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Like that "small village of indomitable Gauls that still holds out against the invaders," Exarchia has always been home to those who defy the conventional. Although in recent years, along with a divisive plan to build a metro station in the main square, the tenacious armies of short-term rentals have clearly breached its defences, Exarchia remains as free-spirited as ever.
Consistently listed among the world's coolest neighbourhoods, this rebellious enclave of activists and creatives is home to some of the city's best street art, a myriad of cocktail bars, all-day hangouts, third-wave bakeries and street food joints, and one of the most popular farmers' markets in Athens.
One of the busiest streets, connecting the main square to the foot of Lycabettus Hill, is Valtetsiou Street. At first glance, Valtetsiou looks like a one-way street for night owls and gourmets. But, as with the whole of Exarchia, culture, politics and philosophy (be it of the anarchist school) are served in true Athenian fashion alongside chilled espressos, fine Greek wine labels and creative gastronomy.
Long coffee sessions on Valtetsiou Street.
Photo: Thomas Gravanis
How to get there
The easiest way to get to Valtetsiou Street is to walk. Get off at Panepistimio metro station and walk up Ippokratous Street. A short four-minute walk and you will find yourself at Valtetsiou. When the yellow metro line (line 4) is completed, the Exarchia Square station will bring visitors at the very beginning of Valtetsiou.
The οriginals
Although nowadays Valtetsiou buzzes 24/7 with the life breathed into it by GenZers and millennials who love long coffee sessions against the graffitied facades of buildings, a few decades ago it was a rather quiet street. It was during this time that Hartes (est. 1996), an all-day café/bar at the corner of Zoodochou Pigis Street, attracted the city's theatre lovers. Still a popular hangout for musicians, actors, writers and especially students, Hartes still retains its 90s charm today. Open from the early hours of the morning, it is the ideal place for a long coffee or office session away from home, a midday tsipouro to the sound of tavli dice (Greek backgammon), or later in the day beers and cocktails with friends to the pumped-up sounds of rock and indie music.
On the next block, at the corner of Charilaou Trikoupi Street, is another quintessential Exarchia destination. Founded in 2011, Luxus Bar has been celebrated for its unwavering commitment to the then fledgling art of mixology. Luxus boasts an impressive list of 75 cocktails inspired by different eras and locations around the world. What's even more impressive is that the list hasn't changed since day one. If you visit on a Tuesday or Thursday, you'll find happy hour every hour, with budget-friendly €6 cocktails, a cherished tradition since 2012.
Outdoor seating is plentiful and comes with the requisite people-watching and urban buzz. Inside, you'll be greeted by mid-war Bauhaus décor that creates an enchanting Parisian vibe, soundtracked by well-curated tunes. Try the house "Brownskin Gal", an “explosive” blend of aged rum, ginger and passion fruit, the fiery chilli-infused "Zombie" for an extra kick, or the house take on the classic "French 75", a champagne cocktail dating back to WWI.
The sophisticated
Exarchia has always had an artistic flair. As one of the area's oldest cultural spots, Riviera open-air cinema celebrates an illustrious history spanning half a century. The story begins in 1969, when founder Theodoros Riggas, a real-life "Cinema Paradiso" character who grew up in movie theatres, dreamed of setting up an open air cinema on a plot of land left vacant after a fire in the neighbourhood. Over the years, Riviera became less of a cinema and more of a school of film, where cinephiles from all over the city flocked to watch screenings of classic and independent films. Today, his daughter Peggy, an archaeologist by trade, carries on the legacy, curating the cinema's schedule with a focus on classics and the occasional new release. Riviera has a soft spot for Greek productions and makes sure they are accessible to visitors by adding English subtitles (in general, here in Greece we opt for subtitles, so films are always shown in their original language, sometimes with double subtitles). Since 2018, Riviera has also become the main headquarters of Midnight Express, a popular series of late-night film screenings with a cult following and a love for the fantasy/horror genre.
