GREECE IS_ATHENS SUMMER_2023

THE ESSENTIAL WALKABOUT – AN ODE TO THE TRADITIONAL TAVERNA – ATHENIAN BALCONIES –EXPLORING ELEUSIS – THE HORSE IN ANCIENT GREECE

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The mythical views and the history of Europe’s oldest capital, Athens, promise to compose an unsurpassed cultural journey through its indigenous sights and unique flavors.

A FINE BALANCE

BY GIORGOS TSIROS

ON SEPTEMBER 18TH, 1834, Athens was proclaimed the capital of the Greek state by the decree of the Regency of Otto, a title other cities such as Argos, Corinth, Piraeus, and Nafplio, the country’s capital until then, had sought. At the time, Athens was essentially a large village around the Acropolis (roughly from Psyrri to Makrygianni) with Plaka at its heart. It lacked public lighting, transportation, and even water supply and sewage networks. Its population was a mere 7,000, exactly half the daily visitors the Acropolis saw last May. Indeed, according to the Greek organization for the management of cultural resources, each day in May a staggering 14,000 visitors ascended the “Sacred Rock,” a 70 percent increase over 2022; officials noted that daily visits from April onwards matched the levels seen in August, traditionally the busiest month for Greek tourism.

Also in May, the average hotel occupancy rate in Athens approached 88.5 percent, showing an improvement of 7.9 percent compared to the same month in 2022. Meanwhile, during the first five months of the year, Athens International Airport handled 9.15 million passenger arrivals, up by 39.9 percent over the same period in 2022.

These figures testify to Athens’ popularity as a city-break destination and to its growing contribution to the country’s tourism revenue, which this year is expected to reach €39.2 billion, just 4 percent lower than the pre-pandemic high of €40.8 billion in 2019, according to the Economic Impact Research of the World Travel & Tourism Council.

At the same time, the city is trying to find a balance between its booming tourism sector and the quality of life for its permanent residents. Athens has not yet reached the point of saturation, but affordable housing has become a challenge, and the first signs of overgentrification are visible in certain areas of its center. In a recent survey conducted by Pulse for the Reimagine Tourism in Greece conference organized by Kathimerini, publisher of Greece Is, 58 percent of respondents expressed concern about the impact of Airbnb on Athens’ urban and social fabric.

In this hospitable metropolis, you won’t see protest banners declaring “This is not tourism, it’s an invasion,” as you might in Barcelona, but the need for proper destination management will be the “hot” issue – and the biggest challence – in the coming years. After all, when tourism benefits citizens, it benefits tourists as well.

In this issue, we sought to find our own balance, between the city’s touristic face and the “real life” unfolding behind the scenes. We hope it keeps you good company and helps you to better understand our city.•

CONTENTS

GREECE IS — ISSUE#56 — SUMMER 2023

12 | WHAT ’ S GOING ON?

Noteworthy arrivals, unique experiences, and art exhibitions that will make your summer stay in Athens even more memorable.

32 | INSIDE INFORMATION

Locals share tips on their favorite city experiences.

38 | PARALLEL REALITIES

Athens tries to strike a balance between tourism and everyday life for its residents.

46 | TRIUMPHS AMID CHALLENGES

The 14-year journey of innovation, resilience and cultural advocacy at the Acropolis Museum, and what lies ahead for this institution.

56 | IN PICTURES

Shades of Green: havens for hot summer days.

62 | ATHENS ORIGINALS

Entrepreneurs who have brought something new to the Athenian experience.

74 | THE WALKABOUT

Our own walking tour of the city’s best: museums, shops, restaurants, bars, and more.

92 | SERVING UP ΤRADITION

The captivating history of the taverna and a must-visit list of the city’s extraordinary establishments.

106 | SOMETHING ’ S BREWING

Refreshingly cool local and international craft beers await you in taprooms around the city.

CONTENTS

112 | INSIDE OUT

For at least half the year, the Athenian balcony is where the better part of urban life takes place.

124 | URBAN EXPLORERS

Locals who wander around the city in search of intriguing details few others notice.

140 | ELEUSIS: ANOTHER CAPITAL IN ATTICA

21 kilometers west of Athens lies the city that has earned the title of European Capital of Culture for 2023.

148 | RECALLING CALLAS

A hundred years after the great Greek soprano’s birth, we look back at her historic performances at the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus.

156 | THE NOBLEST BEAST

In “horse-crazy” ancient Athens, the beauty and value of these divinely gifted animals was recognized by all.

166 | NELLY ’ S

A retrospective celebrating one of Greece’s most important photographers is taking place at the Benaki Museum.

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ON THE COVER

Illustration by Anna Tzortzi

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The movie is just the excuse

CINEMA MADE ITS DEBUT in Greece at the end of the 19th century. Shortly after its arrival, traveling projectionists started setting up canvas screens in well-frequented city spots such as Syntagma Square, delighting the local populace. As time passed, these open-air screenings began to establish themselves in dedicated spaces, typically on rooftops or in bougainvillea-draped courtyards, and to offer amenities such as snack bars. These cinemas, which today might serve everything from popcorn and beer to pizza, souvlaki, and cocktails, continue to be a cherished part of the summer experience in Greece. This year, approximately 100 open-air cinemas are in operation in Athens and the surrounding municipalities. The oldest among them first opened their doors in the 1920s and ’30s. Recommended ones include Cine Thisio (situated beneath the Acropolis), Dexameni in Kolonaki, Oasis in Pangrati, Aigli in Zappeio, and Cine Floisvos at the Marina of the same name. It’s worth noting that in Greece, films are shown in their original language with Greek subtitles. panagiotis koustas

What ᾽s going on? City brief

A summer mix of cultural events and other fun things to see and do while in Athens.

A green oasis with sculptures

SITUATED 5 KM east of Syntagma, in the residential area of Goudi at the base of Mt Ymittos, you’ll discover the National Glyptotheque. This hidden gem isn’t just a green oasis; it also showcases the evolution of modern Greek sculpture from the pre-revolutionary era to the 21st century. Until the mid-19th century, this location functioned as a shooting range. Later, it accommodated military facilities and the stables of King George I’s cavalry. Around 20 years ago, these structures were repurposed into exhibition areas. The outdoor sculpture park is especially striking, covering an area of 6,500 square meters and presenting roughly 60 large-scale works. These include prominent pieces by acclaimed artists such as Yiannis Gaitis, Aphrodite Liti, Thodoros Papagiannis, and George Zongolopoulos. Although the Glyptotheque does not currently house a café, if you bring your own provisions, you’re sure to find a serene, shaded spot for a picnic. Expect to see locals, especially on weekends, who frequent the park for exercise, leisurely walks with their dogs, or just a peaceful respite. panagiotis koustas

© NATIONAL GALLERY ALEXANDROS SOUTSOS MUSEUM, PHOTO: STAVROS PSIROUKIS

City brief

© ANGELOS GIOTOPOULOS

The transformation of a city

IN SEPTEMBER 2024, ATHENS will celebrate its 190th year as the capital of the Greek State. Athens has continued to grow and transform for the better part of two centuries, with the most dramatic changes occurring after WWII. The “Urbanography” exhibition, curated by Syrago Tsiara, the director of the National Gallery, narrates a part of the “urban experience” and identifies some of the factors that have shaped Athens and other Greek cities. It does this through 202 artworks and snippets from 22 Greek films, highlighting themes such as urbanization, reconstruction, immigration, and urban culture. The exhibition offers a glimpse into Athens during the post-war decades from 1950 to 1970, a time of rapid transformation. It documents the formation of the city’s squares, the construction of its main roads, and the placement of traffic signals to regulate the increasingly dense flow of vehicles. xenia georgiadou

→ To 03.03.2024, National Gallery - Alexandros Soutsos Museum, 50 Vasileos Konstantinou, nationalgallery.gr

George Ioannou, oil in canvas

Return to sender

A STRIKING MULTICOLORED pavilion constructed from 120 bales of used clothing starkly underscores what happens to a significant portion of the West’s aid to African nations. An overwhelming volume of secondhand clothes, considered unfit for redistribution, ends up in landfills, aggravating existing environmental issues. This installation, by the Kenyan collective NEST, became a widely discussed highlight at Documenta 15 (2022). For its subsequent display in Athens, the clothes and textiles utilized were sourced entirely from Greece. xenia georgiadou

→ Esplanade, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, 364 Syngrou, Kallithea, snfcc.org

Art to make you think

THE GROUP EXHIBITION “Modern Love: Love in the Years of Cold Intimacies,” curated by Katerina Gregos, the artistic director of the National Museum of Contemporary Art, delves into human relationships in the age of digital interconnectivity and social networking. Can tenderness be quantified? How deep can the bonds formed through algorithms be? This exhibition explores these questions through VR works, 3D landscapes, AI-generated photos, videos, collages, and installations. It seeks to explore how the material world merges with the digital one, and how a screen can serve as a stage for grand passions and steadfast friendships. The exhibition runs until November 5th at the National Museum of Contemporary Art (Kallirois and Ambrosiou Frantzi, not far from the Acropolis Museum). xenia georgiadou

PANOS KOKKINIAS, NIKOS KARANIKOLAS

Come dine with me

THIS YEAR HAS SEEN the rise of a fresh trend in entertainment: Athenian supper clubs. This dining concept turns meals into a means of creating unforgettable evenings in unexpected venues. From art galleries and 1960s family homes to terraces of vintage apartment buildings beyond the city center, each setting lends an element of surprise to the dining experience. Candlelit dinners foster social interactions, opening doors to new friendships and opportunities for flirting. The experience is enhanced with live music, fine wine, and unexpected twists – such as the time we found ourselves partaking in a painting lesson with a live model before dinner! The Kalos Aeras’ dinners recapture the charm of dining with friends, on the porch of an old house in a serene southern suburb, Ilioupoli. The Pullman Club, lacking a permanent location, plans to shift its activities to the islands later in the summer. The Paradiso Club offers its own unique experiences, such as a seafood BBQ accompanied by live music on a terrace in Kolonaki. nena dimitriou

→ For more information, check out their Instagram accounts: @Kalosaeras, @pullman.club, @paradiso_athens

Ποιότητα στο ποτήρι που αναδεικνύει

την ποιότητα

στο πιάτο.

Quality in the glass that highlights the quality on the plate.

Με πρωταγωνιστικά αρώματα φράουλας και φραμπουάζ, αποτελεί ιδανική συνοδεία για ζυμαρικά και λευκά κρέατα, σάλτσα φρέσκιας ντομάτας, γαρίδες, και αλλαντικά με πεπόνι και σύκα.

With prominent aromas of strawberry and raspberry, it is an ideal accompaniment for pasta and white meats, fresh tomato sauce, shrimps, and charcuterie with melon and figs.

Devoted to the diva

“You are born an artist, or you are not. And you stay an artist, dear, even if your voice is less of a fireworks display. The artist is always there.” - Maria Callas.

AS WE HONOR THE CENTENNIAL of the birth of the ultimate opera star, Maria Callas, in December 2023, an anniversary recognized on UNESCO’s celebratory list for the year, Athens readies itself to unveil the world’s only Maria Callas Museum. The museum will find its home in the listed building of the former Royal Hotel, a prime example of interwar architecture, located at 44 Mitropoleos, facing the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens. It will feature a collection built through donations, loans and acquisitions that began in 2000, when the Municipality of Athens purchased objects belonging to Callas at a Paris auction. Over time, more items, including photographs, letters, garments, theatre costumes, were added. A comprehensive year-long program of events by the Greek National Opera, curated by its artistic director George Koumentakis, includes the September anniversary gala “Callas at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus.” At this event, four international opera stars will perform arias by Beethoven, Wagner, Verdi, Donizetti, Toma, and the Greek classical composer Manolis Kalomiris – all previously performed by Callas.

Starting November 26th, the National Library of Greece – SNFCC will host an exhibition titled “Unboxing Callas,” a journey through the extensive private collection of Dimitris Pyromallis and the archives of the Greek National Opera. On December 2nd, Callas’s birthday, the premiere of the documentary “Mary, Mariana, Maria –The Unknown Greek Years of Callas,” directed by Vasilis Louras, will take place at the Stavros Niarchos Hall – SNFCC. The film delves into the years when Callas received her artistic training and performed her initial roles at the Greek National Opera (1937-1945), along with

her three subsequent performances at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus (1957) and at the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus (1960 and 1961).

Also in December, the Greek National Opera will release a video showcasing Callas’ repertoire from 1937 to 1945 in Athens – from auditions to recitals. This will be broadcast for free on GNO TV (tv.nationalopera.gr). In addition, on the streaming service of the state television network ERT (ertflix.gr), audiences can already view the acclaimed documentary “The Greek Maria Callas,” written and directed by Tasos Psarras, with English subtitles.

Among the many volumes published on Callas, a standout is the collector’s edition of the coffee-table book “Maria by Callas” by Tom Volf (Assouline). With contributions from Callas’s closest friends and colleagues, Volf has curated a personal album that encapsulates the diva’s life and works. This updated edition is the product of countless hours of research and collaboration, offering fresh insights into the life of the legendary opera singer.

nena dimitriou

City brief

Back in the limelight

OVER THE YEARS, Kypseli has undergone various transformations. In the early 20th century it was primarily a rural area with farms; during the interwar period came urbanization, marked by detached houses and some of Athens’ first apartment buildings. Post-1960s, Kypseli turned into a desirable residential district of apartment buildings for the middle and upper classes, and a destination for evening entertainment. In the 1980s, many long-time residents moved out to the suburbs, and immigrants moved in, drawn by affordable housing rates. Despite periods of decline, the neighborhood has recently begun to thrive again, partially due to the increase in Airbnb accommodations. A walk along its main pedestrianized artery, Fokionos Negri, is recommended for anyone interested in observing architectural styles of different periods and experiencing the area’s lively daily life. Aghias Zonis Street offers another captivating emerging scene. Here, trendy new spots coexist with ageing jewelry stores, tailor shops, photo studios, and even a coffee roastery from the 1960s. Check out Marili (26 Aghias Zonis) with baked delicacies from the nation of Georgia; Santo Belto (21 Aghias Zonis) for coffee, dessert, or wine; the vibrant Eprepe (1 Aghias Zonis), for its tasty cocktails and creative bar food; or Iznogood & Nephew (28 Aghias Zonis) for drinks and jazz music played on vinyl records.

georgia papastamou

Santo Belto

©

KYRIAKOS TSANTOURIS, STELIOS PAPARDELAS

The new cool place in Exarchia

BAUHAUS ARCHITECTURAL elements, a flood of natural light and a cool atmosphere created by a young and lively crowd are what will greet any visitor stepping into Behold Theman, a spacious new café and health-food grocery store on Exarchia Square. Coffee comes from Omsom, an Athenian roastery renowned for expertly roasting small-batches of highquality beans. Alongside the exceptional coffee, you’ll enjoy delicious vegan and vegetarian sandwiches and a variety of delectable baked goods. There’s also a curated selection of products to buy, ranging from kombucha and fair-trade chocolates to craft beers. An eclectic soundtrack featuring Velvet Underground, New Order, and contemporary Greek songwriters like Pan Pan, plays in the background.

nena dimitriou

→ 6 Stournari, Τel. (+30) 210.380.5644

Good coffee, great vibes

ATHENS IS BRIMMING with places that serve good coffee, but Foyer Espresso Bar stands out thanks to its exclusive collaborations with top European roasteries. First established in Omonia in 2014 and recently relocated to a Scandinavian-style space near the park in Pangrati, the café embodies its creators’ dream of a welcoming hub where everyone is invited to enjoy a stellar cup of coffee and has become a rendezvous point for coffee enthusiasts. A selection of cakes and sweets made on the premises are also on offer. nena dimitriou

→ 2 Vriaxidos, Τel. (+30) 210.751.4124

The artist ’ s home

ALEKOS FASSIANOS was one of Greece’s most iconic painters, demonstrating multiple talents – from engraving and sculpting to poster design, set and costume creation, and illustration. His unique artistic vision was crafted by his interactions with people, the natural environment, the rich heritage of ancient Greece, and aided by a vivid color palette. His vibrantly direct and animated artistic expression is now exhibited at a new museum in the neighborhood of Metaxourgio, housed in the artist’s childhood home, repurposed by Fassianos himself, with the help of his good friend, architect Kyriakos Krokos. This modern art space provides unique insights into his life and work through exhibitions, discussions, educational programs, and academic activities. Please note that the museum will be closed from July 23rd to August 23rd, but between July 15th and September 15th, visitors can explore Fassianos’ Cycladic studio – the artist’s residence on the island of Kea.

Avant-garde venue

260 PIREOS, LOCATED in the industrial district of Tavros and once home to a 1970s furniture factory, exemplifies the industrial architecture of that era. Today, this repurposed space hosts the Athens Festival’s most avant-garde and unconventional performances. Its central courtyard serves as the stage for everything from jazz concerts to lively parties, enjoyed by audiences over drinks from the on-site canteen. This year’s highlights include “Isadora Duncan” by French choreographer Jérôme Bel, and the drag oratorio “Songs of the Greek People,” a collaboration between Yiannis Skourletis and the Bijoux de Kant group. panagiotis koustas

→ Aefestival.gr

vlasis kostouros → www.alekosfassianos.gr

© MARIZA KAPSABELI

COURTESY ALEKOS FASSIANOS ESTATE, © PARIS TAVITIAN

Beloved recipes

MOST OF US GREEKS cherish our grandmothers’ cooking, which encapsulates their wisdom, experience, and most importantly, love. This is certainly the case for author Anastasia Miari, whose grandmother’s knack for creating extraordinary dishes from the simplest of ingredients left a profound impression on her. Anastasia created the Instagram account @MatriarchEats as a platform to document her grandmother’s recipes before venturing out to meet and cook with other grandmothers around Greece. “Yiayia” is the author’s second cookbook, featuring 80 regional recipes from every corner of Greece, from the Ionian to the mainland and from the northern regions to the southernmost islands such as Kastellorizo. Its pages reveal some of the most cherished Greek dishes, including pies and pasta meals perfect for the everyday family table. nena dimitriou → www.matriarcheats.com

House beautiful

MIGUEL FLORES-VIANNA has been a photographer, writer, and editor for more than 20 years, but his relationship with Greece, a country he visits every year, began in his childhood when his parents in Argentina dressed him as a Greek Evzone for a celebration. For his book Hautes Bohemians Greece (published by Vendome), he photographed some of the most beautiful houses in Greece, offering readers access to private spaces of immeasurable elegance, with charming echoes of Greek history. All these homes (those of Jasper Conran and Oisin Byrne in Lindos, Rhodes; Helen and Brice Marden in Hydra Town; Jacob Rothschild in Strongilo, Corfu; and Joan and Patrick Leigh Fermor in Kardamyli) meant a lot to their owners emotionally, but even more symbolically, as he says. “It's as if they are preserving them for the next generations. I am deeply moved by this feeling that they were more the ‘guardians᾽ than the owners in the narrow sense of the term.” → vendomepress.com

Inside INFORMATION

CREATIVE ATHENIANS OFFER THEIR OWN TIPS

BY VLASIS KOSTOUROS

THODORIS VOUTSIKAKIS Singer @voutsikakis

1. The First Cemetery of Athens (3 Logginou) is an open-air sculpture gallery filled with cypresses and other trees. Here, you’ll see works from notable Greek sculptors adorning the most distinguished tombs. It ’s an experience that inspires profound emotions.

HARIS RIGALOS Designer @harryrigalo

1. Explore Piraeus’ industrial zone, replete with shuttered repair shops and warehouses. Wander through the alleys near the Papastratos tobacco factory where you’ll find instrument makers’ workshops and blacksmith forges. If you like contemporary art and collectible furniture, the nearby Carwan Gallery (39 Polidefkous) is definitely worth a visit.

2. The Four Nudists Beach, in the Dikastika area of Marathonas, is a beautiful spot far from the bustle of city life, with emerald-green waters and no facilities. It ’s ideal for getting back to nature and indulging in long swims!

