Athens A to Z Travel Dictionary
A plain English dictionary of the neighbourhoods, sights, museums, beaches, dishes, drinks, customs and travel words you will meet in Athens and Attica. Now 261 entries. Search it, filter it by category, tap a letter to jump, or print the whole thing to take with you:
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Acropolis
SightThe ancient citadel above the city, crowned by the Parthenon (5th c. BC), the enduring symbol of Athens and of classical Greece.
#Acropolis Museum
MuseumThe modern museum by Bernard Tschumi at the foot of the hill, showing the sculptures and finds of the Acropolis above a glass floor over live excavations.
#Adrianou Street
NeighbourhoodPlaka's pedestrianised main artery, running along the northern edge of the Ancient Agora with cafés, tavernas and jewellery shops beneath the Acropolis. It offers casual dining with some of Athens' best ruin side views, linking Monastiraki to the Roman Agora.
#Aegina
Day tripA Saronic Gulf island about an hour by ferry from Piraeus, known for its pistachios and the hilltop Temple of Aphaia.
#Agia Paraskevi
NeighbourhoodA large residential suburb in the north east along Mesogeion Avenue, with its own Metro Line 3 station.
#Agias Irinis Square
SightA cafe lined square in the centre named after its church, and one of the busiest places downtown for a drink.
#Agora (Ancient Agora)
SightThe civic and market heart of ancient Athens, with the well preserved Temple of Hephaestus and the rebuilt Stoa of Attalos.
#Airport express buses
PracticalExpress bus routes connect the airport with the centre, Piraeus and the Kifissos coach station around the clock. Check the current route numbers and fares before you travel.
#Akadimia Platonos
NeighbourhoodA western district built over the site of Plato’s Academy, where an archaeological park sits among ordinary apartment blocks.
#Alimos Beach
BeachA sandy Athens Riviera beach along the southern coast, popular with locals for swimming, beach bars and watersports, and easily reached by tram from the city centre. It makes a relaxed alternative to busier resorts further along the coast.
#Ambelokipi
NeighbourhoodA busy, unpretentious central Athens neighbourhood built up around Mavili Square, known for its after hours bar scene, the nearby Megaron concert hall and everyday city life away from the tourist trail.
#Anafiotika
NeighbourhoodA tiny cluster of whitewashed, island style houses on the north slope of the Acropolis, built by Cycladic craftsmen in the 19th century.
#Apokries
FestivalThe pre Lenten carnival season (late winter), ending on Clean Monday with kite flying and Lenten food. Dates move with Orthodox Easter, check local listings.
#Areopagus
SightThe rocky outcrop below the Acropolis where the ancient council once met; today a popular (and slippery) sunset viewpoint.
#Artemida (Loutsa)
BeachA long sandy stretch on the east coast of Attica, close to the airport and busy with Athenians at weekends.
#Astir Beach
BeachAn organised beach on the Athens Riviera at Vouliagmeni, known for calm, clear water and sunbeds.
#Astynomia
PracticalPolice. The Europe wide emergency number 112 works throughout Greece and is answered in English.
#Ath.ena Card
PracticalThe rechargeable smartcard for Athens buses, trolleys, metro and tram, sold at metro stations and OASA kiosks; a paper Ath.ena Ticket covers shorter visits.
#Athenian Trilogy
SightThe three neoclassical buildings in a row on Panepistimiou Street (the Academy, the University and the National Library) designed in the 19th century by the Danish architects Theophil and Christian Hansen.
#Athens and Epidaurus Festival
FestivalGreece's flagship summer arts festival (roughly June to August), staging theatre, music and dance at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus and the ancient theatre of Epidaurus. Programme changes yearly, check the festival's site.
#Athens City Museum
MuseumHoused in the mansion that served as the first royal residence of King Otto, telling the story of Athens after independence.
#Athens Concert Hall (Megaron)
SightThe city’s main classical concert hall, with orchestral, opera and recital seasons.
#Athens Digital Arts Festival
FestivalAn annual festival dedicated to digital and media art, screening video works and staging exhibitions and performances at venues across Athens; dates change yearly, check listings. It draws international digital artists alongside Greek creators.
#Athens Marathon
FestivalThe original marathon race, run each autumn over the traditional route from the town of Marathon into central Athens, finishing at the Panathenaic Stadium, commemorating the run of the messenger Pheidippides in 490 BC; dates change yearly, check listings.
#Athens Open Air Film Festival
FestivalA summer festival that screens films outdoors in squares, parks and rooftops around the city; the programme changes each year, so check dates before you plan around it.
#Attica
RegionThe region around Athens, reaching from the city out to Cape Sounion, the Athens Riviera and the mountains of Parnitha, Penteli and Hymettus.
#Attica Zoological Park
ActivityGreece’s largest zoo, out at Spata near the airport, and an easy half day with children.
#Avgolemono
FoodA silky egg and lemon sauce or soup (often with chicken and rice), a cornerstone of Greek home cooking.
#Bakaliaros skordalia
FoodBattered fried salt cod with garlic purée, eaten across Greece on 25 March.
How to make bakaliaros skordalia
#Benaki Museum
MuseumA sweeping collection of Greek art and history from antiquity to the modern state, in a neoclassical mansion near the National Garden.
#Benaki Museum of Islamic Art
MuseumThe Benaki’s Islamic collection, shown in restored neoclassical houses on the edge of Kerameikos.
#Bifteki
FoodA flat Greek burger of minced meat with onion and herbs, grilled and served with chips or rice rather than in a bun; 'bifteki me feta' has cheese sealed inside.
How to make Bifteki Greek minced meat patties
- Minced beef or a beef and pork mix
- 600g
- Stale bread
- 2 slices, soaked in water and squeezed dry
- Onion
- 1, grated and squeezed dry
- Garlic
- 2 cloves, crushed
- Egg
- 1
- Fresh parsley and mint
- a handful, chopped
- Dried oregano
- 1 tsp
- Olive oil
- 2 tbsp
- Feta cheese
- 120g, for stuffing (optional)
- Salt and pepper
- to taste
- Put the mince, squeezed bread, grated onion, garlic, egg, herbs and oregano in a bowl and season well.
- Knead for a few minutes until the mixture is smooth and holds together, then rest it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Divide into 6 balls. Flatten each one into a thick oval patty about 2cm deep.
- For stuffed bifteki, press a hollow into the centre, tuck in a cube of feta and seal the meat over it.
- Brush with olive oil and grill over a medium charcoal fire or in a hot griddle pan for 6 to 7 minutes a side, until browned outside and just cooked through.
- Rest for 5 minutes and serve with lemon, chips and a horiatiki salad.
Billiards
ActivityPool and billiard halls are a low key Athens night out, and many stay open late and serve drinks. Long running spots include Lucky Man in Ampelokipi, going since 1970 with American tables near the centre, Mister 100 in Koukaki, and Sporting Club in Neos Kosmos. Most have carom, pool or snooker tables alongside table tennis.
#Bougatsa
FoodA breakfast pastry of crisp filo filled with semolina custard (sweet) or cheese, dusted with sugar and cinnamon.
#Bowling
ActivityAthens has several bowling alleys, handy on a rainy day or with children. Blanos Bowling in Glyfada is one of the oldest in the city, with twelve lanes plus billiards and roller skating, while Super Bowl in Agios Ioannis Rentis is the largest, with around twenty five lanes and pool tables. Both sit outside the centre and are easiest to reach by car or taxi.
#Briam
FoodSummer vegetables, mostly courgette, potato and tomato, baked slowly in olive oil.
How to make Briam slow roasted summer vegetables
- Potatoes
- 500g, sliced into rounds
- Courgettes
- 3, sliced into rounds
- Aubergine
- 1 large, cubed
- Red and green peppers
- 2, sliced
- Ripe tomatoes
- 4, grated, or 400g tinned chopped
- Onion
- 2, sliced
- Garlic
- 4 cloves, sliced
- Olive oil
- 150ml
- Fresh parsley
- a handful, chopped
- Dried oregano
- 1 tsp
- Salt and pepper
- to taste
- Heat the oven to 190C.
- Put all the sliced and cubed vegetables into a large roasting tin with the garlic.
- Pour over the grated tomato and the olive oil, add the oregano, parsley, salt and pepper, and turn everything with your hands until the vegetables are coated.
- Spread the vegetables out so they sit no more than two layers deep, and add a splash of water.
- Roast uncovered for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, turning twice, until the edges caramelise and most of the liquid has cooked away.
- Rest for 15 minutes. Briam is meant to be eaten warm or at room temperature, with bread and a block of feta.
Byzantine and Christian Museum
MuseumA museum on Vasilissis Sofias Avenue devoted to Byzantine art (icons, frescoes, mosaics and sculpture) from the early Christian era onward.
