The Gold Book of Attica | Page 29

AN URBAN LEGEND One of the oldest and most charming neighbourhoods of Athens, the “misunderstood” Exarchia is a neighborhood-revelation which spreads around the homonymous square in the border of Kolonaki and Lycabettus. “Revolutionary”, full of print stores and alternative multipurpose art venues, colorful, bustling, bohemian, is one of the most cult areas of Athens – in the sense of culture rather than the graphic. Among the narrow streets with the abandoned and as well as the well-preserved neoclassical houses and the pedestrian streets, discover sophisticated bars, raki spots, underground music scenes, historical and traditional small tavernas, as well as modern restaurants, bookshops and small stores with old books and collector’s items. And yes ... in the last few years the neighborhood has known ups and downs, the residents are complaining about its “dark” and anarchist side, but the city’s “rebellious child” is always there ready to shed its stigma of being… an outdoor anarchist hangout, bringing out its relaxed mood, the intellectual hangouts and its unpretentious atmosphere, arguing that it will always be a neighborhood that does not “fit” into norms but it is open to everyone. 29