3. Teras (45 Theodoritou Vresthenis) in Neos Kosmos offers delectable drinks in a lush Athenian courtyard. Alternatively, Odeon (19 Markou Mousourou) in Mets promises a fun evening with cold beers, mingling with the creative local crowd.

4. For a cozy setting and great food, particularly fish dishes, try FITA (1 Ntourm). It ’s located in a historic neighborhood of public housing, which enhances the atmosphere.

5. The Kobrai bookstore (34 Didotou) in Kolonaki has a small collection of select English-language publications. Its cozy café is the perfect place to unwind with your chosen book.

1. Cultural Experience

2. For a swim nearby

3. Night out

4. Guilty (edible) pleasure

5. Shopping tips

2. KAPE Beach, possibly the best swimming spot near Sounio and conveniently close to Athens, is truly an oasis, especially on weekdays when it ’s less crowded.

3. The square of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens radiates the coolest vibes in the city. Here, you’ll find charming places to enjoy drinks and light bites. Wine lovers should definitely pay a visit to the nearby Heteroclito wine bar (2 Fokionos).

4. Lost Athens (7 Archelaou) is a casual eatery in a pleasant neighborhood serving delectable dishes of Mediterranean cuisine and a rich selection of beers.

5. Soul & Matter (7 Mnisikleous) is a charming little gallery that sells art objects, antiques, and collectibles. If you like Scandinavian design items, check out the enticing collection at Myran (3 Fokilidou) in Kolonaki.

GEORGINA LIOSSI Actress @g.le.fou

1. The National Observatory of Athens (Hill of the Nymphs) offers a touch of everyday magic, even for those not particularly versed in astronomy. A visit can set you on a cosmic and perhaps even philosophical journey.

2. Althea Beach (35th kilometer of the Athens - Sounion coastal road) is a turquoise paradise boasting crystal -clear waters, fine pebbles, and a serene atmosphere on weekdays. It ’s about forty minutes from the city center.

3. The rooftop of Ergon House (23 Mitropoleos) in the center of Athens is the place to head. Its spectacular views of the Acropolis, the distant hum of city life, and a pleasing selection of wines and cocktails are sure to delight all your senses.

4. Nestled under the Acropolis, Hellevoro (2 Rovertou Galli) is a restaurant that seems to have been plucked from a different era in Athens’ storied history. The music comes from a record player, the Mediterranean cuisine is delectable, and the atmosphere is warm. If you’re fortunate, you might even encounter the owner’s charming cat!

5. Redy Design Studio + Shop in Exarchia (117 Zoodohou Pigis) is a recent discovery of mine. It ’s a delightful hideaway where you can find everything from unique designer items and luxury editions to original garments, fashion accessories, and striking ceramics.

1. Cultural Experience

2. For a swim nearby

3. Night out

4. Guilty (edible) pleasure

5. Shopping tips

CHRISTINA ANDROULIDAKI Owner of CAN Gallery @cangallery

1. Visit the Benaki Museum at 138 Piraeus for contemporary art exhibitions. Outside the city, the Temple of Artemis in Vravrona, in a beautiful wetlands setting, and the Archaeological Museum of Marathon (114 Plataion, Vranas, Marathon) are both true gems.

2. The small bay beneath Krabo Beach (Zoska Bay, Thespidos, Vouliagmeni) may be bristling with beach umbrellas from the popular bar. Still, it offers the comforts of an urban beach with crystal clear waters and a beautiful seabed for snorkeling.

3. The elegant establishment Wine is Fine (6 Vyssis) lends a French touch to our Athenian nights. It ’s easy to spot among the old shops on the pedestrianized street where it ’s located.

4. Pay a visit to Travolta in Peristeri (33 Aghiou Pavlou) for impeccable service and high-quality seafood. Don’ t miss out on the calamari kontosouvli (arguably the best grilled squid in Greece), the summer bream dish with okra, and the amazing kunefe with ice cream.

5. Check out the Lemoni bookstore in Thisio (22 Iraklidon) for its unique selection and atmosphere, Hard.Clo (53 Ermou) for t-shirts and sweatshirts, and 2plus1equals2 (26 Akadimias) for custom-made clothes. Utopia in Kolonaki (26 Skoufa) is the place for original gifts, and More Than This in Ilisia (10 Dionisiou Eginitou) has jewelry and designer items.

ERMIS GERAGIDIS Songwriter @ermismusic

1. The Museum of Cycladic Art (4 Neofitou Douka) gives visitors the chance to appreciate timeless design. Some exhibits are simply beautiful, while others can evoke a strong emotional response.

2. Seek out your own private cove in the area of Limanakia, in Vouliagmeni. Take a refreshing dip in the water, then bask on the rocks to warm up again – a sequence worth repeating at least a few times.

3. At night, Lefteris’ Canteen in Vouliagmeni serves beers, drinks, and snacks and offers an atmosphere reminiscent of a relaxed, faraway island, even though you’re just minutes away from the city.

4. Dopios (1 Skouleniou) offers a modern take on the traditional Greek meze. Here, renowned chef Christoforos Peskias innovates ingeniously without compromising the emotion and nostalgia inherent in authentic Greek food. The sea bass tartare with tomato -infused water is a must-try.

5. Consider investing in an analog camera to capture simple moments. You’ll find a number of photography stores around Panepistimio, but the folks at Kalavretzos (14 Harilaou Trikoupi) will always be pleased to equip you with the basics.

1. Cultural Experience

2. For a swim nearby

3. Night out

4. Guilty (edible) pleasure

5. Shopping tips

ANGELA LIARIKOS Architect & Interior Designer @angela.liarikos, @ athens__mon_amour

1. The National Archaeological Museum (44 28is Oktovriou) is an essential stop, encapsulating Greek antiquity in all its splendor. This exquisite building, home to some of the most important Greek antiquities, is soon to be renovated and expanded by the esteemed architect David Chipperfield.

2. Poseidon Beach in Vouliagmeni is my personal favorite. Here, you can spot the neighborhood’s elderly residents taking their invigorating swims all year round, even during winter.

3. For an evening out, try 7 Jokers Bar (7 Voulis), a classic bar right in the center of Athens. With excellent music that inspires you to put down your cocktail and dance, it ’s a delightful spot.

4. To Triantafyllo tis Nostimias (22 Lekka) is among my preferred dining spots. It ’s a traditional fish taverna with exceptional service and tasty food, located in a charming arcade. The name, which means “ the Rose of Deliciousness,” is itself captivating.

5. For an exceptional shopping experience, check out Hyper Hypo (10 Voreou). This bookshop/gallery space, with its selection of cool art books, boasts impressive interior design and a relaxed atmosphere created by owners Andreas and Stathis. With luck, you’ll be welcomed by Wanda, the fabulously elegant poodle, as you enter the shop.

FOTEINI ZAGLARA

THE G. & A. MAMIDAKIS FOUNDATION PRESENTS ITS 2023 ART PRIZE WINNERS

Promoting Artistic Leadership and Innovation

In 2019, the G. & A. Mamidakis Foundation launched its annual Art Prize program in line with its mission to support and promote contemporary art and culture. This initiative marks the culmination of the Foundation’s thirty-year-long effort to champion artistic leadership and innovation. The Art Prize aids contemporary artists by offering them the opportunity to create a site-specific artwork that will not only remain on permanent display in Agios Nikolaos, Crete, but also join the Foundation’s art collection and contribute to an important cultural heritage.

In its third year, 2023, the Art Prize introduced two significant adjustments: firstly, extending the call for applications to international artists, and secondly, awarding three equal prizes to the three proposals that were recognized for their originality, creativity, site-specificity, and connection to the theme of Care/Eudaimonia.

Maro Fasouli’s Nomadic Murals reinterprets traditional practices and narratives. The artist has crafted

a contemporary composition of woven arrangements along a fifty-meter-long corridor by juxtaposing thread, wood, and pieces of textiles from the last century. Techniques and settings coalesce into an idiosyncratic narrative, echoing what Le Corbusier referred to as "nomadic frescoes" in his discussion of tapestries.

Alexandros Laios’ Dayembodies various stages of the day, using theater filters. Nine pairs of colors, rolled and arranged diagonally, convert a fifty-meter-long corridor into a sprawling kaleidoscope, illuminating the melancholic contemplation of fleeting moments.

Ami Yamasaki's installation, Whisperstravel and whispertoyouagain, entirely made of paper, is a sculptural symphony of whispers that intertwines experiences and sounds from Japan and Crete. This fifty-meter-long installation encourages viewers to listen to the whispers that, although silent now, still resonate among us as vibrations, perpetually preserving the human presence in the atmosphere.•

These works are now on permanent display at Minos Palace hotel & suites, in Agios Nikolaos, Crete. More information at www.gnamamidakisfoundation.org

PARALLEL REALITIES

Athens tries to strike a balance between tourism and everyday life for its residents.

BY DIMITRIS RIGOPOULOS

DO WE, AS ATHENIANS, exist in numerous parallel realities? Is this a unique phenomenon or is it an experience we share with the inhabitants of other major cities worldwide? Posing these questions compels me to confront an intriguing dilemma: which aspects of Athens should I share with you? Should I talk of an Athens experiencing a surge in tourism, with more hotels, short-term rental apartments, and consequently longer lines at major cultural attractions such as the Acropolis and its museum? Or should I instead concentrate on the capital’s struggle to reconcile an escalating demand for housing in its central districts with a building inventory overstocked with commercial properties, largely a legacy from the era of extensive post-war reconstruction? Perhaps I should focus on the vibrant cultural and artistic resurgence in

a city that’s continually adding new museums, galleries, festivals, and creative collectives to its portfolio. Should I present Athens as the city that’s hosting Europe’s most extensive ongoing urban renewal? This massive undertaking will transform its once-overlooked southern coastline; it’s a development that might even  give birth to a new city within a few years. Alternatively, should I shed light on the persistent issues of daily life in Athens that continue to challenge its residents, despite these large-scale events, the international acclaim, and the glamorous openings?

Let’s begin by changing our angle of perception and imagine that we’re observing Athens of 2023 from afar. Even the most pessimistic and sour-tempered Athenian – of which there are many – is willing to concede that post-pandemic Athens is having its moment. This is a peak period that many locals didn’t even witness during the 2004 Olympic Games, when the city had, at least in theory, been spruced up for its star role on the world stage.

The city’s current revitalization was born from the adversity it faced during a decade-long recession, which saw a 25% drop in the country’s GDP, an equally sharp decline in economic

indicators, and an exceptional level of “curiosity” from abroad, all of which drastically (and relatively swiftly) reversed Athens’ fortunes. With limited public investment, it was the keen private sector, predominantly within the tourism industry, that was instrumental in the city’s full recovery. As much as the merits and detriments of tourism development are currently up for debate, it’s an indisputable fact that the city’s revival hinged on establishing Athens as an independent tourist destination. This boosted the crisis-ridden city center and, in turn, fostered a new creative community, primarily made up of young people and artists who put down roots in neighborhoods significantly harmed by the difficult period that started in 2010.

At present, the city appears to be striving for a new equilibrium. The pitfalls of tourism monoculture are beginning to surface, notably in the form of skyrocketing short-term rentals. This surge is shrinking the supply of available apartments and escalating rental

rates, putting significant pressure on middle and lower-income households. However, this is not a phenomenon exclusive to Athens, and it is why all those in power everywhere are currently seeking policies to curb this trend.

The city center of Athens gained popularity swiftly, reminiscent of the surge it experienced during the 2004 Games. However, that popularity was short-lived; it collided with the ensuing debt crisis. No similar threats appear to loom on the horizon today, and the city’s momentum seems unimpeded; we’re witnessing unprecedented developments. One such example is the construction of residential buildings even in Omonia, traditionally a commercial hub with a notoriously problematic reputation and no history of residential use.

The need to revive areas not directly linked to tourism has recently become more apparent. The renovation and expansion plan for the National Archaeological Museum, located not far from Omonia Square, highlights the potential of an Athenian hinterland

that was once the stronghold of the middle class. Sadly, this area was neglected after the 1970s when wealthier residents moved to the suburbs. Finally, after significant delays, the completion of Panepistimiou Street’s regeneration project offers a hopeful sign for a once vibrant part of commercial Athens. This part of the city has been caught up in the touristic boom experienced in other areas. The lingering question is whether this revival will extend to neighboring areas such as Stadiou and Akadimias streets. Stadiou, in particular, which connects the city’s two main squares, is currently witnessing significant investments in iconic buildings that have languished, unexploited, for an extended period. It seems Athens is stirring anew.

While the initial perception may suggest that tourism and real estate are the only industries experiencing growth in Athens, the reality is more complex. After a protracted period of stagnation on the infrastructure front, there is a surge in activity reminiscent

of the preparations for the Olympics. Last winter saw the commencement of work on the fourth metro line. In a few months, with the pedestrianization of Vasilissis Olgas Avenue, the unification of the city’s archaeological sites will be complete, forming a vast pedestrian thoroughfare running from Kerameikos to the Panathenaic Stadium. Piraeus, the main port, is witnessing a wave of activity centered around its new metro station and other significant regeneration efforts that are effectively reintegrating it into the metropolitan landscape.

Concurrently, the start of construction on the new sports facilities for Panathinaikos, the city’s most historic and popular team, in an abandoned area filled with derelict industrial properties  in Botanikos, just two kilometers from the city center, gives hope for its revitalization as well. Not far from there, at the site of Plato’s Academy, plans are underway for a new archaeological museum.

The most significant regeneration project on the drawing board, however, is the one that will transform the old Athens airport area. Covering an area of 5,500,000 square meters, this site is set to become, in effect, a new city, complete with a park slightly larger than Hyde Park; the first skyscrapers in the Greek capital boasting both residential and commercial space; detached homes with views of the Saronic Gulf; shopping centers; sports facilities; and a 1,500-meter long beach. The primary project at the old Elliniko airport will stimulate other changes as well; part of the coastal highway will be diverted underground and a number of other primarily tourism-focused investments will be undertaken. The aim is to reintroduce Athens to the world as an unmistakably coastal city.

Despite the surge in construction and investment, Athens is grappling with long-standing maladies. The dismal atmosphere of the 2010s may have receded, but persistent challenges continue to undermine the city’s

newfound confidence by impairing the daily quality of life for residents.

Traffic remains Athens’most significant issue. This is in part attributable to Athenians’notorious reliance on their private vehicles, but it is mainly due to an inadequate urban transportation network, especially regarding those services, including bus, trolley and tram lines, supplementing the existing three subway lines. The city often has to deal with traffic disruptions due to protests or other public events as well, further straining its residents’ already strained nerves.

At present, instead of being championed, alternative modes of transport, such as bicycles or e-scooters, find themselves increasingly marginalized on hostile roadways. Despite modest advancements, Athens continues to be a somewhat neglected city, plagued by waste, dilapidated buildings, unsafe sidewalks, and sparse greenery. Its roads remain encumbered by parked cars and, in general, it shows little regard for pedestrians. This rather disappointing urban reality hardly befits the capital of a European state. The general spirit of disregard for the law, which some visitors may find intriguing, wrongly equating it with a rebellious sense of freedom uncommon in the rest of Europe, has become a cruel joke for the city’s residents.

Athens often gives the impression that it’s prioritizing its visitors over its residents, appearing to invest more effort in polishing its image than in fixing what really matters, as if it were polishing the facade while ignoring the interior of the house. Yet a model where disgruntled or disillusioned residents seek solace until the early hours in meticulously designed bars, as though they were characters posing for an vacation postcard, cannot sustain itself indefinitely. After all, no one would be drawn to a city where its people seem exhausted or ensnared. We’ve reached a point where Athens must urgently address the problems that lie behind the front door.•

ATHENS OFTEN GIVES THE IMPRESSION THAT IT’S PRIORITIZING ITS VISITORS OVER ITS RESIDENTS, APPEARING TO INVEST MORE EFFORT IN POLISHING ITS IMAGE THAN IN FIXING WHAT REALLY MATTERS.

The Acropolis Museum Triumphs Amid Challenges

A 14-YEAR JOURNEY OF INNOVATION, RESILIENCE, CULTURAL ADVOCACY, AND FUTURE ASPIRATIONS.

BY DUNCAN HOWITT-MARSHALL

The new "Officials and Workers" section of the Archaic Gallery.

Visitors converge on the museum on June 19th, 2023, a day before it celebrates 14 years of operation.

SINCE ITS OPENING on June 20th, 2009, the Acropolis Museum has garnered worldwide acclaim for its groundbreaking research and innovative exhibitions, illuminating the fascinating narrative of the Acropolis monuments erected in the 5th century BC. The construction of the museum, situated on the south side of the Acropolis, marked significant progress in the ongoing campaign to reunite the Parthenon Marbles in Athens, acting as a state-of-the-art haven for the country’s most pivotal cultural treasures.

Over the past 14 years, the museum has gained worldwide fame, attracting

Acropolis Museum

Smillions of visitors from around the globe. Despite facing unprecedented challenges in the past two years, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which paralyzed tourism, the museum showed resilience. During the extensive lockdowns, museum staff seized the opportunity to digitize the permanent collections and develop new multimedia applications, enabling alternative interaction methods for those unable to visit the museum in person. At the same time, the Acropolis Museum also unveiled its highly successful, multilingual website for children - acropolismuseumkids.gr - full of entertaining games, videos, and creative activities.

As the world tentatively emerged from the pandemic, the museum persisted in devising increasingly engaging programs to lure visitors back, with visitor numbers surpassing previous records. These initiatives included a series of interactive gallery discussions and themed presentations, encouraging visitors to delve into various facets of the museum’s collections accompanied by an archaeologist. In addition, the

museum hosted numerous temporary exhibitions, displaying cultural treasures from other prestigious museums in Greece and elsewhere.

The tireless efforts of the museum have started bearing fruit. Post-pandemic visitor counts have steadily risen from slightly less than 500,000 in the second half of 2021 to over 800,000 in the first half of 2023.

Enhancing the Visitor Experience

The ongoing enrichment and rearrangement of the museum’s permanent collections remain fundamental activities, including recent efforts in the Archaic Gallery to categorize exhibits into thematic sections. Notably, the freestanding kouroi and korai statues (representing young males and females) have been repositioned to allow visitors to appreciate the artistic evolution from earlier to later periods.

A new section named “Officials and Workers” has been added to the Archaic Gallery, focusing on craftsmen and laborers from the late 6th and early

Objects on display in the new "Officials and Workers" section.

DISCOVER

Acropolis Museum

5th centuries BC, who rarely feature in historical sources. This exciting new part of that gallery offers visitors the opportunity to admire individual art pieces focused on crafts and labor and to delve deeper into both the people who created them and the society they depict.

Engaging Young Minds and Families

The Acropolis Museum remains a preferred destination for educational visits. From June 2021 to June 2023, the museum received close to 140,000 Greek schoolchildren and over 90,000 foreign pupils, many of whom participated in one of the six educational programs designed by the museum’s Education Department. The extremely popular program, “Strange Creatures in the Acropolis Museum,” which encourages children and their families to explore the mysterious creatures of ancient Greek mythology, began on November 7th, 2021, and will run until October 29th, 2023.

Conservation and Maintenance

The museum’s Conservation Department has been busier than ever over the past two years, concluding essential maintenance work on hundreds of objects in the permanent collections. An ambitious cleaning project employing cutting-edge laser technology was recently completed, eliminating millennia of dirt, grime, and pollution from countless items, including delicate frescoes and floor mosaics. The department is continuing the 3D scanning of objects for its digital archives.

The Department of Archaeological Collections has been actively expanding the documentation for its collections with up-to-date research notes, new entries, glossaries, bibliographic references, photographs, and drawings. The department also unveiled an updated version of the online application - parthenonfrieze.gr - in partnership with the Acropolis Restoration Service

Above: The director-general of the Acropolis Museum, Nikos Stampolidis (L), in the Archaic Gallery

Below: From the first floor of the North Wing, a sculpture depicting the head of the rhetorician Dexippus.

