Me, a Digital Nomad?
I started this blog 2022 after 12 years of teaching sustainable building management and healthy indoor environments. I still teach, and still enjoy it. Before this lecturing career I used to be a professional photographer for 15 years. I’m happy with the change of career, but I still like images. And all of a sudden with the inspo of Instagram, photography kind of re-entered my like as creative intrest.
When I built my sustainable villa Sunda Huset (Healthy House) in Stockholm in 2010, I also studied journalism at Poppius journalist school so I could blog about sustainable building while starting another career in that field. The blog was alive until I sold the house 2021.
This blog isn’t about sustainable travelling, but I still would like to travel more sustainable. I’m also at a point in my life as well as in a time where some work can be done from another place than your regular office. My problem is that I always have so many different things on my desk, and focusing on writing an learning social media has the least priority sine it takes some time to build something that could be profitable. It took quite a few years to make my photography to become profitable. And it took quite some time to make my sustainable teaching to become something I could pay my bills from. So working without profit for a while isn’t anything wierd to me. Still, what gives me financial profit will have prio over the things that doesn’t.
So finally we’re hit by a recession in Sweden. Having had my company for 30 years this year, this is my third personal experience of recession. I write “finally hit” cause as financially and emotionally draining and painful as they are, the’re giving the opportunity of a cleansing. Societal economy can’t possibly only go upwards. Many people in my business network leaves their offices and hight overhead costs. Some might even go bankrupt, I’ll keep my fingers crossed that as many as possible manage. Regardless of up or down, I have less paid assignments since my main focus is the construction and building management field, and the’re hit very hard. I still need to keep myself motivated and updated for the clients I still have, and enjoy working with. But…
Now is the time to catch up with the combination of handeling my images and take up my writing again, and at the same time learning some new things about the technical tools that my webmaster Milla at Rosalii Kommunikation has built for me. But I need to cut out all the ordinary distractions… so leaving my regular desks to open my mind, and staying away from my popcorn brain desk habits.
Attiki in Athens is My Choice
Why? Cause I just recently fell in love with… Athens after spending a week with my friend Andi in her familys apartment. And they have agreed to letting me rent it for a month while her family, consisting of a matriarch, three siblings and their grown up kids. Their apartment is in the very cental located Attiki. An area that no Greeks I meet seem to like. The reason is that it has gone from posh to multicultural and very run down, and now it’s slowly picking up to still being multicultural but clean and more and more people seem to renovate their apartments.
Greeks are very open with that they do not like foreigners, which includes me. The’re not unfriendly, quite the opposite. The ladies in Andis building are so cute and nice, few speak english but one does. Andi has warned me about accepting the invite for a coffe, cause I’ll have to stay for hours listening to their ageing health. I politely postpone the coffe, but enjoy all the friendly and shy greetings of everyone I meet in the building. How do I know Greeks in Athens don’t like foreigners? Cause I happen to ask the few ones I’m able to have real conversations with. And I DO make quite an effort outside of the building.
Andi explained to me how she’s a bit unhappy about how negative people are about her Athens neighborhood, cause she likes it, as well as their newly renovated apartment. I absolutely love it!! Both the area and the apt on the top floor with a 90° angle huge terrace. I also like the area, it’s a bit rough around the edges, but equally genuine with a good mix of people and ages. The farmers market on fridays, and the subway that I don’t… ride one block away. It’s also conveniently close to so many places.
The Gentrification of Athens
I’ve with quite a bit of preparing managed to find Petros in a tennis group on Facebook. I brought my tennis clothes, and he’s kind and lends me a racket so we play tennis three times a week my first two weeks in Athens. After that the city slows down due to easter, and Petros travels to his family in other parts of Greece. Petros has lived and worked in London, and I feel comfortable asking him about Greek and Athenian mentality, as well as other things in regards to society and the geography of the city. I felt so very fortunate I had my own personal Greek in town.
His view is that Greece has lost speed. People have lost a bit of faith in the future, and I hear this from two other Greeks I manage to have intresting conversations with. Of course, this is still their personal opinions. First they have the skyrocketing rent situation. The initial idea of the sharing economy, Airbnb to be specific, has gotten out of hand. Here they have 3 year contract, and then you need to renegotiate to stay in the apartment. Quite a contrast to the Swedish regulated rent situation with an indexed raise of the rent, as well as you have a lot more rights than duties as a renting tennant in Sweden. According to Petros he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to afford staying in his small but very nice apartment in the Pagrati neigbourhood where he lives with his wife and one child once his lease is up next year. This due to the rents have rised 60% the last three years in Athens. Thank you Airbnb…
Since I work with building management and the societal development in, and even more around the built environment I’m not entirely sure that gentrification is all bad. I myself has experienced it from both sides when living in NYC. Most people use gentrification as a curse word, but the people in Sweden that mention it has hardly ever been hit by it, and would never like to live in areas that eventually will be hit by gentrification. Meaning, they will not live in porer areas that need an upgrade in their buildings, the outside environment as well as the social status of their neighbourhoods. In reality this amounts to that finacially poor people should stay in socioeconomic poor and underdeveloped areas. This while people criticize gentrification themselves can sit in their nice and safe areas feeling sorry for the ones that live in areas being mainly populated by people with less money, and less opportunities to change their living situation. This is a very politically sensitive topic, and the wildest arguments are ruled and fuelled by people not hit by the needed change for everyones benefit in society, including the ones with less financial muscles.
