmou o presidente da Câmara de Atenas, Haris Doukas, durante uma reunião aberta realizada entre as partes interessadas no turismo, tais como hotéis, agências de viagens, companhias aéreas, associações de aluguer de curta duração, peritos, académicos e autoridades de Atenas.

Mixologist Georgia Georgakopoulou shares her favourite Athens cocktail bars, from the iconic Galaxy Bar to newcomer Feelin' Good.For Georgia Georgakopoulou, former bar manager of award-winning drink destination The Clumsies and one of the city's premier bartenders, nightlife is nothing new in her ancient-meets-modern hometown.
"I believe Athens is a city that never rests," she says, when we ask her to name the hottest cocktail bars in town. "Dionysian festivals are part of our history. We've been drinking since then."

Athens is one of the world's oldest cities. The Greek capital offers fans of the ancient world more than their money's worth, but there's plenty to discover beyond the Acropolis and the Parthenon.

More than 23 million people arrived in Greece between January and October 2023. Some 6 million of these people landed at the Athens International Airport, showing a 28.4 percent year-over-year growth in the country's tourism. Yes, it was a record year for Athens, but really, the capital city has always been a travel favorite thanks to its fantastic historical sites, its drool-worthy food, and, of course, its hospitality — especially at its world-class hotels.