I
t’s 3amon aTuesday, and as our taxi darts down the city
streets ofAthens –past
SyntagmaSquare
[ 1 ]
, alongside
the old
ParliamentHouse
(Stadiou Street) and into the
back alleys that snake down towards the
Acropolis
– it’s hard
tobelieve this is a city still in themidst of an economic crisis.
Through the openwindow I glimpse smartlydressed
Athenians ordering rum cocktails and grazing on tapas plates
in chic bars. A few steps away, teenagers tumble out of
restaurants and coffee houses –preferring foreignplaces like
Pâtisserie Paul andPizzaHut to the smaller, cheaperAthenian
taverns that line the streets. Near Syntagmametro station,
abesuitedbusinessman tucks the early editionof the day’s
newspaper under his arm and strolls on, oblivious, it seems,
to the cloak of night that descendedupon the cityhours ago.
“Athenians are a social people, they like to goout, look
good, meet friends. There are peoplewho can’t afford toheat
their homes in thewinter, but trustme, they’dnever give up
going out to restaurants and coffee shops,” saysYannis
Zaras, the 33-year-old founder of
BigOlive
[ 2 ]
city
walks (bigolive.org), ayoung company that has
historians andPhD students take holidaymakers
on intriguing explorations ofAthens – replacing
the traditional staidClassical andRoman ruin tours
withmore engaging personalisedwanders that are as
much about the people as they are about conveying
a sense of the city today.
Visitors can follow the footsteps of great
Greek scholars acrossAthens, join gastronomic
explorations and learn about secret dalliances
between the city’smost famous residents.
Andwhile the nightlynews beams pictures
of glum-lookingAthenians and frazzledGreek
politicians intohouseholds around theworld,
themoodon the streets is rathermore buoyant.
“A fewyears back, ayoung person’s biggest
dreamwas to get agovernment job, work there for
40 years, then retire,” says Zaras. “That’s not anoption
for us now, and it’smade usmore creative, taught us to think
differently about jobs andwork. Yes, lots of people have had
tomove back home and yes, the salaries are low, butmany
of us have startedour ownbusinesses and are doing new
things, and that’s exciting.”
It’s a feeling that echoes across the city. The summer
holidays haven’t yet begun, but everymorning new guests
arrive at the
NewHotel
[ 3 ]
(Filellinon 16, yeshotels.gr), part
of Greece’sYES! Hotel group–which stands forYoung,
Enthusiastic, Sophisticated. The company also runs ahandful
of boutique hotels acrossAthens, including
Semiramis
(Char.
Trikoupi 48) in the affluent northern suburbof
Kifisia
.
Since opening in 2011, NewHotel has become one of the
most fashionable spots inAthens, thanks, inpart, to its
popular restaurant NewTaste, and an impressive location in
the recently rejuvenated areaof
Plaka
, a few steps from
themain shopping street
Ermou
(named for the godof
Commerce, naturally), the
National Gardens
(Amalias 1) and
GREECE
ELEFTHERIOSVENIZELOS INTERNATIONALAIRPORT (ATH)
10,816,286
+30
28°C
EURO (EUR)
Athens
AidaniArgyros
AtFineWine (Lysicratous
Street3, Plaka), Sophia
Athanasopoulouoffersa local
wineandcheese tasting.Trya
glassofAidaniArgyros, a fruity
white fromSantorini that’s
bestpairedwithgrilled fish
andsun-soakeddays.
44
JULY 2015