© AMNA/ALEXANDROS

(YSMA) and the National Documentation Center (EKT), featuring photos and descriptions of all the surviving fragments of the Parthenon frieze on exhibit in the Museum and overseas.

Campaign for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles

A significant aspect of the museum’s mission is advocating for the reunification of the remaining fragments of the Parthenon’s decorative sculptures held in museum collections abroad.

Following UNESCO’s unanimous decision in September 2021 to categorize the dispute between Greece and the British Museum regarding the removal of the sculptures by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century as transnational/ intergovernmental, the campaign for their return has gained momentum.

Acropolis Museum

Consequently, on January 3rd, 2022, the National Archaeological Museum in Athens transferred ten fragments from its collection to the Acropolis Museum, including parts of human figures from the Parthenon’s frieze. Shortly after that, on January 10th, the Antonio Salinas Museum in Palermo, Sicily, returned the renowned Fagan fragment, which depicts the foot of the goddess Artemis and was removed from the Parthenon’s east frieze by Elgin.

Leveraging this newfound momentum, the museum, in collaboration with the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports, organized an international meeting titled “Parthenon and Democracy” on September 16th, 2022, gathering leading heritage management experts from around the globe involved in the campaign. Open to the public, the conference was a resounding success, fueling further international calls for the trustees of the British Museum to repatriate the 2,500-year-old sculptures to Greece.

These actions culminated in the triumphant return of three more fragments, held in the Vatican Museums’ collection, a unilateral decision made by Pope Francis in close collaboration with Ieronymos II, Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Athens and All Greece. On March 24th of this year, amid jubilant scenes in the Parthenon Gallery, these three fragments were reunited with the museum’s exhibits.

Looking Ahead

info

15 Dionysiou Areopagitou, Tel. (+30) 210.900.0900, open Monday 09:00- 17:00, Last entry 16:30

Tuesday - Sunday 09:00- 20:00, Last entry 19:30

Friday 09:00- 22:00, Last entry 21:30

Admission: €15

theacropolismuseum.gr

As the Acropolis Museum embarks on its 15th year, it’s looking ahead to a promising future. At the end of 2023, the museum will present an extraordinary winter exhibition featuring 160 “never before traveled” objects, including priceless works by Rubens and Botticelli, alongside other vital exhibits of ancient, Byzantine, Renaissance, and modern art. Awaiting a final decision by Greece’s Central Archaeological Council (KAS), the exhibition is expected to open in late November or early December 2023.•

The fragments from the Vatican Museums were reunited with other Parthenon pieces in March of 2023.

© PARIS TAVITIAN

PLATO’S ACADEMY

IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE ONE of the city’s most popular tourist attractions, but for the time being, only a bust of Plato, some scattered ancient remains and an ambitious architectural competition now underway, hint at the untapped potential of this unique 135-acre park, located 3,5km northwest of Syntagma Square. This is where Plato᾽s Academy, one of the significant educational centers of the ancient world, stood in antiquity. A few years from now, the opening of a new, bioclimatic archaeological museum, is set to transform this verdant, somewhat remote space into a “green” cultural hub, expected to draw tens of thousands of international visitors. For the time being, you can still enjoy its tranquility. It’s a preferred spot for families with small children, as well as groups of musicians who often hold impromptu concerts here, jamming with friends and newcomers.

Three verdant havens that offer respite on a hot summer’s day.

Shades of Green

BY DIMITRIS RIGOPOULOS

PHOTOS: PERIKLES MERAKOS

PARKO ELEFTHERIAS

YOU DON ᾽ T HAVE TO BE AN ARCHITECT to realize that this park was designed by one. Next to the Athens Concert Hall and the Megaro Mousikis metro station, this green expanse is notable for its tailored layout, with soft slopes and flat areas all highlighting the imposing statue of Eleftherios Venizelos, a major political figure of the 20th century. The well-kept grass, the natural shade from the large trees and the gentle inclines with views over Vasilissis Sofias Avenue to Mt Ymittos in the distance, have made it a locals’ favorite, particularly popular among young people, who come here to picnic, to skateboard on the marble sidewalk surrounding the statue, or simply to relax. On summer evenings, music from open-air concerts often taking place in the adjacent garden of the Athens Concert Hall ensures that every square meter of the park is occupied. Οn the west side of the park, there’s an exhibition space operated by the Municipality of Athens, as well as a bar-restaurant with a charming outdoor space.

MT YMITTOS / KAISARIANI

ATHENS BOASTS A PARTICULARLY privileged location; it᾽s next to the beguiling coastline of the Saronic Gulf, and surrounded by three majestic mountains. The one that᾽s easiest to reach from the city center and beloved by residents is Mt Ymittos (elev. 1026 meters), on the east edge of the Athens Basin. Getting there takes approximately 15 minutes by taxi, or 30 minutes on Bus no. 224, whose route terminates only 500 meters from the Kaisariani fire lookout tower, considered the informal entrance to the Ymittos Forest. From here begins a small rural paradise: follow the markers for trail number 15, which is suitable even for novices and leads to the well-known Kalopoula snack bar in a little under half an hour. The Monastery of Kaisariani, an important 12th-century monument, is located just below that. At many points along the shaded trail, there are gaps in the dense vegetation that offer panoramic views of the city below. On weekends, the mountain slopes are teeming with trail runners and mountain bike riders.

Athens Originals

THIS YOUNG COUPLE, passionate about fine drinking, came up with an eccentric business idea: to create a store dedicated to three of the things that bring people momentary happiness. Flowers and plants, premium alcohol, and erotic accessories and toys form the unique inventory of Polyamorous, which opened in Exarchia a few months ago. “We love the center of Athens, especially the neighborhood where we live and work because it is eclectic, inclusive, and authentically cool,” says Alexandros. Both have previous experience in the beverage industry: Eleni as the co-editor of Difford’s Guide, and Alexandros as a bartender and liquor salesperson. This expertise is evident in the selection of drinks available in their store. Their travels around the world introduced them to various exceptional spirits, influencing their curated collection. Their passion for flowers and plants has also found expression in the shop’s inventory; you can find dozens of cacti, exotic and endemic plants. The addition of erotic toys has added to the uniqueness of the business. So, how do Athenians react? “We have a very diverse clientele, from couples who come to grab a bottle of premium rum, a pot for the balcony, and something for fun, to elderly people asking for beautiful flower bouquets into which they sneak a sex toy.”

→ 72 Mavromichali, Exarchia @polyamorous.athens

Eleni Nikoloulia & Alexandros Gkikopoulos

Entrepreneurs

BY NENA DIMITRIOU, GEORGIA PAPASTAMOU & PANAGIOTIS KOUSTAS © GEORGE ADAMOS

WE MEET WITH THE CREATIVE PEOPLE BEHIND COOL NEW SPOTS BRINGING NOVELTY AND EXCITEMENT TO THE CITY SCENE.

Astérisque Astero Strataki

THE SPINACH PIE with handmade, crispy fyllo is a must-try snack before leaving Greece. Thanks to Asteri Strataki, it is now possible even for those who have eliminated gluten from their diets to enjoy it. The founder of Athens’ first exclusively gluten-free bakery decided to change her career, leaving positions in banking and marketing, to provide the city’s residents with versions of the delicious treats she had been missing for the last decade due to her celiac disease. Today, she delights in watching the customers of Astérisque sit on the bench outside her store in the beautiful neighborhood of Mets, enjoying her lemon tarts, donuts, bread with dried figs, and bagel sandwiches. A tip: Ask her about the gluten-free beers on offer. g.p.

→ 2 Charvouri, Mets @asterisquethebakery

© CHRISTINA GEORGIADOU

ARRIVALS

THE LIVELY URBAN contradictions of Athens have provided inspiration to the creators of Ēre, a concept store just a short distance from the Acropolis Museum, that sells art objects from Greek artisans and serves specialty coffee and sweets made in-house. Dora Kalogirou and Georgia Romanou both lived and worked abroad but in different countries – the former in large corporations in the Netherlands, the latter as a pâtissier in England and Germany. They happened to return to Greece at the same time, each with her own professional plans. However, a spacious semi-basement, which was too large to accommodate only

one of them, led them to join forces. At one end of the store, where the scent of butter fills the air, you’ll find Georgia placing freshly made tarts (which pair perfectly with the specialty coffee they serve) in the display case. At the other end, Dora stocks the shelves with the artisanal products and design objects she discovers around Greece and beyond: from the hand-harvested Daphnis and Chloe herbs, Melicera honey and beeswax candles to works from Greek ceramists, and colorful pearl necklaces with semi-precious stones. g p

→ 30 Erechtheiou, Koukaki @ere_athens

Dora Kalogirou & Georgia Romanou

© GEORGE ADAMOS

AS SOON AS THIS BISTRO opened, it became the talk of the town, as it doesn᾽t resemble any other place in Athens. A Greek chef and his two French partners selected a relatively low-profile spot in the city᾽s historic center for Wine is Fine, tucked away behind Athens’ central fish and meat market, on pedestrianized Vissis Street, once renowned for shops selling doorknobs and other home goods. Now, it’s a hotspot for Airbnb development. “We laid out a map of Europe and agreed that Athens had something very attractive about it,” says Thomas. “We all had some connection with the city – through our roots, friendships, or simple interest. Once we arrived, we realized how many similarities Parisians and Athenians share.” The food at Wine is Fine is simple, classic, honest, and needs no translation, whether it’s French,

Entrepreneurs

like the boeuf bourguignon, or Italian like the cacio e pepe pasta, it’s decidedly not fusion. They serve organic wines produced by conscientious winemakers, who care both for the vineyard and vinification. They appreciate natural wines but aren’t dogmatic about them. So, what do they enjoy about the city now that they live in it? “The sea is so close, you can sense it in the humidity on your skin, in the saltiness of the air,” says Thomas. “Here, there are details that Athenians might overlook but, through fresh eyes, one can appreciate the charm of its industrial buildings, markets, the scent of oleanders that pervades the air every night, and the warm orange light from the small street lamps. It’s as if we’re in a movie or looking at a sepia photograph.” n d

→ 6 Vissis, Monastiraki @wineisfine.athens

HANDMADE GIFTS, JEWELLERY AND ANTIQUES

Outstanding handmade blown glass and bronze objects, jewellery and antiques. The top store of superior style that has highlighted Greek traditional craftsmanship since 1962.

The objects found in the MATI store are designed according to Greek, folk and Byzantine tradition.

9 Miaouli str., 105 54 Athens T.: +30 210 3210 285, +30 6945 465 632

Anthologist Andria Mitsakos

“ I’M NOT A PREDICTABLE PERSON, and neither if my brand, so I couldn’t open my shop where everyone expected me to,” says GreekAmerican Andria Mitsakos, explaining why she chose to open the showroom of Anthologist, which operates by appointment only, in Vathis Square far from trendy neighborhoods such as Kolonaki. Andria began collecting beautiful items, some rare or even unique, during the first lockdown – bronze objets d’art, ceramics, textiles, as well as bags, jewelry, and belts – for personal use or to decorate her country house in

Paros. Her selections made such an impression on her friends and her associates from her previous career in tourism and hospitality public relations that the brand emerged naturally. She considers Athens an inexhaustible source of inspiration. She enjoys Filopappos Hill, which is close to her home, cherishes living in a cradle of civilization, and believes it’s crucial for visitors to comprehend the magnitude of Athens’ significance to the rest of the world. p k

→ 7A Vathis Square anthologist.com

ARRIVALS

“THE 1970 s BUILDING that houses Mouki Mou, located next to some of the oldest houses in Plaka, was irresistible to me. On one side, it faces the bustle of Adrianou Street, a thoroughfare most visitors to Athens pass by, while on the other, it overlooks serene Diogenous Street. For me, this contrast epitomizes Athens,” says Maria Laimou, founder of a concept store that originated in London and recently opened a branch in Athens as well. Here, you can find carefully selected clothing, jewelry, accessories, and home goods, primarily made by international artisans. Athens, the city where she grew up, left at seventeen and to which she now returns repeatedly, continues to inspire her. “Both the good and the bad, the easy and the hard, inspire me. Most of all, its people do, especially the younger generation, who, having been molded by difficulties, are changing everything and creating a new Athens.” p k

→ 15 Diogenous, Plaka. moukimou.com

Mouki Mou Maria Laimou

Uncover the most enchanting parts of Athens with our guided journey of 20+1 suggested stops along an approximate 10-km route brimming with ancient marvels, stunning neoclassical architecture, vibrant contemporary art, niche shopping, and more.

the WALKABOUT

BY PANAGIOTIS KOUSTAS

PHOTOS: PERIKLES MERAKOS

The archaeological site of Hadrian's Library, draped in bougainvillea, and, in the background, the Acropolis

The new wing of the National Gallery.

The National Garden.

Below: The Hellenic Heritage Showroom by the Parliament building.

Right: The Doric Temple of Hephaestus.

TTHERE’S A NEARLY INFINITE number of ways to uncover the myriad faces of Athens. Our chosen journey is a circular route, beginning and ending at the primary entrance to the National Garden – a stone’s throw away from the Greek Parliament. This verdant haven is a popular rendezvous spot for locals and a top choice for tourists seeking a picture-perfect snapshot in the heart of the city. Many visitors pose under the towering Washingtonia robustas, palm trees endemic to southwestern US and northwestern Mexico. These botanical gems were planted in 1842 by the hand of Queen Amalia, the country's first queen. Indeed, the creation of the Royal Garden, as it was initially known, remains one of her most significant contributions to the country. Housing ancient ruins, a quaint duck pond, and a small zoo, the Garden is a treasure trove awaiting exploration but perhaps best saved for the end of your route, as it stays open until sunset.

Departing from the Garden, first cross stately Queen Amalia Avenue and then make your way leftwards towards Plaka, the enchanting “Neighborhood of the Gods.” Roughly 400 meters away, where Queen Amalia and Philhellenon Street intersect, you’ll come across the Anglican Church of St. Paul. A neo-Gothic sanctuary designed by renowned Greek architect Stamatis Kleanthis and built between

The Tower of the Winds dates from the 1st century BC.

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1838 and 1843 under the watchful eye of Danish architect Hans Christian Hansen, it’s one of the few churches in Greece that occasionally plays host to concerts and other cultural events. The church is the first stop on our journey. Heading deeper into the heart of Athens, you’ll navigate Tsatsou Street to enter the charming district of Plaka. This tourist hub is affectionately dubbed the city center’s architectural time capsule, as many of its structures date from the 19th century. Plaka enchants visitors with its narrow lanes evocative of a picturesque Greek island. In this labyrinthine neighborhood, a GPS becomes your trusted ally, guiding you to gems worth exploring.

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Our next stop is on Lisiou Street – a mere 550 meters from St. Paul’s Church – at the inviting Melina Café (2nd stop). Here, you'll find walls adorned with photographs of the celebrated Greek actress and politician Melina

tip Ascend the majestic Acropolis and then tour its museum (theacropolismuseum.gr), both absolute must-sees when in Athens. We recommend setting aside at least half a day for these awe-inspiring attractions. The same goes for the National Archaeological Museum (namuseum.gr), the largest in Greece and one of the most important repositories of antiquities in the world. Lose yourself in the splendors of ancient Greece and make your Athenian adventure unforgettable.

Mercouri (1920–1994), tracing her illustrious life and career. A legendary icon in Greece, this actress starred in the internationally acclaimed film “Never on Sunday” (1960), directed by Jules Dassin, which propelled her to global fame with an Oscar nomination and the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival. A few years earlier, another of her iconic films, “Stella,” directed by Michael Cacoyannis, was filmed right in the heart of Plaka. Mercouri traveled to Cannes for its official screening, marking the beginning of her life-altering encounter with Dassin, her future husband and mentor. Today, the pair rest in eternal peace in the First Cemetery of Athens.

After an invigorating Greek coffee, it’s time to stroll down one of the oldest streets in Europe, Tripodon Street (3rd stop), just 150 meters from Melina Café. This historical road has stood the test of time, preserving its name and its general layout for an incredible 25 centuries! From here, a short, leisurely

An Evzone stands guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in front the of Greek Parliament.

Desiterra is not just a resort – it's a place to fully experience Santorini's natural charm. Cradled by the beautiful coastline in the area of Exo Gyalos, a short drive from Fira, the stunning escape destination that is Desiterra was shaped using volcanic stone, wood, and iron. Here, relaxation, sumptuous Mediterranean dining and engaging entertainment come together to create the perfect getaway.

Our bioclimatic villas, each with a private pool, offer guests privacy, luxury and breathtaking sea views. Our ORANO restaurant brings the Mediterranean to your plate, serving Greek cuisine with flair and innovation. Pair your meal with selections from our extensive wine cellar and take a tour of Greece's leading vineyards without ever leaving your table. The OASIS Spa awaits to spirit you away on a journey of rejuvenation with a selection of spa treatments and hydrotherapy. Complement this with cooling dips in one of Santorini's largest pools, surrounded by cozy bell tents and sun loungers.

For those in search of some exercise, our modern gym comes fully-equipped, staffed by highly qualified trainers ready to personalize your workout. At Desiterra, we go beyond providing luxury accommodations – we curate an unforgettable Santorini sojourn. So why think twice? It's time for the experience of a lifetime.•

walk of 250 meters will bring you to Kydathineon Street (4th stop), where you’ll come face-to-face with the city’s vibrant, tourist-centric persona. As you amble between charming jewelry stores and shops stocked with unique souvenirs and exquisite linen clothes, you’ll be experiencing Athens in its lovely retail splendor.

For your shopping escapade, we have a couple of delightful recommendations. The first is Forget Me Not at 100 Adrianou Street (5th stop), a store with charming trinkets and treasures. Our second suggestion is the concept store Mouki Mou Athens at 15 Diogenes (6th stop). This retail sanctuary is a new beacon of luxury shopping in the city, boasting a rich selection of clothing, jewelry, ceramics, and stunning decorative items. With a refined mix of international and Greek niche brands, it's a one-stop shop for discerning shoppers. To continue your cultural adventure, call upon your trusty GPS once more to locate the Lantern of Diogenes (7th stop). Officially referred to as the Monument of Lysicrates, this fascinating monument is a mere 450 meters away from Mouki Mou. Dating back to 335-334 BC, this time-honored testament to Greek antiquity is acknowledged as the best-preserved choragic monument of its era, and is a sight to behold indeed.

The Agoras

Next, point your compass towards one of the city’s truly unique architectural jewels, the Tower of the Winds (8th stop). Tucked within the confines of the Roman Agora, it is a brief seven-minute walk from the Monument of Lysicrates. Also known as the Horologion of Andronikos Kyrrhestes, the structure is believed to have been constructed in the first half of the 1st century BC by its namesake, Andronikos Kyrrhestes, a noted ancient Greek engineer, astronomer, and architect.

Standing twelve meters high, this octagonal marble structure is considered the world’s oldest meteorological

Kostas, the proud owner of the renowned souvlaki establishment located at Aghias Irinis Square. Galaktoboureko, a traditional dessert dating back to the days of Ottoman rule, is heartily recommended.

and horological station. Its metopes, richly adorned with relief carvings, bear figures dipicting the eight winds; these carvings earned it the moniker “Tower of the Winds.” This historical treasure, which once housed an ancient water clock, is a testament to the ingenious craftsmanship of ancient Greek culture and is not to be missed.

Your Athenian odyssey continues as you walk to Monastiraki and its bustling square. Here, take a leisurely amble through the Ancient Agora (9th stop), a mere 450 meters from the Tower of the Winds. This breathtaking site is home to the Temple of Hephaestus, also fondly known as the Theseion; this edifice is the best-preserved ancient Greek temple in existence, and its enduring beauty is a marvel to behold.

