Politics has been front and centre at Syntagma (Greek for ‘constitution’) ever since an 1843 revolt forced King Othon to give in to the demands for a national constitution. The square’s location facing Parliament has since established it as the main site for demonstrations and election rallies. Like Athens itself, Syntagma Square has changed through the centuries. The luxury hotels on the northern side preserve the glamour of the post-Othon era (late 19th century) and some of the spirited cafe life of the 1970s. Today, it’s less a destination and more a meeting place. Even Athenians arrange to rendezvous at Syntagma, usually referred to simply as ‘the centre’, as this is where the city’s main streets and public transport routes converge. When tasked with designing the capital of newly independent Greece in the 1830s, city's planners Eduard Schaubert and Stamatis Kleanthes intended for the Royal Palace (the building that now houses the Greek Parliament) to be built at Omonia Square, their city centre of choice, while Syntagma Square would be the eastern end of the city. Their plan was not approved, so it was Bavarian architect Michael Koch who transformed the square which was divided into two sections; the upper square, today known as "Parliament Square" or "Unknown Soldier”, and the lower square, today's Syntagma Square. Due to their height difference, the two sections were joined by a marble staircase.

Shopping for Lenten seafood, Easter lamb, or Christmas pork at the city’s central meat and fish market is a tradition among the city’s residents that dates back to the late 19th century. But even outside the holidays, the Varvakios Market is a modern incarnation of the ancient agora as vendors and shoppers haggle over sides of beef and politics as the sun rises. Be warned: this is not a place for the squeamish, so if you balk at the sight of the butcher’s knife, stick to the lanes surrounding the covered market where you’ll find stalls selling a cornucopia of cheeses, glistening green and black olives, chunks of sesame halva, wreaths of garlic, and hand-picked herbs. Hungry? Try one of the old-style mageiria (workers’ canteens) in or around the market.

The grand ambitions of the ‘modern’ urban planners are captured in three fine neoclassical buildings: the Athens Academy, the University and the Library. Activity swirls in and around these architectural gems as the university’s portal is often the staging ground for protests, under the watchful eye of the revolutionary poet Rigas Feraios, whose statue sits out front. Peek inside the austere façade’s portico at the colourful murals depicting scenes from history and mythology, a hint of the richly-decorated interior with columned ceremonial halls and gold-edged ceiling decorations.

The Library, with its sweeping marble staircase, and the Academy, with its elaborate statuary, were both designed by Theophil Hansen but on a more lavish scale. The Academy and University are often open, so you can wander in and out. The Library’s main collection has relocated to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre and the old building now serves as a reading hall. Leonidas Drossis’ glimmering white sculptures of Athena, Apollo, Plato, and Socrates against the blue Attic sky make a great backdrop for your Athens holiday snaps.