Visiting the Acropolis does not mean that we have discovered the Greek capital. In fact, the crowd on the most famous hill above Athens is so unbearable that all of us who want to really get to know the charms of this Mediterranean metropolis, the time we would spend visiting the Acropolis can be better spent in one of the attractive galleries.
The long-awaited new Acropolis Museum will be officially opened under the Acropolis on June 20. The building was built according to the plans of the Swiss architect Bernard Tschumi, and it is expected that the museum, which will display 4,000 objects from the archaic, classical and Hellenistic eras, will be visited by more than two million people annually. The construction of the building cost as much as 130 million euros, and visitors will be able to enjoy the view of the Parthenon through the glass roof. When the museum opens, the Greek state hopes that it will finally be able to display objects that were taken to the British Museum in London in the 19th century. The hopes of the Greeks were best represented by the well-known actress and former Greek Minister of Culture Melina Merkouri: "I hope that before I die I will see Greek objects again in Greece, but if it happens later, I will be born again." Named after the Greek goddess of wisdom, the city will undoubtedly delight art lovers. The best insight into the authentic soul of the city will be obtained by viewing the works of renowned and promising artists in the Athenian galleries. The best are located in the elegant district of Kolonaki, where you can admire the works of Greek and foreign painters, sculptors, photographers and media artists in the galleries Zouboulakis, Astrolavos and Argo, among the expensive restaurants and shops of renowned designers. Between June 15 and October 4, the second Athens Biennale will take place in Athens. It was called Heaven, and more than 100 international artists are participating in it, who will present the central theme, which, as the name of the biennial suggests, is heaven through exhibitions, films and theater performances, namely through the lens of lost innocence. ecologies and utopias.
A hot musical summer
During the summer months, Athens will pulsate with the rhythms of jazz, alternative rock and classical music. After the just ended jazz festival, the city will be dominated by the rhythms of alternative music between June 12 and 14, the creators of which will gather for the sixth time at the Synch festival. A real treat for rockers awaits at the end of June, when the cream of the world's music charts will gather at the Rockwave festival between June 27 and 30 in Terra Vibe Park. Among them will be Placebo, Moby, The Killers, Duffy and Motley Crue's cello. The summer will end on a more relaxed note with concerts of modern Greek music, which will be performed in September at the Atrium of the Muses - an open-air venue adjacent to the Athens Concert Hall.
Entertainment every night of the week
Nightlife gives the city a special charm, and Athens has no shortage of charms. Entertainment is on every night. So we can end Monday at the Villa Mercedes club (11 Tzaferi, Rouf), where we can surrender to R'n'B music, on Tuesday we can have a shower with the most hardened party lovers at the Eclipse bar (21 Alopekis, Kolonaki), Wednesday is reserved for the most trendy Latin club Cubanita (28 Karaiskaki), on Thursday we dance to the rhythms of house music at the Mao club, we brighten up Friday with a visit to the Balthasar bar (27 Tsocha), which is also considered the most beautiful garden with excellent cocktails, on Saturday we hang out with young people, who love the latest hits at the Eleven bar (59-61 Ag. Konstantinou), and on Sunday we end the week in the literally cool ambience of the Imperia Ice Club (26 Sofokleus), as the bar is made of thirty tons of ice. If the listed clubs and bars are not enough, the most energetic partygoers can turn to the Venue club, where the biggest names of the international DJ scene host on Fridays. Clubs and bars are fun, but the real Greek parties, from the tourist versions to the real and hearty ones, take place in taverns and clubs where Greek bouzoukis play. When Vasilis Terlegkas sings his folklore repertoire in the Hantres club, the audience enthusiastically throws flowers, sometimes even plates, onto the stage.
Applied art
Greek style has been ruling the fashion industry for quite a few years now, as we happily put on Greek sandals or wear dresses reminiscent of the clothes worn by women in antiquity. Of course, we must not forget the jewelry, which is dominated by the typical Greek meander pattern. While visiting some of the most famous boutiques of Greek fashion designers and jewelry creators, we will only fall in love with Greek style even more. The silver and gold jewelery at Minas (8 Em. Street Benaki) or the beautiful creations of the jewelers for sale at the Zolotas Gallery and Boutique (9 Stadiou Avenue), which has been operating since 1895, are wonderfully complemented by the haute couture of the designer Liana Camba (26 Anagnostopoulou Street, Kolonaki), with simple yet beautiful clothes by designer Angelos Bratis (24 Bousiou Street) or fashion accessories by Vassilios Kostetsos (8 Kanari Street). Of course, we must not forget the jewelry house Bvlgari, which originates from Greece.
Love goes thru the stomach
Of course, we cannot explore Athens on an empty stomach, so we must visit at least one of the institutions of the god Bacchus. Greek taverns, some of which are already true legends of Athenian social life, have included Greek dishes on their menus, which may not be as well-known as moussaka or tzaziki, but are no less delicious and typical for different regions of the country. Taverna Dionysios (43 Roberto Galli, Acropolis) offers a wonderful view of the Acropolis in addition to imaginative solutions that have brought more variety to traditional Greek food. Part of the Athenian port of Piraeus, called Mikrolimano, can boast of an enviable number of restaurants, which are known especially for their seafood specialties. Taverna Ta katsarolakia is the right place to get to know the Greek culinary culture and offer, which is enriched by a beautiful view of the harbor and the vessels in it.
Hotels with a view
Everywhere is beautiful, at home the most beautiful also applies to home, far from home. The hotels, which offer a beautiful view of the city, are the ideal refuge from the glowing Athenian energy. The GB Roof Garden restaurant on top of one of the best hotels in Athens, Grande Bretagne, offers first-class Italian specialties in addition to an extraordinary view. In the neighboring hotel, we will enjoy French cuisine in a similarly spectacular view offered by the Tudor Hall restaurant. The Mediterranean cuisine of the Olive Garden restaurant and the beautiful garden in the heart of Athens delight the guests of the Hotel Titania, while the Park Hotel offers, in addition to food and a view, jazz music and a modern ambience. One of the best views of the city is offered by the restaurant on the sixth floor of the Hotel St. George Lycabetus, under the hill of the same name, which is also the highest point of the city. Looking at the Acropolis and the city under Lycabetus hill, we can be grateful for the fact that Athens is an eternal city and will probably still attract visitors with its magnetic attraction, even if they have to be born again like Melina Merkouri.
Information:
Athens Biennial: www.athensbiennial.org
Zouboulakis Gallery, 20 Kolonaki sq
Astrolavos Gallery, 11 Xanthippou, Kolonaki
Argo Gallery, 5 Neofitou Douka, Kolonaki
Synch Alternative Music Festival, www.synch.gr
Rockwave Festival, www.rockwavefestival.gr
Evenings of Greek contemporary music, www.megaron.gr
Venue Club, www.venue-club.com
Hantres, 32 Mithimnis, Amerikis square
GB Roof Garden Restaurant, Hotel Grand Bretagne, Syntagma Square
Tudor Hall Restaurant, King George Hotel, Syntagma Square
Olive Garden Restaurant, Titania Hotel, 52 Panepistimiou Street
Restaurant St'Astra, Hotel Park, 10 Alexandras Avenue
