Nothing beats walking round a city to get to know it (sorry for sounding like broken record here!) but getting lost in winding alleyways, turning a corner and falling upon a lovely little café with outdoor tables and chairs, it connects you to a place previously unknown…

After spending a day exploring the old town on our own (indulging Arianna’s and my shared passion for pretty doors, something best done alone!) and experiencing the mind-blowing Acropolis, our last day we met up with the Urban Adventures team to fill in the gaps with their Athens Bohemian Tales of the City tour. It was brilliant being able to ask Alexandra and Rebecca every question that came up as we made our way from Syntagma Square past the tourist-packed changing of the guard (in front of the old Royal Palace, now the Parliament building) to see some pretty little boutiques in the posher part of town.

We then headed down the main and incredibly wide Panepistimiou Street; home to the National Library of Greece (super impressive inside but no photos inside allowed!), Numismatic Museum of Athens and Athenian Neoclassical Trilogy. This was a part of town we had managed to miss altogether on our own wanderings.

Making our way downtown to the bustling fish and meat market, at the many food and nut stalls we tasted the most incredible fresh peanut butter before stopping at Mokka Speciality Coffee to try Greek coffee the authentic way – with Greek sweet treats and damn, it’s strong!

Next we passed the flower market and wound into the Monastiraki flea market perusing leather shops and arty cafés including the amazing courtyard Taf Metamatic café and art space on Normanou 5. Needless to say we trailed behind snapping pictures almost making us late for an incredible lunch in the most surprising rooftop location, Couleur Locale. Buzzing with cool kids and kind of place you’d never know about unless you were shown… And less that 15 minutes walk from our base, boutique art hotel New Hotel in the Plaka district…

 

 

Thank you to Athens Urban Adventures for a such a fantastic tour and find out more about what to do in Athens at Discover Greece and see daily flights to Athens at Aegean Air.

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All shot on Olympus Pen F with 17mm lens