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Home » Blog » A Walk Through the Plaka and Monastiraki in Athens, Greece

Published: January 22, 2019 / Updated: October 13, 2021 by Marlynn Jayme Schotland

A Walk Through the Plaka and Monastiraki in Athens, Greece

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When visiting Athens, stroll through the Plaka and Monastiraki, where old and new meet in beautiful ways.

iconic blue and white house in Athens Greece

After an amazing morning soaking up the history and mythology of the Acropolis, our Greeking.me tour guide Eva lead us out of the Acropolis.

old town street in the Plaka neighborhood of Athens, Greece

Plaka and Monastiraki

We ventured down the hill and into the Plaka, one of the area's most picturesque neighborhoods with classic white-washed buildings and bright blue shutters and house trim.

The Plaka is the oldest part of Athens, and one of the most photographed – with good reason. The cobblestone streets are lined with beautiful houses, gorgeous churches, and picturesque vignettes of Athens life.

yellow church in the Plaka neighborhood of Athens, Greece
green door on storefront in Plaka neighborhood of Athens, Greece
large white building in Athens, Greece
white vespa in front of building with green door in Athens, Greece

A short walk from the Plaka is the Ancient Agora. This was once the central marketplace, and also the central gathering spot for ancient Athens. This is where all of the men (and a few women) went to discuss everything from town gossip to politics, all while shopping for necessary goods.

statues in Ancient Agora in Athens, Greece
large stone columns in Ancient Agora in Athens, Greece

Walking among the ruins, it was so easy to visualize scenes of a bustling market filled with Greeks selling their goods, philosophizing and politicking. If you get the chance to visit the Athens Agora, I suggest you stop by. It's a visit that won't take long, but if you're in Athens, I think it's an important historic spot to visit to get a better understanding of everyday life back in ancient times.

plaka shops and outdoor restaurants in Athens, Greece

After the Agora, we walked a few minutes back toward Monastiraki. The whole area of Plaka and Monastiraki provide tourists with wonderful places to eat and shop before or after visiting the Acropolis.

colorful candy store in Plaka and Monastiraki neighborhoods of Athens, Greece

Brightly colored candy shops, quaint cafes, and packed boutiques line the streets.

Lunch at Dia Tafta

Dia Tafta restaurant in Monastikaki in Athens, Greece

We encouraged our guide Eva to join us for lunch at Dia Tafta, one of the many restaurants on Adrianou street in Monastiraki. Most of the cafes and restaurants on Adrianou have tables out front with staff armed with menus to entice you to dine with them. They honestly all looked good to me, so I am glad someone else chose the restaurant. I'd dine at each one!

inside Dia Tafta restaurant in Monastikaki in Athens, Greece
Glasses of Tsipouro on  tray

We started with a round of Tsipouro, a Greek brandy that traditionally is 40-45% alcohol. It's right up there with Ouzo and Raki in the "this is strong stuff" department.

olives and rustic bread

I'd feast on the olives alone in Greece. Can every restaurant in the world serve fresh Greek olives along with their house made olive oil and bread, please? That would be heaven!

Dolmades on a plate

When in Athens, you must have the Dolmades. This is a traditional Greek dish of stuffed grape leaves. These can be vegetarian or stuffed with meat.

stuffed tomatoes and peppers in restaurant

The stuffed tomatoes and peppers are a great hearty vegetarian option.

gyro with fries

Meanwhile, I enjoyed the traditional Gyros, which was served on pita bread and served with tzatziki and fries. It was quite the hearty serving for one person!

Dia Tafta is open from 9am to 3pm every day. The address is: 37 Adrianou, Monastiraki, Athens 105 55, Greece. Please visit the restaurant's website for their full menu, and more up-to-date information.

After lunch at Dia Tafta, we headed back to the train station and to our hotel to freshen up before dinner. We dined at a Michelin star restaurant with a chef with Greek, Asian, and German roots.

Intrigued? Stay tuned for my next Greece travel post!

More Travel Bliss

Parthenon at the Acropolis in Athens, Greece

Acropolis Tour in Athens, Greece

Hilton Athens Galaxy Bar

Where to Stay in Athens: the Hilton Athens

Disclosure: This was part of a Visit Karpathos press trip during our short stay in Athens on the way to Karpathos. All opinions and photos are, as always, my own.

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    Comments

    1. Hillary Knudsen says

      January 29, 2019 at 11:02 pm

      I loved visiting Athens! I could live on olives and good bread like you said! Also the greek "salads" with a big chunk of feta and all the goodies without the lettuce. It looks like you had a wonderful trip - thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

        February 04, 2019 at 11:36 pm

        Greek food is so amazing! And I did! Thank you, Hillary!

    2. Catherine @ To & Fro Fam says

      January 23, 2019 at 9:14 am

      I'm struck by your observation that new meets old in this area of Athens because that's exactly what my sister said! She just got back from Athens, which she absolutely loved, and said the mixture of the ancient and the young was exciting.

      Reply
      • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

        February 04, 2019 at 11:35 pm

        Oh, really? How funny! I hope she had a blast!

    3. Dessy Markova says

      January 23, 2019 at 5:11 am

      I love Greece so much. Especially summer time, they have amazing islands and amazing sea. Never been to Athens though, but your story made me see it through your eyes.

      Dessy

      Reply
      • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

        February 04, 2019 at 11:34 pm

        I love it, too! It's such a gorgeous place with so much to do!

    4. Pech says

      January 23, 2019 at 1:48 am

      I love the details of the doors and the window shutters and I like everything in that candy shop window!

      Reply
      • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

        February 04, 2019 at 11:33 pm

        Agreed! They were so cool to look at!

    5. Megan Joy says

      January 22, 2019 at 11:57 pm

      Mmmm those Dolmades look so good! Everything is so colourful there. Definitely on my bucket list of places to visit one day!

      Reply
      • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

        February 04, 2019 at 11:32 pm

        I hope you get to go! Greece is amazing! :)

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    Hey Hey! Thanks for stopping by! I'm Marlynn - a cookbook author, writer, photographer, and mom of two teenagers + a lovable lab retriever. Here you'll find my fast, easy, and delicious recipes, wine pairings, and travel guides. I hold a WSET 2 with Distinction in wine, and am a member of Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).

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