Anafiotika

The pretty little neighborhood of Anafiotika is a hidden gem huddled on the northeastern slopes of the Acropolis. Bougainvilleas wend their way up whitewashed walls, cats sun themselves lazily and the pace of life is generally a lot slower than elsewhere in Athens. It’s not the kind of place you would stumble on if you were making a routine tour of the city, but it well worth the time taken to find it.

An Island in the City

The first two inhabitants of the area arrived from the island of Anafi in 1841. G. Damigos, a carpenter, and M. Sigalas, a builder, were commissioned by Otto I to help renovate his palace, and they decided to build new houses for themselves in the hitherto unoccupied area that is now Anafiotika. Other craftsman seeking work soon arrived from the Cycladic islands, and within a few years the neighborhood began to flourish, imbued with a distinctive islander charm. Missing their homes, the craftsmen deliberately constructed their new houses to resemble the architecture of the islands they had come from.

Twists and Turns

Sadly, many of these old houses were demolished in 1950 to make way for archaeological digs. However, around 45 still remain, and lazily meandering through Anafiotika, with its small cubic dwellings and blue wooden shutters, does evoke the atmosphere of a much more rural, old-fashioned part of the country. The labyrinthine alleyways and backstreets often just end at a simple terrace, where you can take a seat and admire the views of the city.