Safety in Athens
All cities have nicer as well as less nice areas. I’ll happily admit that I’m not the scared type of personality and neither do I have that many negative experiences in relation to safety. Or rather… few experiences in relation to the lack of safety. This doesn’t mean that I think scared people shouldn’t travel. Everyone should if they like to. But it worries me to see how peoples feelings of danger or lack of safety spreads like wild fires in the travel forums in Facebook. Where have they been, and what do they expect from life and all the people the’ll meet in life?
My main concern when I pick a destination is that I’m supposed to be able to move around on my bicycle, meaning how’s the traffic. I don’t search for that kind of info prior to travelling, but I pay a lot of attention to it when I arrive. I care about other peoples carefulness about me as a two wheeled trafficant, and being visible in the dark while using the bicycle as my way of transport. As a VERY uncomforting example, I decided not to go to Los Angeles this previous fall since I read everywhere that there are few safe places for solo traveller after dark. Of course I don’t neccesairily beleive in this, but after my Seychellian experience in the dark I’m more aware of the neccessity of feeling safe going home by bike in the dark.
During my month in Athens I’m on my bicycle at 2 am, I also go for a 2 hour walk from 10 pm until midnight from Attiki all the way up to Mount Lycabettus, meaning I crossed quite a few areas as well as got lost in parks with plenty of groups of teenagers since it was easter holiday for them. I felt 100% safe everywhere. No, I didn’t carry a bag during the walk, I held my phone in my hand as I was also listening to an audio book. I later asked my Greek tennis friend Petros about the safety cause I was surprised about how safe I felt when I got lost in dark parks on my exploring way. He agreed that Athens is very safe, but always use caution travelling solo. I’ve bicycled thorugh the streets with the drug addicts gathered in the back streets of Omnia Square, and I never felt uncomfortable. They keep to themselves, as well as I keep to myself.
You might think I play around with safety, I don’t. I’m an experienced solo traveller, and my gut is very instinctively active. And that’s also why I left Seychelles after 9 days instead of after the planned and booked 27 days. I didn’t feel safe or even respected as a solo travelling woman, by men in the country.
Like I’ve mentioned above, Athenians aren’t that keen on foreigners, but the’re very kind. I have 100% understanding of them thinking tourists suck as well, concidering the rent increase due to AirBnb and regular Digital Nomads coming to wonderful Greece and Athens. Mind you, that not everyone feels a tourist aversion. I was once approached by an elderly gentleman while protographing the “Tourist Go Home” grafitti on a wall. He asked why I was taking that picture, saying it was nonsense to him. Tourism is like a two egged sword. It supports a place, but also has less attractive consequences.
Youth is Not Wasted on the Young
This is one of my favourite, amongs many many during my month in Athens. Young people celebrating their easter holiday being off school by driving their cars up to the large parking space at the (almost) top of Mount Lycabettus overlooking the amazing night skyline of Athens. Showing off to eachother by posing and playing loud music ❤️. If you do feel comfortable in the dark, I’d advice you to go all the way up on Mount Lycabettus late at night, its magic! Not only at the top, but the walk through town is magical as well.
Drinking Water & Sewage in Athens
I guess it’s the money making side of me… maintaining buildings as well as providing good quality in housing popping up. In Sweden most people still think clean drinking water is an endless resource, and equally many people in Sw also conciders the toilet a HUGE waste basket, while it’s not. In Athens it’s even less of a waste “bin”, cause you can’t even throw toilet paper in the toilet. Meaning only poo, pee, blood and… puke. End of story.
Now, some more pleasant stuff 😊, you can drink the water from the tap. AND it tastes very fine. So you don’t have to lugg unsustainable and heavy water bottles from the store. In Greece they have a marvellous rule in relation to drinking water. You’re not allowed to over charge for it, cause it’s an essential basic human need. I didn’t know about this, but was so very surprised when I forgot my reusable bottle for the tasty tap water, and had bicycled 12 km to the beach in Piraeus. I expected to pay at least 2 euros for the 33 cl bottle. Nope… it was 40 cents.