#Cape Sounion
SightThe marble Temple of Poseidon on a headland about 70 km south of Athens, a classic sunset day trip.
#Chalandri
NeighbourhoodA leafy northern suburb on Metro Line 3 with a pedestrian centre, everyday shops and tavernas, popular with families and rarely visited by tourists.
#Changing of the Guard
ActivityThe hourly ceremony of the kilted Evzones at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Syntagma Square; the full ceremony is on Sunday mornings.
#Choragic Monument of Lysicrates
SightA small circular marble monument near the Acropolis, erected by a wealthy patron to commemorate a prize won by a chorus he sponsored at the nearby Theatre of Dionysus, and one of Plaka's finest ancient survivals.
#Cycladic Art, Museum of
MuseumThe Goulandris museum in Kolonaki, best known for its slender, minimalist marble Cycladic figurines.
#Daphni Monastery
SightAn eleventh century Byzantine monastery around 10km west of central Athens, celebrated for its glittering gold ground mosaics and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, reachable by public transport for a half day visit.
#Dexameni
NeighbourhoodA leafy square and historic cafe in Kolonaki, named after the ancient Roman reservoir (dexameni) still on the site.
#Dionysiou Areopagitou
SightThe wide pedestrian promenade beneath the Acropolis linking Plaka with Thiseio, the single best walk in the city.
#Diples
FoodThin ribbons of fried dough soaked in honey and scattered with walnuts, made for weddings and Christmas.
How to make Diples fried dough ribbons in honey
- Plain flour
- 500g
- Eggs
- 4
- Orange juice
- 3 tbsp
- Olive oil
- 2 tbsp
- Baking powder
- half tsp
- Salt
- a pinch
- Sunflower oil
- for deep frying
- Honey
- 350g
- Water
- 100ml
- Walnuts
- 150g, chopped
- Ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp
- Beat the eggs well, then work in the orange juice, olive oil, salt, baking powder and enough flour to give a soft dough that no longer sticks.
- Knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Roll the dough out as thinly as you possibly can, almost to the point of transparency, then cut into strips about 8cm by 20cm.
- Heat the frying oil to 170C. Drop in one strip at a time and, as it softens, roll it up with two forks into a loose spiral.
- Fry for under a minute until pale gold, then lift onto kitchen paper. They colour fast, so work in small batches.
- Warm the honey with the water until runny, spoon it over the diples while they are still warm, and finish with chopped walnuts and cinnamon.
Dolmades
FoodVine leaves stuffed with rice and herbs (sometimes minced meat), served warm or cold with lemon.
#Eisitirio
PracticalTicket, whether for a bus, metro, tram or ferry. Validate it before or as you board where a validator is provided.
#Ekmek kataifi
FoodA layered dessert of syrup soaked shredded pastry topped with thick custard and whipped cream, usually finished with cinnamon or crushed pistachio.
How to make Ekmek kataifi syrup soaked kataifi with custard and cream
- Kataifi pastry
- 400g, teased apart
- Butter
- 150g, melted
- Sugar
- 400g, for the syrup
- Water
- 400ml, for the syrup
- Lemon
- half, plus a strip of peel
- Milk
- 1 litre
- Semolina
- 80g
- Caster sugar
- 150g, for the custard
- Eggs
- 3
- Vanilla
- 1 tsp
- Double cream
- 500ml
- Ground cinnamon
- to finish
- Pistachios
- 50g, chopped
- Heat the oven to 170C. Toss the teased kataifi with the melted butter until every strand is coated, press it into a 30cm baking tin and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until deep gold and crisp.
- Boil the sugar, water, lemon peel and juice for 5 minutes to make a syrup, then let it cool.
- Pour the cool syrup slowly over the hot pastry so it drinks it in evenly. Leave to settle.
- For the custard, heat the milk with the vanilla. Whisk the eggs, caster sugar and semolina, temper in the hot milk, then return to the pan and cook, stirring, until thick.
- Spread the custard over the soaked kataifi and press cling film onto the surface. Chill for at least 3 hours.
- Whip the cream to soft peaks, spread it over the set custard, and finish with cinnamon and chopped pistachios.
Elliniko
NeighbourhoodA southern coastal suburb on the site of the old Athens airport, now the subject of a very large park, marina and housing redevelopment.
#Epigraphic Museum
MuseumHoused in the same building as the National Archaeological Museum, it holds one of the world's largest collections of ancient Greek inscriptions carved in stone.
#Ermou Street
ActivityThe main pedestrian shopping street, running from Syntagma Square down toward Monastiraki.
#Evzones
ActivityThe ceremonial guards in traditional kilts (foustanella) who watch the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
#Exarcheia
NeighbourhoodA bohemian, politically charged quarter known for bookshops, street art, live music and student cafes.
#Farmakeio
PracticalPharmacy, marked by a green cross. A published rota keeps one open overnight in each area; the list is posted in the window.
#Fasolakia
FoodGreen beans stewed with tomato and olive oil, a classic ladera, or oil cooked, dish served warm or at room temperature.
#Fava
FoodA smooth purée of yellow split peas dressed with olive oil, lemon and raw onion; a classic meze.
#Feta
FoodGreece's protected origin brined sheep's (or sheep and goat) milk cheese, tangy and crumbly, used in salads, pies and dips across the country.
Personal pick: Deniz's pick: Dodoni, an Epirus (Ioannina) dairy brand, for tinned/barrel aged feta. This is a personal preference, not a ranking, and not a paid placement.
A classic made with it, karpouzi me feta
#Filoxenia
PracticalThe Greek ideal of hospitality to strangers, literally 'friend to the foreigner', felt in tavernas and family run rooms.
#First Cemetery of Athens
SightThe city's oldest official cemetery, below Mets, laid out as an open air gallery of 19th century sculpture and the resting place of many Greek public figures.
#Fix Hellas
DrinkA Greek lager brand with roots in 19th century Athens, revived and widely sold again.
A good plate to drink it with, souvlaki
#Flisvos Marina
ActivityA smart yacht marina on the Athens Riviera at Palaio Faliro, lined with restaurants and cafés and home to the retired battleship Georgios Averof, popular for an evening stroll beside the sea.
#Frappe
DrinkA frothy iced instant coffee drink shaken with sugar and a little water; a Greek cafe staple invented at the 1957 Thessaloniki trade fair.
#Freddo espresso
DrinkAthens' default summer coffee, espresso shaken over ice; the milky version is a freddo cappuccino topped with cold foam (afrogala).
#Frissiras Museum
MuseumA Plaka museum of contemporary European painting, concentrating on the human figure.
#Galaktoboureko
FoodA custard pie of semolina baked in filo and soaked in syrup, a beloved Greek dessert.
#Gavros
FoodFresh anchovy, either floured and fried or marinated in vinegar, and a standard ouzo meze.
How to make Gavros fried fresh anchovies
- Fresh anchovies
- 800g, heads and guts removed, rinsed
- Plain flour
- 150g
- Fine semolina
- 50g
- Salt
- 1 tsp
- Sunflower oil
- for shallow frying
- Lemons
- 2, cut into wedges
- Dried oregano
- to finish
- Rinse the anchovies well and drain them thoroughly on kitchen paper. Wet fish will not crisp.
- Mix the flour, semolina and salt in a wide bowl.
- Heat 2cm of oil in a frying pan until a pinch of flour sizzles at once.
- Toss the anchovies through the flour a handful at a time, shake off the excess, and lower them into the oil without crowding the pan.
- Fry for 2 to 3 minutes a side until golden and crisp, then drain on kitchen paper.
- Salt lightly, scatter with oregano and serve straight away with lemon wedges and a glass of ouzo.
Gazi
NeighbourhoodA former industrial district around the old Technopolis gasworks, now one of the city’s main nightlife, gallery and gay friendly quarters.
#Gemista
FoodTomatoes and peppers stuffed with rice and herbs, baked in olive oil; a summer classic served warm or at room temperature.
#Gkyzi
NeighbourhoodA quiet residential quarter on the slopes north of Exarcheia, with old apartment blocks and neighbourhood tavernas.
#Glyfada
NeighbourhoodThe lively hub of the southern Riviera suburbs, with beaches, shopping and nightlife.
#Goulandris Museum of Contemporary Art
MuseumThe Basil and Elise Goulandris Foundation museum in Pangrati, showing modern and contemporary Greek and international art in a purpose built gallery.
#Goulandris Natural History Museum
MuseumA natural history museum in Kifisia covering Greek flora, fauna, minerals and the Gaia environmental centre; an easy pairing with a walk in the suburb.
