Earthy Elements Martini Riserva Speciale Rubino, seasonal beetroot cordial, rice vinegar, Two Cents Plain soda. 8€
A taste of the 4 seasons of Athens/ Kallidromiou Street Market Mulberry trees, old mansions, pre-war and neoclassical buildings, interwar apartment blocks. There’s a street-market every Saturday with savvy shoppers and bantering stallholders. It’s bustling and colourful with its trademark rows of orange umbrellas. The aroma changes with the seasons, the conversation keeps up to date and there’s pride in its close ties to the scholarly.
Ramble & Run Fizz Bombay Sapphire gin, Martini dry, Greenhill cordial, ginger, egg white, Three Cents Aegean tonic. 8€
Running along Athenian tracks/Ardittos Hill Covered in pine trees and Mediterranean vegetation, this hill seems to lean on the Kallimarmaro Olympic Stadium. It got its name from the mythical hero Ardittos, whose eloquence was famed for resolving Athenians’ quarrels. Joggers can run up the tracks twisting through the trees and enjoy unrivalled views towards the city’s historic centre.
Hidden Pieces Martini Riserva Speciale Rubino, Suze, cardamom cold-brew coffee, carob syrup, whip. 8€
Branching out in Athens/Arcades The hidden side of town, a discreet commercial network within the grid, a city within the city. The shopping arcades of Athens cut through buildings, branch through blocks, plunge below street level and bring life to the empty spaces between buildings. It’s Athens in miniature, frequently ringing out to the rhythm of women’s heels.
The Antiquer Odori vermouth Rosso Blend, Martini Riserva Speciale Bitter, orange & rhubarb cordial, lime juice. 8€
An early morning swig of Athens/Monastiraki, Abyssinia Square, Yousouroum flea market A cosmopolitan part of the city, always humming with a mixture of languages. It was formed by the Ethiopians who lived in the surrounding streets in the 1860s and who named the square after the old name for their homeland: Abyssinia. Today it’s known as ‘Yousouroum’ after a Jew called Elias Yousouroum, the owner of the area’s first second-hand store at the end of the 19th century.
Secret Alleys Secret Alley’s Spritz (served in bottle) Assyrtiko wine, Martini Riserva Speciale Bitter, Martini Riserva Speciale Ambrato, Greek herbs cordial. 8€
An unexpected stroll in Athens/Anafiotika A Cycladic neighbourhood full of history, alleys, tiny courtyards, tourist cafes and cats. It was in 1834 that builders from Anafi in the Cyclades came to construct King Otto’s palace and the first public buildings in recently-liberated Greece. That’s how an island community came to be carved out on the rock of the Acropolis, home to islanders who yearned for what they’d left behind but dreamed about what was in store.
Smellscapes Negroni Bombay Sapphire gin, Tsipouro Tsilili, Odori vermouth Rosso Blend, Odori Bitter Blend, Ancho Reyes Verde, smoke. 9€
The defining aromas of Athens/Varvakeios Market During the 150 years it’s been open it’s fed every Athenian. Every last one of them. Countertops loaded with fresh meat, fish, vegetables, herbs and spices. Some of that ends up in the tiny tavernas which nestle into the fabric of the market. It’s a barrage of smells, sounds and flavours. A microcosm of the gastronomic culture of Athens.
Bohemian District Mastiha Skinos Spirit, Rhum Agricole, Otto’s Athens vermouth, Orgeat syrup, citrus cordial, aromatic bitters. 9€
Hanging out in the backstreets/Psirri A mini beehive, buzzing day and night. It’s throbbing with little restaurants, traditional cafes and one-ofa-kind concept bars. Over the years it’s heard a lot of dice being rolled, many worry-beads clicking, lots of friends singing together, lots of wolf-whistling at passing girls... Even today, its relentless charm still entices later generations.