During my month in Athens I bought 2… 33 cl bottles of water. I’ve got to say I’m so very impressed with myself. When Andi and her husband Peter later joined me for a couple of days in the end of my month we were talking about water, and I commented about the low price. That’s when I got the explaination about the prohibition of over charging for water. What a wonderful rule. Still, they need to inform people of the necessity of stopping the unsustainable habit of buying drinking water in bottles.
Recycling in Athens
Outside of most buildings there is a joined large garbage bin for non sorted waste, inkluding… the toilet paper. Cardboard, metal, glass and plastic is placed in blue garbage bins. The’re not located outside of every building, but there are a reasonable amount out and about. Pay attention and you’ll find a place to circulate your recycleable waste.
There are also recycling stations wher you seem to get some kind of refund, or reward for recycling your bottles. The’re not very frequent, but you’ll se the container size stations every now and then. I havn’t really seen anyone using them, but it might be a new oppotunity that needs a bit of time. The blue recycling bins are commonly used.
Farmers Markets in Athens
I absolutely love them, and only have one little concern… the regular markets I run into don’t sell ecological grown foods. You can get free range eggs at the market, but that’s pretty much it. There are a few reasons why ecological food should be the first choice. The order of these reasons may vary in relation to your own values.
In Sweden where I’m from the ecological farming is called “Alternative farming”, which is wierd to me. Why isn’t the farming that adds chemical fertilisers, as well as chemical pesticides concidered the “alternative farming”. Things grow… it’s a absolutely amazing and natural cycle containing birth, life, death and break down of the material that has been born, lived and then died. Human beings included. We know chemical fertilizers are harmful to the ecosystem, as well as we know chemical pesticides are harmful to living things. Human beings included. So why buy, and even more why… eat food being produced with as well as possibly having poisonous remaint on them? Second, the soil and the people working in the soil… are more than anything, valuable.
I was so very torn. I absolutely love these local around the corner markets. The’re esthetic, appetizing, a cultural event, an amazing opportunity to hang around Greeks and Athenians and more than anything, they slow me down. You can under no circumstances combine being a polite and well behaved person and rush. I guess a daily stroll in a farmers market would do equally good to a 10 minute meditation. But without the health impact of organic food.
Plastic bags…
Oh, so not modern in more and more countries since plastic fly around, especially around markets, and… end up in the ocean. But not in Athens, cause here… the’re reused for the used… toiltet paper.
Daily Farmers Markets
Yes, plural. Athens has a few farmers markets every day. After leaving Athens I realized there are daily ecological markets as well, but much smaller. Next time… I’ll pick them instead for the food I’m going to eat, and the other ones for the cultutal and esthetic and meditative experience.
If you scroll down in the links below, you’ll find the market schedule, as well as where you can find the ecological I missed myself.
Ecological Farmers Markets
Non Ecological farmers markets
All the markets, regardless of where they’re located are pretty much the same. They stretch oven many blocks, and you can easily spend an hour + there without having gone through the whole market. If you’re shopping… it’ll get heavy, unless you have one of the rolling carts, or like me who had a bicycle. It was very inconvenient in the markets peak hour, so I always parked it on a side street before entering. But if you go later, It’ll work.
The only thing I was missing in some of the markets was the… foiled chocolate candy. Oh my gosh… it’s so dangerously good. There are other candy, but not to my preference. I loved the big foily ones…
Bicycling in Athens
Is an amazing way of exploring the city, as well as getting the Athen vibe while getting some exercise. The city is large, and located kind of in a pot surrounded by mountains, while still being very hilly inside of the “pot”. No, it’s not dangerous to bicycle in Athens. The Athenians are very co-operative and most reasonable, nu rushing of engines, or honking the horn towards me or any other trafficants.
But there very few bicyclists, and even fewer bicycle paths, and absolutely no lanes designated for bicyclists. I did notice that as the weather got warmer and warmer (I was ther mid April to mid May) the number did increase, but still very few.
If you’re not used to bicycling, Athens isn’t your best choice to start. Then you’re better off going to Copenhagen in Denmark or Malmo in Sweden where everything is planned and very safe for bicyclists. But if you like to bicycle and do it frequently you ought to be fine. Just stay far to the right, and cars as well as mopeds and motorcycles will be polite and caring.
One important thing if to keep your eyes on the ground. The roads are often an uneven patchwork, as well as the asphalt doesn’t alwways go all the way out to the edge of the road on the bigger streets, meaning there will be uneven joint that could make you loose balance if you’re not prepared. Athens is very clean with a few exceptions, so there’s very little shattered glass on the roads. Major plus in my view.
As always… to me there is no better way of exploring, or getting away, or transporting yourself but with a bicycle. Of course you can also go by subway, still the bicycle is a much more convenient way that gives you so much freedom. Off to the beach 10 km away, or doing your grocery shopping around the corner, the bicycle is your best bud ❤️.
Read more about Bicycling in Athens.
