In London, we have tipped into full autumn – misty mornings and late sunrises, with our fair share of grey skies and drenching downfalls. Miles to the south, Greece is still basking in warm golden light and bright sunshine. And, while the islands might be slipping into their winter slumber, its capital, Athens, is fizzing.
For me, Athens is the most compelling city destination in Europe right now, as well as one of the most overlooked. Synonymous with antiquity, it also hums with creativity and a new generation of muses. Writers and poets, chefs and artists are flocking to live in this melting pot of a city that is increasingly open-minded and experimental. In recent years – and even months – a flurry of boutique hotels, restaurants and bars, as well as shops and galleries have spurred on its renaissance.
Eftihia Stefanidi, who returned to live in Athens, her home city, after years of living and travelling all over the world, is one such muse. Stefanidi is the creative director of Mona (from £130) and Shila Athens (from £175), two of the city’s most evocative and original hotels, which are housed in an old 1950s textile factory in Psirri and a Neoclassical residence in Kolonaki respectively. Both are woven together by her love for narrative, aesthetic and mood, shaped by her background in theatre and film – as are the events and supper clubs she curates at each, where Athenians, travellers, and expats all mingle.
“Our creative spaces become stages for creators – chefs, artists, designers, musicians – whose work we find inspiring and want to introduce to Athens,” says Stefanidi. “At the same time, they are about bringing people together, making connections, experiencing each other in the moment.”
Since then, more hot hotels have followed, all in the shade of the Acropolis.
Also in Psirri, the Apollo Palm (from £112) launched earlier this year, injecting a sun-bleached dose of California-meets-Mediterranean-vibes into the city. Alongside interiors by the Paris-based Mariette Sans-Rival Studio, the hotel’s tropical courtyard garden and rooftop cocktail bar are a magnet for creatives and travellers. The natural-leaning wine list comes from the man behind Loggia, the wine bar which cascades down a hilltop town in island-of-the-moment Sifnos; while its late-night venue, Studio Olala, will host jazz sets and listening parties.
Nearby, Monument Athens (from £304) flung open its doors in April in a late 19th century mansion that is a listed monument, hence the name. With only nine rooms, it has the feel of an intimate private residence rather than a hotel. In June, The Dolli (from £380) opened in the ancient neighbourhood of Plaka, with a showstopper of a rooftop infinity pool that gazes across to the Parthenon. Inside this ornate 1920s property, its handsome Neoclassical bones have been dressed with custom pieces by Pierre Augustin Rose, Pablo Picasso, and Jean Cocteau originals and 18th century antiques.
All of the above are ideally placed to explore Athens’ dynamic food scene, a gastronomic patchwork inspired and fuelled by its multinational inhabitants. Birdman is a small izakaya-style bar and grill that serves up yakitori and spins analogue tunes in homage to Japan’s record bars; Linou Soumpasis & Co puts fish at the forefront, alongside wines from small Greek producers, in its beautiful, minimal restaurant; while Wine is Fine brings a French sensibility – and fresh baguettes – to a pavement in Psirri.
Anastasia Miari, a food journalist and the founder of Matriarch Eats, hosted her first food retreat in Athens this year, following several on Corfu where the Greek side of her family are from. “Athens has an amazing energy and an incredible mix of cultures, with most of Greece’s top chef talent concentrated in the city," says Miari. “My Athens retreat is all about showing this excitement and buzz in the crazy city I call home.” She takes her guests from hidden, local tavernas that make classic homecooked dishes “that my yiayia might make” to her favourite wine bars and restaurants with “well-curated menus that are less traditional, but take inspiration from Greece’s fantastic produce".
Current travellers to Athens have also timed their visits perfectly with its contemporary arts boom. The impressive new National Gallery reopened in 2021 with a slick glass façade and traces the evolution of modern Greek art. The National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST), which opened – and had to briefly close – in a 1950s brewery in Koukaki, just ahead of the pandemic, is a much-awaited platform for homegrown artists, with a roster of thought-provoking exhibitions, installations, and events.
More ex-industrial buildings across the city have been repurposed into spaces for art: a former tobacco factory in Kolonos by NEON, a non-profit cultural organisation; an old ouzo distillery in Piraeus for a dialogue between artists Theodore Psychoyos and Raoul de Pesters Converse, with botanical installations by London-based Alina Dheere; while the Breeder gallery sits in a converted ice-cream factory in Metaxourgeio and has hosted artists including Luke Edward Hall and sculptor Andreas Lolis.
Chic shops and concept stores are popping up all over town, too. Mouki Mou, 10 years after it launched on London’s Chiltern Street, opened in Athens’ Plaka this May, with a beautiful edit of jewellery, homeware, and clothing. It is the brainchild of Maria Lemos, who also owns the diminutive guesthouse Pagostas in Patmos. PR entrepreneur Andria Mitsakos decided to plant the flagship store for her brand, Anthologist, in Vathis – a previously affluent area that had fallen into disrepair since the 1960s.
“My choice of location was deliberate. I knew I didn’t want to be in a predictable neighbourhood, nor did I seek foot traffic,” says Mitsakos. “I envisioned a space reminiscent of a grand salon, where collectors from around the world could gather, exchange stories of their journeys, and celebrate heritage, authenticity, and beauty – telling tales through beautiful objects. It felt only natural to give something back to a city that has brought so much joy to my life over the past decade.”
In addition to these various delights, you can hop on a ferry and be happily ensconced on one of Greece’s many islands in a matter of hours.
But, for now, I suggest joining the Athenaphiles above and making this city your destination, not your gateway.
