exploring hidden Athens

Last month I embarked on a different walk around Athens, following Atenistas’ Open Walk. The walk’s purpose is “[…] to help Athenians get to know hidden and unknown parts of the city and its people. The sixth consecutive OWA comprises of locations in the center that we walk by every day but may never have been made aware of the treasures that are hidden within them, in their basements and on their rooftops.  The purpose of the OWA is to showcase these points and inform the citizens of Athens of the invisible treasures of the city.”

The Open Walk map contained 17 places of interest and I chose to visit 6 of them that were located near Klathmonos and Omonia Squares. I visited buildings that were created in the 20th century during the interbellum period and the 50s and 60s, which were modern Athens’ golden eras. Today those buildings are half abandoned, but I was kind of curious to explore nooks and crannies of Athens’ that I ignored.

My first stop was Anatoli Arcade (Stoa Anatoli), which rooftop provides absolute urban isolation! Then I popped in an Art Deco building, better known for its unique curved glass atrium, in Praxitelous street and headed to “Parnassos Literary Society” in Karytsi square and checked out it’s lobby which was full of pictures of past kings and queens of Greece.

Walking towards Omonia square I popped in a former eclectic hotel of 1924 which currently serves as offices in Kotzia Square and then walked up 8 stories to admire a different view of Omonia square and all the way to Piraeus! My last stop was an office building exemplifying the 1960’s urbanization in Panepistimiou street, where coincidentally my optician is located!!

Exhausted (it was warm that day and those 8 floors killed me) and hungry I headed home! I still have the map and intend to check out the rest of the spots (those who are open to the public) at some point!

Related: Exploring Pagrati, Exploring the hidden courtyards of Athens

Hope you enjoyed my “alternative” view of Athens!