Solo Travelling & Meeting People in Athens
Being a solotraveller most of the time, I do enjoy my own company. That’s not the same thing as wanting to be by myself all the time. On top of this, I’m initially shy, but very social. I had already made a few solo trips this year and practiced using the groups on Facebook with a very mild result. This means I needed to work harder, or at least be more active and not focus so much on this shy side.
Over 50
First I looked at what FB groups there were available in Athens, and then I started posting in Digital Nomads over 50, Solo in Style, women over 50 travelling Solo and Loving it, I’m not entirely sure weather I’m stylish, or if it’s even a good name for the or any group… Still, it’s a group that could have been for me, minus style lacking on my part.
Younger
Then there groups that seem to cater to a younger crowd. On of them is Foreign Women in Athens and Athens living Social, Digital Nomads Athens that have a few apartment listings and searchings. Athen Events doesn’t seem to focus on young or older.
Sporty
For us physically active there are Hiking Around Athens, Athens Beach Yoga & Online Yoga Warriors that I found to be great!! Highly recommend Taras classes by the beach for mere 10 euros. Sometimes the group move on to brunch after the class. For tennis players there is Athens Tennis Club that seems to be a higher level of tennis as well as a way of looking for a partner 😂. Never the less, that’s where I got in touch with Petros, with whom I played with three times a week during my first two weeks in town, Thank you for that!! Last but not least there is Tennis in Athens that seem to be mostly for Greeks, but not 100%.
In Athens I met…
On my third night I had dinner with the Digital Nomad Iva from Bulgaria. She was in town only for one night as she got off a sail cruise in Athens, and was heading home to Sofia. She was so friendly and a bit dominant, in terms of telling me how people eat dinner in the south of Europe. Meaning don’t think you’re going to leave early. I guess I needed that since I always leave “the party” first these days. We had such a great dinner that lasted until the very greek and very local restaurant closed at 2 am. Wonderful company as wells as food and drink.
Later I attended Taras yoga by the beach and joined their following brunch in the neighborhood. Pretty much only expats, and it was intresting to hear about their experiences of changing country as well as continent. I later ran into one or two of them at other social gatherings apart from Taras yoga.
Finally the amazing Kimmy wrote to me, from one of my posts in above mentioned groups. It took some time to get that ONE answer. But I guess one was also enough for the social looner. Kimmy is american and super skilled in making social connections. She also seemed to really enjoy Athens as much as I did (still do). Kimmy and I are very different, but one of the things we have in common is that we’re very independent and self employed, we have our engins running most of the time, as well as having a high need of time by ourselves. Great match!
Not only did we rent a car and went out of town to see some of the ancient Greece, that most people come to Athens to see. Most reasonable place to come for history. Kimmy is into the history, I’m not. Still, it’s always nice to hang around mentally active people. She also invited me to join Couchsurfing bar meet ups. Apparently Greek (young) men would call the host to see how many women were coming 😂. I have to say those evenings were so very nice. People were so open (possibly hunting) and inclusive. Since Iva was home in Sofia I was allowed to do my earlier swedish exit. Great eventing the times I joined though.
My three hours of tennis per week, before Petros went away for easter vacation to his family in Thessaloniki was also a great way of asking about Athens, Greece and Greek culture in general. I really liked it.
Last but not least, the gorgeous Greek Thassios asked me out for a glass of wine one evening. I’d say he’s one of the few Greek people that initiated a conversation with me. Our date fell trough though, due to a misunderstanding. Life 🙃.
This above might not seem that many, but for me…. it was perfect. My focus was work, and a bit of play every now and then. All I need are a few hours of human interaction, and my social batteries are recharged 💪.
Tennis in Athens
As mentioned above, I looked for tennis groups on facebook when I prepared for this spring month of digital nomading in Athens. I found two groups, Tennis in Athens that seem to be a bit more for Greeks, and Athens Tennis Club that is a more mixed group, possibly a bit more laid back in regards to a variation of levels. I was very happy to find Petros, that was a marathon runner that had started playing four months earlier and soon constantly beat me even though I’ve been playing four… years. It was still great fun and excellent exercise for me. The best thing was that he had agreed to lend me a racket so I only had to bring my shoes and clothes on the long train ride from Sweden, which also included my bicycle. Thank you Petros ☀️.
I later met other people, expats to be specific that mentioned it was very difficult to get the opportunity to play, cause the cours were fully booked. My impression is that the level of tennis seem a bit higher, or ambitious… than me. I’m on level 3 out of 10 on the international scale, and I only play for fun.
Tennis Courts & Trainers in Athens
Of course I had also contacted a few trainers prior to coming to Athens. But i found it to be way too expensive. First a 100 euro membership fee to play on the clubs courts, which I don’t find expensive, but then it was also 90 euros to get a trainer, so I abandoned the idea.
I was told by a the glass in half empty-expat that it was very difficult to get a court, true? I don’t know. Looking at the map, there seems to be plenty of courts in the city.
