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Author: Admin | 2025-04-27
Behind, and a new Athenian neighborhood was born.During the almost 200 years of the neighborhood’s existence, modern archaeology was born and the area around the Acropolis heavily excavated. Many of the original houses were pulled down during these excavations, so today fewer than 50 structures remain. They are almost all owned and inhabited by descendants of the original settlers from Anafi, and the law states that they cannot be sold: only passed down to family members or sold to the Greek state. The cobblestone streets connecting the houses have no street names, the houses being referred to as Anafiotika 1, Anafiotika 2 etc. for address purposes, so that a distinct village atmosphere pervades this unique corner of the city.The neighborhood is hands-down one of my favorite spots in Athens for a number of reasons. It is quite literally a stone’s throw from the crowded Plaka, but the winding uphill paths that link it have no shops or cafes lining them, so most tourists stop and head back to where the action is. This means that you go from hustle and bustle to complete serenity within half a block. This residential area is quiet and cool in the summer’s heat, as the proximity of the houses coupled with the fact that most are decorated with brightly colored bougainvillea plants clinging to their dazzling whitewash make for shady pathways, some of which are wide enough for just one person to walk up or down at once. Every so often there is a break in the line of houses and you can see clear across the ceramic tiled roofs of the Plaka below clear across to Mount Lycabettus and beyond. The views from up here are gorgeous, especially in the early evening when the Athenian sky takes on shades of pink and purple, orange and gold. But the most alluring aspect of this neighborhood for me, is its ability to transport you to the islands, to another place and time at every turn. If you close your eyes on a summer’s evening and let your other senses awaken, you’ll hear the cicadas singing
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