#Greek coffee (elliniko)
DrinkFinely ground coffee boiled in a small briki and served with the grounds settled at the bottom. Order it sketos, metrios or glykos, no sugar, some, or sweet.
#Gyros
FoodMeat roasted on a vertical spit, shaved into pita with tomato, onion, tzatziki and chips; the everyday cousin of souvlaki.
#Hadrian's Arch
SightA Roman gateway of the 2nd century AD marking the boundary between the old city and Hadrian's new quarter, beside the Temple of Olympian Zeus.
#Hadrian's Library
SightThe remains of the large library and courtyard complex built by the emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century AD, on the edge of Monastiraki.
#Halva
FoodTwo different sweets share the name: a dense sesame block sold by the slab, and a soft semolina pudding made at home.
How to make Halva semolina halva, the 1 2 3 4 method
- Olive or sunflower oil
- 1 cup
- Coarse semolina
- 2 cups
- Sugar
- 3 cups
- Water
- 4 cups
- Cinnamon stick
- 1
- Strip of orange or lemon peel
- 1
- Blanched almonds
- 80g
- Ground cinnamon
- to finish
- Put the sugar, water, cinnamon stick and citrus peel in a pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes, then keep it warm.
- In a heavy pan, warm the oil and toast the almonds for a minute, then add the semolina.
- Stir the semolina over a medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until it turns a nutty golden brown. This is the step that makes the flavour, so do not rush it.
- Take the pan off the heat, remove the cinnamon stick and peel from the syrup, and pour the hot syrup into the semolina, standing back because it will spit.
- Return to a low heat and stir until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 3 minutes.
- Press into a mould or bowl, leave to set for 30 minutes, turn out and dust generously with ground cinnamon.
Hellenic Motor Museum
MuseumA car museum at Ioulianou 33, a few minutes from the National Archaeological Museum. It occupies 3,000 square metres and displays more than 110 cars from the 19th and the 20th century.
#Herakleidon Museum
MuseumA small private museum in Thiseio built around art, mathematics and visual perception, best known for exhibitions of graphic art and ancient Greek technology.
#Herodes Atticus, Odeon of
SightA Roman stone theatre (161 AD) on the Acropolis' south slope, still used for summer concerts and the Athens and Epidaurus Festival.
#Horiatiki
FoodThe 'village salad', tomato, cucumber, onion, peppers, olives and a slab of feta with oregano and olive oil; no lettuce.
#Htapodi sti schara
FoodOctopus hung to dry in the sun, then grilled over coals, the classic companion to ouzo.
How to make Htapodi sti schara grilled octopus
- Octopus
- 1, about 1.5kg, cleaned
- Bay leaves
- 2
- Red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp, plus 1 tbsp for the dressing
- Olive oil
- 5 tbsp
- Lemon juice
- 1 lemon
- Dried oregano
- 2 tsp
- Black pepper
- to taste
- Capers
- 1 tbsp, optional
- Put the octopus in a dry heavy pan with the bay leaves and 2 tbsp of vinegar, no water at all. Cover and cook on a low heat.
- Let it simmer in its own juices for 45 to 60 minutes, until a knife slides easily into the thickest part of a tentacle.
- Lift it out and let it cool enough to handle, then cut into serving lengths.
- Rub the pieces with a little olive oil and grill over hot charcoal, or in a very hot griddle pan, for 2 to 3 minutes a side until the edges char.
- Whisk the remaining olive oil, the lemon juice, 1 tbsp vinegar and the oregano into a dressing.
- Pour it over the hot octopus, add capers and black pepper, and serve with ouzo or a cold white wine.
Hydra
Day tripA car free Saronic Gulf island reached by ferry from Piraeus, known for its stone mansions, donkey transport instead of cars and strong artistic history, and a favourite day trip destination from Athens.
#Hyma (krasi hyma)
DrinkHouse wine drawn from the barrel and sold by weight, ordered by the kilo, half or quarter.
A good plate to drink it with, a classic mezedes platter
#Hymettus (Mount)
NatureThe long mountain ridge just east of Athens, prized since antiquity for its wild herb honey and for sunset views back over the city.
#Ifestou Street
NeighbourhoodThe main lane of the Sunday flea market around Monastiraki, lined with antique shops, vintage stalls and bric a brac stretching towards Avissinias Square, a lively spot for browsing and bargaining.
#Ilioupoli
NeighbourhoodA residential southern suburb climbing the lower slopes of Mount Hymettus. The name means “sun city”.
#Ilisia
NeighbourhoodA central eastern district between Kolonaki and Pangrati, dominated by university and hospital campuses.
#Imam baildi
FoodA meze of aubergine slow cooked with onion, garlic and tomato in plenty of olive oil, served at room temperature; the name means “the imam fainted”.
#Industrial Gas Museum
MuseumThe old Athens gasworks at Peiraios 100 in Gazi, inside Technopolis City of Athens.
#Jewish Museum of Greece
MuseumA museum tracing over two thousand years of Greek Jewish history through artefacts, textiles and photographs, documenting communities that thrived across Greece before being devastated in the Holocaust.
#Kafeneio
PracticalThe traditional Greek coffee house, a place for Greek coffee, backgammon and slow conversation.
#Kaisariani Monastery
SightAn 11th century Byzantine monastery on the wooded lower slopes of Mount Hymettus, an easy trip from the centre.
#Kalamaki
FoodIn Athens, a plain skewer of grilled meat served on the stick, ordered separately from the pitta; elsewhere in Greece the same thing is often just called souvlaki.
How to make the skewers, souvlaki at home
#Kalamarakia
FoodSquid cut into rings, floured and fried, on the menu of practically every seaside taverna.
How to make Kalamarakia fried squid rings
- Squid
- 800g, cleaned and cut into rings, tentacles kept whole
- Plain flour
- 150g
- Fine semolina
- 50g
- Salt
- 1 tsp
- Sunflower oil
- for deep frying
- Lemons
- 2, in wedges
- Black pepper
- to taste
- Rinse the squid and dry it very thoroughly on kitchen paper.
- Mix the flour, semolina, salt and pepper in a wide bowl.
- Heat the oil to 180C. A cube of bread should brown in about 40 seconds.
- Toss the squid through the flour in small batches and shake off every loose grain.
- Fry for 90 seconds to 2 minutes only, until pale gold. Squid turns rubbery the moment it is overcooked.
- Drain on kitchen paper, salt while hot, and serve immediately with lemon.
Kallithea
NeighbourhoodA dense district between the centre and the sea, home to Panteion University and within walking distance of the SNFCC.
#Kapnikarea
SightA tiny eleventh century Byzantine church marooned on Ermou Street amid modern shopfronts, built over an earlier ancient temple and now used as the University of Athens' official chapel.
#Karydopita
FoodA dense walnut cake soaked in syrup, usually served in small squares.
How to make Karydopita walnut and syrup cake
- Walnuts
- 300g, coarsely ground
- Plain flour
- 150g
- Fine semolina
- 80g
- Eggs
- 5, separated
- Caster sugar
- 200g
- Butter
- 180g, softened
- Baking powder
- 2 tsp
- Ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp
- Ground cloves
- quarter tsp
- Brandy
- 2 tbsp
- Sugar
- 400g, for the syrup
- Water
- 400ml, for the syrup
- Lemon
- half, juiced
- Heat the oven to 175C and butter a 30cm by 20cm tin.
- Beat the butter and caster sugar until pale, then beat in the egg yolks one at a time, followed by the brandy.
- Fold in the walnuts, flour, semolina, baking powder, cinnamon and cloves.
- Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold them through in three additions, keeping the mixture light.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
- Meanwhile boil the syrup sugar, water and lemon juice for 5 minutes and let it cool completely.
- Pour the cold syrup over the hot cake, a ladle at a time, and leave it for at least 3 hours before cutting into diamonds.
Kavouri
BeachA quieter headland beach on the Athens Riviera between Voula and Vouliagmeni, with a mix of free stretches and organised sunbeds.
#Kebab
FoodMinced lamb or beef kneaded with grated onion, cumin and paprika, then pressed onto flat skewers and grilled.
#Kerameikos
SightThe ancient cemetery and potters' quarter, with a quiet archaeological site and museum near Gazi.
#Kifisia
NeighbourhoodA leafy, upscale northern suburb at the end of Metro Line 1, with mansions, gardens and the Goulandris Natural History Museum.
#Klafthmonos Square
NeighbourhoodA historic square in central Athens, once the garden of the country's first royal palace, now flanked by the Museum of the City of Athens and used for concerts and public gatherings.
#Kokoretsi
FoodSeasoned offal wrapped in intestine and slow roasted on a spit, a classic Greek Easter dish also sold year round at some grills; strongly flavoured and not for everyone.
