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Offered languages
- English
- Spanish
They say beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. But some places are genuinely awful. Want to discover a different side of Athens? You're in the right place!
Explore a contrasting city of bustling streets, immigrants, tourists, street vendors and everyday life. Discover a fascinating mix of cultures, urban decay and social tensions in neighborhoods largely untouched by traditional tourism.
This is the less polished Athens: lively, gritty and full of contrasts. Along the way, we'll explore overtourism, Airbnb, rising property prices, gentrification, foreign investment, migration and the refugee crisis.
Discover the city behind the postcard and why its messy, chaotic and sometimes ugly corners can tell you more than another beautiful ruin ever could.
Expect fascinating stories, uncomfortable truths, dark humor and places you probably wouldn't visit on your own.
Godforsaken places and plenty of urban decay: awful can be awesome. Dare to see it!
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
We'll meet at the entrance of the Italian Institute of Education in Athens.
Itinerary
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(Pass by)
Discover one of central Athens's most multicultural corners. As you cross Vathi Square, you'll encounter small falafel shops and food businesses run by Egyptian, Syrian, Lebanese and Iraqi communities. Take in the smells, flavours and everyday activity of this lively neighbourhood while learning how migration has transformed Athens's food culture. We'll also explore how affordable neighbourhoods gradually become attractive to investors, visitors and developers, and how gentrification can begin with something as simple as a falafel shop.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Stop outside the Max Brown Hotel and discover one of Athens's more unusual examples of urban transformation. The building once housed offices of the Communist Party before being converted into a boutique hotel.
Admission ticket free -
Omonia Square (Pass by)
Experience one of Athens's busiest and most emblematic public spaces. Stop by the square's fountain and watch the constant movement of pedestrians, buses and metro passengers. Omonia is where different parts of the city meet: commuters, migrants, workers, visitors and local residents. Discover why this square, whose name means "concord", has become a symbol of modern Athens and its social contradictions.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Discover the striking contrast between luxury tourism and everyday urban life in central Athens. Stop outside this five-star hotel, housed in a former tax office, and explore how neglected commercial buildings are being transformed into upscale accommodation. Just a few streets away, the neighbourhood has a very different character, with visible poverty, homelessness and street-level economic activity. Learn how investors identify opportunities in affordable central locations and how the expansion of luxury hotels is reshaping the city.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Explore a changing corner of central Athens where traditional commercial buildings meet a new hospitality industry. You'll see a modern hostel with coworking facilities, a rooftop and social spaces, alongside new hotel developments. Discover how former working-class and commercial neighbourhoods are being transformed to attract digital nomads, international visitors and property investors, and what this means for the people and businesses that have traditionally occupied these streets.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Empros Theatre, a former newspaper printing house that became one of Athens's most distinctive self-managed cultural spaces. In 2011, artists and anarchists occupied the abandoned building and transformed it into an independent venue for theatre, performances and alternative cultural events. After its eviction by police in 2021, activists reclaimed it just four days later. Discover the story of this unconventional cultural space and explore the relationship between artistic freedom, political activism, squatting and the struggle over who gets to use the city's abandoned buildings.
Admission ticket free -
Iroon Square (Pass by)
Discover the heart of Psyrri, a neighbourhood that has undergone a remarkable transformation. Explore its charming square, traditional buildings and surrounding narrow streets, now filled with cafés, bars, boutique hotels and craft shops. Learn how an area once associated with workshops, craftsmen and working-class life became one of Athens's trendiest destinations. We'll examine the paradox of gentrification: how artists, creative businesses and alternative culture can help make a neighbourhood attractive, eventually contributing to the displacement of the very communities that shaped it.
Admission ticket free -
Little Kook (Pass by)
Encounter one of Athens's most photographed cafés, famous for its extravagant fairy-tale decorations, colourful façade and spectacular seasonal displays. Depending on the time of year, you'll find an entirely different visual theme, from Christmas decorations to Halloween-inspired settings. Explore the nearby Pittaki Street, transformed by an art project that introduced hanging lamps and lanterns. Discover how Instagram, street art and creative businesses can turn an overlooked street into a major tourist attraction, changing the local economy and the character of an entire neighbourhood.
Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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