Plaka: a walk through old Athens, stop by stop with a map

Plaka is old Athens, clinging to the slopes of the Acropolis. One part of it lives off tourism, with souvenirs and tavernas calling out to you from the door. A few steps higher, though, the neighbourhood changes: silent lanes, Byzantine churches, cats on the ledges and Anafiotika, a Cycladic village inside the city. Below you’ll find a three-hour walk with a stop-by-stop map, starting 15 minutes from Ioulianou 50.

At a glance

🚇 Monastiraki

Line 1 from Victoria, two stops. The walk starts there.

🚶 2.5 km

About three hours with stops, ending at Akropoli station.

🕗 Early morning

Before 10:00 the lanes are empty and cool.

👟 Steps

Cobbles and slopes. Wear shoes with a good grip.

Plaka in a nutshell

Plaka spreads out below the north and east sides of the Acropolis and has been lived in without a break for three thousand years. What you see today is mostly the 19th-century town, with neoclassical houses, built over the lanes of Ottoman Athens. Ancient monuments and Byzantine churches pop up in between, as if nobody had noticed them.

It helps to think of it in two parts. Lower Plaka, around Adrianou and Kydathineon Streets, is commercial and crowded. Upper Plaka, from the Roman Agora upwards, climbs in steps, has residents and silence, and ends at Anafiotika.

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The tiled roofs of Plaka from above, from the Acropolis, with the city behind — Plaka from the Acropolis
Tiles, courtyards and bell towers at the foot of the Rock.

Stone steps with flowers and a moped on Epicharmou Street in Plaka — The little steps
Plaka climbs by steps. Comfortable shoes.

Old houses in Plaka with tiled roofs and the walls of the Acropolis behind them — Below the walls
19th-century houses pressed against the Rock.

A paved lane in Plaka with an olive tree and whitewashed walls on Thespidos Street — Thespidos Street
An olive tree, whitewash, steps. Plaka at its quietest.

Photos: Tilemahos Efthimiadis (CC BY-SA 2.0), Laurens R. Krol (CC BY 4.0), George E. Koronaios (CC BY-SA 4.0), northernsky7007 (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Wikimedia Commons

The two Plakas

Adrianou is the main street of Lower Plaka. Here you’ll find everything: sandals, evil eyes, magnets, jewellery. It’s lively and handy, but prices follow the tourists. At number 96, stop in front of the Benizelos Mansion, the oldest surviving house in Athens, from the Ottoman period. Saint Philothei lived here, and today the house is open to visitors.

But climb a little. From the steps of Mnisikleous upwards, the shops thin out and you hear your own footsteps. Upper Plaka isn’t a stage set: people live here, so walk quietly and don’t go into courtyards.

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People walking in the evening on Adrianou Street between souvenir shops — Adrianou Street
The main street of Lower Plaka. Lots of people, lots of shops.

A narrow street in Plaka packed with souvenirs, T-shirts and bags — The souvenirs
You’ll find everything here. Little of it is made here, though.

The front of the Benizelos Mansion at 96 Adrianou Street, with grey shutters — Benizelos Mansion
The oldest surviving house in Athens, at 96 Adrianou Street.

Taverna tables with umbrellas and flowerpots on the steps of Mnisikleous Street — The steps of Mnisikleous
Tavernas right on the steps, on the way up to Upper Plaka.

Photos: George E. Koronaios (CC BY-SA 4.0), Danbu14 (CC BY-SA 3.0), Jakub Hałun (CC BY 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons

🗺️ The walk: from Monastiraki to Lysicrates

This route takes in the loveliest spots of Plaka in an order that never makes you double back. It starts at Monastiraki station, two stops from Victoria, and ends at Akropoli station.

Monastiraki station. Come out onto the square.
Hadrian’s Library. The columns are visible from Areos Street, even without a ticket. See our guide to the Library.
Kapnikarea. The 11th-century Byzantine church in the middle of Ermou Street.
Metropolis and Little Metropolis. The cathedral of Athens and, next to it, the small church with its ancient reliefs. Two minutes south, at 96 Adrianou Street, is the Benizelos Mansion.
The Tower of the Winds. The octagonal tower in the Roman Agora. You can see it well from the street too.
The steps of Mnisikleous. You climb towards Upper Plaka.
Anafiotika. The lanes below the Rock.
Agios Nikolaos Rangavas. A Byzantine church in a quiet lane.
Lysicrates Monument. A small square with an ancient monument in the middle.
Akropoli station. Five minutes further down, for the way back.

🗺️ The Plaka walk, stop by stop

From Monastiraki to Akropoli station, in ten stops: about 2.5 kilometres, an hour and a half of walking without stops, three hours with stops and a coffee. Tap each number to see what it is.

Start · Monastiraki Stops End · Akropoli

Anafiotika

In the 19th century, when Athens became the capital, builders came from the island of Anafi to work on the city’s new buildings. They built their own houses here, below the Rock, the way they knew from home: small, white, one next to the other, with narrow steps in between. That’s how Anafiotika was born.

A few families still live here today. Go early in the morning, keep your voice down and don’t sit on the house steps. For more, read our guide to Anafiotika.

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A narrow whitewashed lane in Anafiotika with flowerpots and the Rock above — Anafiotika
An island below the Acropolis.

Small white houses with coloured doors and little steps in Anafiotika — The houses
Built by builders from Anafi in the 19th century.

Purple bougainvillea over a whitewashed wall in Anafiotika — The bougainvillea
In spring and summer everything turns purple.

View from Anafiotika over Athens towards Lycabettus Hill — The view
From up high, all the way to Lycabettus.

