Just off the incredibly tourist beaten paths in nearby central Plaka, there is a quaint and interesting area called Anafiotika. Just 100 meters or so from the hustle and bustle of the Plaka restaurants and tourist shops is a relatively steep climb to this bluff near the base of the Acropolis. With stark white plaster homes, this small area might strike you as being straight out of a small village on a distant Greek isle. With very narrow pathways and real people residing there, one feels both fascinated and embarrassed to be possibly intruding on local residents…
Apparently built by stonemasons brought to Athens to fix certain important buildings a century or so ago, their descendants are said to still occupy many of these quaint, shoebox-sized homes. The pathways are so narrow that you can hear radios and televisions turned on if you pass through the area at midday, though I felt we were intruding less during the day than if we attempted to visit in late afternoon or the evening. Certain areas have been cordoned off to keep the tourists away, but residents are used to seeing people walk by nonetheless…
A lot of homes still hang their laundry out to dry, and the white walls and walkways are punctuated with flower pots filled with blooms. I imagine you could easily smell what was cooking for dinner if you were around at the right time!
And from the top of this “village,” you get a pretty good view of part of the city of Athens. It’s so close to the Plaka, that we were pleasantly surprised how deserted it was the day we walked through Anafiotika. But do try to try to be as quiet as you can be…
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Wow, MM!
From your posts on Greece, I am now dreaming and praying I get to visit that country one day…. It looks so beautiful and life so very simple… not to mention that the food looks incredibly healthy and delicious!
Is this the “white with a blue accent” houses I always see on televisions and in movies??? The houses looks so pretty and I am not even a fan of the color white.
One of my favorite things to do while travelling is to look at old structures like a house, that is associated with the place.=)
The flowers are so pretty.=)
AleXena, actually the white homes are more characteristic of the Greek islands, but this place certainly replicates it pretty well. The area is small, but interesting. Quillene, Greece was wonderful, and definitely worth visiting!
I was just a little girl(just like the KID) when I first set foot on Athens.Aside from the acropolis, what I remembered vividly were the doves in the park and the pistachios.And now 3 decades later plus all these posts about Greece I hope to be able to make a visit again soon.Thanks MM you do inspire us!
there is a tiny taverna with in this district few tables and dont expect a quick service, but its worth it…. looking at likavitos hill on the west slope is where I have a flat and have lived for the past 24 years (-minus the years I have been moving around)
when King Otto was crowned as king in 1832 he invited the craftsmen from the island of Anafi to do work for him and thats how this tiny village is called anafiotika.
forgot to tell about this place. its not very touristy I just ramble around here on weekends
Anafi is an island in the Cyclades thats why the houses are of the island’s character.
Just wondering,where do people park their cars?
MM, the moment I saw the trailer of Mamma Mia of Meryl Streep with Pierce Brosnan shot on an isle in Greece, I could not help but be pushed to watch this movie just knowing that I will be seeing more of Greece from this one. Your blog inspired me to go and see Greece, even if from just a movie theater. =)
I highly recommend to all to visit Greece. You will love it.
As a ship’s ambassador of Royal Caribbean International (RCCL), I travel to so many destinations all over the world but believe me one of my favorites is Greece. On top of my list is Russia.
There are so many places in Greece that I visited like Patmos, Iraklion, Katakolon, Pireus, Santorini, Rhodes, Mykonos, Crete, and more. Mykonos has this crazy street and very busy nightlife.
I was very surprised to see how high the marble steps are leading to the top Acropolis. The gods must be really giants!!
It is not very expensive for as long as you don’t go to expensive restaurants and stores. Don’t forget to try their fried fish, octopus, local dishes. They are very good. Make sure to buy white figurines of gods and goddesses. Nice pieces of art for the living room.