Should you feel hungry, head across Monastiraki Square and down Athinas

Street towards Omonia Square. Just 150 meters off to your right, you’ll find quaint and narrow Vissis Street. Here you’ll discover the chic vineria, Wine is Fine (6 Vissis, 10th stop), offering classic international dishes and a selection of natural wines. Once upon a time, this part of the city was a commercial hub, and each small street or block had its specialization, such as doorknobs, fabric or rattan ware. However, the process of gentrification has all but snuffed them out, making their charm all the more precious. Your stop here, then, isn't just for refreshment; it's an opportunity to experience an ever-dwindling slice of Athens’ historical urban fabric.

Alternatively, if your taste buds yearn for a local delicacy, you could set your course for nearby Aghias Irinis Square, for the legendary souvlaki from Kostas (11th stop).

From here, head down nearby Aiolou Street and onto Chrysospiliotissis Street. Crossing Praxitelous and heading for Evripidou, you’ll land in Aghion Theodoron Square, named after the 11th-century Byzantine church there. Once you’ve passed this historical site, you’ll find yourself in Klafthmonos Square, where the formidable stature and simple lines of the eight-meter-high Monument of National Reconciliation, an impressive piece by Greek sculptor Vassilis Doropoulos, have dominated the small park here since 1989.

Continuing north, your journey will take you across Stadiou Street and Korai Square, eventually bringing you to Panepistimiou Street. This section of the stroll skirting the city’s main arteries should take around ten minutes if you saunter leisurely, allowing the vibrant city life to distract you on your way.

For souvenirs and summer garments head to Forget Me Not store in Plaka.

A home for architectural elegance, Panepistimiou Street is celebrated for the “Athenian Trilogy,” three of the city’s most exquisite neoclassical buildings (12th stop).

Neoclassical Gems

Facing the buildings from Panepistimiou Street, you'll see the majestic Vallianos Mansion with its sweeping marble staircase on your left. This building housed the National Library until 2017, when its treasures were relocated to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center. In the center, standing as a testament to Greek academia, is the erstwhile University of Athens, presently housing the office of the dean of the university. On your right, you’ll spot the Athens Academy Building, a symbol of intellectual pursuit and knowledge. Interestingly, both

the Vallianos Mansion and the Athens Academy Building were the creations of Theophil Hansen, the brother of Hans Christian Hansen, who supervised the construction of the Church of St. Paul – your first stop on this memorable journey.

Why not capture this architectural grandeur within a single frame? Take out that cellphone, snap a panoramic shot of all three buildings, and ta-da! You’ve just crafted your own Athenian postcard. Just 300 meters away is Syntagma Square. However, before you head there, you might want to make a quick stop at the Benaki Shop on Kriezotou Street (13th stop), conveniently located next to the entrance of the Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghika Gallery. Here, you’ll discover elegant items primarily inspired by the rich collections of the Benaki Museums.

The central building of the Athenian Trilogy houses the Office of the Dean of the University of Athens.

A HOME FOR ARCHITECTURAL ELEGANCE, PANEPISTIMIOU STREET IS CELEBRATED FOR THE “ATHENIAN TRILOGY,” THREE OF THE CITY’S MOST EXQUISITE NEOCLASSICAL BUILDINGS.

Close by is the newly opened shop of the Cultural Resources Management and Development Organization (14th stop), also known as the Hellenic Heritage Showroom, at the start of Vasilissis Sofias Avenue, adjacent to the Parliament building. This shop offers faithful replicas of museums around the country and books on Greek culture in various languages. It stands in a charming spot fondly called Louloudadika (“Flower Shops”), for the small florists that thrived here in the 1930s, catering to the tradition of laying flowers at the nearby Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in front of the Parliament building. A few of these flower shops have since reopened, bringing back color and floral scents to this historical area.

Heading east on Vasilissis Sofias Avenue, you'll encounter a stretch of fascinating museums – do remember to check their opening hours in advance. Within a leisurely stroll from each other lie the Benaki Museum of Greek Culture (1 Koumbari, 500 meters from Syntagma), housing exhibit items tracing the course of Greek culture from prehistoric times to the 20th century (15th stop), and the Museum of Cycladic Art (4 Neofytou Douka, approximately 200 meters from the Benaki). At the latter, you can explore the ancient world of the Cycladic civilization of the 3rd millennium BC (16th stop).

Next, let your feet guide you down elegant Herodou Attikou Street, which houses the Maximos Mansion, the office of the country’s Prime Minister. With the National Garden on your right, continue towards Pangrati to dine at the brand-new culinary sensation, the restaurant Akra (12 Aminta Street, 17th stop), an 8-minute walk away. The menu celebrates organic products cooked over open fire and charcoal; it emphasizes the raw materials and the chefs' role as curators of nature’s bounty rather than as creators of complex recipes.

bonus track

Why not end your day with a drink? Call a taxi – you've undoubtedly had more than enough walking – to cover the kilometer that will take you to the doorstep of Baba au Rum (6 Klitiou). Included in The World’s 50 Best Bars list, this swanky establishment serves divine cocktails, promising a fitting finale to your day.

At the bar Baba Au Rum, you'll enjoy exquisite cocktails and a fantastic atmosphere.

Should you wish to extend your cultural journey, you can visit the National Art Gallery - Alexandros Soutsos Museum (50 Vasileos Konstantinou Avenue, 18th stop) or the Basil & Eliza Goulandris Foundation (13 Eratosthenes Street, 19th stop); the latter focuses on more recent and contemporary art by both Greek and foreign artists, featuring works by Tsarouchis, Takis, Chryssa, Cézanne, Degas, Rodin, Toulouse-Lautrec, Picasso, Miro, Giacometti, Bacon, Lichtenstein, and more.

If you’ve indulged in enough art for the day, it’s time to treat yourself to a bit of sweetness! Just 250 meters uphill from the Basil & Eliza Goulandris Foundation Museum, tucked away at 2 Eftychidou Street, you’ll discover the Galaktoboureko Triantafyllou (20th stop). Here, you can taste what may well be the finest rendition of the traditional dessert from which the shop takes its name – “galaktoboureko” is a custard pie. Get it to go in a box to enjoy later – the crunchy, delicate filo and the semolina cream exude hints of vanilla, and it's all bathed in citrus-infused syrup.

Leaving the charming neighborhood of Pangrati behind, head back down Eratosthenes Street towards Vasileos Konstantinou. Take a left when you reach that main thoroughfare, and you’ll soon find yourself in the presence of the magnificent Kallimarmaro (or Panathenaic) Stadium. Initially erected as a hippodrome in the 6th century BC, this impressive venue was rebuilt to host the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. Crossing Vasileos Konstantinou Avenue will lead you back into the inviting verdant embrace of the National Garden, bringing your journey full circle to where you began. If you still have some energy to spare, we recommend ending your day by watching a movie at the open air Cine Aigli (21st stop). This is the perfect way to savor your quintessential Athenian summer experience before returning to your hotel.•

Μore pins on your map

• Redd - Try the best espresso in Kolonaki.

• Birdman - Experience yakitori fusion and creative cocktails.

• Oinoscent - Discover great wines from around the world.

• Tanpopo - Sup on ramen crafted by a master.

• Sushi Lunchi - Get some sushi in your rice bowl.

• Django - Indulge in the finest fig gelato you've ever tasted.

• Kora Bakery - Their artisanal croissants are full of buttery goodness.

• Kaya - Grab some specialty coffee to go.

• Wild Souls - There's no sugar, palm oil or preservatives used here.

• Holly Llama - Stop in here for vegan delicacies.

• Epik Gelato - Have you ever had ice cream with breadcrumbs?

• Cookoovaya - A headto-tail approach goes Greek.

• Kyrios - Your drink comes with a soundtrack.

• Οikonomou - Greek cuisine reigns supreme.

• Blame the Sun - Cool off with refreshing beers on tap.

• Benaki Café - Art, snacks, and impressive views converge.

• Naxos Apothecary - Embrace the wisdom of nature through their holistic approach to beauty.

Tipple time at the aptly named Wine Is Fine.

WHERE DO YOU GO WHEN ALL YOU WANT IS GOOD FOOD IN AN UNPRETENTIOUS SETTING? FOR US GREEKS, THE ANSWER IS THE HUMBLE TAVERNA, PREFERABLY TUCKED AWAY IN AN OLD BUILDING WITH A COURTYARD, WHERE FRIENDS AND FAMILIES GATHER TO EAT, DRINK AND ENJOY A LEISURELY EVENING AS THEY ALWAYS HAVE.

SERVING UP

TRADITION

ΒΥ THE GASTRONOMOS MAGAZINE TEAM

WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD

“taverna,” what images spring to mind?

Perhaps it’s a tight space, a basement, tables covered with parchment paper or checkered tablecloths. Wine barrels are at the rear, the walls are covered in vintage photos and notices regarding the policies of the establishment, often informing customers that food and drink are not served on credit. There᾽s cigarette smoke, and small groups of friends gathered around tables, eating, laughing and drinking as the proprietor, with a pencil behind their ear, surveys the room, ready to take new orders.

While what was once a typical scene might appear somewhat outdated today, it hasn’t disappeared entirely. In fact, with a few variations (smoking is no longer allowed) the Greek taverna has remained pretty much the same for centuries, as has the reason for its existence. That reason is wine. The taverna came into being as a place where you could find wine, either to drink there or to take home.

The ancestor of the taverna is the  kapileio, a small store in ancient Athens where a trader would set out his goods, mainly farm products and wine, on makeshift stalls fashioned from straw. The Greek word “taverneion” or “taverna” actually derives from the Latin “taberna,” meaning “stall, shed, or hut.” Later, in Byzantine times, wine stores appeared. But it was the combination of wine and food that gave the taverna its final form as we know it today. During the Byzantine period, this kind of eatery flourished; it was during this period when food began to be served with wine on a regular basis.

Retsina, a ubitiquitous presence

The history of the Athenian taverna began in the first half of the 19th century, when the town was chosen as the capital of the newly independent Greek state. Author Giorgos Pittas, in his marvelous book The Athenian Taverna (Indiktos Publications, Athens, 2009), describes how these establishments started as haunts for the working class who lived in the neighborhoods of Metaxourgeio, Gazochori, Anafiotika and Psyrri. It was there that the first Athenian tavernas opened, counterbalancing the upper-class restaurants and hotels where the gentry within and around the royal court amused themselves, dining on European delicacies washed down by Bavarian beer. In contrast, poorer Athenians would head to tavernas, to drink wine drawn from wooden barrels. Each September, taverna owners would select Savvatiano grapes, the dominant variety grown in the nearby Mesogeia region since ancient times, to make retsina, a type of wine flavored with pine resin. The wine was served with some easily prepared dishes, including small fried fish or chicken stomachs, also fried.

The many faces of the taverna

In the early 20th century, as Athens developed, the taverna menu moved beyond a few fried items to include food baked in the oven or cooked on the stove. Tavernas could now be found in all working-class neighborhoods in and around the center – in Petralona, Votanikos, Pangrati, Mets – and close to markets and factories where employees, after their shift, wanted to socialize with their co-workers over a glass of wine and something to eat.

It wasn’t long before the Athenian taverna was discovered by intellectuals, writers and students who, perhaps lightly inebriated, would earnestly discuss matters including culture, language, love, and life. The next major

THE HISTORY OF THE ATHENIAN TAVERNA BEGAN IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE 19TH CENTURY, WHEN THE TOWN WAS CHOSEN AS THE CAPITAL OF THE NEWLY INDEPENDENT GREEK STATE.

change was the arrival of musicians, in particular guitar and mandolin players. The defeat in 1922 of Greek forces in Turkey brought to Athens tens of thousands of Greek-speaking refugees, who found in the taverna a place where they could hold the celebrations they᾽d once hosted in their now-lost homes. Refugee women came, too, accompanying their husbands, causing a great scandal among conservative Athenian society, which believed that a woman’s place was in the home. It was also thanks to the refugees that traditional Anatolian side dishes, such as soutzoukakia (spicy meatballs) and moussaka, ended up on the menu. During the interwar period, a number of Athenian taverna became oinomageireia, essentially wine tavernas, with pots full of vegetables, stewed meats and legumes, and fried fish. Such eateries could feature small bands of musicians, in which case they would be known as rebetadika (named after the style of music).

A place for sharing and socializing

Whatever changes have taken place, all Athenian tavernas still keep many of their traditions alive. For example, they still serve wine. Even if it᾽s no longer matured in the picturesque barrels you see, wine is omnipresent. What᾽s more, taverna interiors continue to be modest. There is no art de la table, no tall glasses, no white tablecloths. The food, too, is simple and largely traditional. It may originate from Asia Minor, Istanbul, Central Greece, the Peloponnese, or the islands – depending on where the owner hails from – but it will always be Greek.

Lastly, the taverna was, is and will always be a place for sharing. Groups of friends sit together, sharing the food and wine. Small plates of delectable items are placed in the middle and everyone simply helps themselves with a fork or with their fingers, something unthinkable for those restaurant cultures based on individual portions. “The taverna

is a place where personal enjoyment becomes a social act, and where the syncretism between people unites them in a panhuman and all-inclusive universe.” writes Pittas, reflecting on this special Greek cultural institution. For us, it᾽s enough that there's good food, good wine and lively company to share it with.

Tryfilli © DIMITRIS VLAIKOS

This taverna differs somewhat from its more “working-class”cousins. After opening in 1932, Athinaikon became known as a popular haunt of artists, composers, writers and politicians, one of the most inviting, atmospheric eateries in the city center, just a few steps from Omonia Square. Their specialty is perhaps the fish soup, with chunks of grouper in a seafood broth. But the taramosalata (fish roe dip), lakerda (fresh anchovies pickled in-house), steamed skate, and croquettes filled with pieces of fried shrimp and crayfish are all excellent choices, and they go wonderfully with ouzo, a good selection of which is on hand here. The service is impeccable. The experienced waiters, some of whom have been working here for two or three decades, take care of customers as if they were their personal guests.

➢2 Themistokleous, Omonia, Tel. (+30) 210.383.8485

ATHINAIKON

© CHRISTINA GEORGIADOU

Tavernas

AXOTIS

Axotis has all the elements of a typical taverna, along with other ingredients that make it unique. Step inside and it's immediately apparent that there's history here. Look closely at the photos on the wall and you'll find one with construction workers; these are the men who poured the foundation for the building you're in. The taverna's history begins with the present owner᾽s grandfather Nikos, a construction worker himself, and his wife Irini, who began making wine in the basement of their home. In the afternoons, they would fire up the grill in their yard and workers in the area would gather to enjoy the goat that the couple cooked. Eventually, they decided to open an eatery, and the same workers who᾽d enjoyed the goat so much helped them excavate the land and build the taverna. Today, Nikos Vasilas, their grandson, and his wife Evi are in charge of Axotis, serving perfectly grilled lamb chops, succulent pork chops, and chicken fillet. The homemade tzatziki and tirokafteri (spicy cheese spread) are ideal with the establishment᾽s delicious french fries – thin, crispy and almost caramelized, they recall the kind you would typically find in a French bistro.

➢15 Paparseni, Polygono, Τel. (+30) 210.645.9130

TO EIDIKON

This place looks like a set from a 1960s Greek film. It was a favorite hangout of famous musicians, singers and composers, including the legend of rebetiko, Vasilis Tsitsanis. You᾽ll find this taverna behind the massive tobacco factories just off the port of Piraeus, at the corner of two busy streets that mark the boundary of the neighborhood of Tambouria. These days, it is run by the grandson of Aristidis Papakonstantinou, who opened To Eidikon in the early 1920s. Locals use it as a grocery store as well. Whenever we go, we always order the same wonderful dishes: yellow split pea purée, meatballs and feta cheese from Kalavryta, corned beef omelet, and kayianas (scrambled eggs with tomatoes) over very finely sliced french fries.

➢38 Psaron & Salaminos, Piraeus, Tel. (+30) 210.461.2674

To Eidikon

VARDIS

Operating out of the same location since the 1920s, this family-run taverna has an outdoor area with greenery and jasmine plants; inside, there’s a glass floor through which you can see the old wine barrels in the basement. In the kitchen, everyone is busy fussing over the cooking pots, frying pans and grills. The dishes served here may only be few in number, but each one is memorably delicious. Our favorites from the appetizers were the fried kaltsounia (small pastries) filled with cheese, crisp and golden, drizzled with honey, which disappeared from the plate very quickly. Other specialties include perfectly cooked veal liver, and roasted goat in a lemon sauce, served with crispy French fries. Also excellent are the charcoal-grilled cuts of meat, all of which can be cooked to order upon request.

➢9 Kaisareias, Ymittos Square, Tel. (+30) 210.762.9972

KLIMATARIA

Some tavernas have a small courtyard either at the front or rear, usually in the shade of a grapevine canopy, a plane tree or a climbing ivy plant. Very often, the taverna is named for what provides the shade, as is the case for Klimataria (“Grapevine Canopy”) in Theatrou Square. Although located in an Athens neighborhood that has declined somewhat in recent decades – despite being a short walk from the Monastiraki Metro station – Klimataria is still going strong. Established in 1927, this eatery is part of the city’s history. Traditional Greek recipes are cooked in pots and custom-made iron kettles. Menu highlights include the snail stew, the oven-baked giant beans in red sauce, the exceptional dolmades (cabbage rolls stuffed with rice and minced meat) and the delicious savory pies. The kettles are also used to cook the melt-in-your-mouth lamb, and the pork shank with potatoes, both heavenly dishes.

➢2 Plateia Theatrou, Omonia, Tel. (+30) 210.321.6629

Kilmataria

SKILODIMOS

The customers here don’t consider themselves as just regulars; they see themselves as family. Antonis, a local, grabs a broom to sweep up the dry leaves that have blown in from the backyard. Filippos Skilodimos, the owner, will bring him kaseri cheese on parchment paper, together with some wine. At the next table is Mathios, who never misses the opportunity to talk about his beloved Ethnikos Piraeus, a local football club. Teasing takes place, as do discussions about current events or something important, like fishing. In the past, tavernas like Skilodimos were commonplace; today, the greengrocery-eatery in Piraeus is among a handful of establishments where life goes on as if the world around them never changed. One example is the crates of vegetables in the center of the room, which are not decorative. Neighbors come in to buy cabbage, onions, lentils, instant coffee, canned foods and even cleaning and paper products. Filippos takes their orders, fills their shopping bags, gives them their change and then goes back to the small kitchen. There, he᾽ll continue making french fries (from sweet potatoes from Tripoli or, if those aren't available, from Kozani), delicious meatballs and omelets (we recommend the spicy version with kavourmas) and then back again to the refrigerator to get cheese and pastourma, and to take care of his customers. His father, Nikolas Skilodimos, left his village in Farsala at a young age to go to Piraeus. He worked from the age of 12 as a delivery boy at a greengrocer᾽s. “In the morning, he’d load the carriage and pull it up Karaoli and Dimitriou Street to the top of the hill to sell his products. At night, he slept in the shop, on bricks.” In 1959, after completing his military service, Nikolas bought a shop with his savings and ran it as a greengrocery-taverna for decades until his son took over. “This is how I inherited it, this is how I have kept it,” Filippos says with pride.

➢ 16 Deligiorgi and Skilitsi, Piraeus, Τel. (+30) 694.505.9328, 211.408.0630

TA FILETAKIA TIS DAFNIS

Dafni is one of the best-preserved old neighborhoods in the city, and home to a number of gastronomic gems. One of these is Ta Filetakia (“The Fillets”), a taverna-grill house that opened in 1966 and has become a mandatory destination for meat lovers. Although the fillets (pork and chicken) have made the place famous, they aren’t the only items on the menu. You can also enjoy perfectly cooked entrecôte steaks, hand-cut french fries, and succulent village-style sausages.