Petros and I played at the Kaisariani Municicpal Courts by the university, in the Zografos area. There are two courts. The’re not for the picky player, but as long as it had not been raining (puddles), it worked very well for us. And… it’s for free. We played at 10 am, and we always got a court.
I had to bicycle 7 km to get there from Attiki, and 5 of those km were uphill… It wasn’t ideal for me, but I was till happy and grateful!!
Hiking in Athens
Me and my plans… I just like to have a variation of things to choose from, that’s all. There is a hiking group on facebook, Hiking around Athens. I joined the group, but there was only one hike as I was in town, and I was busy with other things. There are plenty of other sites if you like to hike. Many of them seem to mix visiting an ancient site that includes plenty of steps with a hike. I might have misunderstood the concept of hiking, cause I always thought it was about being out and about in nature.
Mount Hymettous Aesthetic Forest
seem to be a great place for hiking. I went once, but after 12 km uphill on my bike I was exhausted and decided to go back another day. Didn’t… At least I found the entrance 😊, which seems to be one of my challenges in general…
Next spring… 💪
Mount Lycabettus -Semi Hiking
For sure, there is a small element of hike in walking up the Mount Lycabettus (Lycabettos), but I wouldn’t call it a regular hike. That being said, you still HAVE to go, cause it’s amazing. Perfect workout, and the view over entire Athens, as well as the sea is… yes, you just have to do it.
Mornings are pretty empty, while evenings are full unless you go really late which I do recommend anyway. Sunsets are of course very popular, and you can experience the mass on top if your in to gods and such. Or you may witness the take down of the flag accompanied by the national anthem, which is kind of special even though I’m in no way into nationalism.
If I had not played tennis three times a week, this would have been part of my morning excercise routine.
Yoga in Athens
It sounds as if I might be the most fit person one can find. I’m not. But I like to maintain my mental health and sanity by being physically active. I might not be the right person to confirm that it works, but I’m more or less happy fairly regularly.
Tara has her yoga classes on the Edem beach, which is also called the Ever Eden Beach, on sundays from spring to fall. You can find her on Facebook at Athens Beach Yoga. I’m not big on yoga, but I alwasy feel great after having done it. It will be your best spent 10 euros. It’s just amazing to be on the beach. She also gives classes online, which isn’t my thing quite yet. But eventually… very possible.
Edem beach is located in Palaio Faliro, and you can reach it by tram from Zyntagma. I rode my bike, and enjoyed the 12 km almost flat ride from Attiki. Apart from this I never really made time to go to the beaches on the Athen Riviera. Next time…
Beaches in Athens
Or close to Athens, is propably a better way of expressing it. More or less very accessible by in my case bicycle, or by tram from the city center. If you like to go a bit further it’s bus or a rental car. Personally I only went to Edem beach that you reach by tram from Syntagma. I of course took the bike a couple of times. It’s a faily flat ride. I did notice that the drivers aren’t as caring in Palaio Faliro as they are in the inner city. My guess is that the roads are a bit roomier, or even a slight hint of entitlement due to this being a more expensive areas to live in. Still, that’s only me speculating. It’s a clear difference though. Not dangerous, just a lot less caring.
Beach Noise
Yeah… unfortunately you’ll have the many lane highway in your back when you’re at the beach in Athens. To me it’s quite disturbing. Never the less, I still love the fact that you can attend a beach in the city. Or any other city for that matter. The highway is poorly located though.
The 9 best beaches in Athens -Time out
Best beaches in Athens – Greeka
Athens Riviera, 10 best beaches and how to get there -Greece-is
The Neighborhoods in Athens
For one, I did not go to all of them, and niether do I have an intrest in doing so. The very touristy ones I actually make an effort to stay away from. I’d like to hang where the Greeks do, regardless of if they have little or no interest in me. I still want to see and enjoy the Greeks living their everyday life. So I’ll start out by mentioning the ones I avoid on a whole or try to visit as little as possible. I does bother me that when I look for neighborhoods in Athens, Attiki is always left out. Is it a sign of Greeks not liking foreigners, or why is this? No Greece and Athen promoting pages, and no travel bloggers with one word mention Attiki. If you want a part of real Athens, I’d recommend going there.
As a curious person, this map from This is Athens looks to say the least… wierd. When you click on the different areas on the map in the link you realize not all neighborhoods seem to be worth mentioning. What’s up with that?
Crowds in Athens
Plaka, Akropolis, Thissio, Psiri -No Thank You.
I find it amazing that the Greeks themselves go to for example Plaka, Akropolis and the Psiri areas. My two visits in Athens this year has been off the peak seasons, and there are still endless tourists. There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with tourists, or me and others being tourists. I just find them boring in herds. We bring nothing, but possibly more or less money.