Photos: Jakub Hałun (CC BY 4.0), Zde (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons

The Byzantine churches

Plaka has some of the oldest churches in Athens, tucked in between the houses. Kapnikarea, from the 11th century, stands in the middle of Ermou Street: in the 19th century, when the street was laid out, it nearly got demolished. The Little Metropolis, next to the big cathedral, is built with ancient and Byzantine marble, and on its walls you’ll see reliefs from many centuries. Agios Nikolaos Rangavas, in Upper Plaka, is also 11th-century. These are working churches, so dress simply and keep your voice down.

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The Byzantine church of Kapnikarea in the middle of Ermou Street — Kapnikarea
The Byzantine church in the middle of Ermou Street. In the 19th century it was nearly demolished.

The small Byzantine church of Panagia Gorgoepikoos next to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens — The Little Metropolis
Built with ancient marble. Look at the reliefs on the walls.

The front of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens with its mosaic, seen from below — The Metropolis
The cathedral of Athens, from the 19th century.

The Byzantine church of Agios Nikolaos Rangavas with its stone front, in a lane of Plaka — Agios Nikolaos Rangavas
A Byzantine church in a residential lane of Upper Plaka.

Photos: Jakub Hałun (CC BY 4.0), Jebulon (CC0), Julian Lupyan (CC0), George E. Koronaios (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons

The ancient sites between the houses

The Tower of the Winds is the best-known ancient monument inside Plaka. At the other end of the neighbourhood, in a small square, stands the Monument of Lysicrates, from 335 BC. Lysicrates sponsored a chorus that won a music contest, and he put up this monument to display his trophy. Later it became part of a monastery, where Lord Byron once stayed. Today the square is one of the quietest spots in Plaka.

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The octagonal marble Tower of the Winds in the Roman Agora, among trees — The Tower of the Winds
The clock of Roman Athens, in the heart of Plaka.

The round Choragic Monument of Lysicrates with its Corinthian columns in a small square in Plaka — The Monument of Lysicrates
335 BC. The choragic monument for a victory in a music contest.

The Monument of Lysicrates at night, with lit-up trees and the Rock behind — The evening
The Lysicrates square goes quiet after 21:00.

Photos: Jakub Hałun (CC BY 4.0), Jebulon (CC0), George E. Koronaios (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons

Where to eat without falling into a trap

Plaka has lots of tavernas, and the quality varies a lot. You don’t need to avoid it. You need to choose:

Get off Adrianou. In the side streets and on the steps of Upper Plaka the tables are quieter and the value is better.
Look at the menu before you sit down, along with the charges for bread or cover.
Be wary of the call from the doorway. It isn’t always a bad sign, but it often means a place that lives off passers-by.
A short menu, Greeks at the tables. Usually a good sign.

Some tavernas have been here for over a century. Psarras, for example, has been open since 1898 on the steps of Upper Plaka. For simpler, cheaper food, Koukaki and Petralona are ten minutes away on foot.

Plaka at night

After sunset Plaka changes. On Adrianou the string lights come on, the tavernas fill up, and on the steps of Epimenidou and Mnisikleous you hear music from the tables. Later, after 23:00, Upper Plaka goes completely quiet. It’s safe to walk around, but as in any crowded spot, keep your bag closed.

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The steps of Epimenidou Street at night, with lights and greenery — Epimenidou in the evening
Steps, lights, quiet. Plaka changes after sunset.

Adrianou Street at night with string lights hanging over the street — Adrianou at night
Late, when the shops close, the street empties.

Photos: George E. Koronaios (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons

Practical tips

Best times: 7:30–10:00 for empty lanes and good light, 17:00–19:30 for coffee and photos. Summer midday is hot and crowded.
Pockets: on the metro and on Adrianou keep your phone and wallet in a closed bag.
Street sellers: don’t take bracelets or flowers into your hand unless you want to pay.
Wheelchairs: Mitropoleos and lower Adrianou are easy. Upper Plaka and Anafiotika have steps and slopes.
Shopping: for leather sandals, ask where they’re made. For silver, look for the hallmark. Mastic and olive oil are best bought from specialist shops.

🚇 How to get there from Ioulianou 50

Ioulianou 50 → Victoria station: 3 minutes on foot.
Line 1 (green), towards Piraeus: Omonia, and at the second stop get off at Monastiraki.
Monastiraki: come out onto the square, and Plaka begins two minutes to the south.

For the way back from Akropoli station: Line 2 to Omonia, change to Line 1, one stop to Victoria. If you like walking, Victoria to Plaka is about 30 minutes on foot.

🚇 Ioulianou 50 → Plaka by metro

Line 1 to Monastiraki, no change. The walk starts there.

Ioulianou 50 · on foot Line 1 Start of the walk · Monastiraki

Where it is in relation to the apartment

📍 From Angels Athens to the “Plaka” neighbourhood

See at a glance how to get from the apartment at Ioulianou 50 to the heart of the neighbourhood. Drag the map and zoom in for details.

Angels Athens · Ioulianou 50 Plaka

Frequently asked questions

Is it worth eating in Plaka?

Yes, if you choose. Go for side streets, look at the menu before sitting down and avoid anyone pulling you in from the door.

Anafiotika first or the rest of Plaka?

If you can, Anafiotika early in the morning, before it fills up. Then head down towards the Roman Agora and Adrianou Street.

Is it good for staying?

If you want to be next to the ancient sites and walk everywhere, yes. If you want a quieter, everyday neighbourhood, look at Koukaki or Pangrati.

Is it safe?

Yes, day and night. All you need is the usual care with your pockets, on the metro and in crowded streets.

— Kathy