Be sure to arrive early to the Sunday flea market – after 11am the streets are packed.
Athens is one of the world’s great cities for shopping of every kind, and Monastiraki is probably the best place for it. Here you can find everything from high-end labels to the cheapest flea market wares. Whether you’re looking for jewellery, t-shirts, pottery or musical intstruments, Monastiraki Square is the place to find it.
The square is named for the 10th-century Church of the Pantanassa, which used to have an adjoining monastery. The monks are long gone, however, and solemnity has been replaced by a lively, vibrant street atmosphere that will be familiar to all who have visited Athens. Monastiraki Square is the perfect place to dive into the labyrinthine streets of shops, stalls and cafes.
The best time to visit is undoubtedly on Sunday, when it can feel like the entire Greek population has descended on this little neighbourhood for the weekly flea market. During the rest of the week you can always find street sellers hawking their wares, but on Sundays, you can barely move for them and their customers, especially after 11am. The air is filled with the sounds of furious haggling and the aromas of traditional food. Patience is key – there are plenty of genuine, high-quality items to be found at reasonable prices, but finding them does require a certain amount of dredging through cheap, mass-produced tat.
Unsurprisingly, the bustling Monastraki Square is also great for people watching and in recent years, the area has become increasingly known for its street art.
Experience the glorious ancient city of Athens, one of the world’s best-preserved ancient cities, where venturing off the tourist drag is near impossible without a passionate, knowledgeable local guide.
On your private walking tour of Athens, you will:
Named after the goddess Athena, Greece’s capital is one of the world’s oldest cities spanning over 3,400 years of history, and human settlements are believed to date back to the 11th millennium BC. Today, the city packs a heady punch of fascinating ancient history, and hip, gritty neighbourhoods all overlooked by the iconic Acropolis.
Enjoy meaningful insights from a local Athenian as you wander around the buzzing historic centre. As you explore the famed shopping street, Pandrossou Street, your guide will give you invaluable recommendations for the artisanal shops, and authentic restaurants - many of which are hidden in plain sight.
On your walking tour, you’ll see several of the city's major attractions, including Hadrian’s Library, the Roman Agora, the Tower of the Winds, and the Lysicrates Monument, and hear their fascinating stories from your guide. You will be taken to one of the oldest bakeries in Athens, where you can enjoy a coffee and a traditional Greek pastry - while jotting down more expert recommendations for food!
Your tour ends in front of the incredible Acropolis Museum - one of the most important museums in the world with art history stretching back 2400 years. It was ranked the 11th best museum in the world, and you are welcome to explore at your own pace.
Athens may be best known for its incredible array of historic monuments, but the Greek capital has so much more to offer. The city’s vibrant street food scene serves up regional flavours from across Greece, while a thriving street art culture fills its neighbourhoods with bold murals and striking graffiti, transforming everyday walls into open-air galleries. Our private 3-hour tour offers a captivating combination of these pillars of modern Athens, showing off the most interesting street art in Gazi, Psyri and Monastiriaki with a mouthwatering selection of authentic Greek bites along the way.
On your private 3-hour walking tour, you will:
Unlock the soul of Athens through a vibrant fusion of flavour and colour on this private walking tour that weaves together the city’s world-renowned street art and its irresistible street food scene. Beginning at a contemporary art lab in the creative heart of Gazi. In this inspiring space where local artists exhibit, experiment, and connect, you’ll get acquainted with your guide and get a rare glimpse into the energy fueling the capital’s cultural revolution.
From there, your expert guide, deeply immersed in both the visual and culinary language of the city, leads you through Gazi’s textured backstreets, where bold murals stretch across industrial walls and layered graffiti tells stories of resistance, reinvention, and identity. As you explore the neighbourhoods of Gazi, Psyri, and Monastiraki, you'll discover a rich mosaic of large-scale works, subtle stencils, and playful paste-ups, each carefully unpacked by your guide with insight into the artists, techniques, and themes that define Athens’ dynamic street art movement.
Along the way, the city’s visual feast is complemented by an edible one. You’ll pause for a series of curated street food tastings, starting with a traditional Greek coffee or mountain tea to set the tone. As the walk continues, you'll sample savoury bites and sweet treats that speak to the depth of Greek culinary tradition, from fresh-baked snacks beloved by locals to iconic comfort food and handcrafted desserts. While the specific tastings and stops may vary from day to day, each one has been thoughtfully chosen to highlight authentic flavours and family-run spots tucked into the fabric of the city.
The tour culminates in the buzzing Monastiraki Square, where centuries of history converge beneath the open sky. Here, surrounded by street performers, skyline views, and a final splash of colour, you’ll close your journey with a deeper understanding and a delicious taste of what makes Athens truly unique. Ideal for food lovers, art enthusiasts, and curious travellers alike, this experience is an inspired way to see (and savour) the city beyond the guidebooks.
From large-scale murals to back alley graffiti, the street art scene in Athens is incredibly varied and dynamic, often serving as a reflection of the socio-political climate of the city. A whole host of artists from at home and abroad have helped transform austere blank walls into eye-catching urban canvases, cementing Athens’ reputation as one of the most exciting destinations for street art in Europe. Our private street art walking tour will give you an in-depth look at the city’s street art scene with a local expert guide who will lead you through the colourful neighbourhoods of Gazi, Kerameikos, Psyri and Monastiriaki, revealing the techniques and context behind some of the most iconic pieces along the way.
On this 3-hour private walking tour, you will:
Step beyond the ancient ruins and marble columns to discover a different side of Athens, one that is raw, rebellious, and vibrantly alive. This private, three-hour walking tour offers an intimate journey through the city’s eclectic street art scene, led by a passionate local expert guide who lives and breathes the ever-evolving language of the walls.
Your experience begins in Gazi, one of the city’s most creative hubs, where you will have privileged access to a special Art Lab where graffiti artists, muralists, and multimedia creators converge. After strolling around Gazi's most notable large murals and uncovering a few lesser-known works, you’ll set off on a carefully curated route through the neighbourhoods of Kerameikos, Psyri, and Monastiraki, each pulsing with its distinct rhythm and aesthetic. Along quiet alleyways and sun-drenched streets, you’ll encounter massive, politically charged murals, poignant paste-ups, intricate stencils, and striking mixed-media pieces that speak volumes about the city’s history, struggles, and dreams.
As you walk, your guide, a passionate local deeply familiar with Athens’ art community, will decode the visual language around you. They’ll share the stories behind iconic works and the fiercely independent artists who made them, illuminating how Athens became one of Europe’s most important urban art capitals. You'll learn not just to look, but to see, getting an insight into the materials, techniques, and messages that can transform a city wall into a statement of protest, hope, or joy.
More than a walking tour, you will embark on an immersive exploration of Athens' creative pulse, ending in the buzzing heart of Monastiraki Square, where ancient history and modern creativity collide. Perfect for curious travellers seeking authenticity beyond the postcards, this experience reveals the soul of the city, painted boldly across its surfaces.
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