Point of interest
Plaka & Anafiotika
in Athens, Greece
The oldest neighbourhood, a maze of cobbled lanes, tavernas and neoclassical houses below the Acropolis, with the white Cycladic-style cluster of Anafiotika tucked above.
Where it is
On the northern and eastern slopes of the Acropolis, the oldest continuously inhabited district of central Athens.
Address: 105 58 Athens
What it is
Plaka is a maze of pedestrian lanes with tavernas, boutiques and cafés right below the Acropolis. In Anafiotika the bustle suddenly gives way to quiet, whitewashed alleys draped in bougainvillea that feel like a Cycladic village. Both are perfect for slow wandering and close-up views of the Acropolis.
History
Plaka has been inhabited since antiquity and preserves many 19th-century neoclassical houses. Anafiotika, a tiny lane neighbourhood above Plaka, was built under King Otto when construction workers from the Cycladic island of Anafi came to Athens for the royal palace and built their homes in their native island style. About 45 of these white, cubic houses survive today.