If you haven’t explored the area surrounding the centre of Athens, you can’t really imagine it, but, just a few minutes from Syntagma square, you can reach a small neighbourhood with stone houses, that creates the sense of being in a quiet village instead of in the busy capital city.

The neighbourhood known as “Petrina” is part of the Ano Petralona district and is located next to Filopappou Hill, a favourite destination for hikes and picnics. The houses are built on a verdant small hill, with the narrow streets resembling a neighbourhood of a past era, providing the perfect setting for a stroll among lemon trees and blooming gardens.

Of course, the neighbourhood hasn’t managed to completely escape time as can be seen by various signs of modern life – like for example with the Airbnb lodgings that appeared before the pandemic. However, the simplicity of the past seems to have been preserved, while the pace of everyday life appears to be more laid back here compared to the city centre.

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feature image credit photographer Amalia Kovaiou

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