Plaka

The area of Plaka is one of the most attractive districts of Athens. Under the slopes of the Acropolis Plaka attracts all the visitors of Athens with its neoclassical mansions and houses with roofs from red tiles, its small winding roads with their steps, balconies with bougainvilleas ,geraniums and jasmines. Plaka is called many times in the Greek literature as the neighbourhood of the Gods and that because over Plaka dominates the sacred rock of the Acropolis "the sacred rock of the gods" who made the modern Athenians with the same humour like their Ancient ancestors, to personalise the Olympian gods having fun like them in Plaka with lots of Retsina wine and Dance. Sometimes being romantic on a sunny day you feel that the Greek goddess Athena looks down to Plaka with a smile in her divine face as the modern Athenians enjoy the sunshine in the street cafes at Adrianou street overlooking Thission the Ancient Agora and the rock of Arios Pagos.

Plaka has its special place in the memories of the older generation of Athens. It use to be the area of the working class and many Greek films of the early 50's and 60's has been filmed there when the houses where not renovated as they are today and most of the winding roads where just earth.

As a main tourist attraction of Athens Plaka has a lot of shops mainly with tourist items like Greek art shops, Furs and jewellery shops. The main shopping streets are Adrianou, Pandrosou and Hephaestou. Most of the restaurants located around of the square of Philomouson in Kythathineon street like the Plaka restaurants Byzantino, Plaka and Acropolis on the streets around the Bathe of the winds and on the steps of Mnisikleous street.