Athens (/ˈæθɪnz/; Greek: Αθήνα, Athína [aˈθina]
is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world’s oldest cities, with its recorded history spanning over 3,400 years and its earliest human presence starting somewhere between the 11th and 7th millennium BC.
I stayed in Athens all through November of 2017 for a month, trying to escape Northern Europe’s winter and to discover an new city. Airbnb put me into a nice flat in Exarchia, A neighborhood close to the center, quite rundown but affordable. It was actually the alternative, leftist or even anarchist part of Town. Banks were closed, the police wouldn’t go in (just patrol the edges) most “symbols” of capitalism demolished or at least vandalized, people camping in the main plaza and graffiti was present on every wall. So much actually, that up to the first floor every building was completely covered. The word that there is no one stopping people from spraypainting got around and kids from all over the city and country would cover the whole place in multiple layers of paint, mostly tags. It would still function as a normal neighborhood though, shops were open, inhabitants minding their business, local markets, tourists going after the murals and feel that the place has to offer.
View towards Lyccabbetus hill, November 2017, Athens, Greece
This is the view from the hill in my backyard over towards Lyccabbettus hill, the highest point in the centre of Athens. I started many of my excursions from here, it would take me about 1o minutes to get there from my house. Eventually I would walk over to the next hill and form there further into town or towards the sea. The hills felt like little oasis in the dense city.
I ventured out all over the city, mostly by foot, going on long walks, trying to get a feeling for the place.
After a bit of an initial culture shock, I got used to the place. It’s always harder to tell who the bad guys if you are new to a new place. I would say it’s somewhere right in the middle between a regular European city and more exotic places like Marrakech, definitely more of a 2nd world vibe. The city itself is very widespread and quite dense, but the hills and parks give nature a chance. It felt a lot more “local” than what I am used to in Europe, with daily markets and people selling their produce everywhere, lots of smaller shops and restaurants, less chain operations. Turbocapitalism hasn’t arrived as much as further north-west.
Burning Mercedes, November 2017, Athens, Greece
I had to run for this one. After walking a bit too far into the danger zone and getting very excited about the burning Mercedes some of the protestors noticed and came running towards me. Time to go.
I enjoyed lounging around Ormonia square, studying the locals and taking the occasional snap. It is the a bit rundown, old center square of town.
It must’ve been quite glamorous in earlier times. I passed by quite frequently as it lay between my neighborhood and the city. Today it is a very lively place on the “darker” side of the city, so sketchy stuff was to be observed frequently and at every corner, a metro, four main and two smaller roads lead to this place. Besides that People were selling bread, vegetables, snacks, clothes, drugs and everything in between. They had two rather classy antique bakeries on either side of the plaza, reminding of more glamorous times, great for coffee, cake and people watching. Still a very unique looking place with its own charm.
