Visit Plaka, known as the “Neighbourhood of the Gods,” to eat, shop and drink in the shadows of many ancient attractions.

Explore Plaka by foot and wind your way around its labyrinth of pedestrian streets and alleys. This neighbourhood was the original site of the ancient Athens residential area. The historic Adrianou Street is the main thoroughfare of the neighbourhood and is a gateway to several other attractions. Get lost in the narrow, winding side streets and find many art galleries, boutiques and tourist shops, bars, cafés and restaurants.

Find a seat in the shade under one of the big umbrellas that line the outdoor seating areas of many restaurants in the area. Relax with a cool drink and watch the street performers. Many restaurants here provide mezedes, traditional dishes of tapas-like cuisine. These dishes go well with a glass of ouzo, an aniseed liquor poured over ice cubes.

Wander through the streets and take your pick of several ancient Athenian attractions. Choose to explore the Ancient Agora of Athens, Monastiraki Square, the Library of Adrianos or the Tower of the Winds.

Visit one of the nearby museums, which include the Jewish Museum of Greece, the Museum of Greek Folk Art and the Athens University Museum. Hike up to Anafiotika, a small neighbourhood within Plaka, higher up the slopes of the Acropolis. This scenic oasis looks like it was lifted from a Greek island, and features ancient Cycladic architecture and tumbling purple Bougainvillea flowers.

Plaka is easily accessible from the Monastiraki train station. The Athens public transportation system is affordable and integrated, so you can easily use Plaka as a starting point from which to visit other areas using the local metro trains, buses and trams. Plaka’s central location as a hub for shops, restaurants and bars makes it a great place to visit any time of the day, and an especially good place to take a couple of hours solace from the summer sun in the early afternoon.