Athens holidays

Beaches are in good supply whether you choose to stay in the centre or along the coast. You’re looking at around a 25-minute drive to your closest swathe if you’re staying central, while some of Athens’ coastal areas put you at around an hour’s drive from the city’s centre spot.

Alimos Beach hosts the closest sands from the centre of the city, and it’s got all the credentials for a day at the seaside. The sands are scattered with little shells, and sunloungers and lined by the water’s edge. The water itself starts off shallow, then slopes until your feet can’t touch the seabed. Plus, just a few metres offshore you’ll find an inflatable waterpark complete with climbing frames, trampolines, and slides. It’s a top spot for watersports, too.

Ramnounta Beach is set below the Ramnous archaeological site – a well-preserved ancient city on Athens’ east coast. Thanks to its rural location – around an hour’s drive from the centre – you’ll need a pair of comfy walking shoes to reach the pebble seafront from the nearest car park.

Greece and olives are one of the world’s most famous pairings. And a popular souvenir visitors flock to get their hands on is traditional olive oil soap. Beauty experts believe that washing with it can help prevent sunburn and have anti-ageing effects on the skin. You’ll find soap sets at most of Athens’ bazaars and markets.

Ermou Street stretches for more than a kilometre in the centre of Athens. It’s pedestrianised right the way along and hosts a haul of high street names like Zara, Stradivarius, and H&M.

The district of Kolonaki, in the centre of Athens is the best spot for high-end buys. Prada, Cartier, and Gucci all have their name above doors in this part of town.

Monastiraki Square is pitched in the centre of the city, and it hosts luxe rooftop bars on each of its corners, many come with sweeping views across Acropolis Hill. Elsewhere, coastal spots like Vouliagmeni host Michelin-starred restaurants and classy cocktail bars.

The capital’s clubs can be found in the neighbourhood of Gazi. This place was once the city’s industrial centre, but these days its former factories have been converted into supersized nightclubs. DJs take to the deck most nights a week, with big names filling the dancefloor come the weekend. Out of town, Glyfada’s got a list of cocktail bars, music venues, and its own share of nightclubs, too.

Gyros is one of Greece’s most popular dishes, and variations of it are served by both street stalls and restaurants. The traditional version sees noneless lamb cooked on a spit, then added to a warm pitta bread with salad, chips, and sauces. Bite into it like a sandwich, or separate the individual ingredients out onto a platter.

These meaty skewers are often found at the top of a lot of Greek menus back in Blighty, and it’s the same situation in Athens, too. Chicken or pork are grilled with spices, like oregano and rosemary, plus garlic cloves, then dished up with fresh tomatoes, olives, and onions.

Feta me meli’s usually served as an appetiser. Triangular blocks of feta cheese are deep-fried in pastry, then topped with honey and sesame seeds. It originated on the island of Crete, but today it’s enjoyed all over Greece, including in Athens.

For this sweet treat, a spoonful of vanilla-flavoured fondant’s dipped in ice-cold water, then licked off the spoon like a lolly. The water picks up a hint of vanilla, too, which you can sip afterwards.

In bakery windows across Athens, you’ll see spanakopita taking the front-row seats. Fluffy filo pastry’s stuffed with feta cheese and spinach for a creamy, herby lunchtime snack.