➢126 Ethnarchou Makariou & Dramas, Dafni, Tel. (+30) 210.973.0682

Skilodimos

TO TRIFYLLI

Fifty years ago, this taverna was a house. The courtyard where they now set out tables in the summer was a favorite play spot for the children of the neighborhood. Koula, the owner of that house, decided in the 1960s to supplement the family income by setting up first a simple grill for meat on skewers and then a makeshift taverna, where she served just a few selections each day – small fish, legumes, and stews. The first taverna customers were the guards at Averoff Prison just round the corner, and the garbagemen who parked their trucks on a nearby vacant lot. Later, her son Giorgos took charge. Over the years, To Trifylli has attracted politicians, artists, prominent lawyers and, of course, soccer fans, since it is just behind the west stand of the Panathinaikos stadium and bears the name of the team’s symbol, the threeleaf clover. Today, it᾽s a favorite choice among those looking for a cult culinary experience. The food they serve is very good, and typical of the old, traditional taverna: Koula’s now-famous meatballs; two kinds of salad; sautéed lamb offal, and cod with potato-and-garlic purée. The food isn᾽t the only reason why the taverna remains popular; the atmosphere is wonderful, too.

➢7 Panathinaikou, Ambelokipoi, Tel. (+30) 210.644.6585

© DIMITRIS VLAIKOS

TSOMPANAKOS

The medley of antiques and memorabilia that adorns Tsompanakos radiates warmth. Among the many objects, a panoramic photo of Smyrna (now Izmir) catches the eye. When Theofilos Kanonieris was uprooted from Asia Minor at the age of 16, he took it with him as his only memento. When he reached Athens, his first job was tending sheep, which is how he got the nickname Tsompanakos (“Young Shepherd”). A few years later, he opened a small taverna, still there today, with eight tables on a side street in Kaisariani. Kanonieris passed the taverna on to his son, Kyriakos, who in turn passed it on to his son, Theofilos, who runs it today. The jukebox in the corner still works. From time to time, customers will get up and select a song. In the kitchen, Theofilos prepares a mix of Anatolian and Greek dishes using the recipes passed down to him by his parents. These include lahanodolmades (stuffed cabbage leaves), mushrooms with bulgur, snails with shallots cooked in a red sauce, dolmadakia (stuffed grape leaves), pasta with ewe in a red sauce, homemade

savory pies, and Anatolian salads with hot peppers and kebab. The signature dish is lamb chops, which are thinly chopped and very tender. Over the years, the taverna has served athletes (as the various football and basketball memorabilia attest) and renowned artists and musicians, including prolific lyricist Lefteris Papadopoulos and, before him, the entertainers Vasilis Tsitsanis and Sotiria Bellou. Those luminaries not only had their own table, they also had their own key to let themselves around dawn; after finishing their performances at “Charama” – a local nightclub – they᾽d find food waiting for them at the taverna.

➢ 2 Anakreontos, Kaisariani, Tel. (+30) 210.724.8441

© SOFIA PAPASTRATI

Tavernas

KATSOGIANNOS

The oldest taverna in Drapetsona has been operating in the same spot since 1930. It began as a dairy store; the owner, Grigoris Katsogiannos, sold milk and made butter and kaimaki ice cream. Gradually, the store evolved into a grocery-eatery, with a few small tables where they served whatever they stocked for their clients: cheese, cooked eggs, and their own wine. As the years passed, it became a proper taverna, although there's still a link to the dairy shop; their kaimaki – still made in-house – is served as dessert at the end of each meal. Although it has a long history and amazing atmosphere, what makes us return again and again is the food itself. The meatballs with ouzo are crispy and delicious; the pork stir-fry with mustard and chili-flakes is juicy and perfectly spicy. The lamb pluck and the veal liver simply melt in the mouth, making the ideal accompaniment to your wine. The lamb chops are among the tastiest we’ve ever had in Athens and pair delectably with the homemade eggplant salad. The food certainly justifies a trip out here to what's still a largely unchanged neighborhood of Piraeus.

➢15 Aghiou Panteleimonos, Drapetsona, Tel. (+30) 210.461.3209

© MICHAEL PAPPAS

Oinoscent, established in 2008, is Athens’ first wine bistro. Located in the heart of the city center, it offers sensational Mediterranean dishes using mostly local seasonal ingredients, along with a great variety of more than 1000 Greek and foreign wine labels.

Voulis 45-47, Athina 105 57 Τ. + 30 21 0322 9374 | @oinoscent | oinoscent.gr

OIKONOMOU

This place is almost a century old; Yiannis Oikonomou opened the taverna in Petralona in 1930. Its longevity, however, is not the only thing that makes it special. The careful attention paid by today’s owners and kitchen staff to every detail is the reason this taverna has never waned in popularity and still maintains a stellar reputation. The menu never changes, but this, too, is an advantage, as we never stop craving their food. Delicious options include roast lamb with potatoes, of the quality you’d expect as a guest at a Sunday dinner somewhere in Greece; stuffed cabbage rolls; thick-crust savory pies with different fillings; and, more than anything, the slow-cooked stews that make up a special category of Greek cuisine, in which 9 out of 10 recipes begin by placing olive oil and chopped onions in a pan, sautéing for a few minutes, and then adding whatever vegetables are being used, along with grated tomato or lemon sauce. So, when in Athens, do as the Athenians do: dunk a chunk of the tasty bread into the eggplant, okra and green beans, a highlight of the summer menu.

➢41 Troon and Kydantidon, Petralona, Tel. (+30) 210.346.7555

Panos Ioannidis one of the Greek Master Chef judges along with Panos Politis of the Italian restaurant Cupola created this unique place and brought fresh Italian air in the very heart of the new hot culinary destination in Athens, Syntagma.

‘Ovio’ which means clear, obvious, represents exactly the “cucina contemporanea”: Creative ideas, clear casual flavors, twisted versions of classic recipes and products coming straight from Italy, in an elegant and stylish place with warm atmosphere and hangout spirit.

The authentic Italian risotti cooked on demand in Ovio’s cuisine, as well as the fresh pasta are the big stars of the menu. Other special dishes on the menu are the Greek versions of risotto kouskousotto (fregola), recipes that chef Ioannidis has proved that he loves equally with the Italian prototype as well as smoked beef carpaccio, the very unique Tonno Tonnato, fresh scallops and oysters.

Of course, as in every authentic Italian menu, pizza has its own distinctive place. Although Ovio’s pizza with its very flyffy “cornicione” is baked in a traditional ‘closed’ Neapolitan oven and is served in a totally different way! The wine list is very well studied with more than 80 labels focused especially on the Italian and then on the Greek vineyard.

Don’t miss the cocktails, as Ovio offers a focused menu of classic and twisted Spritz, Negroni and Martini

AS THE TEMPERATURES RISE, YOU CAN ALMOST HEAR THE SPIGOTS IN THE TAPROOMS AROUND THE CITY WHISPERING TO YOU OF THE REFRESHINGLY COOL LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL CRAFT BEERS THAT AWAIT YOU.

BY MARINA PETRIDOU

Something's

CRAFT BEERS, APART from being very tasty with a pleasantly complex profile, are constantly breaking new ground, as their production requires considerable creativity and experimentation. They are made by microbrewers notable for their know-how and, of course, their passion for beer. At many bars in Athens, the choice of craft beers may be limited, but at the city’s taprooms, there is such a large selection that you could try a different one every day. Greece is currently enjoying something of a golden era when it comes to handcrafted beer, with microbreweries and taprooms now operating not only in Athens but

also on the islands and in many large towns. It’s amazing, and encouraging, how the country’s craft-brewing community support each other’s efforts, promoting quality beer drinking overall in a non-competitive spirit. Here in the capital, we’re particularly fortunate because we now can find excellent craft beer in less trendy neighborhoods, easily reached by metro. In fact, for anyone who loves handcrafted beers and enjoys discovering new localities, Athens is proving to be an ideal destination.

The Watering Holes

In the west of the city, the beer lovers of Peristeri head to Zabaob, which opened just a few months ago on a quiet pedestrianized street. It’s the first place in the area offering Greek and foreign beers on tap, and the options change often. There’s also a wide choice of canned and bottled beers. Nearer the center in Petralona, Jonathan Spanos and Nassia Kyriakou recently opened SlowDown Brewing, which happens to be the first taproom in that area,

Beers

too. They serve beer produced at their nanobrewery, also called SlowDown, in Evdilos on Ikaria as well as beer from other Greek microbreweries and natural wines from some of the smallest wineries in the country. Tapfield in Psyrri provides a wonderful opportunity to visit this centrally located neighborhood that's once again on the rise, hoping to become the entertainment hub that it was two decades ago. At this small taproom, featuring an inviting wooden bar, owner Miltos Piskopos serves beers from 23 different taps, along with just as many in cans and bottles. The astronaut mural certainly catches the eye and provides an excellent background for great instagrammable moments. Miltos is more than willing to answer any questions about his beers and frequently changes the selections on tap, which you can enjoy with some delicious bar food. In the Koukaki neighborhood, the friendly people at Blame the Sun have put together a good selection of craft beers, with new options available, on a rotating basis; patrons are

The enticing cooler at SlowDown Brewing (above) and some pouring action at Paragon.

encouraged to sample what's new. To go with the beer, there's an interesting choice of potato chips and the house’s own extra-hot dipping sauces. Also in Koukaki, the Strange Brew Taproom & Bottleshop, one of the first taprooms to open in Athens, serves the products of the nomadic microbrewery of the same name. From the outset, it offered the most exciting Greek craft beers on tap as well as in bottles and cans. Here, beer aficionados gather to taste and, of course, comment on the latest brews, and socializing with members of the Greek craft beer community who frequent the place, is not only acceptable, but encouraged. In Pangrati, the new kid on the block is Tap 27, with exciting rotating selections and a few excellent permanent brews from the owner's Mustaki Nomad Brewery.

Up north in Marousi, three friends from school – Ilias, Zisis and Aris – recently opened the bar they had dreamt about since sitting at the back of the class, hence the name,

• Zabaob, 37 Megalou Alexandrou, Peristeri

• SlowDown, 39 Kidantidon, Petralona

• Tapfield, 4 Navarchou Apostoli, Psirri

• Blame the Sun, 60 Veikou, Koukaki

• Strange Brew Taproom & Bottleshop, 86 Falirou, Koukaki

• Tap 27, 27 Eratosthenous, Pangrati

• Last Row, 10 Themidos, Marousi

• Paragon Brewery & Taproom, 3 Lemesou, Ilioupoli

Beers

Last Row. The bar’s 16 taps offer a selection of craft beers, mainly from Greek microbreweries but with some imported brews that you’re unlikely to find elswhere, too. The beers on tap are changed regularly, and the refrigerators hold more than 40 other canned or bottled options to enjoy in-house or to go. Another plus is the range of snacks, including nachos with spicy dipping sauce, three types of hot dogs, and a delectable brisket burger.

South of the center of town, in the suburb of Ilioupoli, the Paragon Brewery & Taproom is housed in a former blacksmith’s shop. Only a large glass window behind the bar separates customers from the cooking vessels, in which three young brewers perfect their recipes and constantly experiment with new, intriguing versions. Every week at Paragon you'll find something new to fill your glass, whether it's the beers they produce, others just released on the market or older brews now considered to be classic favorites.•

Some like it large: toasting with liter-sized bottles at Zabaob.

© ANGELOS GIOTOPOULOS

INSIDE OUT

BY KELLY STAVROPOULOU

PHOTOS: ALINA LEFA

For at least half the year, the Athenian balcony is where the better part of urban life takes place.

The balcony of an apartment designed by South Architecture, in Kypseli.

Top: In a former industrial building in Gazi, this renovated penthouse offers views and access to the outside from all rooms, even the bathroom.

Left: A clay oven in the shape of a onehandled amphora adorns the balcony of a renovated ’80s penthouse.

Top: A view of Lycabettus Hill from a sixth-floor balcony in Exarchia.

Left: A balcony in Kolonaki overlooking the lower slopes of Lycabettus Hill.

Anyone who’s lived in Athens will undoubtedly be able to recall occasions when they sat sipping coffee at a small table on a balcony, among flowerpots of basil, carnations, or jasmine, looking out at the unfurled awnings on balconies across the way. They’re likely to have been invited to gatherings at penthouse apartments whose terraces were filled with laughter, music, and numerous reminders to keep it down: “Shhh! We’re disturbing the neighbors!” In Athens, we enjoy good weather for nearly eight months of the year; when March or April comes around, we hose down our balconies, add a couple of plants in pots, light a lantern, and suddenly our house feels larger. Dinner is served al fresco, and the soundtrack might include car horns, the chatter of passersby, the chirping of cicadas - or all of them together, depending on where one lives.

The roof garden of an apartment in the Acropolis area, a stone’s throw from the Parthenon.

The extension of the house

In contrast to many other European cities, Athens makes full use of its balconies. Some people treat them as storage spaces for items that don᾽t fit indoors, such as the ironing board, or for boxes of unused items. Others outfit their balconies with bamboo furniture or wrought-iron chairs for a retro ambiance and exotic evenings, surrounding themselves with potted greenery. Jewelry designer Yiannis Sergakis says: “Spliting my time between Athens and Paris in recent years, I’ve realized how much I miss having a balcony in France. Of course, having a balcony in Paris is a rare, almost unattainable luxury. If a Parisian has an apartment with a balcony, no matter how small, they show it off with great pride.

“Here, Athenians make the balcony an essential part of daily life. In the era of portable TVs, they watched summer sports events, including the World Cup and the Olympics, outside. They BBQ, dry their laundry, have their morning coffee, and in the evenings, gather with friends.” As for his own balcony in Athens, Sergakis says: “I enjoy it to the fullest. On summer evenings, we host parties with friends, sometimes even listening to concerts from the open-air theatre, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, next to us. On quiet nights when I’m alone, I can even hear the hooting of owls from the glade of the Acropolis. As for the spring, I’m delighted to spot the hummingbirds, nightingales and parakeets that come down from the surrounding trees to pay me a visit.”

Narrow streets, small balconies

Decades ago, Greece’s capital began to become more densely populated, with new construction springing up, and despite the occasionally flawed aesthetics of the buildings, balconies were always a fixture. Panos Dragonas, Professor of Architecture and Urban Design at the University of Patras, says:

“In the interwar apartment buildings, we see the change from bay windows to small open balconies that characterize the distinctive look of areas such as Kolonaki, Exarchia, and Kypseli. After the war, balconies become more standardized and narrower, running uniformly across the facades of typical apartment buildings. After 1985, balconies become bigger and are arranged with greater freedom.”

George Papadakis from the architectural office Cadu says: “Architecture in the Greek world always created externally covered, semi-outdoor spaces, such as the ancient stoas and the hayiati. In modern Athens, it’s inevitable that the balcony, in addition

This Kolonaki balcony is home to banana trees.

“ ARCHITECTURE IN THE GREEK SPACE ALWAYS CREATED EXTERNALLY COVERED, SEMIOUTDOOR SPACES, SUCH AS THE ANCIENT STOAS. ”

to its crucial role in the life of the inhabitants, also affects the image of the city. The vast majority of buildings, especially those dating from 1960 to 1980, are literally dressed in balconies. The identity of the modern Greek city is shaped by the aesthetics of the balcony and all of its accessories.

“Today, balconies are constructed under the dictates of the New Building Regulation. A simplified explanation of the legislation is that, generally speaking, they can protrude up to 2 meters from the building, but they cannot be wider than 1/10 of the underlying road. This is the reason for the existence of narrow balconies in areas with narrow streets.”

Speak with any architect working in Athens and you’ll quickly realize that today the balcony is always a crucial concern. Dragonas notes that the phrase of Pericles Giannopoulos, writer and thinker, is often heard in the architecture schools of Greece: “Life in Greece is outdoors.” It’s clear that the city’s climate automatically places balconies on equal footing with interior space; the challenge for the architect is not to end up with a balcony that’s a dead, neutral space not catering to human needs.

The architectural office MoY Studio came up with a number of examples where balconies are underutilized, such as in buildings located on major roads with noise and traffic – like the balconies of the apartment buildings and professional spaces on Vasilissis Sofias Avenue. On the other hand, they observe that even such “useless” balconies may be able to offer something. “It’s not rare to see someone squeezed onto one of those narrow balconies to smoke their cigarette or drink their coffee out in the sun, and right there they have as much space as they need.”

“ Where the city ’ s energy unfolds ”

The jewelry designer Ileana Makri has a balcony that puts the Acropolis almost within touch, and she says that this

space is, in effect, the heart of her house: “I care for and attend to it as much as the interior of my apartment. I don’t need to do much regarding its atmosphere; the view of the Parthenon does all the work. I only added a table and a cactus I brought from Ecuador - the cactus because, as shamans believe, they create a protective zone.” Similarly, the creative director of G Design Studio, Michalis Georgiou, who lives in a renovated apartment in Exarchia, says that the central part of his life at home is shaped on his balcony: “Every morning before work, I spend two hours caring for the plants and drinking tea. This two-hour period is my decompression time and the source of my own positive energy.

A small balcony with a view of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus.

SPEAK WITH ANY ARCHITECT WORKING IN ATHENS AND YOU ’ LL QUICKLY REALIZE THAT TODAY THE BALCONY IS ALWAYS A CRUCIAL CONCERN.

Zabeli

In the summer, the day not only starts but also ends there, whether in the outdoor living room with a view of Lycabettus or in the dining area of the balcony for dinner and wine with friends, which can go on until morning.” This particular balcony is located on the top floor of the apartment building and is full of plants. Therefore, although the neighborhood itself is lively and densely populated, the balcony offers privacy, even outdoors. With renovations of old houses surging in the city, professionals say that in every case, the new owners’ first requirement is not to be seen (or spied on) by the neighbors. Elena

and Katerina Chrysanthopoulou, from MoY Studio explain their approach to this: “We try to educate owners to accept the presence of neighbors as a natural condition of life in cities, and at the same time, we incorporate elements and uses that allow the balcony to function as a second home, i.e., with a living room, dining room, outdoor kitchen/barbecue, outdoor shower, and even outdoor sleeping areas and hammocks...” Indeed, while the close proximity of other balconies is never interpreted as a luxury, it may have its advantages. Many great friendships or romances started with a friendly

word to the stranger behind the glass partition, or even a “Good morning” to the neighbor᾽s dog as it wagged its tail on the balcony next door.

A well-loved song by the famous Greek singer-songwriter Dionysis Savvopoulos waxes lyrical about life on an Athenian balcony. It mentions a pink balloon, a girl smoking, a white sheet blowing in the wind, pigeons and awnings torn by the wind, and other snapshots from the childhood of adults who grew up in Athens. The chorus of the song states simply: “The small balconies have steering wheels, joys, celebrations, silent glances, beautiful years.”•

A terrace in Gyzi with a view of Evelpidon Park; the table and the aluminum art object on it were designed by the resident artist of the house.

Urban Explorers

BY ELISA SINADINOU

They wander the streets of Athens with a map, a camera, or a cellphone in hand, observing patterns in architecture, daily life, and history and discovering intriguing details few others notice.

Cityscape

PEOPLE OFTEN ASK ME how I began to engage with Athens, but I don’t believe there was a specific “starting” point. I’ve always had a connection. As a child, I would collect images. The urban environment moved me and stimulated my imagination. I had one of those small, inexpensive cameras in my school bag, and later I began gathering clippings and other bits of information, which I still come across now and then these days. I had a sense that my collection would someday hold value.

For many years now, I've rejected the conventional perception of what is beautiful and what is ugly. I am intrigued by the concept of the “average.” Even things that are objectively not beautiful can move me. I may see a '70s apartment building in Kato Patissia, with worn green awnings, a marble facade, an electrician’s workshop on one side of its entrance, and a forgotten marquee from a video club on the other, and, to me, this is akin to a short film. I’m interested in microhistory, elements that will fade into oblivion unless they're brought into the light at least a little. These are things that don’t concern 'official' history, but rather the lives and paths of people who came from Smyrna, Lesbos, or Constantinople and ended up in Koukaki or Peristeri. All these small stories help us understand the evolution of a city.

