Temple of Artemis at Brauron or "Vravrona"

Temple of Artemis at Brauron or Vravrona

35 kilometers north of Athens lies the ancient Temple of Artemis at Brauron. In today’s modern Greek parlance: Vravrona. Brauron was one of the 12 cities of ancient Attica which made up the confederation united by Theseus into the Athenian city-state. It lies in the broad marshy valley formed by the underground river: the Erasinos…

Alternative shopping - Embroideries, matia and more

Alternative shopping – Embroideries, matia and more

Hidden in Kolokotroni arcade, off Kolokotroni square, is the Society for the Education of Greek Women (3 Kolokotroni, Syntagma, 2103239693), a jewel of a store that sells Greek handmade embroidery. The Society was founded in 1872 to educate young girls and provide employment to destitute women. Tablecloths and napkins made by top quality white and…

Shopping spree in Kolonaki

Shopping spree in Kolonaki

The great thing about Kolonaki is that you can alternate shopping with coffee breaks in any of the zillion cafés you spot on your way. Your steps will unavoidably bring you to Tsakalof Street, aka the “catwalk”, named after its strategically lined up cafés, packed with trendy people wearing shades, watching you go by. Observatory…

Visit Kesariani

Visit Kesariani monastery

Inside the serene forest of Imittos stands Kesariani Monastery, built in the 11th century A.D. It was named after emperor (Ceasar) Hadrian who built an aqueduct on a nearby spring. The spring is still in the courtyard of the monastery and the myth has it that it has fertility powers. The church type itself is…

Islamic Art Museum

Islamic Art Museum

The Islamic Art Museum (22 Agion Asomaton & Dipylou, Keramikos, 210 3251311) of Athens is a must. It showcases one of the best collections of Islamic art in Europe and it is spread in two buildings, a two-storey and a three-storey neoclassical mansion. About 10,000 artefacts of the early Islamic and Ottoman periods have found…