Psiri

Psiri blends tradition and creativity with street art, local eats, and lively nightlife, offering a colourful, authentic slice of Athens near Monastiraki.

Psiri is one of Athens’ most atmospheric and eclectic neighborhoods, known for its lively character, creative spirit, and deep-rooted history. Nestled just a short walk from Monastiraki Square, this once working-class district has transformed into a hub of art, food, and bohemian flair. By day, its narrow streets bustle with artisan shops, quirky boutiques, and traditional workshops where crafts like leatherworking and woodcarving still thrive. By night, Psiri comes alive with energy as its many tavernas, ouzeries, rooftop bars, and live music venues fill with locals and visitors alike.

What sets Psiri apart is its raw authenticity. The neighborhood is a canvas for vibrant street art, with bold murals and political graffiti adding a layer of expression to its already colorful walls. Despite growing popularity, it retains a laid-back, village-like feel, where time slows down and hidden courtyards invite exploration. Whether you're sipping Greek coffee at a shaded café, tasting loukoumades from a corner shop, or listening to rembetiko music spilling out from a tucked-away bar, Psiri offers a vivid and immersive slice of Athenian life.

Nearby Attractions

See all attractions in Athens
Temple of Hephaestus
Located just above Thissio, this ancient temple was opened in the 5th century BC and still remains largely intact.
Hadrian's Library
See the remains of the largest structure erected by Hadrian in the 2nd century AD, which held not just a library but also music and lecture rooms.
Stoa of Attalos
It was the first and largest shopping center of antiquity with 21 shops between the two floors.
Monastiraki Square
Once the site of the largest monastery in Athens, Monastiraki square is one of the city's major shopping districts and a popular meeting place for Athenians.
Koulouri
A ring of bread sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Tzaziki
A healthy Greek cucumber yogurt dip or sauce you can serve with chicken, veggies, pita chips, gyros, and more.

Related Tours

Flavours of Athens: Private Food Tour in Monastiraki and Psiri

Europe’s oldest capital city, Athens, boasts 5000 years of history to discover and a myriad of mouthwatering dishes to try. Greek cuisine is characterised by fresh ingredients and bold flavours, and is underpinned by the country’s geography, history and unique cultural heritage. The Athens food scene, in particular, offers a delectable mix of traditional and modern dining options, and there is no better way to discover it than indulging in a private food tour with a local guide.

On your half-day private food tour, you will:

  • Eat your way through Athens with a local foodie guide;
  • Explore 2 of the most interesting neighbourhoods in the historic centre: lively Monastiraki and trendy bohemian Psiri;
  • Taste authentic Greek food from Gyros to Greek doughnuts;
  • Sip aromatic Greek coffee and learn about the traditional practice of reading fortunes from the coffee grounds;
  • Find out about the core elements of Greek gastronomy from ancient times to the present day;
  • Sample sweet and savoury dishes while your guide reveals the key ingredients behind them;
  • Go beyond feta with a Greek cheese tasting;
  • Visit family-run eateries and hear about culinary traditions passed down for generations;
  • Try your hand at putting together a quintessential Greek plate of your own;
  • Pair your dishes with local beer, Greek wine or traditional spirits like Tsipouro.

Step into the heart of Athens and uncover the city’s culinary soul on this private half-day food tour through the bustling neighbourhoods of Monastiraki and Psiri. More than just a tasting experience, this journey blends history, flavour, and local tradition into a delicious exploration of everyday Athenian life. 

Your guide, a passionate local foodie, will lead you through lively streets, tucked-away bakeries, and family-run tavernas, revealing how Greek gastronomy has evolved from ancient rituals to modern street food culture. You’ll sip aromatic Greek coffee prepared in the traditional style and learn the art of fortune-telling from the grounds, a ritual that’s as much about community as caffeine. 

You’ll enjoy a thoughtful selection of emblematic flavours, from sweet treats like loukoumades (honey-drenched dough balls that are one of the first desserts in recorded history) to savoury bites of warm bread, tangy cheeses, and flaky pies fresh from the oven, offering a snapshot of Greece’s rich culinary tradition.

You’ll also have the opportunity to step behind the counter at a beloved local eatery, rolling up your sleeves to assemble your own plate of gyro or souvlaki under the guidance of those who have perfected the craft. Paired with a glass of Greek wine, a local beer, or the bold kick of tsipouro, it’s a hands-on taste of hospitality that goes far beyond restaurant dining. Between bites, your guide will share stories of ingredients, cooking techniques, and regional specialities, showing how food in Greece is never just about sustenance, but about connection. By the time your tour comes to a close, you’ll have savoured more than flavours: you’ll have embraced a gastronomic philosophy that makes Athens one of the most exciting food destinations in the world.

Graffiti & Gastronomy: Athens Private Walking Tour with Tastings

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:

  • Savour Athens’ world-famous food scene in the company of a local expert guide;
  • Discover some of the city’s most iconic street art as well as the stories behind them;
  • Visit a special art lab, getting privileged access to an inspiring space for artists and events;
  • Explore the lively neighbourhoods of Gazi, Psyri and Monastiriaki;
  • See colourful creations, large and small, and find out about visionary artists who created them;
  • Unpack the elements of important murals and uncover the different techniques used to bring them to life; 
  • Try aromatic Greek coffee or mountain tea;
  • Enjoy various authentic local tastings as you unpack the emblematic flavours of Greek gastronomy;
  • Sample sweet and savoury dishes while your guide reveals rich culinary traditions.

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.

Athens Graffiti and Street Art: Private Half-Day Walking Tour

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:

  • Discover Athens’ world-famous street art scene in the company of a local expert guide;
  • Enjoy the undivided attention of your private guide, well-acquainted with the city's artist community;
  • Explore the vibrant districts of Gazi, Kerameikos, Psyri and Monastiriaki;
  • See some of the most iconic graffiti in the city;
  • Learn the stories behind the most important murals and the visionary artists who created them;
  • Uncover emblematic pieces of stencil work, paste-ups and mixed media;
  • Get a crash course on the different techniques used to create the urban masterpieces;
  • Visit a specialist art lab, getting privileged access to an inspiring space for artists and events.


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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