The demonstrations in Athens have been minor in recent weeks and it may be that the population has understood that tourists are wary of traveling to the Greek capital. Austerity measures have exacerbated a bad situation here, with Greeks and migrants rummaging through rubbish bins in the capital. However, the Greek media reports that tourism will increase by 40% over last year’s figures. Whether this is true or not remains to be seen.
There was a demonstration yesterday, but a protest in the name of the environment, not overtly political. It was irritating as the main streets were closed to traffic and it cost me 3 euros more than usual plus an extra half an hour to get to Plaka, my favorite area of Athens.
Plaka is an amazing place, situated under the shadow of the Acropolis and the Parthenon; It has a magical atmosphere and is bustling with tourists and Athenians strolling the ancient marble streets, most of which are pedestrianized. It has beautifully restored neoclassical buildings and many souvenir shops and restaurants. There you can haggle and that is also true in shops that sell gold jewelry.
Kidathenaeion street is one of those streets in Plaka that has everything from traditional taverns and restaurants to cafes, pizzerias, ice cream parlors and a small bar covered from floor to ceiling with colored glass bottles that has been there for at least a century. , to museums and souvenir shops. There is even a mini market on that street. It comes alive at night and even though Greece is in recession, it still lives up to its name: the joke -plaka, the place to have fun. It’s the center of frivolity during the buildup to the last weekend of Carnival when you can’t walk down that street without getting hit on the head with a big plastic hammer and covered in foam and streamers.
It’s also the best street for people watching and you can see the now older men who have made their money over the years doing just that and picking up men who want to go to brothels or strip clubs and taking a commission for women shopping. These men are now an endangered breed, but you can still see them sitting in a cafe in a position commanding a view of the entire street.
There is a children’s museum down the street, as well as an art gallery and a beautiful Byzantine church. If you are lucky enough to be there at Easter, you will see the procession to the church on Good Friday and the people who go there for the celebrations at midnight on Holy Saturday, when there are red eggs to break between them. These are supplied by the taverns for customers who want to eat the traditional soup and roast lamb after midnight on Saturday.
Even in winter this street is worth a visit. It starts at Philellinon street, which is a stone’s throw from the parliament building in Syntagma square, so it’s within walking distance of the city center and well worth a visit in my opinion.