13 amazing things to do in Athens
As one of the world’s oldest cities, there's no surprise at the sheer amount of things to do in Athens – the destination is a master of reinvention. After a dark decade on the brink of Grexit, Athens has morphed into southern Europe’s capital of cool. Long weekenders are swooping in to check out the exciting food scene and check into the new wave of cool hotels in Athens. Artists and designers are settling in for good, lured by affordable rents, the promise of sunshine, and an anarchic spirit where you don’t have to play by the rules. There’s nothing orderly about Athens: traffic is chaotic, life is messy, the architecture a mash-up of Byzantine and Bauhaus, neoclassical and nondescript. The Parthenon still dominates the skyline – and will forever be one of the key things to do in Athens – but for most Athenians the antiquities embedded among tightly packed apartment blocks are an afterthought. It’s in the graffitied backstreets and café-lined squares, the factories converted into galleries, bars hidden in arcades, and secret coves for skinny dipping where the heartbeat of Athens is racing. Beyond the classics, these are the best things to do in Athens.
Financial Times -
Athenian wine bars are uncorking stellar bottles from local vineyards to match island-hopping delicacies. The Greeks know a thing or two about wine – as they should: they’ve been making it for the past 6,500 years.
Wine Spectator Magazine
Greek Revival - A modernizing wine industry lights the way in this ancient land... by Kim Marcus
The New York Times -
A low-key but excellent wine bar, Heteroclito celebrates the Greek vineyard, which has been growing in body, flavor and international respectability.
Travel by Air France -
Heteroclito: oenology is Greek Oenos means ‘wine' and logos means ‘speech'… and yes, the Greeks invented oenology!
Huffington Post -
Score one for me! The first spot on his “eat and drink our way through Athens” list was a bar that I was not only familiar with, it’s also one of my favorite places to grab a drink in Athens.
Lonely Planet -
Wine Bar in Syntagma & Plaka This relaxed wine bar, all mismatched vintage furniture, showcases the best of Greek vintages, paired with Greek cheeses and cold cuts. It periodically organises tasting events.
Spotted by Locals -
Heteroclito – Finest wine varieties in Athens It’s Thursday afternoon in mid April, the center of Athens hits record-breaking high temperatures and I am walking down Ermou St. heading to a friend’s workplace near Mitropoleos Square.
Wine and Spirits Magazine
Heteroclito, a vibrant, cozy French-style bistro, straddles the border between the shopping district and the historical center of Athens. It’s the perfect place to take a break while you walk around the city.
The Guardian
Athens' new-school wine bars The economic crisis that has plagued Greece for the past five years has led to changes on the Athenian culinary scene, including the opening of three new types of venues that seem to be reflective of the times.