C'est tres beau! Blend of Bacardi rum, Vermouth Cola syrup, ginger, lime juice, Three Cents Lemon tonic. 9€
A glimpse of the top of Exarcheia Square/Exarcheia “It’s beautiful!” wrote Le Corbusier, the legendary Swiss architect, at the entrance to the blue apartment block in Exarcheia in the summer of 1933. A lot’s changed since then. Many famous names in politics and the arts have lived in its apartments, and the façade has lost its blue colour – but not its grandeur.
Paint My Dream Bombay Sapphire gin, Kitron liqueur, Amer Picon, St.Germain, Odori House vermouth tincture. 9₏
A picture frame in the heart of the city/Kolonaki Classy and upmarket, Kolonaki is the most sophisticated area of Athens with neoclassical, Art Deco and modern inter-war buildings located in the very heart of the city. A place where artists and the cultured come together, it has the aura of an urban dream come true. There are rich pickings for anyone wanting to get a dose of beauty and art by diving into a gallery.
Cinematography Jim Beam Bourbon whiskey, wheat & vanilla cordial, Odori House vermouth, Greek lemon soda. 9€
Staring Athens in the eye/Cine Paris, Plaka The most atmospheric cinema in Athens. In the heart of the Plaka tourist area, with its stunning view of the Acropolis, this open-air cinema is a landmark for every film-lover who lives in or visits Athens. Brimming with history and romance, it’s a perfect outing for anyone who’s in love with the heart of Athens.
Wisdom Hunter Grey Goose Citron vodka, Otto’s Athens vermouth, burnt honey & peach, Creole bitters, Three Cents Pink Grapefruit soda. 9€
An excuse for a stroll/Kerameikos-Metaxourgeio Even the most die-hard Athenians don’t know where Metaxourgeio ends and Kerameikos begins. The latter name, derived from ‘ceramic’, refers to the potters who used to live in the area because of the clay soils – ideal for making pots – which border the Eridanos stream. Maybe street artist WD’s mesmerising owl, a symbol of knowledge and of Athens, knows the answer.
Old Town Cazadores Tequila Blanco, Montelobos Mezcal, Greek Pico de Gallo syrup, Martini Riserva Speciale Ambrato, lemon juice. 9€
Modern Athens like in the old days/Koukaki Adjoining touristy Plaka, Koukaki stands out as an authentic, upscale Athenian neighbourhood with a contemporary feel. In ‘Little Paris’ – as it used to be called – you’ll encounter leafy sidewalks, friends with bikes, pet-lovers with their dogs, gourmet restaurants, cafes with old-style seating, young students, the elderly bourgeoisie of Athens sitting on benches, daydreaming and leisurely strollers.
Industrial Lights Dewar’s 12yrs, Peated Malt whiskey, Roots Tentura spirit, Odori House vermouth, citrus cordial #3, egg white. 10€
Lighting the night/Gazi
In 1857 the Frenchman François Théophile Feraldi commenced a project to bring gas light to Athens. Gazi means ‘gas’ and that’s how the whole area got its name. In recent years, following the mass conversion of the old gasworks and factories into places of entertainment, the district has welcomed every Athenian – at least once – for a night out in the area’s cultural centres, concert venues, cafes, restaurants and bars.
People on Streets Bacardi Carta Blanca, Odori vermouth Dry Blend, pineapple & sahlep spiced syrup, lime juice. 9€
Window shopping/Ermou Street It was first plotted on the street plans of Athens in 1833 by a couple of architects who had a vision of a contemporary, modern capital. Ever since then, apart from being one of the main thoroughfares of Athens, it’s been the city’s most central shopping street. It’s not by chance that it was named after Hermes, the god of commerce.
Until Dawn Cazadores Tequila Reposado, Odori vermouth Rosso Blend, Greek stout beer reduction, Abbot’s bitters, egg white. 10₏
A view from on high/Lycabettus Hill One of the highest points in the city and the inspiration for many myths. Some refer to wolves that used to roam here, others to a rock dropped by the goddess Athena as she was carrying it to the Acropolis. From the summit you can see the whole of the Athens basin stretching out before you.