Plaka: The Old Town Neighbourhood of Athens

Plaka is the oldest inhabited neighbourhood in Athens, a maze of narrow neoclassical streets winding through the lower slopes of the Acropolis that served as the city's old town during the Ottoman period and retains its historic character despite being the most heavily visited neighbourhood in Greece. The area's white-washed houses with blue shutters, bougainvillea-draped courtyards, Byzantine churches, and Roman ruins create the most picturesque urban landscape in Athens, offering a more intimate experience of the city's layered history than the grand ancient monuments above.

Plaka's shops specialize in Greek handicrafts, leather sandals, silver jewellery, ceramics, and olive products — the quality varies considerably, but patient browsing reveals genuine artisan work alongside the mass-produced tourist merchandise. The neighbourhood's restaurants range from tourist-trap tavernas best avoided to excellent traditional Greek kitchens on the quieter back streets where locals still eat. Taverna Klimataria near the edge of the neighbourhood has been serving traditional mezedes since 1927, and evening meals here with carafe wine and live rebetiko music capture something of authentic Athenian taverna culture.

The Tower of the Winds — a remarkably well-preserved marble octagonal tower from the 1st century BC that served as the ancient world's first meteorological station — stands in the Roman Agora at the northern edge of Plaka and is one of the most accessible and impressive ancient structures in the city. The neighbourhood also contains the Lysicrates Monument, the only surviving example of a choregic monument from classical Athens, and numerous Byzantine churches built on foundations of earlier ancient temples. A morning walk through Plaka before the day's tourist crowds arrive rewards with quiet streets, the sound of church bells, and the Acropolis glowing above the terracotta rooftops.