How to make Kokoretsi spit roasted offal wrapped in intestine
- Lamb offal, liver, heart, lungs and sweetbreads
- 1.5kg
- Lamb intestines
- 1 set, cleaned and turned inside out
- Lemons
- 3
- Olive oil
- 100ml
- Dried oregano
- 2 tbsp
- Salt and black pepper
- generously
- Water
- for washing
- Wash the intestines repeatedly in water with the juice of 2 lemons until they are completely clean and no longer smell. This is the part that decides the dish.
- Cut the offal into chunks of about 3cm, season heavily with salt, pepper and oregano, and dress with olive oil and the remaining lemon juice.
- Thread the offal onto a long spit, alternating the cuts so the fattier pieces sit next to the leaner ones.
- Take one end of the intestine and wind it tightly around the loaded spit, overlapping each turn so the offal is fully enclosed. Tuck the end in firmly.
- Roast over a low charcoal fire, turning constantly, for 2 to 3 hours. Kept low and slow, the casing crisps while the inside stays moist.
- Rest briefly, then slice into rounds and serve with lemon, oregano and bread. It is Easter food, and it wants company.
Kolokithoanthoi
FoodCourgette flowers stuffed with rice or cheese, then fried or baked. A short early summer season only.
How to make Kolokithoanthoi stuffed courgette flowers
- Courgette flowers
- 20, stamens removed, rinsed gently
- Rice
- 150g, short grain
- Onion
- 1, finely chopped
- Spring onions
- 3, chopped
- Fresh dill and mint
- a large handful, chopped
- Olive oil
- 100ml
- Tomato
- 1, grated
- Lemon
- 1, juiced
- Salt and pepper
- to taste
- Hot water
- 300ml
- Soften the onion and spring onions in half the olive oil until translucent.
- Stir in the rice, grated tomato, herbs, salt and pepper, and cook for 2 minutes so the rice takes up the oil. Let the filling cool.
- Open each flower carefully and spoon in about a teaspoon of filling, no more, because the rice will swell. Twist the petals closed.
- Pack the flowers snugly in a wide pan, seam side down, in a single layer.
- Pour over the remaining oil, the lemon juice and the hot water, and set a small plate on top to hold them down.
- Cover and simmer very gently for 30 to 35 minutes until the rice is tender. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Kolokythokeftedes
FoodFried courgette and herb fritters bound with cheese, a standard meze in tavernas across the city.
How to make Kolokythokeftedes courgette and feta fritters
- Courgettes
- 800g, coarsely grated
- Salt
- 1 tsp, for drawing out water
- Feta cheese
- 200g, crumbled
- Spring onions
- 4, chopped
- Fresh mint and dill
- a large handful, chopped
- Eggs
- 2
- Plain flour
- 120g, plus extra for coating
- Breadcrumbs
- 50g
- Black pepper
- to taste
- Sunflower oil
- for shallow frying
- Grate the courgettes, toss with the salt and leave in a colander for 30 minutes.
- Squeeze the courgettes hard in a clean tea towel. You want them as dry as you can get them, or the fritters will collapse.
- Mix with the feta, spring onions, herbs, eggs, flour, breadcrumbs and plenty of black pepper. Add a little more flour if the mixture is loose.
- Rest the mixture in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Shape into small flat patties, dust lightly with flour and shallow fry in hot oil for 3 minutes a side until deep gold.
- Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot with tzatziki.
Kolonaki
NeighbourhoodAn upscale district below Lycabettus, known for designer shops, galleries and smart cafes.
#Kolonos
NeighbourhoodA residential quarter just west of the centre, named after the ancient deme where Sophocles was born and where he set Oedipus at Colonus. Its green hill carries an open air theatre that hosts the Colonus Festival each summer.
#Kontosouvli
FoodBig chunks of marinated pork turned slowly on a spit, a grill house and village festival dish.
How to make Kontosouvli large marinated pork on a rotisserie
- Pork shoulder or neck
- 2kg, cut into 5cm chunks
- Olive oil
- 100ml
- Lemon juice
- 2 lemons
- White wine
- 150ml
- Garlic
- 6 cloves, crushed
- Dried oregano
- 2 tbsp
- Sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp
- Mustard
- 1 tbsp
- Red and green peppers
- 2, in large pieces
- Onion
- 2, in thick wedges
- Salt and pepper
- generously
- Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, wine, garlic, oregano, paprika, mustard, salt and pepper into a marinade.
- Turn the pork through it, cover and refrigerate overnight, or at least 6 hours.
- Thread the pork onto a rotisserie spit, alternating with pieces of pepper and onion, and pushing everything tightly together.
- Set the spit over a low to medium charcoal fire, well away from direct flame.
- Turn for 2 to 2 hours 30 minutes, basting with the leftover marinade, until the outside is dark and crusted and the inside is tender.
- Rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with lemon, bread and a sharp salad.
Kotsanas Museum of Ancient Greek Technology
MuseumA private museum at Pindarou 6 and Akademias showing working reconstructions of ancient Greek inventions built by Kostas Kotsanas, from the robot servant of Philon to the analogue computer of Antikythera.
#Kotzia Square
NeighbourhoodA grand neoclassical square in central Athens fronting Athens City Hall, framed by nineteenth century buildings and occasionally used as a market or event space.
#Koukaki
NeighbourhoodA friendly residential area just south of the Acropolis Museum, full of small bars and guesthouses.
#Koulouri
FoodThe sesame crusted bread ring sold from street carts, Athens' classic breakfast on the go.
#Kourabiedes
FoodButtery almond shortbread buried under icing sugar, made at Christmas.
How to make Kourabiedes almond shortbread in icing sugar
- Butter
- 500g, at room temperature
- Icing sugar
- 120g, plus 400g for dusting
- Egg yolk
- 1
- Brandy or ouzo
- 3 tbsp
- Blanched almonds
- 200g, toasted and chopped
- Plain flour
- 800g, roughly
- Baking powder
- 1 tsp
- Vanilla
- 1 tsp
- Rosewater
- 2 tbsp, optional
- Beat the butter for a full 10 minutes until it is white and aerated. This is what gives kourabiedes their texture.
- Beat in the 120g of icing sugar, then the egg yolk, vanilla and brandy.
- Fold in the toasted almonds, then work in the flour and baking powder a little at a time until you have a soft dough that just holds its shape. Stop as soon as it comes together.
- Heat the oven to 170C. Shape into small rounds or crescents and set them on lined trays.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until barely coloured. They should stay pale.
- Sprinkle the hot biscuits with rosewater if using, then bury them in the remaining icing sugar while still warm and leave to cool completely.
Kritharaki
FoodRice shaped pasta, known elsewhere as orzo, and the base of giouvetsi.
How to make Kritharaki giouvetsi, beef baked with orzo
- Braising beef
- 1kg, in large cubes
- Orzo (kritharaki)
- 400g
- Onion
- 2, chopped
- Garlic
- 3 cloves, chopped
- Tinned chopped tomatoes
- 400g
- Tomato puree
- 2 tbsp
- Olive oil
- 5 tbsp
- Cinnamon stick
- 1
- Bay leaves
- 2
- Allspice berries
- 4
- Hot water or stock
- 1.2 litres
- Kefalotyri or graviera
- 150g, grated
- Salt and pepper
- to taste
- Heat the oven to 180C. Brown the beef hard in the olive oil in a wide casserole, in batches, then set it aside.
- Soften the onion and garlic in the same pan, stir in the tomato puree and cook for a minute.
- Return the beef, add the tomatoes, cinnamon, bay, allspice, salt, pepper and 600ml of the hot liquid.
- Cover and cook in the oven for about 1 hour 30 minutes, until the beef is tender.
- Stir in the orzo and the remaining hot liquid, which should sit about 1cm above the pasta.
- Return uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once, until the orzo is cooked and the top is catching. Scatter with the grated cheese and rest for 10 minutes.
KTEL
PracticalThe intercity coach network; from the Kifissos and Liosion terminals, buses reach the Peloponnese, Delphi and mainland towns.
#Kypseli
NeighbourhoodA dense, multicultural district north of the centre known for its 1930s apartment architecture, leafy Fokionos Negri promenade and a renovated municipal market; profiled on the city's official visitor site, thisisathens.org.
#Laiki agora
PracticalThe weekly open air street market that rotates around each neighbourhood, selling fruit, vegetables, fish and household goods from morning until early afternoon.
#Lalaounis (Ilias Lalaounis Jewellery Museum)
MuseumA museum below the Acropolis showing the work of goldsmith Ilias Lalaounis, whose designs drew on ancient Greek and other historic motifs.
#Lavrio
PracticalA working harbour town on the southern Attica coast, the main departure point for ferries to Kea, Kythnos and other western Cyclades islands, and a quieter alternative to Piraeus.