I guess I like the more frequent international flair in major cities, cause it gives signals of diversity and a developing place. Still it has to have some kind of local roots. So the mixture of large numbers of visitors in combination with Starbucks, Footloocker, Sephora and Marks & Spencer isn’t my cup of tea. Of course I will miss out on all the cute cafés mentioned in many of the links I’ll share, but I’ll still avoid going cause I find cafés and restaurants in other parts of Athens or whatever place I visit.
Attiki, Kypseli, Pagrati, Koukaki, Kolonaki, Exarchia, Keramikos, Monastriaki -Yes Please 😊
Attiki & Kypseli
Attiki and Kypseli are more multicultural areas, and I’d say that Kypseli is already gentrified while Attiki is waiting. This has turned Kypseli into an artsy hipster’ish crowd as well as maintaining a “regular” crowd. Kypseli also has lots of cool cafés, art hubs, more food stores including local specialty food, more restaurants as well as a bars. It’s very green and lush. The area has a very nice roundabout square called Pl. Agiou Georgiou or Saint George (in english) with lots of nice and lively restaurants. Since I’m here in April/May, it’s off peak season and no tourist in sight. But me… Perfect place if you want to indulge in local Greek life. Another lively place is Fokionos Negri that is like a park that’s stretched out a couple of blocks. No cars, just slow walking with lots and lots of restaurants and bars alongside both sides of the park.
If you have a coffee or your glass of wine at Cultivos Kypseli, you’ll see Kypseli Municipal Market to your right. Personally I find this place a bit overrated, but I like the serenity while inside. I’m pretty sure the activity varies over the season and weekdays, but it was always calm when I passer by, or through it. Kypseli Municipal Market is also a great path if you want to go to Fokinos Negri that is located on the backside of “the market”.
A guide to the Kypseli neigborhood -This is Athens
Attiki is kind of waiting for this awakening to happen. The few cafés in the neigbourhood is mostly frequented by men on plastic chairs. The’re totally not cosy inviting places. To me it’s oozing the old fashioned style where the woman is home cooking and taking care of the kids while their partners go and sit at cafés. Yes, I know… that’s also a part of local life. But I rather go to places that has a mixture of people. Since mixing creates progress, that’s my motto.
KICK & Cultivos Kypseli
My two favourite cafés for working, is also in Kypseli. I’d say KICK is a stereotypical Laptop Cafe. I don’t understand their business model since people seem to sit here without buying more than tops ONE coffee. I’d recommend you buy at least one per hour, but that’s just my self employed mind….
I actually highly recommend a lunch or brunch at KICK. They don’t have their own kitchen, but get the food from their sibling establishment FLAKE across the “street”. Excellent food, and fairly inexpensive. Get there in time though, cause they run out of some of the delicious meals. I actually like that, cause that implies that they don’t waste food ❤️.
On thursdays one can sit and enjoy the Farmers market just outside of the window of KICK, also highly recommended!
KICK is located at Sporadon 26 and Cultivos Kypseli at Zakynthou 4.
Pagrati (& Mets)
Popular among the successful Athenians, but not posh like Kolonaki that seem to be Athens main exlusive area. I find Pagrati to be very agreable with many restaurants, bars and cafés as well as good mix of people. Multicultural is not included in the mix.
Varnava Square
I loved this little roundabout park’ish square with cafés and restaurants all around it. Lively and very Athens, the perfect place for sipping your freddo or aperol spritz while getting your dose of people watching. Some café staff do think they’re the shit (while you’re not…😂), ingnore it and just enjoy.
Athens First Cemetery
Pagrati is located next to the old Panathenaic stadium, and the Ethnikos Kipos park. The park itself also contain Athens first cemetery and separates Pagrati from the Mets area.
I’ve always taken a liking to visiting cemeterys when travelling. At home in Sweden I never go. I guess I like the serenity while in a big city or small town. Another thing that I really like, is that they have portraits of the deceased. It makes it more of a memorable person having passed, to me.
It’s not only the portraits by the graves that makes it special. It’s the wilderness of the place that’s intriguing as well. Kind of liberating.
Koukaki
Very residential feel to it. When ever I went, which was quite often cause here are many nice cafés that suits my preference, I always passed through the touristy areas that I so not like on my way back to Attiki. Still it’s nice to see the Acropolis up on the height from the less touristy side before I always had to go a bit out of my way to avoid the massive herds on the other side of Acropolis. Since I went to the Acropolis in 1989, I feel like I don’t have the urge to go again. But I do get impressed from the back line 😊.
Bel Ray Bar
is one of my favourites in the area. Much because of their supposedly deaf bar cat. Everyone tried to get a piece of her, or rather contribute to her well being. It was so very nice to see. On the other hand, many many people tend to the equally many many stray cats of the city.
I’d sit on this corner restaurant & café and indulge in the Athen atmosphere drinking a couple of freddos while working, and peeking at the cat and all the attention and care she got. It wasn’t the most ergonomic work place, but it didn’t matter.
