Plaka, Athens

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So, where do people go for entertainment in Athens? The favorite for most visitors is Plaka. With its tree-lined streets and lively cafes and bars, it is the city's most popular hangout. Immigrants from Anafi built this area, in the early 19th century.

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This is one of the districts that every visitor loves to walk into. It's located right beneath Acropolis, with great old houses, small streets, and in some part of it with a lot of tavernas and some nice night spots for live music. No wonder, I’d love to live here, so close to the centre of Athens but it’s too expensive to buy or rent a house here.

What’s more the area is so touristic (not everywhere but you will notice where...) with all that souvenir shops that I cant stand it for too long and the prices in all the restaurants and cafes are much higher than the average. Come here on your way down from Acropolis but if you want to eat in a restaurant here (and you don’t mind to pay something more) come in the night when the atmosphere is lovely with many greeks also around that come because there are some nice clubs with greek live music. The main street is Kidethineon always full of people but even there you can find picturesque corner like small churches (pic 2), deli stores (dont miss Mesogaia with great selection of delicous foods from all over Greece)

Since 1982 Plaka was full of night spots(cabarets etc) that spoiled the image of this nice district and hopefully one great politician, Tritsis, decided to close them down. That's why beyond the "souvenir" streets you can still see how was life in athens some years before. This year some people tried to change the law so they can build big clubs etc but hopefully they cant do it because there are a lot of people that prefer to keep the area like this

My favorite part of Plaka is Anafiotika with houses that were built from people that came from Anafi. That's why the small alleys here will remind you of an island from Cyclades (like Anafi)

I was on Plaka yesterday and I saw shop named Tereza. Ét is interesting, isn´t it? I have already became a fan of http://www.facebook.com/cityofathens since last month and there is so many other tips to do. Included shopping, arts, history and many others!!!

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My favorite neighborhood in Athens, in the shadow of the Acropolis, the Plaka is like a village within the city
The Plaka is the oldest section of Athens. Most of the streets have been closed to automobile traffic, though you should still keep a watchful eye for a speeding motorcycle or delivery truck. At one time it was the nightclub district, but most of these closed down when the government out-lawed amplified music in the area in the seventies in an effort to get rid of undesirables. The strategy was very successful and it is now an area of restaurants, Jewelry stores tourist shops, and cafes. Though it is quite commercialized it is still a neighborhood and arguably the nicest neighborhood in central Athens. Most of the restaurants are typical tourist places, and I am sure with touristy prices as well!

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The Plaka is the oldest section of Athens. Most of the streets have been closed to automobile traffic, and is an area of restaurants, Jewelry stores tourist shops, and cafes. We shopped for gifts here and enjoyed a Greek lunch.

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Pláka is the picturesque old historical neighbourhood of Athens, just under the Acropolis, incorporating labyrinthine streets and neoclassical architecture.

Plaka originates from the days of the Greek revolution. Under the Acropolis Plaka was built by the first construction workers that built Athens main buildings. The settlement of Anafiotika was created in the 19th century by migrants from the Cycladic island of Anafi. They built their houses on the steep slopes of the Acropolis in their traditional island style. Thus, they created a small village with white-washed houses and narrow paths between them.

According to another version, the area took its name from a large plaque founded in Adrianou street. The name initially referred only to one part of the NE tip of the Acropolis, but has later come to mean all the small neighborhoods that composed old Athens.

Plaka is a hotspot for shopping and people watching at night in Athens. Vendors set up blankets in the middle of the avenue and lay out their offerings of fake designer purses, belts, wallets, watches and so on and so forth. Lots of souvenir and specialty shops are in the area as well. Street performers are often occassioned on as well. I really enjoy walking through the streets and doing some shopping, however you must questions the quality of some of the items and always just assume that designer items are counterfeit if sold by an unofficial store.

After a hot a gruelling day of climbing and exploring Acropolis, we were walking down the intricate stone molded paths making our way back to central Athen, we decided to stop at the cute restaurant where we could sit out side under the shade of a trellis with fruit growing and hanging over our heads! I was a great find, we ended up becoming friends with the locals and owners of this establishment but at the first moment, shade and a cold beer were exactly what us three gals needed. The owner spoke english and invited us back that night to watch and listen to some traditional musuc performed live. Inside of the restaurant was much larger then we originally percieved from outside.
Our experience in the evening when we went back was spectacular! It wsnt too crowed, but there was enough people to make it a really good time. The musicians play there 3 nights a week and the mucic was traditional greek with a female singer. The dancing was very interesting to say the least for those who are unfamiliar! We sampled traditional delicious greeks cuisine and complimented it with some strong local wine. I cant even really say what we were eating only that the flavors were bold and flavorsome. If anyone who reads this visits this very cultural and wonderful little restaurant, ask for Dimitri and tell him Jenny, Melanie and Holly from Canada say Hello!