#Legrena
BeachA small sandy bay near the southern tip of Attica, close to Cape Sounion and the departure point for boats to the island of Patroklos.
#Leoforos
PracticalAvenue. Greek addresses are usually Odos or Leoforos plus the street name and number.
#Little Metropolis
SightThe tiny Byzantine church beside the modern cathedral, also called Panagia Gorgoepikoos, built partly from reused ancient and early Christian carved stone.
#Logariasmo, ton parakalo
PhraseThe bill, please. In Greece the bill is almost never brought until you ask.
#Loukaniko
FoodGreek pork sausage, often flavoured with orange peel, fennel seed or leek depending on the region it comes from.
A classic made with it, spetzofai
#Loukoumades
FoodLittle fried dough puffs drenched in honey syrup and cinnamon, sometimes with walnuts, a traditional sweet.
#Lycabettus, Mount
SightThe pine covered hill that is the highest point in central Athens, reached on foot or by funicular for panoramic views.
#Marathon (town)
Day tripThe Attica town that gave its name to the marathon race, home to the Tomb of the Athenians who fell in the 490 BC battle and a small archaeological museum nearby.
#Maria Callas Museum
MuseumThe world’s first museum devoted to the soprano Maria Callas, inaugurated by the Municipality of Athens in 2023 at Mitropoleos 44. The tour begins on the second floor, with rooms for Norma, Tosca and La Traviata and her masterclasses at the Juilliard School, and continues on the first floor with her life story.
#Marides
FoodSmall whitebait fried whole and eaten with a squeeze of lemon, heads and all.
How to make Marides fried picarel, eaten whole
- Picarel or small whitebait
- 800g, rinsed
- Plain flour
- 150g
- Fine semolina
- 50g
- Salt
- 1 tsp
- Sunflower oil
- for shallow frying
- Lemons
- 2, in wedges
- Rinse the fish and drain them very well. Small fish are fried whole, so there is no gutting to do.
- Combine the flour, semolina and salt in a wide bowl.
- Heat 2cm of oil in a frying pan until it shimmers.
- Coat the fish a handful at a time and shake off the loose flour.
- Fry for 2 to 3 minutes a side without crowding, until crisp and golden.
- Drain, salt while hot and serve with lemon. They are eaten whole, heads, bones and all.
Marousi
NeighbourhoodA northern suburb on Metro Line 3, home to the Olympic Sports Complex and large shopping centres, useful if you are staying away from the centre.
#Mastiha
DrinkA sweet, faintly pine like liqueur made from the resin of the mastic tree, which grows commercially only in southern Chios.
A classic made with it, tsoureki
#Melomakarona
FoodChristmas biscuits soaked in honey syrup and topped with crushed walnut.
How to make Melomakarona honey soaked Christmas biscuits
- Plain flour
- 900g
- Fine semolina
- 100g
- Olive oil
- 350ml
- Orange juice
- 200ml
- Caster sugar
- 150g
- Brandy
- 100ml
- Bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp
- Baking powder
- 2 tsp
- Ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp
- Ground cloves
- half tsp
- Orange zest
- 2 oranges
- Honey
- 400g, for the syrup
- Sugar
- 400g, for the syrup
- Water
- 400ml, for the syrup
- Walnuts
- 200g, chopped, to finish
- Whisk the olive oil, caster sugar, orange juice, zest and brandy together.
- Dissolve the bicarbonate in a splash of the orange juice and add it, then fold in the flour, semolina, baking powder and spices.
- Work the dough only until it comes together. Overworking makes them hard.
- Heat the oven to 175C. Shape into small ovals, set them on lined trays and press the back of a fork lightly on each.
- Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until firm and browned, then let them cool completely.
- Boil the honey, sugar and water for 3 minutes to make a thin syrup. Drop the cold biscuits into the hot syrup for 30 seconds, lift them out, and finish with chopped walnuts.
Meltemi
PracticalThe dry north wind that sweeps the Aegean in high summer; it cools Athens but can disrupt island ferries.
#Metaxa
DrinkA smooth amber Greek spirit that blends brandy with wine and a touch of botanicals; usually sipped after dinner.
A classic made with it, the Metaxa Sour
#Metaxourgeio
NeighbourhoodA changing inner city district around a former silk factory, with street art, small theatres, workshops and a mix of new bars and long standing tavernas.
#Metro
PracticalThree lines cover the centre and reach Piraeus port and the airport, clean, cheap and the fastest way across town.
#Metro Line 1
PracticalThe green line, and the oldest, running since 1869. It carries you from Piraeus up through Monastiraki and Omonia to Kifisia, 24 stations and about 40 minutes end to end, mostly above ground.
#Mets
NeighbourhoodA quiet old residential neighbourhood of neoclassical houses on the slope just below the Panathenaic Stadium.
#Meze (mezedes)
FoodSmall sharing plates, dips, seafood, cheeses, vegetables, eaten slowly with ouzo, tsipouro or wine.
How to build a mezedes platter
#Milate anglika?
PhraseDo you speak English? Widely answered yes in tourist areas, less so in mountain villages.
#Monastiraki
NeighbourhoodA buzzing square and flea market below the Acropolis, ringed by street food, souvlaki joints and rooftop bars.
#Moschato
NeighbourhoodA small district on Metro Line 1 between the centre and Piraeus, largely residential with a growing riverside park.
#Mount Parnitha
NatureThe highest mountain around Athens, a national park of fir forest with marked hiking trails and a cable car, reachable in about an hour from the centre.
#Moussaka
FoodThe baked casserole of aubergine, spiced minced meat and béchamel, traditionally a midday dish.
#Municipal Gallery of Athens
MuseumThe city’s own collection of modern Greek painting, in Metaxourgeio.
#Museum of Ancient Greek Musical Instruments and Toys
MuseumA permanent exhibition of 45 fully functional reconstructed instruments and toys, in the same Pindarou 6 and Akademias building as the Kotsanas Museum of Ancient Greek Technology. Visitors can listen to the Seikilos epitaph, the oldest known complete musical composition, and see an early instrument that later evolved into the church organ.
#Museum of Modern Greek Culture
MuseumThe state museum of Greek folk life and craft, spread across restored buildings between Plaka and Monastiraki.
#Mythos
DrinkA widely sold modern Greek lager, found on almost every taverna list.
A good plate to drink it with, grilled lamb chops
#Nafplio
Day tripA graceful Peloponnese port town with Venetian fortresses and neoclassical streets, often visited as a day trip from Athens for its waterfront, castles and relaxed café culture.
#Nai and Ohi
PhraseYes and no. Nai sounds like the English “nay” but means yes, which catches out most first time visitors.
#National Archaeological Museum
MuseumOne of the world's great collections of ancient Greek art, from the Mask of Agamemnon to the Antikythera Mechanism.
#National Gallery
MuseumThe Ethniki Pinakothiki near Evangelismos, the main national collection of Greek painting and sculpture from the post Byzantine period onwards.
#National Garden
SightA shady 19th century park behind Parliament, a cool retreat linking Syntagma to the Zappeion.
#National Historical Museum
MuseumThe museum of the Historical and Ethnological Society of Greece, whose collections cover the modern Greek state and its war of independence, alongside an archive of historical documents, a photographic archive and a library. Its annexes are the Lazaros Koundouriotis Historical Mansion and the Tetsis Home and Studio.
#National Observatory of Athens
SightFounded in 1842 on the Hill of the Nymphs beside Thiseio, the oldest research institution in Greece.
#Nea Ionia
NeighbourhoodA northern district founded by refugees from Asia Minor after 1922, and still proud of that heritage.
#Nea Smyrni
NeighbourhoodA residential southern district built by refugees from Asia Minor in the 1920s, arranged around a large square and park full of cafes.
#Neos Kosmos
NeighbourhoodA working district just south of the centre, close to the Acropolis Museum and known for theatres and a growing food scene.
#Nero
PhraseWater. Ena boukali nero is a bottle of water; tap water is potable in many but not all areas, so ask locally.
#Nosokomeio
PracticalHospital. Larger towns have a duty hospital that rotates for emergency admissions.
#Numismatic Museum
MuseumA coin museum housed in Iliou Melathron, the ornate former mansion of archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann on Panepistimiou Street.
#OASA
PracticalThe Athens public transport authority; a single ticket covers metro, bus, trolley and tram.
#Odos
PracticalStreet. Often omitted in speech and on signs, so an address may show only the name and number.
#Omonia
NeighbourhoodThe large square north of Syntagma and one of the city's transport hubs, where Metro Line 1 meets Line 2. Its station has been open since 1895.
#Onassis Stegi
SightA contemporary arts centre on Syngrou Avenue with theatre, dance, music and a rooftop restaurant.