Bel Rey Bar is located at Falirou 88, and the cut ear of the cat means she’s neutered.
Morning Bar
Is another cute cafe where one can sit an work. It has an interior that suits my liking a lot. They even serve healthy fibery sandwiches. I still opt for their creamy cinnamon bun to accompany my freddo. I think you get more of the athenian vibe if you’re sitting outside, plus better people watching. I was working, and there were no cat’s in sight, so I guess I was very fine sitting in their plain and stylish environment.
Morning bar is located at Odissea Androutsou 36.
Neratzia Café Bistro
Is a restaurant, and another perfect street corner kind’a place to get some athenian vibes. I come for a coffe or a beer, with or without company. The interior is more like a french bistro, but I almost always sit on the outside 😊
Neratzia is located at Zan Moreas 6. It seems to be an attached to some sort of hotel as well.
Kolonaki
Posh, and the only really posh area in Athens. I can’t say I spent that much time there, but I passed through many many many times on my way to something else. I did plan I’d go and sit down at some point. Never did, but the next time… I’m likely to.
Exarchia
Artsy, young and vibrant. If you’re into cafés, and grafitti in a wide variation I’d recommend coming here. I went at least once a week to sit down, but even more often I passed through to go somewhere. I also have quite a bit of interest in street art, and here are plenty of pieces, as well as it feels like a dynamic street art scene. It’s possible that Exharchia like to be the punk rocker in town, but it’s only surface.
Another great thing about Exharcia is all the streets with very limited traffic, the’re so very cosy! I very often ended up at Intriga at Dervenion Street for a freddo. It’s not the cosiest of cafes, and they don’t serve any real food if you’re hungry. But it’s the perfect spot in a downhill street where Greek everyday life is happening while you sit comfortably surrounded by trees and street art and have your coffe or drink.
The area has a very genuine and rough feel to it. In the evening it awakens and there are so many bars and restaurants filled with people. I’ve even walked through the empty streets late at night and always felt 100% safe. Since I was here off peak season, there are very few tourists in the area. I’m pretty sure that changes during the summer due to the artistic and bar bubbely vibe in the area.
Exarchia neighborhood guides
Unfolding Greece
This is Athens
Social life
Metaxourgeio & Keramikos
One of the most intresting places in Athens if you’re into street art. Enter… with an open mind or you’ll be numbed. On top of all the street art there are plenty of galleries in these two areas. The galleries though, keep a very low profile and some are even by appointment only, so if you’re going you’re best of by calling them first so see if the’re open. The street art is amazing though!!
More street art
Faces of Athens
Street art in Athens
The area is also filled with restaurants and cafés. I’d highly recommend visiting Avdi Square in the afternoon, or early evening. It’s surrounded by lovely places to enjoy the burstling social Greek lifestyle. The contemporary Athens Municipal Gallery is located at one of the corners of Avdi Square.
Ble Papagalos
Is my absolute favourite place of pretty much all the places I hung out at in Athens. I ran into it by chance when I was looking for a place for breakfast on a rainy morning in february. I loved it right away due to it’s cosy interior, the… cats and super friendly staff. They serve healthy breakfasts, as well as delicious lattes.
During my spring month in Athens I was sure to return, and I guess I did almost every other day. By now I was always sitting outside under the lovely trees, surrounded by even more cute cats that completely ignored me. Life…
Another great thing about Ble Papagalos is that it’s somewhat easier to strike a conversation with other people. Some tourists of course, but still, I enjoyed it. I would have my freddos, aperols and even beer here. As well as sit and work for an hour or two.
Ble Papagalos is located at Leonidiou 31
Cats… in Athens
Yep, I love cats. They on the other hand…. don’t care for me at all. Greeks seem to have a caring relationship with cats as well. The cat’s are kind of hesitant and keep mostly to themselves, as well as being admired and… cared for. If the tip of an ear is missing, they’ve been neutered. Still this doesn’t mean it’s a domesticated cat, just that it has been fortunate not to breed uncontrollably.
No, I don’t approach any cat, I just park my bicycle and kind of sit down while trying to get their attention. If they would…. come up to me I’m the happiest camper. Even sitting down next to a cat on a café, I won’t pet it. If I’m super fortunate the cat snuggles up next to me or sit in my lap by itself, I will pet it. For sure. For me, cat’s or animals in general is my best mental break from everything.
Cat Volonteering in Athens
If you go to Athens you’ll see them everywhere, as well as you’ll se care for them everywhere. I’m sure most of this is non organized care. I’ve seen solo acts, as well as half of a residential block caring for a cat. It’s all very heart warming. If I’m lucky enough to be able to another spring month in Athens, I will for sure prepare myself by contacting a cat volonteering organisation.