In recent years, we’ve all witnessed a shift in the tourist interest that Athens garners. It remains to be seen whether this will endure. I believe it’s linked to the agenda of the 21st century, as the criteria for what is considered interesting have changed. Cities like Athens are quite familiar, yet not so much as to become mundane, and fairly exotic, yet not so much as to be intimidating.

A substantial effort is needed to promote all the layers of the city’s history, to highlight urban culture alongside the neoclassical buildings, the islands, and the Acropolis. We only market the well-known, but Athens conceals so much more.

A conversation with Nikos Vatopoulos, a journalist with Kathimerini and author specializing in the evolution of the Athenian landscape, is always a deep dive into the city’s structure, a narrative tour akin to the ones he organizes throughout the capital.

Shedding light on elements that will fade into oblivion

I RELOCATED TO GREECE to attend Deree College after finishing school in a rather mundane city in the Netherlands. I was immediately captivated by the bustling noise, the chaos, the sense of anarchy in Athens. This was before all the work done for the Olympic Games, when roads were still filled with potholes, and public transportation left much to be desired. Yet the locals were incredibly welcoming and friendly. Working as a DJ at Decadence (an iconic alternative bar-club in Exarchia) offered me glimpses into a world starkly different from the conservative neighborhood of Aghia Paraskevi, where the college campus is located.

Returning to Athens in 2005 after several years abroad, I found a city transformed. Everything seemed to function with newfound precision. This quickly morphed into a cityscape collapsing under the strain of the economic crisis and therefore, in 2010, I relocated to Barcelona. However, I found myself repeatedly drawn back to Athens, making multiple trips per year. In the interim, I bought an apartment in Kypseli, a charming neighborhood that was largely underrated by Athenians when I first discovered it.

I then began noticing and photographing elements that reflected the city’s spirit: primarily old-fashioned store awnings, but also old buildings and their entrances. I was driven to capture these because, by the time I next passed the same spot, they might no longer exist. After being away for three months, I’d return to find that an entire block, previously a warehouse, had morphed into a hotel. Change happened so rapidly, it was as if these new buildings were being constructed overnight.

I have always been drawn to the city's hills. Strolling through a neighborhood, you might suddenly encounter a small hill offering breathtaking views. However, one aspect that irks me, particularly from an aesthetic perspective, is the extensive tourist-oriented changes in neighborhoods, changes that completely alter their essence. They establish shops that feel more suited to Disneyland than Athens. That’s not what the city is, and it’s certainly not the reason people visit. It’s simply tasteless.

In 1996, Steven A. J. Beijer relocated from the Netherlands to Greece. He initially moved to Athens to work as a DJ, quickly falling in love with the city’s vibrant chaos. Since then, he has returned again and again, capturing the capital's evolving face on his account @fadingathens.

“Athens is not Disneyland.”

Cityscape

AS A NATIVE OF KYPSELI, I grew up in the heart of the city, on Sikinou Street, just off Fokionos Negri. We Kypselians had the unique privilege of getting to know the city on foot, intimately. I explored the city even further when I discovered my grandfather’s diary from the Battle of Athens, the infamous December clashes that took place in 1944, when he was serving as a staff officer. In 1994, as a Political Science student at the Law School in Athens, I decided to map his diary entries out onto the urban landscape. This project, which combined my love for the city, history, and politics, led to an extensive exploration of Athens in

search of traces from that civil battle.

In the early 2010s, as smartphones acquired better cameras, I began documenting signs of the economic crisis. I went looking for the buildings from the Battle of Athens, too, and for the newer apartment buildings that emerged in the '50s and '60s during a time when construction in Athens was booming; my photos focused mainly on entrances and staircases. These apartment buildings, many of which, regrettably, are now semi-derelict, had a unique ethos. The concept of apartment buildings inherently embodied a sort of democracyresidents' assemblies, shared heating,

Cityscape

rule-based cohabitation, all along with their own class structure.

Every entrance tells a tale. You can find triggers for the imagination everywhere: a note on the doorbell, a forsaken cart, an empty janitor’s room, a broken elevator. There’s a prevailing unfairness concerning the city, with many of its residents not showing it the love it deserves. Our generation had to grapple with the stereotype of ‘Athens, the ugly concrete jungle.’ This lack of appreciation always bothered me, but I have faith in the emerging generation, which seems to be forming a new, more appreciative relationship with Athens.

Dispelling the Stereotype of the Concrete Jungle

Ilias Tsaousakis is a political scientist and strategic communications consultant who focuses on exploring life’s hidden aspects, photographing apartment building entrances and staircases, and uncovering urban stories. He has an extensive archive of 10,000 photos, some of which have appeared in art exhibitions, while others are shared on his account @et.cloud7

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An Archive of a Fading Art

German director and photographer Alexander Jaschik arrived in Greece in 2015 to create a short film about two brothers departing crisis-ridden Athens, hoping for a brighter future in Germany. However, he found himself so captivated that he never left. Through his project @doorsofathens, he began documenting the intricate, handcrafted doors adorning old Athenian houses.

TO ME, ATHENS INITIALLY felt like an entirely different world. I arrived amidst the crisis years when the city was littered with yellow “For Rent” signs. This city contrasted sharply with Munich, my hometown, renowned for its cleanliness and sense of order. Among the city’s intriguing features, the wrought-iron doors of old houses particularly captivated me. The detailed craftsmanship of the blacksmiths truly inspired admiration. I view my project as a tribute to this fading art form. Aside from the fact that modern doors are not crafted this way, the dwindling numbers of single-family

houses due to renovation or demolition for larger buildings has accelerated the disappearance of these beautiful objects.

While I’m familiar with the city center, my curiosity has gradually drawn me to relatively unaltered neighborhoods such as Moschato, which boasts many of the typical single-family homes that are my main interest. In such spots, most of these structures are well-preserved. I’ve also explored other areas like Plato's Academy, Kolonos, and Aigaleo. The one thing that struck me in all my wanderings is how strange it is that Athens is one of the few European cities where you can't sit on the banks of a river.

Athens has its positives: the locals are incredibly warm and hospitable. On the flip side, the city’s drawbacks include the subpar internet service and the unbearable summer heat, which I suspect will intensify over time. Other grievances include the city’s poor planning, lack of greenery, and the environmental impact of millions of air conditioners running simultaneously during the summer. Yet, despite these negatives, it’s a unique experience to reside in a city with such a rich history, being among the oldest in Europe. There are times I feel as if I’m walking the same paths that Plato and Socrates once did.

Cityscape

IN THE 2000 s , I took over graphic design duties at my family’s print shop in the Omonia area. This period marked the onset of decline in the city center, and yet I could see an abundance of architectural and historical richness that wasn’t getting the recognition it deserved. So, I decided to highlight it my own way. While it disheartens me to witness the decay of my city’s heart, largely due to the economic climate, I maintain that Athensville promotes optimism. It’s not a platform for complaining on the internet - the city has enough of that. I firmly believe in the need for more positive and constructive dialogue.

There’s a peculiar enchantment to the heart of Athens when it’s quiet at night. I reside in the Museum area (around the National Archaeological Museum), which hosts a diverse mix of immigrants and young Erasmus students. Some regions hold a surprising charm due to their cultural mix. Take Kypseli, for instance, with its intriguing blend of old and new, and of different cultures coming together. A walk down Acharnon Avenue brings you to the best syrupy sweets made by Syrians, or vibrant Pakistani semolina sweets. Being in the heart of Athens, especially this part, has made me more open-minded and, overall, a better person.

I’m intrigued by what the future holds for Omonia, Patissia and Kypseli, and how the culturally diverse children growing up there will enrich our country. Athens is a metropolis, the capital of a country in the most progressive union of states. It naturally attracts immigrants, just as ancient Athens did, just like all great cities throughout history. So, I’m less interested in the opinions of those who lament over the Athens they lost. Rather, I'm more keen on the perspective of a child who has grown up here, whose parents hail from elsewhere, because there’s a transition happening right now, a transition to a different and fascinatingly unique Athens.

@Athensville emerged during the golden age of blogging and rapidly garnered a dedicated following, which has persisted through the evolution of social media. Its founder, Tasos Chalkiopoulos, highlights an often-overlooked aspect in public conversations: optimism.

“Being in the heart of Athens has made me a better person”

Searching for traces of artists long gone

Through @x.art.es (maps), one of the most engaging Greek Instagram accounts, the actress Amalia Kavali invites us to explore Athens through the residences where Greek artists once lived – houses that may or may not bear a sign, but invariably have a tale to share.

WHILE LIVING IN KOLONAKI during the lockdown, I chose to give my brief sanctioned walks a purpose: to find the one-time homes of artists and writers. I began documenting what I found and I planned routes to follow the next day. I sought out people who could give me information; I rang doorbells and made inquiries at kiosks. I didn’t always receive a reply. Once, for example, I sent a message to a literature researcher who'd studied the works of 19th-century journalist and author Michael Mitsakis. “Hello, where exactly on Ploutarchou Street did Mitsakis live?” The response was: “Who cares where Mitsakis lived?” I shared what I found on Instagram,

but it quickly became evident that this project appealed to a different audience than those interested in my acting career. Thus, @X.art.es was born.

When you embark on a journey to uncover “Who might have lived here?”, the path brings the artist to you. The search widens; you’re not just seeking traces of those you already knew. Through this process, I learned about artists I’d never heard of, including Marion Siva, a notable mid-20th century singer who gained popularity performing in upscale nightclubs in the sixties. I was researching Efpalinou Street, near Karamanlaki Square, in Patissia, and discovered that she had committed suicide there. To date, my research has unearthed numerous female artists who have been scarcely mentioned in history, despite their notable talent in their era.

By examining the routes that artists took in the city – as they, too, like us, rented places or moved from their childhood homes to others – you can draw conclusions about the social connections of the time, the literary salons, and their relationships with each other. Another observation that has surfaced is that, even though Greece takes pride in its poetry, many acclaimed 20th-century poets lived in poverty, including Melisanthi, Matsi Chatzilazarou, Miltos Sachtouris, Nikos Engonopoulos (who lived for thirty years in a basement), Nikos Karouzos, Periklis Korovesis, and others.

or years now, Upupa Epops the bar has been the place which makes you feel this kind of chemistry you have with someone you meet for the first time, being sure you will finally become best friends in the end. It is an Inter-War construction made up of three buildings and a prime example of the historic architecture of the city. Standing at number 7 of Alkmini Street for more than 90 years, it is the ultimate redefinition of the “all day” bar and successfully reflects the nobility of Kato Petralona.

Among the neoclassical buildings of the area and the bitter orange trees on the pavements, here, you can find this magic sense of belonging to this neighbourhood; just like all those who flock to this place from every corner of Athens.

Investing in elegant style, rather special paintings on the walls, elaborate vintage works of art, which you will definite-

A “HOOPOE” IN THE CITY CENTER

ly want to take them home, restored furnishings and a ceiling made of glass, Upupa Epops is your home away from home, the most familiar place to be. You can find the hottest parties of the city and taste the most refreshing cocktails with the signature of the legendary bartender Marfi Bali and her team as well as our appetising brunch, which goes far beyond the ordinary. All the above are accompanied with the greatest memories you create , which will be brought back to your memory even days after leaving our doorstep. Its location, in a peaceful street, one heartbeat away from Piraeus street , combined with the great size of its building, create a discrete atmosphere: like your favourite hiding place, distanced from the busy world; as if you were a guest at Frida Kahlo‘s, where the gastronomy and the drinking experience will definitely keep bringing you back to it like a migratory bird. Like an Upupa Epops.

7, Alkminis str., Athens • 21 2105 5214

Cityscape

MY PROJECT BEGAN on June 17, 2012, on an election day, with a walk from my home in the central residential neighborhood of Ampelokipoi to the southern seaside suburb of Faliro, to a friend’s house to watch the election results unfold. It was a strange period in my life; the crisis had precipitated professional and personal collapses. I needed to do something just for myself, and my instinctive reaction was to go outside –without purpose, without company.

The idea of walking all over Athens didn’t occur to me right away, but as time went by, I started using electronic tools to log the routes I'd taken – approximately 2,400 in total. I mark these routes, input them into

an app, verify them, and then transfer them to Google Earth. To date, I’ve spent 227,160 minutes, or 3,786 hours, or 158 days walking. Almost all of Greater Athens has felt my footfall.

What inspires me isn’t the mere act of walking outside; it's the charm of Athens, a city I adore. I grew up in Crete, within a challenging and restrictive environment, dreaming of one day living in Athens – a symbol of liberation for me, much like Manhattan is for others. Athens is intriguing because its fundamental urban plans were never executed exactly as envisioned, which explains its current state. Public spaces were curtailed; roads were narrowed. Historically, Greeks have shown great reverence for their homes but indifference to the external environment and their mobility within the city. This lack of engagement is ingrained in our culture, which is why we don’t exert pressure for change.

In my view, the appreciation of a city doesn't hinge solely on order and repetition, as is the case with many European cities. Athens’ appeal lies in its anarchy, density, and complexity. However, I can see why some people might feel estranged – it’s not the most welcoming city. There are areas devoid of any appeal, and many key urban features, including parks and monuments, that give residents a sense of belonging are often far away or inaccessible.

Anarchy, Density, Complexity: The Fascinating Charm of Athens

Several years ago, Architect Yiannis Fragkakis embarked on a unique quest to traverse every single street in Athens, an impressive task he is approaching systematically.

Another capital in Attica

The Kistophoros Kori, one of the two colossal Caryatids that supported the roof of the Small Propylaea.

Opposite page: The waterfront of Eleusis with the island of Salamina in the background.

Eleusis

Above: Finds from the archaeological site, with the facilities of the Old Olive Mill, which hosts artistic events for the European Capital of Culture and the local festival “Aeschylia,” in the background.

Top left: Lines from American poet Walt Whitman’s poem Proud Music of the Storm (“Again, in Eleusis, home of Demeter, I see the modern Greeks dancing...”) on a rural warehouse.

Bottom left: A panoramic view of Eleusis from the hilltop home of the archaeological museum. The Church of Aghios Georgios, patron saint of the city, and the port cranes, stand out.

WE TRAVELED 21 KILOMETERS WEST OF ATHENS

TO ELEUSIS TRYING TO SOLVE ITS ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND INDUSTRIAL MYSTERIES, WHICH HAVE EARNED IT THE TITLE OF EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE FOR 2023.

BY PANDELIS TSOMPANIS

IF YOU TELL AN ATHENIAN that you’re heading to Eleusis, they’ll likely respond with a mixture of surprise and confusion. “Eleusis? Why are you going there? How does one even get there?” Even though the city is just 21 kilometers from the center of Athens, Eleusis is not a place that many Athenians know well. Located on the far side of Mt Aigaleo, overlooking a beautiful bay, and accessible from the capital via Athinon Avenue, Eleusis is home to only 25,000 residents; it has nonetheless been designated as one of the European Capitals of Culture for 2023, sharing that honor with Veszprém in Hungary and Timisoara in Romania.

IThe news that Eleusis would play host to one of Europe’s most prestigious cultural institutions caught many by surprise. Among the Greek cities that had expressed interest in claiming the title were Kalamata, Rhodes Town, Corfu Town, Volos, and Ioannina – all with sizeable populations and rich artistic heritage. One might have thought that Eleusis, in comparison, had little chance. However, its unique blend of an enigmatic past linked to ancient rites and an industrial heritage made more visible by abandoned factories and smokestacks, played in its favor. The highest point in Eleusis is a hill on which you’ll find both the ancient Acropolis and the town’s Archaeological Museum. Established in 1899, this is one of the oldest museums in Greece; to reach it, one must traverse the archaeological site, home to the Sanctuary of Eleusis, one of antiquity’s most significant religious centers.

Located on the edge of the Thriasio Plain, which was once Attica’s largest granary, Eleusis was involved in livestock farming but relied primarily on agriculture. This explains its association with Demeter, the goddess of the harvest, and her daughter, Persephone. The

myth of Persephone’s abduction by Pluto inspired the bards and playwrights of antiquity and formed the core of the Eleusinian Mysteries. These religious ceremonies, lasting nine days, began with a procession from the Acropolis along the Sacred Way to Eleusis. The Mysteries commemorated the desperate search of the goddess Demeter for her daughter, embodying a symbol of human reconciliation with death. Despite the secrecy surrounding the Mysteries, they are believed to have been centered in the three carved caves of Plutonium, the temple of the underworld God, where a small number of polytheists still honor the goddess Demeter by leaving fruits and vegetables. The recent renovation of the Archaeological Museum includes an exciting addition: a representation of the initiates’ entrance into the Telesterion, marked by the sound of flutes and a transition from darkness to a space flooded with light.

Difficult years

A bird’s eye view of Eleusis reveals concrete apartment buildings, towering factory chimneys, ship graveyards, and expansive grain warehouses. These elements of the city’s recent history are only part of the story; the long stretch of centuries predating industrialization have their own echoes. The Byzantines disrupted the legacy of the Telesterion, ushering in a new era of Christianity. The Franks and Venetians left their footprint through the towers they constructed, and their attempts to pilfer from the Sanctuary of Demeter and Kore. British travelers endeavored to extract colossal statues from the Sanctuary, while Greek fighters camped in this vicinity, then inhabited predominantly by Arvanites, a bilingual population group of Albanian origin, during the 1821 Revolution.

In the early 1920s came the refugees. The fertile fields and vineyards gave way to housing for refugees from Asia Minor. Further dwellings were built for workers flocking from all over Greece to find employment in

In a small harbor in town, local fishermen set up crates with the day’s catch.

Eleusis’ new industries. Housed in one of Europe’s first industrial buildings made from reinforced concrete, the KRONOS company produced wine and spirits. VOTRYS catered to the demand for lighting alcohol; IRIS, with its prominent chimney, was a paint and varnish factory. TITAN’s cement served as the primary construction material for Athenian buildings.

The remnants of the ancient world gave way to a microcosm of modern Greece, complete with the scars of unregulated industrialization that marked the early to mid-20th century period. In the 1950s, the children of Eleusis were sweeping cement from the streets. If a housewife left laundry hanging out overnight, cement dust would harden the clothes by morning. Citizens born in the 1950s recall no sunny childhood days, just endless smog and grime. Although most factories closed or

drastically reduced production in the 1980s, the area’s waters still remain unfit for swimming.

The city on the screen

Time has changed much about Eleusis, but the stories of its inhabitants testify to a past that remains relevant. Philippos Koutsaftis’ documentary film  Agelastos Petra (“The Mirthless Rock”) bears poignant testimony to this fact. Over twelve years, starting from 1988, the director meticulously documented how the city was being transformed by deindustrialization and the appropriation of archaeological sites for the purposes of residential construction. The film, featuring Panagiotis Farmakis, a native of Eleusis, premiered in 2001 and has since become a touchstone of Greek cinema; it provides an insightful introduction

for those keen on solving the modern mystery of why Eleusis was designated a Cultural Capital.

The residents of Eleusis exhibit an undeniable warmth and openness, taking immense pride in their city. They journey to Athens only when necessary, enjoying their town’s relative tranquility. The city of Athens isn’t a prerequisite for their entertainment – they find contentment in their local hangouts. Gathering places include cafés such as Odemisio, formerly a ticket office and bus-stop offering basic café service that’s now a modern brunch hotspot in Upper Eleusis. Other popular locations include the Cyclops café opposite the archaeological site and the cyclist-oriented café, Be Bike. Locals procure their essential food items (and the local pasta known as “tzolia”) from Antoniou’s grocery store. Enjoyment comes from meals in the seafront fish taverns and

Cyclists stopping in front of the metal whale, part of the Opening Ceremony celebrating the city's designation as a European Capital of Culture.

relaxing evenings spent in the stylish coffee houses along pedestrianized Nikolaidou Street. From these vantage points, they admire views of the ancient ruins and the small Church of Panagia Mesospilitissa, a local incarnation of the Virgin Mary to whom Eleusinians offer baskets filled with grains and legumes.