#Ouzeri
PracticalA casual eatery built around ouzo and small plates of meze; the tsipouro equivalent is a tsipouradiko.
#Ouzo
DrinkThe anise flavoured spirit that turns cloudy with water or ice, traditionally sipped with meze.
How it is served the traditional way
#Palaio Faliro
NeighbourhoodThe coastal suburb where the Athens Riviera begins, with the Flisvos Marina and a long seafront promenade.
#Panathenaic Stadium (Kallimarmaro)
SightThe all marble stadium that hosted the first modern Olympics in 1896, rebuilt on an ancient running track.
#Pangrati
NeighbourhoodA well liked residential quarter behind the Panathenaic Stadium, with Varnava and Plastira squares, neighbourhood tavernas and the Goulandris art museum.
#Papoutsakia
Food“Little shoes”: aubergine halves filled with minced meat and finished with béchamel.
How to make Papoutsakia stuffed aubergine little shoes
- Aubergines
- 4 medium, halved lengthways
- Minced beef or lamb
- 500g
- Onion
- 1, chopped
- Garlic
- 2 cloves, chopped
- Tinned chopped tomatoes
- 400g
- Red wine
- 100ml
- Ground cinnamon
- half tsp
- Olive oil
- 100ml
- Butter
- 60g, for the bechamel
- Plain flour
- 60g, for the bechamel
- Milk
- 600ml, for the bechamel
- Kefalotyri or parmesan
- 100g, grated
- Egg yolk
- 1
- Nutmeg
- a grating
- Salt and pepper
- to taste
- Heat the oven to 190C. Score the cut faces of the aubergines in a criss cross, brush with olive oil, and roast face up for 25 minutes until soft.
- Press the flesh down with a spoon to make a hollow, keeping the shell intact.
- Fry the onion and garlic, add the mince and brown it well, then add the wine, tomatoes and cinnamon and simmer for 20 minutes until thick.
- Make the bechamel: melt the butter, stir in the flour, cook for 2 minutes, then whisk in the milk until smooth and thick. Off the heat, beat in the nutmeg, half the cheese and the egg yolk.
- Fill each aubergine shell with the meat sauce, spoon the bechamel over the top and scatter with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the tops are golden and blistered. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Paralia
PracticalBeach, or the seafront street running along it, which is why so many coastal towns have a “Paralia” address.
#Pastitsio
FoodGreece's baked pasta dish, long tubes layered with spiced meat and béchamel, a cousin of moussaka.
#Patsas
FoodA rich tripe soup traditionally eaten late at night or early in the morning, served at specialist patsatzidika near the central market.
How to make Patsas tripe soup, the traditional restorative
- Veal or lamb tripe
- 1.5kg, cleaned
- Trotters
- 2, split (optional)
- Lemons
- 2, for washing and serving
- Onion
- 1, whole
- Bay leaves
- 2
- Peppercorns
- 8
- Garlic
- 6 cloves, crushed
- Red wine vinegar
- 100ml
- Eggs
- 2, for the avgolemono
- Salt
- to taste
- Dried chilli flakes
- to serve
- Wash the tripe repeatedly in cold water with lemon and salt until it is completely clean, then blanch it for 10 minutes and discard that water.
- Cut the tripe into strips and return it to the pan with the trotters, whole onion, bay and peppercorns. Cover well with fresh water.
- Simmer very gently for 3 to 4 hours, skimming often, until the tripe is soft enough to cut with a spoon.
- Lift out the onion, bay and trotters, pull any meat off the trotters and return it to the pot. Season the broth well.
- For the garlic finish, crush the garlic to a paste with salt and stir it into the vinegar, then serve it at the table for each person to add.
- For the avgolemono finish instead, whisk the eggs with the juice of a lemon, temper in ladles of hot broth, then stir the mixture back into the pot off the heat. Serve with chilli flakes.
Pedion tou Areos
NatureA large park in central Athens laid out in 1934 to honour heroes of the 1821 Greek Revolution, its avenues lined with marble busts of revolutionary figures.
#Penteli (Mount)
NatureThe marble mountain north of Athens whose quarries supplied the stone for the Parthenon, now ringed by leafy suburbs.
#Periptero
PracticalThe small street kiosk selling water, snacks, transport tickets, phone top ups and newspapers; a practical landmark on many Athens corners.
#Peristeri
NeighbourhoodOne of the largest municipalities in the western suburbs, residential and served by Metro Line 2.
#Petralona
NeighbourhoodAn old district on the far side of Filopappou Hill, with 1930s houses, a village like square and some of the city's most traditional tavernas.
#Philopappou Hill
SightA green hill facing the Acropolis, with paved paths and one of the best free views in the city.
#Piraeus
PracticalGreece's largest passenger port and the gateway to the Saronic and Cycladic islands, at the end of Metro Line 1.
#Plaka
NeighbourhoodThe oldest inhabited quarter, a web of neoclassical lanes, tavernas and shops beneath the Acropolis.
#Planetarium (Eugenides Foundation)
ActivityA large digital planetarium on Syngrou Avenue, with shows in Greek and English.
#Plateia
PracticalA neighbourhood square (plateia), the social hub where cafes spill out and children play in the evening.
#Pnyx
SightThe rocky hill west of the Acropolis where the citizens’ assembly of ancient Athens met, often called a birthplace of democracy.
#Porto Rafti
Day tripA sheltered bay on the east coast of Attica near Markopoulo, largely a summer house town with calm swimming.
#Portokalada and lemonada
DrinkBottled orange and lemon sodas, the default soft drinks in a kafeneio.
How to make Portokalada and lemonada homemade orange and lemon cordial
- Oranges
- 6, for portokalada
- Lemons
- 6, for lemonada
- Caster sugar
- 500g
- Water
- 500ml
- Citric acid
- 1 tsp, optional, for keeping
- Sparkling or still water
- to dilute
- Ice
- to serve
- Wash the fruit well and pare the zest from three of them in wide strips, avoiding the white pith.
- Bring the sugar and water to the boil with the zest strips, stir until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for 3 minutes and take it off the heat.
- Leave the syrup to infuse with the zest until completely cool, then lift out the strips.
- Juice all the fruit and strain the juice through a fine sieve.
- Combine the juice with the cool syrup, add the citric acid if you want it to keep longer, and bottle it. It holds for about two weeks in the fridge.
- To serve, pour one part cordial to three or four parts cold water over plenty of ice.
Portokalopita
FoodA moist orange cake made with torn filo pastry and yoghurt, soaked in citrus syrup and served in squares.
How to make Portokalopita orange and filo cake
- Filo pastry
- 450g, left out to dry for a few hours
- Eggs
- 4
- Caster sugar
- 200g
- Greek yoghurt
- 300g
- Sunflower oil
- 200ml
- Orange zest
- 2 oranges
- Orange juice
- 100ml
- Baking powder
- 2 tsp
- Vanilla
- 1 tsp
- Sugar
- 400g, for the syrup
- Water
- 400ml, for the syrup
- Orange
- 1, sliced, for the syrup
- Cinnamon stick
- 1, for the syrup
- Spread the filo sheets out and let them dry until brittle, then crumble them into small pieces with your hands.
- Heat the oven to 175C and oil a 30cm by 22cm tin.
- Whisk the eggs and caster sugar until pale, then beat in the yoghurt, oil, orange zest, juice and vanilla, followed by the baking powder.
- Fold the crumbled filo through the batter until every piece is coated, then tip it into the tin.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until deep gold and set.
- Boil the syrup ingredients for 5 minutes and cool them slightly, then pour the warm syrup over the hot cake and leave it to drink for 2 hours before cutting.
Proastiakos
PracticalThe suburban railway linking Athens Airport, the city and the wider region including Kiato and Chalkida; a slower but cheaper alternative to some intercity routes.
#Psyrri
NeighbourhoodA former workshop district turned nightlife hub, packed with mezedopoleia, bars and street art.
#Pub quiz
ActivitySeveral Athens bars run a weekly quiz night in English, popular with expats and visitors and often busy enough to book ahead. The Wee Dram, a small Scottish pub near Panormou metro, holds a regular trivia quiz alongside live sport, and a long running English language pub quiz runs on Wednesday evenings around Mets and Pangrati. Teams are welcome and newcomers can usually join one on the night.
#Rafina
PracticalAttica's second busiest port after Piraeus, closer to Athens airport, with frequent high speed and conventional ferries serving Andros, Tinos, Mykonos and other Cyclades islands.
#Rakomelo
DrinkRaki or tsipouro warmed with honey, spices and sometimes cinnamon or cloves, drunk in winter as a short warming glass.