NinelivesGreece
International Voulonteer HQ
Workaway
Animal Allies Society all over Greece
My Apologies….
For throwing Cat Confetti… at you.
Arts in Athens
First and foremost, there is art everywhere in Athens, street art. Since my profession is training building managers how to care for buildings and their surrounding environment, grafitti ought to be a sacriledge to me. And it is… if it’s not artistic, as well as a serious culture where I’m at. I wouldn’t like to own a building in Athens, and care for it and at the same time someone else takes it as their canvas. But the way Athens is… it’s just EVERYWHERE. Good, bad, mediocre, partly mediocre, excellent and just plain crap. If grafitti, street art and everything inbetween is bothersome to you, you’ll for sure be disturbed as soon as you leave your building, until you leave the streets for your bedtime.
Apart from this the art scene in general runs from decent to good. No… I’m not a trained expert, but I’m an experienced viewer. Many of the smaller galleries in Athens are open by appointment only. There is also a decent amount of small galleries that you have to call to make sure the’re open, cause their web pages arn’t necessairily updated in relation to their… opening hours.
Art Museums in Athens
Gallery & Museum Guides
Art Forum
This is Athens
Matt Barrets Art Guide
Alekos Fassianos
One of my two favourites is Alekos Fassianos Museum which is located at Neofitou Metaxa 15. It’s the artist former Athens home that has become a small art museum. Well worth a visit.
National Museum of Contemporary Art -EMST
My second favourite is the huge National Museum of Contemporary Art -EMST. It’s one of those museums where it hurts when you realize some of the temporary exhibits just closed, or another is soon to open, but you will have left town by then. I highly recommend this museum, it tickles every little creative nerve you have.
National Museum of Contemporary Art is located at the corner of Kallirros Avenue & Amvr. Frantzi Street.
Art Work by Chryssa Romano
While I visited EMST they had an exhibition called “What if Women Ruled the World”. I was really struck by the diverse skill of the Greek artist Chryssa Romano. She was born in Athens 1931, and she lived in France many of her active years. She passed away in Greece in 2006. It’s kind of surprising that there is no proper biography of her, and her work available when I search online, considering her talent and skill. As well as so many auction houses seem to sell her work.
Her work is very inspiring!! That’s one of my two points of going to an art exhibition. I want to feel inspired, or impressed. I never do anything concrete with this inspiration, but I do want the feeling. How often do you think “I can try this at home”? when you see something that you like? Of course it’s very unlikely that you’ll even get as far as doing anything… in relation to what you liked at a show. But the feeling is soooo refreshing to ones spirit.
If women Ruled The World by Chryssa Romano
Artwork by Danai Anesiadous
A belgian artist of Greek decent, whose work is also a part of the What if Women Ruled the World? Her installations aren’t inspiring to me, but they are cool and make me smile ❤️. Not to mention the reactions by a younger possibly… influencer generation exploring the exhibit. That’s the greatness of art, you have your own reaction. If you react at all, that is.
The View from EMST
I guess this is a part of the EMST art collection, even though it’s on the outside. Apart from this it’s always nice to look out over a city. Being the ant on top of it.
The near architecture surrounding the museum isn’t that intriguing, but it becomes very intresting in relation to… the Parthenon at Acropolis backdrop. A perfect example of a citys annual rings.
The National Gallery & Alexander Soutzos museum
Has a very nice contemporary and modern art collection. One of the pieces there is actually made by Andis (my host) cousin. I’m a bit starstruck 😊. This museum doesn’t only show contemporary art, but I’m not that interested in the old-fashioned (or new…) boring nudes of women, hunting, upper class or poor peasants. Oh, I forgot the sea battles and fruit baskets… Pardon me.
National Gallery – Alexandros Soutsos Museum is located at 50 Vasileos Konstantinou.
Gagosian
A small and somewhat pretentious. When I was in town they showed an installation Light of Presence by one of my absolute favourites, James Turrell. Unfortunately this one made me nauseous, which was a shame, cause it was both intresting and beautiful. The Gagosian building in itself is beautiful though. And NO grafitti i in sight.
Gagosian is located at 22 Anapiron Polemou.
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Allouche Benias
Contemporary gallery in the middle of Kolonaki luxury district. With my luck… it wasn’t open when I was there. The inbetween curse. If not open it has a nice yard yard with a facade painting resembling of Sol LeWitt‘s graphic art.
It was my last couple of days, and I managed to return yet another time when it… was still closed a couple of more hours. But they were kind and let me peak since I was leaving the following day. Unfortunately it was one of those shows that left me feeling I could do this at home, but… I won’t. Cause I didn’t think it was good enough to… sorry.
Allouche Benias is located at Kanari 1.
Thank you Athens
It was a most wonderful month. The extreamely unusual feeling of not wanting to leave occurred. I can’t remember when that happened the last time. I will be back ❤️