Before bar crawlers, bibliophiles frequented Valtetsiou. Still standing (and thriving), Fagotto Books is a haven for both bookworms and music lovers. The publishing house was founded in 1982 by Nikos Thermos, a self-taught guitarist with a background in finance, who also wrote and published its first book, “How To Play Guitar 1”, which to this day remains an essential guide for guitar greenhorns. The bookshop with its big red sign opened on Valtetsiou in 2003 and houses the city's largest collection of music books, from rebetiko studies and musical fairy tales to music therapy and psychology. But there is one thing Fagotto loves more than books: percussion instruments. The shop offers an impressive selection of traditional Greek and ethnic percussion for all kicks and budgets, from ocean drums to Arabic riqs, steel-tongue drums and children's drumming chairs.
Since 2012, Valtetsiou has had its own yoga studio. Located on the first floor of no. 50, Evergreen Yoga Studios (EYS) welcomes yoga enthusiasts of all levels. Through the transformative power of his practice, founder Panos Katsandris has fostered a vibrant and inclusive community offering a wide range of classes and yoga styles, although they specialise in Vinyasa Krama Yoga (a dynamic practice that guides practitioners into a state of kinetic meditation). The studio is also dedicated to training future generations of yoga teachers, aiming to create educators who deeply understand yoga as a holistic system of psychosomatic education. Want to take your spirituality out into the wild? Ask about the Evergreen Project, a yoga-practising eco-community set in a beautiful forest on the outskirts of Athens.
The foodies
Achilleas Sevastikopoulos is one of the original Valtetsiou characters. He took over the Rozalia restaurant in 1974, and in 1980 invested in another eatery opposite, which now bears his name: Achilleas Vergina. Both Rozalia and Vergina serve traditional Greek dishes such as Cretan lamb fricassée (slow-cooked meat with greens in an egg-lemon sauce), meat stews, vegan-friendly ladera (veggies cooked in tomato sauce and plenty of olive oil) and fish dishes. Vergina also wraps some of the city's tastiest souvlaki. Both shops, now run by Achilleas' children, have outdoor tables under the tallest residents of the narrow street, Valtetsiou's beautiful sycamore trees. Rozalia also has a lovely courtyard where you can find refuge from the bustle of Exarchia. Appetisers are presented to you on a tray for you to pick so start with whatever looks good.
The tastemakers
The heart of Valtetsiou beats on the corner of Mavromichali Street. Established in 2013, Warehouse is a popular all-purpose venue, frequented by Athenians, expats, digital nomads and visitors alike. Housed in an old bookbindery, Warehouse is the child of three experts in their respective fields; George Kanopoulos (wine), George Loukas (coffee) and Anastasis Ioannou (mixology). And it excels in all three. Drop in for a freshly roasted espresso in the morning, a light lunch at midday, and make sure you book in advance if you want to be part of the evening action. The wine list is remarkable, featuring both Greek and international labels. Choose from 140 labels by the glass, 300 bottles and another 500 in the cellar. The short seasonal menu of wine appetisers and hot and cold dishes is artfully curated by Chef Thodoris Karagiannidis. The cool Warehouse dwellers sip their wine standing on the pavement, rubbing shoulders with the rest of the millennials who put in the extra hours everyday in post-work drinks.
The standing patrons of Warehouse often weave with those of the other darling at the Valtetsiou and Mavromichali junction, Sousourada. At weekends, the crowds and queues can get so thick that people simply stand in the street, moving out of the way of passing cars after polite (or less so) nudges of drivers. This is the very double-edged nature of freedom (or anarchy) that makes Exarchia so appealing. Back to Sousourada. In 2016, enthusiastic owners Yannis Rahoutis and Maria Papadopoulou transformed an old publishing house into a cheerful all-day hangout. "I've always loved sharing my family's wine and tsipouro with friends, and Sousourada is nothing more than the logical result of that," says Yannis, speaking of his family's vineyards in the village of Plataea, near Thebes. In fact, sousourada is the Greek word for the wagtail bird often found on Yannis' plantations. Breakfast and brunch are served here until early evening. The round-the-clock menu focuses on Greek and Mediterranean cuisine, with excellent vegetarian and vegan options. For spirits, try the titular Sousourada, which mixes the house tsipouro with pineapple and pink peppercorn, or crack open a fresh and mineral Santorini Assyrtiko. If you're here between August and December, ask for the moustalevria dessert, a traditional pudding made from their own grape must and mixed with flour.
