The Neighbourhood of the Gods
Hugging the base of the Acropolis, the area extends from Filomousson Square, roughly at the intersection of Kidathinaion and Adrianou Streets, down to Monastiraki. The best way to see Plaka is to simply wander its lanes, chasing glimpses of the Acropolis between the neoclassical buildings, Byzantine churches, cafes, restaurants, and souvenir shops. The prime sights are, of course, the Parthenon and the Acropolis Museum. But do give yourself time to visit smaller gems that highlight less familiar aspects of Greek culture, like the Museum of Greek Folk Art, the Folk Instruments Museum and the fine private art and antiquities collections at the Frissiras and Canellopoulos Museums.
Every corner of this neighbourhood is Instagram-worthy.
Photo: Thomas Gravanis
Anafiotika
Squeezing between Anafiotika’s white-washed dwellings is like exploring a Cycladic village. Indeed, this old quarter was founded by workmen from the island of Anafi. The attraction was double: familiar terrain and cheap land, as the area had been inhabited by refugees and slaves since antiquity. Anafiotika’s boundaries are loosely marked by two 17th-century churches: Agios Georgios tou Vrahou (St George of the Rock) on the east and Agios Simeon on the west. Cats seem to perch everywhere, lace-trimmed curtains ripple in the breeze, the smell of fresh laundry fills the air, and pocket-sized yards are crowded with clay and tin planters brimming with flowers and herbs. Follow the road as it narrows into a path; you’ll see a makeshift sign directing you towards the Acropolis via Theorias, a stone-paved walk around the Acropolis. Double back towards Agios Georgios for a view extending towards Lycabettus hill that brings the city’s landmarks to almost eye level.
Agios Nikolaos Ragavas
Centuries of rain and wind exposed the outer walls of Agios Nikolaos Ragavas and the columns of the ancient temple on which the 9th-century church was built. At the corner of Prytaniou Street and the steps of Epiharmou, this small 11th-century domed church creates an interesting juxtaposition with the Acropolis rising behind it. Originally, the church belonged to the Ragavas household, a great Byzantine family, as was noted on an inscription found on a column during maintenance work in the 1970s. The small bell that hangs inside the temple was the only one available to ring in 1833 to summon the end of nearly 400 years of Ottoman occupation. The use of bells had been prohibited by decree and and they had all been confiscated except for the bell at Agios Nikolaos Ragavas that was kept in a secret crypt. The same bell was again the first to ring on October 12th 1944 after the withdrawal of the German troops.
Agios Nikolaos Ragavas dates back to the 9th century.
Photo: Thomas Gravanis
The Monument of Lysicrates is right on a popular café-covered square.
Photo: Thomas Gravanis
Monument of Lysicrates
The Monument of Lysicrates sits amid an excavated square on the edge of Plaka, almost perpendicular to Hadrian’s Arch and directly below the Acropolis cliff. The square’s shaded cafés are a popular meeting point and offer just enough quiet for some inspired journalling, much like Lord Byron who penned part of Childe Harolde here. The monument tends more towards the odd-looking than the comely: a podium topped by a solid tower with embedded Corinthian columns. In ancient times, the street was packed with many similar monuments erected by wealthy sponsors of the drama festivals at the nearby Theatre of Dionysus as a symbol of their patronage. If the design looks familiar, it probably is: it has been replicated in gardens in the UK, US, and elsewhere. Plaka natives refer to the site as the "lantern of Dimosthenes," as the orator is said to have had the habit of studying until late into the night and of course in order to do so had to use a lantern for light.
The Pikionis Pathway
When Callicrates and Ictinus designed the Parthenon, they set out to create perfection. This is what Dimitris Pikionis had to match when he was tasked with laying the network of pathways around Philopappou Hill, Dionysiou Areopagitou and the Acropolis during the 1960s. Pikionis used material from demolished buildings, ancient pottery pieces, marble and stone artefacts of no archaeological value, as well as contemporary materials such as concrete and bricks to construct the pathways with a mind to create a timeline of the city’s history, myths, past and present. This ingenious idea manifested in an intervention which is hardly noticeable by anyone who happens to be walking along and who isn't familiar with Pikionis' complex feat. As a result, few visitors to the area today realise that the pathways are not ancient but were laid just a few decades ago.
This road isn't as old as it looks.
Photo: Thomas Gravanis
The Benizelos Mansion is the oldest house in Athens.
Courtesy: Benizelos Mansion
Benizelos Mansion
If, like most people, you imagine Athens to be a city of columned promenades and temples, the Benizelos Mansion will take you by surprise. The oldest surviving house in Athens presents a completely different picture of the city’s architectural traditions long before the grand neoclassical design of the modern state’s capital came to be. The austere stone façade of the ground floor, and the small yet double windows more closely resemble mountain style than anything classically-inspired. But the beautifully restored 18th-century residence is typical of the Byzantine and post-Byzantine design preserved in the city’s churches, right down to the arched portico around the inner courtyard. High-ceilinged rooms open to the courtyard, preserving the impenetrable exterior—a typical element of Ottoman architecture’s introverted, protective design. These residences were functional too, so look for the storerooms and an olive or grape press in the rear.