Greek monthly magazine “Schedia” (The Raft) has set up a series of tours about homelessness in Athens starting on September 20. The tours show the other side of Athens, raw and real, with “guides” being none other than former or current homeless people.

There are parts of Athens that tourists never see

The tours are aptly titled “Invisible Paths” and take participants on a journey that is usually swept under the carpet. Through soup kitchens, sleeping centers, detox centers and day centers, the tours debunk myths and stereotypes about homelessness in Greece and break barriers.

The meaningful journey has been drafted with care, and the three guides – Yiannis, Lambros and Christos – have even called on writer Vassilis Alexakis for help in finding a narrative method that fits each tour.

The magazine that was created in 2010 to give homeless people the chance to earn a living hopes that the tours can motivate the homeless guides and open up new opportunities for them to support themselves.

The tours are offered in a multitude of languages – Greek, English, French, Spanish, German or Italian available upon prior arrangement and take place at 11 a.m. each Saturday. Group tours can also be arranged on other days. The cost is 6 euros per person (3 euros for students), and free for the unemployed and pensioners. For more information call 213 023 1220 and info@shedia.gr

What you might find on an “Invisible Path”