How to make Rakomelo warmed raki with honey and spice
- Tsipouro or raki
- 400ml
- Honey
- 4 tbsp
- Cinnamon sticks
- 2
- Cloves
- 4
- Cardamom pods
- 2, cracked (optional)
- Strip of orange peel
- 1
- Put the raki, honey, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and orange peel into a small pan.
- Warm over the lowest possible heat, stirring until the honey dissolves completely.
- Do not let it boil. Boiling drives off the alcohol and turns the honey bitter, so keep it just below a simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Take it off the heat and let the spices steep for a couple of minutes.
- Strain into small heatproof glasses or a warmed jug.
- Serve hot. It is a winter drink in the mountain villages and it is meant to be sipped.
Ravani
FoodA semolina sponge drenched in sugar syrup, sold by the square in bakeries.
How to make Ravani semolina syrup cake
- Fine semolina
- 250g
- Plain flour
- 120g
- Caster sugar
- 200g
- Eggs
- 4
- Greek yoghurt
- 200g
- Butter
- 150g, melted
- Baking powder
- 2 tsp
- Orange or lemon zest
- 1
- Vanilla
- 1 tsp
- Sugar
- 400g, for the syrup
- Water
- 450ml, for the syrup
- Lemon juice
- 1 tbsp, for the syrup
- Desiccated coconut
- 60g, optional
- Heat the oven to 180C and butter a 30cm by 22cm tin.
- Whisk the eggs and caster sugar until thick and pale, then beat in the yoghurt, melted butter, zest and vanilla.
- Fold in the semolina, flour, baking powder and coconut if using, and pour into the tin.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until golden and springy.
- While it bakes, boil the syrup sugar, water and lemon juice for 5 minutes, then let it cool.
- Score the hot cake into diamonds and pour the cold syrup over it slowly. Leave for 2 hours to absorb before serving.
Rebetiko
ActivityThe urban 'Greek blues' born in the 1920s and 30s, still played live in Psyrri and Plaka tavernas; recognised by UNESCO.
#Retsina
DrinkThe resin flavoured white wine of Attica, an acquired but characterful match for meze.
The classic meze plate for retsina
#Revithia
FoodSoaked chickpeas baked slowly for around three hours with onion, bay and olive oil, finished with lemon.
#Riviera (Athens Riviera)
RegionThe coastal stretch running from Piraeus south through Glyfada and Vouliagmeni to Cape Sounion.
#Rizogalo
FoodCold rice pudding dusted with cinnamon, eaten as a dessert or a breakfast.
How to make Rizogalo rice pudding with cinnamon
- Short grain rice
- 150g
- Water
- 400ml
- Full fat milk
- 1 litre
- Caster sugar
- 120g
- Cornflour
- 2 tbsp, slaked in a little milk
- Vanilla
- 1 tsp
- Strip of lemon peel
- 1
- Ground cinnamon
- to finish
- Salt
- a pinch
- Simmer the rice in the water with the lemon peel and a pinch of salt until the water is almost gone, about 12 minutes.
- Add the milk and bring back to a gentle simmer, stirring often so it does not catch.
- Cook slowly for 25 to 30 minutes until the rice is completely soft and the milk has thickened.
- Stir in the sugar and the slaked cornflour and cook for 3 minutes more until it coats the back of a spoon. Remove the lemon peel.
- Take off the heat, stir in the vanilla, and spoon into bowls while hot.
- Chill for at least 2 hours, then dust heavily with cinnamon just before serving.
Roman Agora & Tower of the Winds
SightA Roman era marketplace in Plaka centred on the octagonal Tower of the Winds, an ancient marble weather station and water clock decorated with reliefs of the eight wind deities.
#Saganaki
FoodA slab of cheese pan fried until golden and served sizzling with lemon; also used for small skillet dishes.
#Savatiano
DrinkThe white grape of Attica, historically the base of retsina and now increasingly bottled unresinated on its own.
The classic meze plate for retsina, the wine it makes
#Schinias Beach
BeachA long sandy beach backed by pine forest near Marathon, part of a protected national park and popular for watersports thanks to its calm, shallow water.
#Sepolia
NeighbourhoodA residential neighbourhood west of the centre, a few metro stops from Syntagma on Line 2. Its station opened in 2000 and was the northern end of the line until 2004. In ancient times the area held the great olive grove of Athens.
#Signomi
PhraseExcuse me, or sorry. The word to use for squeezing past people or catching a waiter’s eye.
#Skordalia
FoodA thick garlic purée thickened with potato or bread, served mainly with fried salt cod or beetroot.
How to make Skordalia garlic and potato dip
- Floury potatoes
- 600g, peeled and cut into chunks
- Garlic
- 5 to 8 cloves, to taste
- Olive oil
- 150ml
- Red wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp
- Salt
- 1 tsp
- Ground almonds or walnuts
- 60g, optional
- Cold water
- a splash, if needed
- Boil the potatoes in salted water until completely tender, then drain and let the steam escape for a minute.
- Crush the garlic to a smooth paste with the salt, using a mortar or the flat of a knife.
- Mash the potatoes while hot, by hand and never in a food processor, which turns them to glue.
- Beat in the garlic paste, then add the olive oil in a slow stream, working it in as you go.
- Add the vinegar and the nuts if using, and loosen with a splash of cold water until it is thick but spreadable.
- Taste and adjust the garlic and vinegar. Serve at room temperature with fried salt cod, beetroot or fried courgettes.
Soutzoukakia
FoodOval spiced meatballs with cumin and garlic in tomato sauce, a dish brought to Greece from Smyrna.
How to make Soutzoukakia Smyrna style cumin meatballs in tomato sauce
- Minced beef
- 600g
- Stale bread
- 2 slices, soaked in red wine and squeezed
- Garlic
- 3 cloves, crushed
- Ground cumin
- 2 tsp, generously
- Egg
- 1
- Olive oil
- 4 tbsp
- Onion
- 1, chopped, for the sauce
- Tinned chopped tomatoes
- 400g
- Tomato puree
- 1 tbsp
- Red wine
- 100ml
- Sugar
- 1 tsp
- Bay leaf
- 1
- Salt and pepper
- to taste
- Mix the mince, squeezed bread, garlic, cumin, egg, salt and pepper and knead well until smooth.
- Rest the mixture in the fridge for an hour so the cumin comes forward.
- Shape into short ovals about 7cm long, roughly the shape of a small sausage.
- Brown them all over in the olive oil, then lift them out.
- Soften the onion in the same pan, add the puree, wine, tomatoes, bay, sugar and seasoning, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Return the soutzoukakia to the sauce and simmer gently for 25 minutes, turning once. Serve with rice or mashed potato.
Souvlaki
FoodAthens' signature street food, grilled meat with pita, tomato, onion and tzatziki; the bare skewer is a 'kalamaki'.
#Spanakopita
FoodA savoury pie of spinach and feta in crisp filo; the cheese only version is tiropita.
#Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC)
SightA Renzo Piano designed complex in Kallithea housing the National Library of Greece and the Greek National Opera, set in a large seaside public park.
#Stoa of Attalos
MuseumA reconstructed second century BC colonnaded hall in the Ancient Agora, originally a gift from the King of Pergamon, now housing the Museum of the Ancient Agora's collection of finds.
#Strefi Hill
NatureA small rocky hill above Exarcheia with footpaths and clear views over the rooftops towards Lycabettus and the Acropolis.
#Syntagma Square
SightThe central square before Parliament, where kilted Evzones guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
#Taramosalata
FoodA pale, tangy dip of cured fish roe blended with bread or potato, olive oil and lemon; a Lenten table staple.
#Tatoi Palace
Day tripThe former summer estate of the Greek royal family on the wooded slopes of Mount Parnitha, now an atmospheric, partly restored complex open for guided visits.
#Tavli
ActivityBackgammon, the board game you will hear clattering across traditional kafeneia, usually played over a coffee or an ouzo.
#Technopolis
SightThe restored 19th century gasworks in Gazi, now a cultural centre hosting concerts and festivals, home to the Industrial Gas Museum.
#Temple of Olympian Zeus
SightA colossal temple begun in the 6th c. BC and finished under Hadrian; fifteen giant columns still stand near Hadrian's Arch.
#Theatre of Dionysus
SightOn the south slope of the Acropolis, the theatre where the tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides were first staged.
#Thiseio
NeighbourhoodA relaxed area west of the Acropolis, with a pedestrian promenade and open views of the ancient sites.
#Tiropita
FoodCheese pie in filo pastry, sold by the piece at every bakery and a standard Greek breakfast on the move.
