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 by LilaselLeave a Comment
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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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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.
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 by Sharon
This is probably one of the most if not The most touristy area of Athens.
BUT its also the most beautiful part of Athens.
Lots of narrow allies, beautiful and colorful small houses & terraces, small cafes & restaurants and lots of souvenir shops.
Once again i was so glad to visit there at the time i was cause such few tourist was around and mostly locals was hanging out in the cafe's.
I loved walking around, exploring the small narrow streets, looking at this houses, so peaceful so calm... sometimes made me feel like i was going back in time.....
I wouldn't want to walk there during summer time when all the mass of tourists & Locals will be out there... Leave a Comment Address: Ask anyone..
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 by Sharon
Much much narrow alleys, So quiet, really small and crowded houses, painted with the so well known colors of blue and white, no cafe's no restaurants no souvenir shops just a real small Greek neighborhood. Anafiotika.
Walking there gives you the chance to see the real way of living there.
That captured my heart, i went there twice, had to see it again and to explore it more carefuly. Leave a Comment
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 by mykonosLeave a Comment Address: City centerDirections: Monastiraki train station
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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 I was told, 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. Their plans a rather successful one; it is now an area of restaurants, tourist shops, and cafes. Though it is quite commercialized it is still a neighborhood and arguably the nicest neighborhood in central Athens.
The Plaka is loaded with archaeological sites both large and small. The famous Tower of the Winds is just a block up from Adrianou on Aeolou street and it is a part of the ancient Roman Agora Directions: The Plaka is under the Acropolis. There are two main streets: Kydatheneon and Adrianou. Kydatheneon begins at Nikis st, which is one block down from Constitution (or Syntagma) Square.
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 the old Plaka and the new city by mindcrime
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.
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) Directions: under the acropolis
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 A Cyclades village in the
heart of the city by Crift
But my favorite spot is Anafiotika. This area of Plaka is on the Northern slope of the Acropolis and it takes its name from its first inhabitants, the people of the Cycladic island of Anafi. This is how the story goes:
A good deal of the post-ottoman Athens buildings were built by the builders of Anafi, famous for their skills and craftmanship. These people left their island and moved to Athens to make a living, but the nostalgia they felt for their island made them build their houses on the slope of Acropolis in a style that reminded them of their island. More than a century later, this area is still standing well preserved and it gives me an illusion of island life whenever I walk its narrow alleys. Leave a Comment Address: Northern slope of Acropolis
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 A view of Eolos Street by SirRichard
You can get here from Monastiraki or Syntagma metro stations.
Though nice to have a walk around with the Acropolis as background, for lunch & dinner I prefer the nearby quarter of Psiri, not as spoiled (yet) as Plaka. Leave a Comment
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