Local residents have been enthusiastic participants in the Capital of Culture events hosted at the city’s various cultural spaces so far, turning up in numbers at venues such the Old Olive Mill and the former Iris factory. Driven by curiosity or genuine interest, they’re actively engaging in the city’s embrace of culture as a cornerstone of its new identity. At the ceremony kicking off Eleusis’ reign as European

• Mystery 3

Elefsina Mon Amour: In Search of the Third Paradise (07.07–30.09). This international group exhibition, curated by Katerina Gregos – Artistic Director of the National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens – features 16 artists from nine countries and posits a sociopolitical reading of Eleusis and the Thriasio plain. It constitutes both a study of and a testimony to modern Eleusis.

• Mystery 35 Αeschylus Project

- The Eumenides (15-16.07, The Old Olive Mill)

The trial that features in the play

The Eumenides (The Furies) is one of the earliest accounts of a legal hearing in world literature. This court case examines questions of guilt and innocence as well as issues of judgment. Residents of Eleusis are invited to take an active role in the trial, playing a part in the proceedings.

• Mystery 35 Αeschylus Project – Iannis Xenakis: Oresteia (23.07, The Old Olive Mill) The Athens State Orchestra will perform a work considered one of the most important of the musical avantgarde of the 20th century, by the Greek musician, architect, mathematician, intellectual and philosopher Iannis Xenakis.

• Mystery 35 Αeschylus Project – The Persians _ a journey in the array of souls (29-30.7) This show, with performance elements directed by Nikita Milivojević, will start from the port of Perama Megaridos at sunset and take spectators by boat to the island of Salamina and, when night falls, to a deserted area of the island facing the stretch of sea where the 480 BC Battle of Salamis took place.

Capital of Culture, the city’s twelve civic associations, each representing members of a different ethnic background, comprised the event’s heart. Today, Eleusis is skillfully leveraging its ancient history and the rise and fall of its industrial legacy to lay a robust foundation for its future. The title of the European Capital of Culture does not promise a panacea for the city’s challenges. However, it serves as a beacon and an opportunity, ensuring that the city will continue to evolve and not stagnate. The people, the true lifeblood of the city, will chart their own path to the future. This journey may remain a mystery, just like the ancient Eleusinian mysteries, but it is one they are happy to embrace.•

• Mystery 11 Ma (01-13.9, The Archaeological Site of Eleusis)

This new creation by Romeo Castellucci is a walking experience/ performance specially designed for Eleusis᾽ main archaeological site. The protagonist of Romeo Castellucci’s performance will be a matricide who is also nonGreek – that is, a foreigner. The dramatic action reactivates ancestral and contemporary tensions in relation to the earth, the same tensions that once gave form to the Mysteries of Demeter.

• Mystery 14 Human Requiem in Eleusis (22.9-1.10, The Archaeological Site of Eleusis)

The ancient Eleusinian Mysteries constitute the starting point of this site-specific re-creation of Human Requiem, a work based on Johannes Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem). Conceived & directed by Jochen Sandig, choreographed by Sasha Waltz, and with set design by Brad Hwang.

A BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF ELEUSIS REVEALS CONCRETE APARTMENT BUILDINGS, TOWERING FACTORY CHIMNEYS, SHIP GRAVEYARDS, AND EXPANSIVE GRAIN WAREHOUSES.

Above: Seventy years ago, laundry left outside went stiff from the dust from cement factories. Today, those factories have closed. Top: Locals enjoying a musical event outside the Chapel of Aghios Nikolaos.

Right: An oil tanker moored at the port of Eleusis.

© JOHN STATHIS, THALIA GALANOPOULOU

Maria Callas greets a throng of admirers after a concert at the Théâtre des ChampsElysées in Paris, France, December 7th, 1973.

Recalling Callas

100 years after the great Greek soprano’s birth, we look back on two career highlights at the ancient theater of Epidaurus.

BY MARO VASILIADOU

In November 1958, Maria Callas starred in Luigi Cherubini’s Medea at the Dallas Civic Opera in Texas, directed by the great Alexis Minotis and designed by the eminent artist Yannis Tsarouchis.

Five years earlier, when she performed the role for the first time at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino festival, not only did she stun audiences with her singing and acting skills, but she also demonstrated how fascinating this long -forgotten 18th-century work truly was.

Scenes captured at the performance of Medea at Epidaurus in 1961. Top right inset: The stage designer of the show, Giannis Tsarouhis, the director, Alexis Minotis and Maria Callas bow to the audience. Lower right inset: Prime Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis in the audience.

BBORN IN NEW YORK IN 1923, the daughter of Greek immigrants, Maria Kalogeropoulou rose to the peak of her artform in the 1950s. The young soprano, whose crystalline voice had already made an impression in Athens during the difficult fiveyear period between 1940-1945, had now been transformed into Maria Callas, a dazzling woman and artist, a diva with an international career, the embodiment of a “prima donna assoluta” of the 20th century. It seemed like a great romance was the only thing missing from her life, and she soon found it in the person of Aristotle Onassis. Their passionate affair soon made headline news, as both were married to other people at the time – he to Tina Livanou, and she to her Pygmalion, Italian industrialist Giovanni Battista Meneghini, 27 years her senior.

In November 1959, then director of the Greek National Opera (GNO) Kostis Bastias proposed to Callas that they stage an opera in the ancient theater of Epidaurus for the first time. Their old acquaintance and mutual respect worked its miracle: she accepted, choosing Vincenzo Bellini’s Norma, which was staged under the direction of Minotis, with sets by Tsarouchis and musical direction by her favorite conductor, Tullio Serafin. Callas would perform the central role of the high priestess, a leader of her people who falls in love with the Roman proconsul, and starring beside her would be the young mezzo-soprano Kiki Morfoniou (Adalgisa), Italian tenor Mirto Picchi (Pollione), and Italian bass Ferruccio Mazzoli (Oroveso).

“La Divina,” as she had been nicknamed by the international press, landed at Athens’ Elliniko Airport on August 9th, 1960, her arrival immediately monopolizing the interest of the Greek media, which had begun to report on the long-awaited performance months earlier. At the scheduled press conference, Bastias made it clear that no questions about her private life would be accepted, as she continued to be protective of her privacy, despite the fact that divorce proceedings against Meneghini had been initiated. At one point, however, she stated slyly: “I am happy – make of that what you will.” She also used the opportunity to announce the Maria Callas Scholarship, as she had agreed that her fee – $5,000 for each appearance – would be donated to the GNO to support young Greek opera performers.

Maria at Epidaurus

“When we met her at Asteria [Hotel], she looked nothing like the melancholy and anxious woman that was besieged by the press last summer on Onassis’ yacht. A new Callas has been born,” reported the newspaper Eleftheria. “She was living her love affair with Onassis. He drove her to the theater every afternoon. They’d show up to rehearsal

holding hands, he’d sit through the rehearsal and then they’d leave together. You could see that she was happy,” her co-star, Kiki Morfoniou, said in an article in the newspaper Ta Nea.

The preparations at Epidaurus began the day after Callas’ arrival, and they were intensive. As Alexis Minotis later wrote in his book Distant Friendships, the evening rehearsals were not enough for the great singer, so she started going to the ancient theater at 10 a.m. “We wore straw hats because of the sun and spent hours in the theater, where Callas tested her voice and her movements on Tsarouchis’ tilted stage,” the director explained. On the night of the grand opening, Sunday, August 21st, and with the theater completely sold out, a sudden downpour caused the premiere to be cancelled. “C’est une tragédie,” commented Katina Paxinou, the great Greek actress and wife of Minotis, according to radio and television producer and lyricist Giorgos Papastefanou. The audience returned on Wednesday, August 24th, and the stands were packed to capacity, with 14,000 spectators cheering for Callas. “It was a triumph,” said Papastefanou. “Rarely does an actress’ entrance to the stage captivate the audience as much as Callas’ did. It was as if the entire audience submitted to her regal stature, her commanding gait, her monumental stance, her penetrating eyes, the sharp lines of her face, and they hung onto her slightest movement,” wrote Marios Ploritis in the newspaper Eleftheria on August 26th, two days after the historic first performance of Norma. Callas herself, in a letter written before leaving Greece, wrote: “My heart is full of love and pride for my country” (Eleftheria, 30.08.1960).

Maria Callas returned to the ancient theater of Epidaurus the following summer, for the last time. The GNO set the premiere of Medea for Sunday, August 6th, 1961, with the Greek soprano in the title role, Jon Vickers as Jason, Guiseppe Modesti as Creon and Soula Glantzi as Glauce. Again, Minotis

“FEVER IN EPIDAURUS AS CALLAS REHEARSES FOR MEDEA,” READ THE HEADLINE OF THE NEWSPAPER ELEFTHERIA ON THE 5TH OF AUGUST, 1961.

Above: Maria Callas with her first husband Giovanni Battista Meneghini, in Venice, 1942. Below: Shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis with Maria Callas, in Epidaurus, circa 1960.

would direct and Tsarouchis would design the set and costumes, while Nicola Rescigno would provide the music direction. Onassis’ luxury yacht, the Christina, sailed into the small harbor of ancient Epidaurus two days before Callas’ appearance, but the tycoon left immediately. He was not going to attend either of the two scheduled performances, on the 6th and the 13th, but newspaper reports suggested that they had been seen walking arm-in-arm in Argostoli, on the Ionian island of Kefalonia, where the yacht briefly docked before setting sail for Epidaurus.

“Fever in Epidaurus as Callas rehearses for Medea,” announced the headline of the newspaper Eleftheria on August 5th. “This year it will not rain in Epidaurus when the great opera singer performs tomorrow and next Sunday, nor will Callas fall ill. This year everything will go smoothly, and the performances of Cherubini’s opera will certainly be a rare delight for the audience and a great artistic achievement for the creators of the production,” reported the newspaper.

Callas rested for a few hours after arriving at Epidaurus and was ready for the costume fittings early in the afternoon. She asked Tsarouchis to make them a little more comfortable and he, pencil in hand, took detailed notes. “Overall, Yannis Tsarouchis’ costume design is beyond reproach. The harmony of colors and shapes conquers eye and heart alike,” Kathimerini newspaper wrote in its review of the production.

The dress rehearsal started at 8 p.m. and the star arrived wearing a dark blue printed dress. “She was in much better form than last year,” commented those in attendance. The entire political, diplomatic, and artistic world was present at the premiere. Sitting next to Kostis Bastias in the front row were the President of Greece, Konstantinos Karamanlis, and his wife Amalia, while other prominent personalities in the audience included politician Georgios Papandreou and the great actress Katina Paxinou.

CALLAS LEFT ON

Writing in Eleftheria about the performance, Marios Ploritis commented that “it is as much a wonder to see Maria Callas as it is to hear her… Yet nothing, perhaps, was more wonderful in her performance than her moments of silence. A lyric singer who captivates without singing […] This, above all others, is Maria Callas’ unique and irreplaceable quality: the fact that she infused the opera with the spiritual and Dionysian quality it lacked.”

Some 15,000 spectators attended the premiere, with everyone talking about the “miracle of Medea at Epidaurus.” The second and final performance on August 13th, was also extremely successful, with journalists estimating the size of the audience at around 17,500, while another 2,000 were turned away after tickets sold out. “In addition to Maria Callas, the director, Mr. Alexis Minotis, and the Greek National Opera singer Ms. Kiki Morfoniou were also warmly applauded,” according to reports.

Callas left on Onassis’ yacht, which sailed to the bay of Glyfada on Athens’ southern coast, where the couple entertained Prince Rainier III of Monaco and his wife, Grace Kelly. A day later, the couples went out for a night on the town at the Spilia social club in Pasalimani. Maria Callas was 38 years old at the time. She had to appear in court later that same year to counter Meneghini’s accusations that she was responsible for the dissolution of their marriage and therefore the divorce should be granted against her. Rumors of plans to marry Onassis also abounded, though that, of course, never happened. A few years later, in 1968, the Greek tycoon had the “wedding of the century” with the former first lady of the United States, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy.•

• As part of this year’s celebration for the 100th anniversary of Maria Callas’ birth, the Greek National Opera will be hosting multiple performances in Athens. For more information, see page 22.

Sources: The book Kostis Bastias, by Ioannis K. Bastias (Kastaniotis Publishing); archival material found with the help of musicologist Sofia Kombotiati, an associate of the GNO Department of Dramaturgy and head of the itsVirtual Educational Museum; as well as the essay “Norma: Her Greek Journey,” by Kombotiati.

ONASSIS’ YACHT, WHICH SAILED TO THE BAY OF GLYFADA ON ATHENS’ SOUTHERN COAST, WHERE THE COUPLE ENTERTAINED PRINCE RAINIER III OF MONACO AND HIS WIFE, GRACE KELLY.

La Divina

Callas performing in Vincenzo Bellini's “Norma” on May 23rd, 1964.

The Noblest Beast

Horses played key roles in the daily lives of ancient Athenians, whether in racing or in warfare, at religious festivals or as transport, or even rendered as toys. In “horse-crazy” Athens, the splendor and elegance of these divinely gifted animals was recognized by all.

BY JOHN LEONARD

Horse of the moon goddess Selene, from the Parthenon’s east pediment in Athens, 5th c. BC (British Museum).

ONE OF THE GREAT benefits of living in Athens is being able to appreciate firsthand the efforts of its dynamic community of Greek and international scholars and institutions that regularly shed light on Greece’s fascinating and inspiring past. Thanks to the temporary exhibition and accompanying lecture series “Hippos – The Horse in Ancient Athens,” presented in 2022 by art historian Jenifer Neils of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens (ASCSA), the significance of horses (“hippoi”) in daily life in ancient Athens can now be more clearly perceived than ever before. If you’re looking for refreshing insights into the thoughts and habits of ancient Greeks, and you're seeking a book to assist you, then the exhibition’s follow-up volume of essays, published under the same title and with a lengthy roster of specialist contributors, should be at the top of your list. Perhaps the book’s greatest takeaway is that horses and horse imagery, together with what they symbolized, seem to have permeated almost every aspect and level of ancient Athenian society.

“This land of fine horses…”

Sophocles, in the late 5th c. BC, calls Attica, particularly the broad fields and groves of Kolonos Hippeios beside Plato’s Academy north of the Athenian Agora, “this land of fine horses.” Indeed, according to Neils, horses were the most admired and prized animals in ancient Greece. Many of us are likely

Electra (seated) and Orestes (leaning) mourning at their father Agamemnon’s grave, 470-460 BC (Kanellopoulos Museum, Athens).

already aware that horses were a common sight in ancient Athens – they’re all over the Parthenon, after all, and they frequently appear on painted vases – but when all the archaeological and historical threads concerning horses and horsemanship are woven together, the richly hued tapestry that results is surprisingly comprehensive and revealing.

Horses were used by the ancient Greeks for warfare and for frontier defense, in sacred processions and in marital and funerary rituals; they took part in racing and other equestrian competitions, and various public displays. They were even employed as live “extras” in theatrical productions.

In the performance of “The Persians” by Aeschylus in 472 BC, The Queen Mother entered riding in a horsedrawn carriage; her regal team then remained standing in the orchestra, likely snorting and nervously shuffling their hooved feet, for nearly 400 lines. Horses frequently featured in Greek drama, as well as in mythology: one

HORSES WERE EVEN EMPLOYED AS LIVE “EXTRAS” IN THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS. IN AESCHYLUS’S PERFORMANCE OF “THE PERSIANS” IN 472 BC, THE QUEEN MOTHER’S REGAL TEAM REMAINED STANDING IN THE ORCHESTRA FOR NEARLY 400 LINES.

might recall Pegasus, the winged horse, or the sky-traversing chariot teams of Helios (Sun) and Selene (Moon). All in all, horses in ancient Athens fulfilled military, religious, social, economic, and cultural roles.

Galloping into the Underworld

The extraordinary importance of horses and their special treatment in ancient times was underscored in 2012 with the discovery of more than fifteen horse burials in Neo Faliro during construction of the new Stavros Niarchos Cultural Center. Ironically, it was the modern-era Faliro racehorse track (which closed in 2004), on top of which the new cultural center was later built, that had covered and preserved these magnificent ancient horse skeletons in excellent condition. Mostly adults, the horses were laid to rest in particular positions, posed as if galloping, jumping or “proudly trotting.” To achieve this, the burial crews sliced the stiff equine

A relief commemorating victorious horses and riders of the Leontis tribe, in a Panathenaic “anthippasia,” a mock cavalry fight, early 4th c. BC (Athenian Agora Museum).

corpses’ shoulders and legs to allow flexibility in their positioning. Deep cut marks on the bones were not signs of battle wounds or racing injuries, but of deliberate treatment as part of a funerary ritual. These horses – likely dating to the Archaic-Classical era – were not broken-down nags, wedged into small pits at the periphery of ancient Phaleron’s cemetery (8th-4th c. BC), but fine specimens still in their prime, interred at the same level and in among the skeletal remains of deceased humans – apparently as respected funerary sacrifices. Their careful burial, near the ancient hippodrome at Phaleron, is proof of the esteem granted them by the ancient Athenians, who valued their beauty, their physical performance, and their social significance as tokens of wealth and status.

Origins, archaeology and art

In Europe, the presence of wild horses can be confirmed by Paleolithic cave

paintings from tens of thousands of years ago. Domesticated horses, however, only appeared in the 4th millennium BC in Asia, eventually spreading westward into Anatolia and presumably Thrace, along with other areas of the Greek mainland, beginning about 2200-2000 BC. In the Late Bronze Age (ca. 1600-1100 BC), horses and chariots appear in pictorial and Linear B archival sources (such as those from Knossos and Pylos) in connection with warfare, hunting, and processions. On Mycenaean chariot kraters, wheels with four spokes are the norm, while Homer relates that Hera’s Ionian-style chariot ran on eight-spoked wheels. Formal horse burials, sometimes in pairs, are known from numerous Late Bronze Age sites, including Ialysos, Marathon, Argos and Dendra. Occasionally, drinking cups (kylikes) were placed in these burials, implying that horses were well respected and “toasted” at their funerals.

During the Iron Age (post-1100 BC), the earliest horse depicted in

Athenian art may be one on a Proto-Geometric amphora (ca. 950 BC) recovered at the Kerameikos cemetery. Over the next two centuries, horses became ubiquitous on painted funerary vases, sometimes shown pulling chariots with warriors or funeral carriages in “ekphora” scenes. Small terra cotta horse figurines also served as popular grave goods, along with horse-handled pyxides (early 700s to ca. 600 BC), which are especially characteristic of the graves of high-status women and which may have held perishable materials intended for use in the afterlife.

Black-figure Archaic vase paintings often show horses being trained, exercised or groomed. About 599 BC, a distinctive vase type appeared in Athens, the “horse-head amphora.” These specialized containers, continuing until about 550 BC, may have been either status symbols produced solely for graves to indicate the wealth of the deceased though equine imagery; or standardized prizes for equestrian

Achilles speaks with his god-sent horses before battle, a scene from Homer’s Iliad; by the Nearchos painter, kantharos fragment, about 550 BC (National Archaeological Museum).

competitions – similar to the distinctive oil-filled amphorae that were adopted for the Greater Panathenaia festival in 566 BC. By the middle/late 6th c. BC, horse scenes on vases were filled with evocative details, including brands or owners’ marks on the animals’ rumps (e.g., snakes); apotropaic necklaces to ward off evil, a traditional practice still seen today; or horses’ names scratched beside their images, reflecting either their color or appearance – such as Xanthos (Bay/reddish-brown), Phaethon (Bright-coat), Korax (Raven), and Melanthis (Black Flower) – or their temperament or mannerisms: Thrasos (Courage), Podargos (Swift-foot), Aethon (Flash), or Kyllaros (Hermit Crab), the last perhaps for a horse who was shy or liked to move in a sideways direction.

Athens’ earliest silver drachmae (550-510 BC), minted under the Peisistratids, similarly displayed images of horses. Circulating from hand to hand, they served as visual reminders of the civic contributions of elite Athenians, while also further emphasizing the regard and economic value that horses held in Attic culture and society.