How to make Tiropita cheese and filo pie
- Filo pastry
- 450g
- Feta cheese
- 400g, crumbled
- Ricotta or anthotyro
- 200g
- Kefalotyri or graviera
- 100g, grated
- Eggs
- 3
- Greek yoghurt
- 3 tbsp
- Black pepper
- plenty
- Fresh mint
- a handful, chopped, optional
- Nutmeg
- a grating
- Butter or olive oil
- 150g, melted, for brushing
- Heat the oven to 180C and brush a 30cm by 22cm tin.
- Mash the feta with a fork and mix it with the ricotta, grated cheese, eggs, yoghurt, pepper, nutmeg and mint. Do not add salt, the feta carries enough.
- Lay half the filo sheets in the tin one at a time, brushing each with melted butter and letting the edges hang over the sides.
- Spread the cheese filling evenly, then fold the overhanging edges back over it.
- Layer the remaining filo on top, brushing each sheet, and tuck the edges down inside the tin.
- Score the top layers into squares with a sharp knife, sprinkle over a little water, and bake for 45 to 50 minutes until deep gold and crisp. Rest 15 minutes before cutting.
Trahanas
FoodA dried grain of cracked wheat soured with milk or yoghurt, made into a thick winter soup.
How to make Trahanas soured wheat soup
- Sour trahanas
- 200g
- Water or chicken stock
- 1.2 litres
- Butter or olive oil
- 3 tbsp
- Onion
- 1, finely chopped (optional)
- Feta cheese
- 150g, cubed
- Tomato
- 1, grated (optional)
- Salt and pepper
- to taste
- If using onion, soften it in the butter or oil in a deep pan until translucent.
- Add the grated tomato if you want a red trahanas, and cook for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the stock and bring it to the boil.
- Rain the trahanas in slowly while stirring, so it does not clump.
- Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until the grains are soft and the soup has thickened. It thickens further off the heat, so keep it looser than you think you need.
- Season, then stir the cubed feta through just before serving so it softens without melting away.
Tram
PracticalA surface tram line runs from the city down to the southern coastal suburbs, slower than the metro but a pleasant ride along the shore.
#Trapeza
PracticalBank. Cash machines are signed ATM and are widespread, though small islands and villages can have only one, or none.
#Trolley
PracticalElectric trolleybuses run on overhead wires through the centre, on the same tickets as the ordinary buses.
#Tsai tou vounou
DrinkGreek mountain tea, an infusion of dried sideritis flowers, served plain or with honey and widely drunk for colds.
How to make Tsai tou vounou Greek mountain tea
- Dried mountain tea (sideritis) stems and flowers
- 2 or 3 stems per cup
- Water
- 250ml per cup
- Honey
- to taste
- Lemon
- a slice, optional
- Cinnamon stick
- 1, optional
- Break the dried stems roughly and rinse them briefly under cold water.
- Bring the water to the boil in a small pan with the cinnamon stick if using.
- Add the mountain tea, take the pan off the heat immediately, and cover it.
- Steep for 5 to 8 minutes. Boiling the leaves makes the infusion bitter, so it is the covering and steeping that does the work.
- Strain into cups.
- Sweeten with honey and add a slice of lemon. It is drunk through the winter across the mainland and the islands, usually for a cold.
Tsipouro
DrinkA clear spirit distilled from grape pomace, from northern and central Greece, drunk in small glasses alongside meze.
A classic made with it, rakomelo
#Tsoureki
FoodA sweet braided bread scented with mahlepi and mastic, baked at Easter.
How to make Tsoureki sweet plaited Easter bread
- Strong bread flour
- 1kg
- Fresh yeast
- 30g, or 12g dried
- Warm milk
- 300ml
- Caster sugar
- 250g
- Eggs
- 4
- Butter
- 200g, melted and cooled
- Ground mahlepi
- 2 tsp
- Ground mastiha
- half tsp, ground with a little sugar
- Orange zest
- 1
- Salt
- 1 tsp
- Egg
- 1, beaten, to glaze
- Flaked almonds
- 50g, to finish
- Warm the milk, crumble in the yeast with a spoonful of the sugar and 3 tbsp of the flour, and leave for 20 minutes until frothy.
- Beat the eggs with the remaining sugar until pale, then add the mahlepi, mastiha, orange zest and salt.
- Combine the yeast starter, the egg mixture and the flour, then work in the melted butter a little at a time.
- Knead for a full 15 minutes until the dough is smooth, glossy and pulls away from the bowl. Cover and leave to rise for 2 to 3 hours until doubled.
- Knock back, divide into six pieces, roll into ropes and plait two loaves of three strands each. Prove again on lined trays for 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 170C. Glaze with beaten egg, scatter with flaked almonds and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until deep brown and hollow sounding. Cool on a rack.
Tzatziki
FoodThe cooling dip of strained yoghurt, cucumber, garlic and olive oil that accompanies grilled meats.
#Varkiza
BeachA sandy resort beach on the Athens Riviera beyond Vouliagmeni, popular for swimming and watersports.
#Varvakios Agora
SightThe lively central meat, fish and produce market off Athinas Street, an authentic stop beyond the monuments.
#Visinada
DrinkA sour cherry cordial diluted with cold water, a traditional nonalcoholic summer drink also served over the spoon sweet it comes from.
How to make Visinada sour cherry cordial
- Sour cherries (vissino)
- 1kg, stoned
- Caster sugar
- 800g
- Water
- 200ml
- Lemon juice
- 2 tbsp
- Cold water or soda
- to dilute
- Ice
- to serve
- Layer the stoned cherries with the sugar in a bowl and leave overnight. The sugar draws the juice out on its own.
- Tip everything into a wide pan with the 200ml of water and bring slowly to the boil.
- Skim the foam carefully and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the syrup coats a spoon.
- Add the lemon juice and cook for 2 minutes more, then take it off the heat.
- Strain the syrup into sterilised bottles. Keep the cooked cherries, which are the classic spoon sweet, in a separate jar.
- To serve, pour one part syrup to four parts very cold water over ice. It is the deep red drink handed to visitors in summer.
Volta
PracticalThe evening stroll, Greeks take a leisurely 'volta' along the seafront or square once the day cools.
#Votanikos
NeighbourhoodA western district named after the botanical garden, part industrial and increasingly part cultural quarter.
#Voula
NeighbourhoodA Riviera suburb between Glyfada and Vouliagmeni, with both organised and free public beaches.
#Vouliagmeni
BeachA smart Riviera resort area with a warm, spring fed thermal lake and organised beaches.
#Vouliagmeni Lake
NatureA geothermal lake on the Athens Riviera fed by underground springs, kept at a mild temperature year round and popular for a relaxing swim away from the summer crowds.
#Vravrona (Brauron)
Day tripAn ancient sanctuary of Artemis on the eastern Attica coast, where young Athenian girls once served the goddess, with a small archaeological museum and site set amid quiet farmland.
#Vyronas
NeighbourhoodAn eastern suburb below Hymettus named after Lord Byron and settled largely by Asia Minor refugees.
#War Museum of Athens
MuseumA museum covering Greek military history from antiquity to the present day, displaying uniforms, weapons and models across several floors near the National Garden.
#Yia sou / Yia sas
PhraseHello and goodbye. Yia sou to one person you know; yia sas to a group, or to anyone you are being polite with.
#Youvarlakia
FoodMeatballs rolled with rice and simmered in an egg and lemon broth, a winter comfort dish.
How to make Youvarlakia rice and meatball soup with avgolemono
- Minced beef or a beef and pork mix
- 500g
- Short grain rice
- 100g, uncooked
- Onion
- 1, grated
- Fresh parsley and dill
- a handful, chopped
- Egg
- 1, for the meatballs
- Olive oil
- 3 tbsp
- Hot water or stock
- 1.2 litres
- Carrot
- 1, diced (optional)
- Eggs
- 2, for the avgolemono
- Lemons
- 2, juiced
- Salt and pepper
- to taste
- Mix the mince, uncooked rice, grated onion, herbs, egg, salt and pepper and knead well.
- Roll into balls the size of a walnut and dust them lightly with flour.
- Bring the stock and olive oil to a gentle simmer with the carrot, then lower the meatballs in carefully in a single layer.
- Cover and simmer very gently for 40 minutes. Do not stir hard or the balls will break.
- Whisk the 2 eggs until frothy, whisk in the lemon juice, then temper the mixture by adding ladles of the hot broth one at a time while whisking constantly.
- Pour the avgolemono back into the pan off the heat, swirl the pot rather than stirring, and serve at once. Reheating will split it.
Yusurum (Sunday flea market)
ActivityThe Sunday flea market around Avissynias Square in Monastiraki, spilling into the surrounding streets.
#Zappeion
SightA grand 1888 hall and its gardens beside the National Garden, used for exhibitions and events.
#Zografou
NeighbourhoodThe university district east of the centre, with large campuses on the slopes below Hymettus.
#