The 3 Best Chill-Out Spots In Athens
Athens on a sunny day is nothing short of ravishing. The famous Greek light that has spawned countless epics and inspired so many to lofty accomplishments, is what fuels the indomitable Greek spirit. To experience it from one of Athens’s legendary promontories is to connect with the intrinsic forces that govern our universe in one ecstatic embrace with cosmic stardust. To experience it with friends and the assorted beverages that ancient Greeks would approve of is quite another. Business as usual is still not quite there yet; don’t expect a throng of open establishments with people spilling out like its Woodstock, this summer. Instead, head for the hills. Literally. We mean it. Athens is surrounded by several mountains and the basin is littered by a series of hills and small limestone outcrops that served as the city’s advanced alarm system back in the day. Nowadays they serve as the city’s designated chill out spots for teenagers, couples and groups of friends. We’ve rounded up 3 of the best for you to enjoy.
Lycabettus Hill
This is the obvious starting point for anyone with a keen eye for photography, not to mention romance. That’s right. This is where you’ll find people proposing to each other as well as the odd group of teenagers. The top itself is rather small and snug and it’s hard to find room in between the smooching couples, but further down on the plateau it gets livelier. The funicular will take you up for a fiver but the walk itself is really something, especially at sunset.
Filopappos Hill
Filopappos was a wealthy benefactor of the city. Not much else is known about his life or achievements, but one thing is certain. His name lives on as a synonym of ‘Eudaimonia’, or joy. For that is what this hill elicits as you scope Athens and the beachside on a plate on one side and the magnificent Acropolis on the other. You’re likely to see many groups of friends here, dog walkers, joggers, bikers and youngsters mainly. It’s ample, a little rocky but it’s delightful.
Stavros Niarchos Cultural Foundation
This one’s a new addition but boy does it pack a wallop. Nestled on a man-made hill overlooking the bay of Kallithea and the seaside on one and Athens on the other, this experience takes well beyond a walk in the park to sit on the grass and enjoy nature. This is a cultural reference that encompasses an opera, national library, function venue, a pond, green spaces lined with a wide assortment of aromatic herbs, playground and amenities by way of cafes and eateries all rolled into one amazing super-plex designed by Renzo Piano.
The 3 Best Chill-Out Spots In Athens
This summer, forget the crowds. Get to where nature is and let its sounds and smells heal that spirit
