The most complete information guide about Athens, Greece
Plaka Athens
at its best
Covering
an area of about 3,5 square kilometers, Plaka offers a glance
at past glory days. Modern-day Athens was developed around
the ancient district of Plaka. Located on the north-eastern
foot of the Acropolis, Plaka, like all ancient districts throughout
the world, emits beauty, serenity as well as nostalgia. Visitors
can stay in one of the area's many hotels, stroll down the
famous streets and neighborhoods of Plaka, visit historical
monuments and thus get a taste of Athenian life, making their
stay in Greece's capital city a memorable one.
Plaka
is the area between Psirri, Syntagma square and Monastiraki.
A labyrinth of small streets full of souvenir shops, little
squares with cool terraces hidden between a lot of green, music,
restaurants, pubs..... In short, Athens at its best. Plaka
is almost completely pedestrianized and contains ancient sites
and small museums of traditional and popular culture. Remember
that most shops in Plaka will be closed for a few hours early
in the afternoon. Plaka: never boring!
North-east
slope of the Acropolis
Monastiraki
or Syntagma Plaka
photos
Anafiotika An
island without a sea
The
most surprising section in Plaka is Anafiotika. It is located
directly under the north section of the Acropolis. It is said
that the Delphic oracle forbade the entire area from being
built, perhaps to protect the sanctity of the worship site.
There were, however, those who sought shelter in this neighborhood
of Plaka, such as refugees from the Peloponnesian war in antiquity,
or even Ethiopian slaves who hid in caves during the Ottoman
period; followed by workers and craftsmen who arrived from
the Cycladic island of Anafi after Greece gained its independence.
This, in fact, is how the name Anafiotika came about.
This
section of Plaka actually creates the impression of an island
with its small white-washed houses built amidst the rocks,
narrow meandering steep streets and steps, stone walls and
gardens filled with flowers. According to tradition, the first
builders of the area, during the modern era, were two homeless
workers from Anafi who smuggled the necessary building materials
and built two rooms for their families in a matter of days. When
police arrived on the scene, they didn't have the heart to
send them away. The same method was followed by the rest of
the Anafi islanders as well as other newcomers, the majority
of which were skilled craftsmen, builders and marble cutters
who worked at the numerous construction sites throughout Athens.
These
workers managed to build their simple and functional homes
during the night, without copying the neo-classical structures
they built during the day. The craftsmanship of the skilled
workers, who paid special attention to the district's terrain
and the endless horizon as seen from the northern side of the
Acropolis, was responsible for the beauty of this small neighborhood
in Plaka. Despite their poor means and haste, the skilled craftsmen
from Anafi succeeded in adjoining their community with the
Acropolis without taking away from the magnificence of the
ancient monuments.