Athens Travel Guide | Part II

Destination
Athens, Greece
Sleep
Apartment in the Sky via Airbnb
Eat
Ergon House |  To Lokali  |  Ariston | Couleur Locale | H Fabrikatou Efrosinou
Shop
Ancient Greek | Melisinos – The Poet Sandalmaker
See
Hadrian’s Library | National Archeological Museum | Anafiotika

What can I say? My love for Athens knows no bounds. I was looking at the price of flights to go back the day after we arrived home in September and my desire to return persists, unabated, since then. The city is crowded and chaotic and not for the faint of heart, it’s true. But if you have an adventurous spirit and even a little bit of money, it is a highly underrated place to have a very affordable and utterly wonderful time. I can’t personally recommend it enough.

Sleep
Apartment in the Sky via Airbnb
I confess: we did not look for anywhere new to stay on our second visit to Athens. At least, not seriously. We loved our last Airbnb so much that we knew that if was available, that’s where we would want to stay again. As luck would have it, it was available, and just as wonderful as we remembered – the balcony views are beyond stunning and it is the best place to spend a hot Athenian afternoon with a glass of wine.

That said, the hotel scene in Athens is booming – and I love a good hotel. If that’s your preference over an apartment, Ergon House, The Foundry, and The Perianth Hotel all look amazing. If I could realistically book a stay at each one, I would!

Eat
My enthusiasm for Greek food was not even the slightest bit dampened by the (relatively severe) case of food poisoning that I contracted halfway through our trip.We ate so well, even when I wasn’t feeling my best and, frankly, I’m sad I didn’t have more of an appetite, because there was so much more that I really wanted to eat. I suppose that means we need to plan another visit!

Ergon House – Mitropoleos 23
We ate more meals at Ergon House, a coffee shop cum hotel cum luxury grocery store cum restaurant, than I can count. And we loved every single one. This is the kind of place that keeps you coming back because everything you eat is so good that you can’t wait to try something else. Attention to detail is spectacular, in both the food and the design of the space. And because they operate a hotel, the opening hours are long, which is a nice bonus. 
To Lokali – Sarri 44
This restaurant is also associated with a new Athens hotel, The Foundry. The vibe is much more casual and relaxed than at Ergon House. You can wile away a sunny afternoon sitting on the very seventies outdoor patio on an orange umbrella, sipping coffee and just watching the world go by. But if you decide to order food, you definitely want to try the scrambled eggs, which were the best (and more original) that I’ve ever tried.
Ariston – Voulis 10
A vintage lover’s delight, this pie shop dates back to 1910. The menu offers pies of every sweet and savoury variety, all warm and ready to eat on the go. It smelled so good when we walked by that we had to stop, and the pies tasted even better than they smelled, especially the bougatsa, a cream-filled phyllo pie that, I promise, tastes far better than my description sounds.
Couleur Locale – Normanou 3
We only stopped for a drink at Couleur Locale, but I still need to include it on this list because if you are in Athens, you don’t want to miss it – the Acropolis view from the rooftop bar is spectacular, and also shadier than at a lot of other rooftop bars in the city, where you can easily find yourself overheating while you enjoy the scenery. Hidden at the end of a passage within the Monastiraki flea market area, it isn’t easy to find – but it’s worth the hunt for the blue neon sign and the elevator that leads up to the roof.
Fabrika tou Efrosinou – Anastasiou Zinni 34
Sometimes, you pass a place and you just know you’ll love it. That’s what happened to us with this restaurant, which was just down the block from where my parents were staying. We walked past it once and I knew we had to try it. When we did, for my birthday dinner, everything was even better than expected – especially the carrot salad. It was basically just carrots. But it was incredibly memorable and, just on its own, justifies a visit to Fabrika tou Efrosinou.

Shop
Much like on our last trip to Athens, my shopping was pretty limited. But when in Greece, you must buy sandals. I brought home not one but two pairs from very different shops – both of which warrant a visit.

Ancient Greek Sandals – Kolokotroni 1
If you want glamour, Athens-style, you want sandals from Ancient Greek. The brand is widely available on Net-a-Porter, and their first store in Athens is a recent addition to the local shopping scene. Tucked away on a corner on Kolokotroni, an increasingly glamourous street, the bi-level shop is a paradise for shoe lovers. And it’s rare that I can say that about a store selling only flats!
Melissinos Art – The Poet Sandalmaker – 16 Tzireon
This shop is the polar opposite of Ancient Greek Sandals. An old hole in the wall, covered in posters of old news articles, the display windows full of stacks of sandals, visiting is a bit like walking into an artisan’s workshop. A messy one. A dog runs amock, and the owner surveys the scene silently while his employees run around filling orders. But despite the chaos (and the general lack of refinement), there is always a crowd. When Jackie O came to Athens, this is where she bought her Greek sandals – and every celebrity under the sun followed suit. Just after our visit, the shop moved from its location in Monastiraki to a site closer to the Acropolis, so things may have changed – and part of me wants to say it will be a shame if they did, because the shop was a truly Athenian experience. But the sandals will still be made to order, measured on your feet and assembled for pick-up the same day at an incredibly affordable price. It’s an shopping experience you don’t want to miss.

See
Athens is an open-air museum, more or less, which is part of what makes it so fascinating. We often spend our days there just wandering around, seeing what new things we might discover. But just as often, we choose to visit one of the endless array of tourist attractions. There are so many that the city really does offer something for everyone, and an almost overwhelming number of options for a truly enthusiastic traveler who wants to do it all.

It is notable that the price of tourist attraction entry doubles most place during high season, which means being a tourist in Athens is (even) more economical from October to March than it is from April to September.

Hadrian’s Library – Aeros 3
I just wrote about Hadrian’s Library, so this recommendation should come as no surprise. I recommend visiting in the early morning, when there are few tourists – the light is beautiful, and the experience is all the more moving when there are no crowds.
National Archeological Museum – 28is Oktovriou 44
If you love sculpture, this museum is a must-see in Athens. It is, admittedly, a bit off the beaten tourist track, but it’s worth the trip. The collection is both extensive and highly underrated. (And the building is air conditionned, which can be a nice break on a hot afternoon.)
Anafiotika – Athens 10558
This adorable old neighbourhood is easy to miss, even with a map, but worth searching for. A Cycladic town within the capital city, nestled just below the Acropolis, it is a truly unique place with spectacular views of the city below – and the ancient city above, too.