In 5th c. BC Athens, horse-related images or epigraphic references could be found everywhere, from Classical red-figure vases and carved funeral stelai to votive sculptures, decorative marble reliefs on temples, bronze and clay figurines, coins, and dedicatory inscriptions. During the subsequent Hellenistic era, increasingly realistic equine statues were crafted, as illustrated by the bronze Jockey of Artemision (ca. 150/140 BC) astride his galloping steed.

Hippic culture and aristocratic pretensions

Horses and hippotrophia, the breeding and keeping of horses, had long been associated with Attica’s more affluent citizens and old established families, including the Peisistratids, Philaids, and Alcmaeonids. To be a member of the Hippeis (Knights), the second-highest social class following Solon’s democratic

HORSES IN ANCIENT ATHENS WERE TREATED VERY WELL; FED GRASSES, GRAINS, AND EVEN WINE; PROVIDED FOR TWICE DAILY WITH “BREAKFAST” AND “DINNER;” AND METICULOUSLY GROOMED, ESPECIALLY THEIR MANES.

reforms of 592/1 BC, one had to produce an annual income of 300 measures of grain – which also meant such citizens possessed the financial freedom to be able to buy and care for horses. Chariots and horses took on aristocratic associations; in both visual art and Homeric literature, they became familiar reminders of the foregoing “Heroic Age” in the late prehistoric era. With the rise of hoplite warfare through Geometric and Archaic times, chariots largely disappeared from the battlefield, instead becoming a status symbol often used in funeral processions and competitive games, or in wedding rites to convey the bride to her new home.

Giving one’s children horse-related names became a widespread practice within aristocratic families, one which also filtered down to the lower classes. The tyrant Peisistratus, for example, named his sons “Hippias” and “Hipparchos.” The elegant Rampin Rider (ca. 550 BC; Acropolis Museum) may have been one of a pair of sculpted horsemen meant to depict these high-status youths; alternatively, it could have represented one of the mythical Dioscuri, Castor and Polydeuces, “the riders of swift steeds.”

By 450-400 BC, hippic names –such as Xanthippos (the father of Pericles), Philippos, Melanippos, Zeuxippos, Hippocrates, and hundreds of other similar appellations – became one of the most popular name-forms in the Greek world. Under Pericles, democratic Athens’ “Golden Age” was also the era when Attic horse culture reached its zenith. Wealthy horse owners (hippotrophoi) and knights (hippeis) of the cavalry were among the most prominent citizens, frequently observed at public processions, exercising their mounts at the Kolonos Hippeios, or at competitions, including those of the Olympic and Panathenaia games. Youths were portrayed as “horse-crazy” in both Clouds and Knights, two ancient comedies by Aristophanes. From playing with small hippic figurine-toys as children, they grew up eager to be given a horse or

to work as squires (knight’s attendant, horse trainer/exerciser), jockeys, and grooms. Professional charioteers were also common, as a hippotrophos himself rarely drove his own chariot in races. Being a horse owner or a knight was a mark of prestige, sometimes vaunted in public. Theophrastus colorfully describes “The Man of Petty Ambitions” as the person who, having completed his knightly duties, “will give… his accoutrements to his slave to carry home, but…will walk about the agora in his spurs.”

Chariots of fire…!

Perhaps nothing enthused ancient Greek audiences more than the sight of competing horse-drawn chariots or race horses blazing down the track. By the 7th century BC, the four-horse chariot contest (tethrippon, introduced 680 BC) and the race for individual horses (keles, 648 BC) had become popular

events at Olympia. The two-horse chariot competition (synoris) was added in 408 BC. Martial events or public displays included the “apobates,” perhaps invented about 510 BC, in which an armed warrior jumped out of and remounted a moving chariot; the javelin throw from horseback (from late 5th c. BC); and the stirring “Anthipassia,” a mock chariot battle described in the 4th c. BC by Xenophon, in which two opposing groups, each consisting of five teams from the ten Attic tribes, charged and passed through each other’s ranks three times.

Victory prizes in these events typically went to the horse owners, not the drivers or jockeys. Nevertheless, chariot drivers occasionally appear in votive offerings, epitomized by the wellknown Charioteer of Delphi (470s BC). Inscribed lists of Athenian victors initially reflected aristocratic family backgrounds, but gradually became

more democratic. Among the most celebrated victors were Kimon, whose tethrippon triumphed at three consecutive Olympic games (536-528 BC); and Alcibiades who, according to Thucydides, entered seven chariots at Olympia in 416 BC, where his teams finished first, second, and fourth. He also triumphed at Delphi, Nemea, and Athens in 418 BC, ultimately accumulating a lifetime total of 82 Panathenaic amphorae. The Romans, too, had a passion for chariot racing, as Nero demonstrated when he personally visited Olympia in AD 67 and drove his own chariot, pulled by ten horses! Although he fell out onto the track mid-race, he was still awarded the victor’s olive-branch crown. A particularly successful Roman-era Athenian, Titus Domitius Prometheus, received the wreath in chariot racing at all four Panhellenic games (Olympia, Delphi, Nemea and Isthmia) in AD 235-41.

Below: A team of horses form the handle of a Geometric Attic pyxis, a women’s cosmetics or jewelry box, 730-720 BC (Art Institute of Chicago). Left page: Poseidon, god of the sea, riding a winged seahorse; Attic white-ground lekythos, from Gela; the Athenian painter, early 5th c. BC (Ashmolean Museum, Oxford).

Straight from the horse’s mouth

Two historical sources are especially informative on horses and their care in ancient Athens: a mysterious horse trainer, art critic, and patron of the arts known as Simon; and the Athenian historian, philosopher, military man, and gentleman farmer Xenophon, who based his own hippic writings on Simon’s fundamental and now largely lost treatise. Simon, a respected equine authority who enjoyed some celebrity in 5th c. BC Athens, wrote a manual for owners and trainers that still holds true today, observes classicist Anne McCabe. Simon advises that, ideally, horses should be acquired in Thessaly, be well-proportioned, exhibit an evenly colored mane, and have hooves that ring like cymbals. Regarding their shape, he uses the same word – “symmetria” – as the sculptor Polycleitus did for statues to describe their proportional harmony. Simon was also known for criticizing the famous painter Mikon, who had depicted horses with eyelashes on their lower eyelids (where they have none!), and for dedicating a bronze horse statue at the City Eleusinion in the Athenian Agora beside the Panathenaic Way.

Xenophon expands on Simon’s guidance in his own book, On the Art of Horsemanship. The former Greek mercenary and general offers a wide array of insightful advice, from choosing, breaking, and training a horse to what tack and proper facilities are required. In handling, he says, one must have a knowledgeable groom, and horses should be taught to be calm with a chirp of the lips or roused with a cluck of the tongue. They should be readied for war, learning not to overreact to wild shouts or shrill battle trumpets. Gentleness is paramount, since “a horse does not perform well under coercion, as a dancer would not if whipped and spurred…” Overall, horses in ancient Athens were treated very well; fed grasses, grains, and even wine; provided for twice daily with “breakfast” and “dinner;” and

meticulously groomed, especially their manes. Xenophon proclaims “…a prancing horse is a thing so graceful, terrible and astonishing that it rivets the gaze of all beholders, young and old alike.”

Knights on parade

The knights of the cavalry were a particular source of Athenian pride. In the mid-5th c. BC, they numbered 300, counting 30 members from each Attic tribe. In Pericles’ time, the cavalry was expanded to 1000 horsemen, two hipparchs (cavalry commanders), and 200 mounted archers (hippotochotai), who received twice the daily pay of the hippeis. The knights assembled and exercised their horses at Kolonos Hippeios where, Sophocles relates, Poseidon first introduced the skill of horsemanship. This bucolic wooded area, adorned with small shrines and altars, was particularly sacred to Poseidon Hippios and Athena Hippia, the Athenian cavalry’s patron deities. Poseidon was the god most closely associated with hippoi, and swift ships running at sea are described by Homer as “horses of the deep.” An altar

for Poseidon Hippios also existed at Olympia, where a bronze dolphin was used as a signal in the hippodrome to start the chariot and equestrian races.

The Athenian Agora was another place for the public to catch a view of the cavalry, with the knights galloping past or trotting grandly along the Panathenaic Way. The commanders had their headquarters (Hipparcheion) in its northwest corner. There, a cache of inscribed lead strips discarded in a well attests to the annual assessment of the cavalry’s mounts and their value by the Athenian state, which, in Periclean times, assisted knights in buying, maintaining, and even insuring their horses.

Dueling deities on the Acropolis

Like Kolonos, the Acropolis was sacred to both Poseidon and Athena in their Hippios/Hippia forms. The primordial struggle between the deities for dominance in Athens, prominently displayed in the sculpted scene of their contest in the Parthenon’s west pediment, is echoed in their similarly competitive roles with regard to horses. According to mythographers, Poseidon produced

Silver decadrachm of Syracuse: a charioteer driving a quadriga (4-horse chariot), with Nike (Victory) flying above to crown him, 404-390 BC (photo: Ashmolean Museum).

the first wild horse, but wise Athena invented the bridle to temper and tame the spirited beast. She also conceived the Argives’ ruse of the Trojan Horse. Despite Poseidon’s hippic primacy, he is overshadowed by Athena as well in regards to the sculpted imagery of the Parthenon. No fewer than 257 horses – including 143 cavalry horses and numerous drawn chariots – appear on the goddess’ temple, decorating its pediments, metopes, frieze, and cult statue base. Some riders wear Thracian dress,

reflecting the Athenians’ admiration for a wild, resource-rich region renowned for its own age-old hippic culture and superior horsemanship.

Sparta was likewise respected for its lifestyle and its use of horses, particularly by the Athenian aristocracy. This sympathy is apparent in the popularity of the Dioscuri, who were mythically linked to the Lacedaemonians. Homer calls Castor “the horse-tamer,” while in Athens the twins were the “Anakes,” worshipped at their shrine (Anakeion) near

the Acropolis. Horses and hippic creatures were familiar characters in Greek myth and legend, from the half-man, half-horse centaurs to flying Pegasus –sired by Poseidon with Medusa, but later tamed by Bellerophon with the aid of Athena. Perhaps the best-remembered mortal horse from Greek antiquity was Bucephalus, Alexander the Great’s beloved, long-serving steed, who finally died at the age of thirty and was ceremoniously buried after the Battle of Hydaspes in 326 BC.•

One of the Dioscuri dismounts his horse; from a temple pediment at Epizephyrian Locris, Magna Graecia; 5th c. BC (National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria).

Scan

Members of the Chorus of Oceanids strike a pose at the Ancient Theater of Delphi, 1927.

Setting the image of Greece in the mind of the world

A major exhibition at Pireos 138 Benaki Museum introduces a pioneering 20th -century photographer whose stunning images once graced magazines worldwide.

BY MARO VASILIADOU

PHOTOS: NELLY’S/BENAKI MUSEUM PHOTOGRAPHIC ARCHIVES

ICONIC IMAGES FROM GREEK PHOTOGRAPHER ELLI SOUGIOULTZOGLOU -SERAIDARI, BETTER KNOWN AS NELLY'S, DREW INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION DURING THE COUNTRY'S TUMULTUOUS INTERWAR YEARS, INSPIRING FASCINATION AND SOMETIMES STIRRING CONTROVERSY.

BETTER KNOWN by her pseudonym Nelly’s, Elli Sougioultzoglou-Seraidari was a refugee from Asia Minor and a pioneering dance photographer who also captured different aspects of Greece. Though her work once graced the cover of magazines around the world, she's no longer widely recognized internationally.

Now, Nelly’s is the subject of a retrospective exhibition organized by the Benaki Museum, aiming to reintroduce the artist to the public 25 years after her death. Her life covered nearly the entire 20th century – she died in 1998 at age 98 – and was marked by adventure, glamour and an ability to reinvent herself amid adversity.

“Nelly’s” - the exhibition - presents her work in sections focused on the three cities where she spent most of her life and which shaped her vision: Dresden, Athens and New York.

Almost 350 images have been selected from her huge personal archive, which she donated to the Benaki Museum in 1984. They introduce the viewer to the styles she adopted over the course of her 45-year career, and to the numerous black-and-white and color photography techniques she experimented with over the decades. These original images are complemented by roughly 150 digital prints made from her negatives, filling in any narrative gaps. Curated by Aliki Tsirgialou – chief curator of the Benaki Museum photographic archive – the exhibition is the result of years of studying and archiving the photographer's work.

With bold viewpoints, these images helped form the basis for the development of post-war Greek photography, while also igniting debate over her representations of the classical Greek form.

Uprooted

Born in 1899 in Aidini, in Asia Minor, Nelly’s studied at the city’s French school before attending the Homerian Girls’ School of Smyrna. During the summer of 1919, she experienced

FRANZ FIEDLER/BENAKI MUSEUM PHOTOGRAPHIC ARCHIVES

Portrait of the photographer Nelly's, taken by her mentor Franz Fiedler in Dresden, 1923.

firsthand the tragic events of what has become known as the Aidini Massacre; her family was uprooted from her birthplace, fleeing to Smyrna at the beginning of the Greco-Turkish War.

At 20, she left with her brother for Dresden, to study painting and music. To pay her bills, Nelly’s turned to photography, studying with distinguished practitioners in that city. It was during this time that she met her future husband, the pianist Angelos Seraidaris.

Although she was abroad when the Greek communities of Asia Minor were expelled by Turkish military forces in 1922, Nelly’s was, like so very many other people, devastated by the events that transpired on the eastern coast of the Aegean; she, too, is counted among the hundreds of thousands of refugees who, leaving their homeland for a new start, helped revitalize Greece with their

cultural traditions, their skills and their creativity.

Nelly’s moved to Athens in the spring of 1924 – her family had by then lost its fortune – and opened a photography studio on Ermou Street. It was a bold decision to set up shop in the high-rent city center, working as an unknown photographer competing in a male-dominated industry. All she had been able to bring from Dresden was her photographic equipment, the knowledge she gained as a student, her passion, and her work ethic. Nelly’s specialized in portraits as well as dance and nude photography. Wealthy Athenians soon flocked to her studio, including some of the most notable Greeks of the period. The poet Kostis Palamas was among her subjects, as was famed statesman Eleftherios Venizelos and other politicians, along with

Russian ballerina Elizaveta (Lila) Nikolska takes to the air on the Acropolis in 1930.

Women of Epirus gathering hay near Ioannina, 1937.

various beauties of the day, theater actresses, well-heeled Athenian ladies in their wedding dresses, and members of the royal court.

Among her most famous early images are the ones she took in October 1925, of a nude Mona Paeva, prima ballerina of Opéra Comique, at the Parthenon. A few days later the photos were published, causing a stir in the conservative Greek society. Undaunted by that controversy, she captured a similar scene in 1930, this time of Russian dancer Elizaveta Nikolska in midair, her transparent apparel floating in front of the Parthenon’s columns. The composition remains one of the most beautiful dance images of all time and is today internationally associated with the photographer.

Nelly’s captured the spirit of Hellenism as it was expressed at the time; she sought to connect the country’s present with its glorious past. She found inspiration from watching the Delphic Festivals of 1927 and 1930, organized by the poet Angelos Sikelianos and his wife, dancer Eva Palmer. She photographed

members of the Chorus of Oceanids at the archaeological site of Delphi and captured images of nude athletes in the ancient stadium of Delphi, their poses reminiscent of ancient Greek sculptures.

She also photographed her tours through the Peloponnese and Crete, and began traveling to Santorini. In 1929, the Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO) released the first poster featuring one of her images.

She was particularly interested in capturing the Greek countryside and

its people. From the early 1930s onward and in collaboration with the GNTO, she revisited this subject, immortalizing the beauty of the land and the charm of the people she encountered. Between 1935 and 1939, Nelly’s worked on commissions for Greece’s Ministry for Press and Tourism. She traveled to Epirus and Crete, accompanied, as she noted in her book “Self Portrait," by the editors of the Greek foreign language magazine, En Grèce. The magazine, which was published in English, French and German, aimed to attract visitors to Greece. It promoted Greece’s natural wonders, traditional settlements and local inhabitants and laid the foundations for the country’s international image during the interwar period.

For the 1939 New York World’s Fair, Nelly’s traveled with her husband to the United States, entering on a 23-day residence permit. At the fair’s Greek pavilion, designed by students of the great architects Dimitris Pikionis and Alexandra Moreti, Nelly’s created some of the decorations with

NELLY’S CAPTURED THE SPIRIT OF HELLENISM AS IT WAS EXPRESSED AT THE TIME; SHE SOUGHT TO CONNECT THE COUNTRY’S PRESENT WITH ITS GLORIOUS PAST.

Laurie Amos, 1955.

Above: Musicians in Crete, 1939.

Below: The athlete Dimitris Karambatis on the Acropolis, 1925.

artist Gerasimos Steris. Nelly’s also contributed five photographs from her black-and-white collage series called “Parallelisms,” and earned a prize for her composition of Santorini; she used the prize money to purchase new photographic equipment. Other noted Greek artists who participated included Konstantinos Parthenis, Nikos Engonopoulos, George Zongolopoulos and photographer Voula Papaioannou.

After the World’s Fair ended, Nelly’s remained in the country, with the support of the Greek expatriate community, and organized a series of presentations and lectures. She created a photo book of her best landscapes at her own expense, and presented it to Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In December of 1940, her photograph of an Evzone bugler in front of Athens’ Temple of Olympian Zeus was published on the cover of Life magazine. It was another example of an image that turned the international spotlight on Greece. The magazine cover, coupled with the Greek army’s victories in the Albanian highlands during Italy’s failed offensive, led to a rise in international support for Greece.

The American years

For the World’s Fair, Nelly’s had left her brother in charge of her studio on 18 Ermou Street in Athens. With the onset of WWII, she decided to extend her stay in the US, and ended up living there for nearly 30 years. When she later spoke about her life in America, Nelly’s usually focused on her positive experiences and many successes. She did encounter the harsher realities of life as an artist in New York as well, including financial difficulties and fierce competition from her peers, but the ethnic Greek community, led by Greek shipowners who were experiencing great financial success at the time, did not desert her.

She opened a photo studio in New York similar to the one in Athens, and once again important Greeks of the day

posed for her. The list included the actress Katina Paxinou, art collector and gallerist Alexandros Iolas – at the time unknown in Greece – and the pioneering physician Georgios Papanikolaou. Aristotle Onassis also paid a visit. To decorate the communal spaces of his new tanker “Olympic Torch,” the shipping magnate ordered enormous enlargements of Greek landscape photographs Nelly’s had taken. The two Greeks, both from Asia Minor, became friends, and photos over the years show them conversing in various social settings.

During her 27 years away from Greece, the ever-restless Nelly’s learned about new trends in photography, and

dabbled in color images and in advertising. But when she returned to Greece in 1966, she chose not to pursue her career. The public no longer remembered her but, as Nelly’s recounted in her book, “I didn’t give any signs of life, either.” The estrangement lasted until November 1975, when journalist Maria Karavia met the photographer and wrote a series of articles on her life and work for the newspaper Kathimerini. From those stories, the artist and her once-celebrated images were rediscovered. Greek society embraced her anew, and the state officially honored her contribution to the country’s art scene. The renewed attention on her also sparked interest in the history of Greek photography –understandable, considering just how far back her body of work reached.

The Benaki Museum’s new exhibition brings her into focus yet again, nearly half a century after Karavia’s articles were published and just in time to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the museum’s photographic archive department.•

IN DECEMBER OF 1940, HER PHOTOGRAPH OF AN EVZONE BUGLER IN FRONT OF ATHENS’ TEMPLE OF OLYMPIAN ZEUS WAS PUBLISHED ON THE COVER OF LIFE MAGAZINE.

From the series "Constructions and Buildings in New York," 1956.

• To 23.07, Benaki Museum, 138 Pireos & Andronikou, benaki.org

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