Plaka Neighborhood

Plaka is the historic neighbourhood at the foot of the Acropolis in central Athens, Greece, and is often called the neighbourhood of the gods. It is a network of pedestrian lanes, stairways and small squares lined with neoclassical houses, Byzantine churches, tavernas, cafes and shops. Main streets include Adrianou, which runs beside the Ancient Agora and the Roman Agora, Kydathineon, where several small museums are located, and Mnisikleous, a long stair street of restaurants leading toward the slope of the Acropolis. Landmarks within a short walk include the Tower of the Winds, the Monument of Lysicrates, the Church of Agios Nikolaos Ragavas and the Museum of Greek Folk Art. The upper section, Anafiotika, resembles a Cycladic island village with whitewashed houses built by islanders in the nineteenth century. Visitors can spend two to three hours wandering, pausing for coffee or a mezze lunch and browsing souvenir and craft shops. Quiet morning light gives the best photographs of the neoclassical facades, while the evenings fill with diners and the Acropolis glows above the rooftops. The area is busiest from late morning to late evening in spring through autumn, with Adrianou and Kydathineon especially crowded, so side streets and early hours offer more calm. Restaurants vary in quality, and places with street hawkers are often the weakest. Plaka sits beside Monastiraki and Syntagma, so the Acropolis metro station and nearby stops make it easy to reach on foot.