The Bite Magazine - Autmn/Winter 2020 - Issue 28

bitetravel M ost people visit Greece’s classical capital city of Athens, which today buzzes with an intense en- ergy that burns bright into the night. This histor- ical metropolis has long antiquity that dates back to the Neolithic age built on a hill-fort on top of the Acropolis. It became the leading city of Ancient Greece in the first millen- nium BC and achieved cultural foundation for western civilisa- tion during the 5th century BC. The Middle Ages saw a decline in the city which then recovered under the Byzantine Empire. During the Crusades era, Athens was prosperous, benefitting from Italian trade but went into another period of decline after being conquered by the Ottoman Empire. It finally re-emerged in the 19th century, after a bloody rebellion, to become the cap- ital of modern independent Greece. Before the name ‘Greeks’ was given to the people of Greece by the Romans, they called themselves Hellenes and their land Hellas, which means ‘Greece’ in the Hellenika language. Although Athens still embraces its past, you will find an edgy energy in neighbourhoods like Kypseli and Keramikos. The once abandoned, graffiti-covered buildings are now galleries, and young culinary entrepreneurs have livened up the food scene. For a peaceful, tranquil moment with plenty of sun, you can hit the capital’s sparkling coastline of beach resorts where you can swim six months of the year without having to visit Greece’s other islands. Before taking in the sights of this beautiful city, the local mar- ket is worth a visit. The Varvakios Central Municipal Market or Dimotiki Agora (Public Market) as the Athenians call it is found on Athinas Street, halfway between Omonia Square and Monastiraki Square. Here you will find plenty of stalls selling fresh meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, spices, and bread within and around the outer edges of the market. Opened fromMonday to Saturday, the best time to go there is in the morning. Close to Varvakios Central Municipal Market is the Roman Agora of Athens, located on the northern side of the Acropolis and near to Monastiraki metro station. This open-air courtyard surrounded by colonnades on all four sides was constructed in the 1st century. It has an inscription saying Julius Caesar and Augustus funded the work. The main entrance is on the western side, with a series of shops on the eastern side and a fountain on the southern side. Acropolis Museum - The Parthenon Gallery - East Pediment Fragments with Metopes and Fireze in background and the Acropolis Acropolis and Parthenon at night